Cancer Support Group

[[2t...]]

I hope everyone is feeling well today. I'm sorry if I dont respond individually to your responses. I'm on a cell phone and it makes it difficult.

I'm at my oncology appt this morning. I'm nervous and feel like I might get diarrhea. So I arrived early so I can use the restroom if I have to. I have that same nervous feeling that I had as a little child and had to leave my mother for school. It's a sick, nervous, hollow feeling. It's just a followup appt. But I don't like going to doctor appts..ugh..

 

I understand how you feel.

I never worried about going to the doctor until my cancer diagnosis, now every time I go it puts me on edge wondering what now.

So far averything has been ok but my blood pressure always spikes in the office now.

Wishing you well this morning.

[[so...]]

Hope all goes well Ferggie.

 

Follow-up visits with the oncologist is always nerve-wracking. I see mine in two weeks, and I'm pretty sure he's going to tell me he wants to do a hysterectomy. They left the uterus in during my initial cancer surgery due to the way the disease has spread, but now we know that I have a genetic condition that warrants getting the uterus out.

 

I'm very nervous about possibly facing another surgery - and not just for the usual reasons. It's the damned benzo situation that has me petrified. I'm so scared that the surgery and meds they'll throw at me (anesthesia, benzos, antibiotics, steroids, contrast in case I need a CT scan... who knows) will make my w/d worse. A lot of these drugs seem to make things worse for people here.

 

So I actually am contemplating not doing the surgery at all. How insane is that? Deciding that a cancer recurrence is a better option than benzo symptoms?? Good lord...

 

And tomorrow I have to go to the dentist to get a filling replaced. Usually no big deal, I've done it a bunch of times before. But now of course I'm worried about the w/d being affected by the injections.

 

F#$#^&* benzos. Is there any aspect of our bodies and our lives that they don't touch?

[[He...]]

To ferggie, good luck with your visit today. How did your haircut turn out? I hope everyone here is healing.

 

I feel anxiety when I go to any doctor, except for my gyno who is the only compassionate doc I've found since moving to Cal. And I don't have cancer. It's a benzo PTSD thing. I would suggest that we are all in PTSD due to living in this challenging life situation. And we are strong. Love to all, HM

[[fe...]]

Thanks the appt went well. I have to see the dermatologist every 6 mos the rest of my life. He does a full body (skin exam ), even between my butt cheek Lol..

Solitude seeker, I know what u mean about being afraid of all the substances u will be exposed with a hysterectomy. I had to have several surgeries, nuclear dye with scans. God really gave me a peace about it, and I didn't seem to have any reactions.

Take care, Ferggie

[[fe...]]

Healingme, I agree we must have PTSD from this benzo disaster. I don't know what to do about it.

[[so...]]

Thanks the appt went well. I have to see the dermatologist every 6 mos the rest of my life. He does a full body (skin exam ), even between my butt cheek Lol..

Solitude seeker, I know what u mean about being afraid of all the substances u will be exposed with a hysterectomy. I had to have several surgeries, nuclear dye with scans. God really gave me a peace about it, and I didn't seem to have any reactions.

Take care, Ferggie

 

So did you have your surgeries during your taper or after you were done? Was it full general anesthesia? Do you know if they gave you any benzos or steroids or antibiotics?

 

It is very encouraging to hear about people who may have been given these drugs and it didn't send them spiraling downward. I am going to make it very clear to them that they are not to give me any benzos no matter what, but the antibiotics are probably inevitable. Meh...

[[fe...]]

I had general anesthesia for the big surgery. I had lymph nodes removed. I took an atb afterwards. I'm sure they didn't give me a benzo, my chart says I'm allergic to benzos.

I lso had a colonoscopy last mo..they gave me propofol. I wanted to take some propofol home with me Lol..I also took some lortab too. No negative reactions..

[[Tr...]]

Thanks the appt went well. I have to see the dermatologist every 6 mos the rest of my life. He does a full body (skin exam ), even between my butt cheek Lol..

Solitude seeker, I know what u mean about being afraid of all the substances u will be exposed with a hysterectomy. I had to have several surgeries, nuclear dye with scans. God really gave me a peace about it, and I didn't seem to have any reactions.

Take care, Ferggie

 

Hi Ferggie,

I had a check up too today!  No scan today just blood drawn.  I got a good report and will go back in December.  I'm so happy yours went well.  Congratulations!

