• Peter
  • Peter
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  • From: Vermont
  • Registered: Thu, 02 Feb 2006
  • Posts: 235

Topic: Another good set of Labs

I continue to draw a long straw at the moment.

My labs this week remain quite good after having been off  chemo since mid September.  .  All the tumor markers are still w/i normal range.  The  CA125 and CEA actually went down a bit more while the CA19-9 rose a little.  Nothing statistically significant and this was a different lab. 

Hemoglobin, which had been low from Chemo and was creating a lack of energy , also came up a couple of points.  I can really feel this difference. 

And the icing on the cake is that I continue to gain weight (I am 6'1" and had dropped into upper 130's, now back over 170) and currently have no ascities.

Carpe Diem!

-Peter

  • Registered: Sat, 09 Dec 2006
  • Posts: 514

Re: Another good set of Labs

Hurray! Great news!! Keep up the good work!
Joyce

  • From: Kalmar, Sweden
  • Registered: Sun, 20 May 2007
  • Posts: 1,951

Re: Another good set of Labs

I am so pleased for you!!! Great news and may it continue.

Kris

Cancer is a word, not a sentence.

36 year old patient with buckets of hope
  • Registered: Thu, 03 May 2007
  • Posts: 31

Re: Another good set of Labs

Wonderful news!! 
Cathy & Gerry

  • Registered: Fri, 19 May 2006
  • Posts: 61

Re: Another good set of Labs

Hi Peter - great to hear you are doing well.

I have a quick question on regaining weight. My dad (65) has been fighting CC for about 20 months now and is still hanging in there but has lost a ton of weight (he's about 5'8 and weighs 130 lbs). Most of the loss came very precipitously when he started with cisplatin and irinotecan. Both the oncologist and the palliative care team believe the chemo is the primary reason for the loss. He's eating quite well again but cannot put any weight back on. Did you try any specific diets or regimens that helped you recoup some weight?

Thanks for the insight and I hope you continue the great fight.

Best of luck to everyone.

Amilcar

  • Peter
  • Peter
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  • From: Vermont
  • Registered: Thu, 02 Feb 2006
  • Posts: 235

Re: Another good set of Labs

Amilcar,

I was on what was essentially a macrobiotic diet with an emphasis on locally grown foods for much of my treatment which was also when I had the weight loss.

While I believe diet, organic food, etc are a key component of physical health I was sinking in weight too fast.  I added back in quite a bit of good fats (nuts, avacodo, olive oil), upped my starch intake with lots of whole grain bread (and butter!), pasta etc and also some red meat a few times a week.  In other words I have eaten to please myself and have indulged in other things flings with food as well.  I also eat a LOT!  Small meals but many of them a day.  I'm not gaining like I would be if my digestive system hadn't been so compromised but I am slowly gaining.  Sometimes I'll level off and not gain a thing for weeks and then I can pick up a pound or two again.

I've also been off Chemo for 2 months now and that has helped considerably.

No magic bullets I'm afraid.    We're each different,  I find it helps to pay very close attention and try to listen to what our bodies tell us it needs.

-Peter