Today we had our appointment to follow up yesterdays CT scan and decide where we go from here. CT scan came back with no detectable changes with the exception of an 8mm spot (1/3" for us non-metric persons, ha) on one of his lungs. Doc is not concerned about this as she says she has seen these come and go many times. Just something we will have to watch as time rolls on.
Rick has lost 4 pounds since our last treatment on 3/21 due to a reduced appetite and maybe some additional physical exercise in the yard as spring is now popping up (now down to 146 lbs.). She feels now is the time to change up our drugs by staying ahead of any further weight loss. (She feels the stomach is back to not expanding as much). We are heading down the road with Flourouracil (5FU), Irinotecan, and Avastin (if our insurance company will pay? Any bets?) If not, we will swap in Cisplatin. We are going to do treatments every 2 weeks (there goes the traveling every 3 weeks, damm), with 2 days per treatment of the 5FU on a pump in a fashionable little fanny pack, lol. This is going to severely crimp our style, but I guess we really should be thankful for the 14 wonderful months we have already had. Greedy, greedy, it's the American Way, no? Rick is still feeling great and has more energy than I'll ever have.
In our research this afternoon, it looks like Irinotecan might cause some wicked diarrhea. As we have had minimal side effects from the original Oxalyplatin, Epirubicin, and Xeloda, (This regimen was SO GOOD to us) we are only hoping and praying we will have the same results with the second line treatment.
Have any of you been on this new (to us) regimen for gastric cancer, and if so, could you share your experience? I feel like we are once again heading into uncharted waters and feeling a little uneasy about change.
Thanks for the opportunity to share our experience as well as read others experience with this nasty disease. We really are all in this together.
Carpe diem, Scott