[[fe...]]

Tryingtobepositive, that is great news that u got a good report!! My oncologist told me to start exercising more, and cut down on salt because my bp was high. I told him I love salt Lol..I've cut down on sugar, that was hard enough!!

[[Fl...]]

It must be oncologist week!!! I'm seeing mine on Friday. I always get nervous at doctors appointments. I get really cold and have to pee like race horse.

I got my mri results today and it was normal. The only thing they found was a marked inflammation in my right nasal cavity no infection. It's weird that my eye and forehead pain is on the same side . HOPE EVERYONE IS DOING WEEL AND ANY APPOINTMENTS HAVE A HAPPY ENDING.

[[Tr...]]

Tryingtobepositive, that is great news that u got a good report!! My oncologist told me to start exercising more, and cut down on salt because my bp was high. I told him I love salt Lol..I've cut down on sugar, that was hard enough!!

 

Thank you!  I don't know why but the last 2 appointments I haven't been nervous.  That said when I had a possible UTI/infection I started to get nervous.  I think when I have symptoms of some type I sometimes fear it will be really bad, usually another type of cancer. 

 

Is your bp usually high or just when you first go into the doctors office?  Sucks to cut down on what you love!  I hear ya, I still have a couple days a week that I ingest WAY too much sugar.  Last night was one of them and boy did I pay for it.  I still keep eating it though, go figure

[[Tr...]]

It must be oncologist week!!! I'm seeing mine on Friday. I always get nervous at doctors appointments. I get really cold and have to pee like race horse.

I got my mri results today and it was normal. The only thing they found was a marked inflammation in my right nasal cavity no infection. It's weird that my eye and forehead pain is on the same side . HOPE EVERYONE IS DOING WEEL AND ANY APPOINTMENTS HAVE A HAPPY ENDING.

 

Thanks flame!  Good luck on Friday!

Wow, what are the chances 3 of us would have appointments in the same week...

 

Could you have allergies or are you prone to sinus infections?

[[fe...]]

Good luck on fri, Flame, and happy for u that the mri was ok. I have to see my regular doctor next week. My livery enzymes are up so I'll have blood work again. The thing about being diagnosed with melanoma, or any cancer for that matter, is that now when tests are abnormal they always suspect the cancer is back.

Good luck at your appts everyone !!

[[Fl...]]

Tryingtobepositve, I am prone to sinus infections. The eyebrow pain is what started this whole getting off Xanax and going to doctors in the first place. I was put on antibiotics for a possible sinus infection ( 2x rounds ) no improvement then an ent who found nothing with wrong in CT scan. I then I thought it was the Xanax and started to tapper, the eyebrow pain developed into eye, forehead pain and twitching. I thought since the symptoms are getting worse the lower I go then it must be the benzos. Had the mri to completely dispel any other cause. I still have extreme tightness around my eye and had botox for the twitching. I don't have an infection at the present, but swelling in the nasal cavity. I don't know what to make of that!! Could this swelling cause all my symptoms?  I'm just so tired of this face pain I'm disparate for answers.

Ferggie , If I had stage 3b and have had clear scans for 2 years your liver enzymes have nothing to do with cancer being that you were stage 1!!! I bet you 10000$$$$$$!!! These drugs can elevate liver enzymes, even common ibuprofen can if you take a lot for long duration. 

Thank you all for the well wishing  I'm not too worried about it this time thank god

[[Tr...]]

Tryingtobepositve, I am prone to sinus infections. The eyebrow pain is what started this whole getting off Xanax and going to doctors in the first place. I was put on antibiotics for a possible sinus infection ( 2x rounds ) no improvement then an ent who found nothing with wrong in CT scan. I then I thought it was the Xanax and started to tapper, the eyebrow pain developed into eye, forehead pain and twitching. I thought since the symptoms are getting worse the lower I go then it must be the benzos. Had the mri to completely dispel any other cause. I still have extreme tightness around my eye and had botox for the twitching. I don't have an infection at the present, but swelling in the nasal cavity. I don't know what to make of that!! Could this swelling cause all my symptoms?  I'm just so tired of this face pain I'm disparate for answers.

Ferggie , If I had stage 3b and have had clear scans for 2 years your liver enzymes have nothing to do with cancer being that you were stage 1!!! I bet you 10000$$$$$$!!! These drugs can elevate liver enzymes, even common ibuprofen can if you take a lot for long duration. 

