Category Archives: side effects of cancer treatments

ATTENTION CANCER PATIENTS WITH SWOLLEN LEGS

Posted on November 4, 2011 by surfingon

If you are a cancer patient who has been diagnosed with a blood clot and you now have a very swollen leg/legs that your doctor cannot explain, please read on– our experience may illuminate your own. Continue reading →

Posted in blood clots, side effects of cancer, side effects of cancer treatments, Uncategorized | Tagged blood clots in cancer patients, lymphedema, manual lymphatic drainage, post phlebotic syndrome, swollen red legs in cancer patients | 5 Comments

Shedding Light On the Cancer Journey: the book

Posted on March 15, 2011 by surfingon

My dear and faithful readers: As of today, over 71,000 people have read and hopefully benefited from this blog– beyond my wildest expectation when I started this project 10 years ago. Such strong support has led me to turn Shedding … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer staging, cancer treatments, caregiver to cancer patient, chemo toxicity, coping, doctor patient communication, doctor patient relationship, end of life, hospice, hospitalization, medication issues, patient advocate, side effects of cancer, side effects of cancer treatments, Uncategorized | Tagged shedding light on the cancer journey: the book | 2 Comments

VERTIGO RELATED TO CHEMO TOXICITY

Posted on December 14, 2010 by surfingon

“Those platinum-based drugs are well-known to cause damage to the inner ear.” Continue reading →

Posted in cancer treatments, chemo toxicity, side effects of cancer treatments | Tagged BPPV in colon cancer patients, chemo related vertigo, dizziness from chemo, ear damage from chemo, nystagmus, oxaliplatin, side effects of colon cancer chemo, tinnitus before vertigo | Comments Off

COUMADIN FOR LIFE

Posted on October 12, 2010 by surfingon

While researching the causes for the malaise that John was still feeling a full month after his first RFA and 2 months after the end of chemo, I discovered a surprising fact. Virtually all the symptoms John was experiencing– weakness, … Continue reading →

Posted in side effects of cancer, side effects of cancer treatments | Tagged coumadin for life, coumadin side effects, INR monitoring, IVC filter blockage | Comments Off

LIVER METASTASES– ASSESSING THE RISK/REWARD RELATIONSHIP

Posted on September 7, 2010 by surfingon

It’s not that we had any regrets about our decisions (we did not)– it’s that I hope that others who face similarly agonizing treatment decisions learn from our experience. Continue reading →

Posted in cancer treatments, end of life, side effects of cancer treatments | Tagged hepatic encephalopathy, liver metastases, RFA for liver mets | 2 Comments

WHEN YOUR LOVED ONE IS NOT HIMSELF

Posted on August 28, 2010 by surfingon

Confusion and strange behavior which appears suddenly often has a cause that is reversible with changes in medication. Continue reading →

Posted in medication issues, side effects of cancer treatments | Tagged anti-anxiety drug, dexamethasone 'roid rage, dexamethasone euphoria, lactulose for ammonia in blood, personality changes with anti-anxiety medication | 1 Comment

RFA FOR LIVER METASTASES– A VETERAN PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE

Posted on August 21, 2010 by surfingon

After 7 RFA procedures in 1 1/2 years, my husband John definitely qualified as an expert on RFA for liver mets from the patient’s point of view. Continue reading →

Posted in cancer treatments, side effects of cancer treatments | Tagged complications of RFA of liver mets, post-RFA syndrome, RFA of liver mets, RFA of lung mets, RFA patient perspective | 1 Comment

BLOOD CLOTS AND IVC FILTERS: WHAT CANCER PATIENTS NEED TO KNOW

Posted on August 7, 2010 by surfingon

Catheter-directed therapy for a pulmonary embolism could save your life but the use of IVC filters in cancer patients is controversial: the risks may well exceed the benefits. Continue reading →

Posted in cancer treatments, side effects of cancer treatments | Tagged blood clots in cancer patients, catheter directed therapy for pulmonary embolism, clogged IVC filter, DVT, inferior vena cava filter, IVC filter, PE, pulmonary embolism | 4 Comments

ETHICS IN CHEMOTHERAPY: THE PATIENT’S RIGHT TO KNOW

Posted on July 30, 2010 by surfingon

What are unacceptable side effects of treatment for cancer, and which ones are patients willing to suffer? There is some controversy about the current terminology oncologists use in discussions with patients. Continue reading →

Posted in chemo toxicity, doctor patient communication, side effects of cancer treatments | Tagged Avastin side effects, chemotherapy ethics, progression-free survival, quality of life, treatment-induced suffering, unacceptable toxicity | 1 Comment

THREE COLON CANCER BLOOD TESTS PREDICT EFFICACY/TOXICITY OF CHEMOTHERAPY

Posted on June 13, 2010 by surfingon

Two non-invasive but infrequently ordered blood tests indicate those cancer patients for whom 5FU or Irninotecan chemotherapy will be toxic; the CTC test shows whether treatment for metastatic cancer is effective. Continue reading →

Posted in chemo toxicity, side effects of cancer treatments | Tagged 5FU toxicity, chemo blood tests, chemo suffering, DPD enzyme, how bad is chemo going to make me feel?, Irinotecan toxicity | 2 Comments