Thank you all for the well wishing  I'm not too worried about it this time thank god

 

I've had twitching here and there during my taper so that certainly can be a benzo thing.  Also, it seems like benzo use, along with other variables can cause a lot of issues!  The only way to find out is to eliminate and wait & see!

 

Keep us posted

[[fe...]]

Hello friends,

I had twitching, mouth, eyes, on and off during my withdraw. Benzos must affect the muscles all over the body. I still get them on occasion, and I'm 14 mos off benzos now. I read a book on vit b12 deficiency and give myself shots every month. Low b12 affects the nervous system, similar to MS.

I hope u all are doing well!!

[[Tr...]]

Hello friends,

I had twitching, mouth, eyes, on and off during my withdraw. Benzos must affect the muscles all over the body. I still get them on occasion, and I'm 14 mos off benzos now. I read a book on vit b12 deficiency and give myself shots every month. Low b12 affects the nervous system, similar to MS.

I hope u all are doing well!!

 

Thanks for the advice Ferggie!  The nurse at my oncologist appointment suggested I take that for my neuropathy.

[[Fl...]]

How is everybody doing? My oncologist appointment went well. She is pushing out our check ups to 6 months. She thinks that I don't need to be in a cancer center anymore. So I guess she is optimistic that I've have beaten this thing. Although I have a scan in January ???. I had a window for 2 1/2 days. I wonder if this eye messager thing I bought is helping my forehead pain but the pain is back today. Has anybody ever had bad eye strain that it created forehead pain?

[[fe...]]

Hi Flame,

So happy u are doing well. I don't have eye problems, but I mainly have sinus problems and headaches associated with the sinus pressure ..I'm actually addicted to Afrin nasal spray.

Take care,

Ferggie

[[Fl...]]

Ferggie, how are you doing? Any up dates on your blood work? I use steroid nasal spray too. I've get a sinus infection every fall so fun. I was just asking because I've never knew anybody with eye strain so I don't anyone to compare what I'm experiencing to see if matches. The Internet is so miss leading.

[[Tr...]]

How is everybody doing? My oncologist appointment went well. She is pushing out our check ups to 6 months. She thinks that I don't need to be in a cancer center anymore. So I guess she is optimistic that I've have beaten this thing. Although I have a scan in January ???. I had a window for 2 1/2 days. I wonder if this eye messager thing I bought is helping my forehead pain but the pain is back today. Has anybody ever had bad eye strain that it created forehead pain?

 

So glad your appointment went well!  No, I haven't experienced that type of eye pain.

[[RO...]]

Thyroid cancer here. Soo yes. I'm 33 free off benzos, the cancer dr I have had three surgeries.  I'm not cancer free and still I'll from wd.

[[so...]]

Hi Rodeo. Happy to meet you.

[[Fl...]]

Hi reodeo69

I had thyroid cancer in 2008, cancer free from that since 2009. What type of thyroid cancer do have? Follicle? I had Papillary Carcinoma. Glad you found us

[[He...]]

How is everybody doing? My oncologist appointment went well. She is pushing out our check ups to 6 months. She thinks that I don't need to be in a cancer center anymore. So I guess she is optimistic that I've have beaten this thing. Although I have a scan in January ???. I had a window for 2 1/2 days. I wonder if this eye messager thing I bought is helping my forehead pain but the pain is back today. Has anybody ever had bad eye strain that it created forehead pain?

 

Hi I don't know if this will help but I have what is known as trigeminal nerve pain. Actually I had it worse when in tolerance w/d for 2 1/2 years. I figured it out from my horse, who had it and in horses, it makes the nerves tingle and burn in the whole face, causing the horse to shake its head a lot. Anyway, I did look it up and I think especially for benzo w/d it is common. My sx start more in my jaw, though. But the pain radiates into the eye on that side and gives me headaches and facial tenderness. Since we are going through bouts of tension and release, the jaw tends to clench and I think also benzos, affecting the nerves, overstimulate the trigeminal nerve. BTW the cure for the horse was to lower the amount of sunlight in the eyes, as that triggered the process. (Face mask, mesh). Anyway a lot of people here mention jaw pain and I do feel that a lot and believe it's my trigeminal nerve due to the benzos. I stay out of the sun a lot. Wear sunglasses. Hope this is helpful. Sending good thoughts to all on this thread!  HM