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Scared but hopeful: diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June and started chemo in August

Welshlady71
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Hi everyone,

I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June and started chemo in August, oh my this is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do! Apparently I’m too young and the wrong sex for this diagnosis but it is definitely happening! The chemo is brutal but a necessary evil. I have my first scan on Saturday to see if it is working and I am scared, my cancer is inoperable but hopefully maintainable. I will only know after my scan what the prognosis is. I am so grateful that I have a wonderful husband and son to support me and a fantastic dr and chemo team who are looking after me.

I wish everyone that is going through the dreaded ‘C’ all the best with their treatment. I try to remain as positive as possible and it helps to some degree, there are good days and bad days . Luckily I am too stubborn to give in to this disease and will give my utmost to survive.

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    Hi Welshlady71, 

    I can imagine it has been a rather hard time for you and I am so sorry to hear that the chemotherapy treatment has been brutal but I hope that it will be effective. I think you may have had your scan yesterday? Would you mind me asking how it went? Have you found any more information about the effects of the chemotherapy? I certainly hope that you feel better today after your appointment. 

    I am so glad you have such a good support network with a wonderful husband and son by your side and having a fantastic specialist and chemotherapy team is also super important so that you feel well looked after. 

    As you say and it will resonate with many on the forum, there will inevitably be good days and bad days  and it is normal that even though you are trying to be positive, it is not always possible to do so and that's ok. Here you will find others who know exactly what you are going through at the moment as they find themselves in a similar place. Stubbornness is a great quality so keep being stubborn with cancer and we are all here to support you through this fight. 

    I will now let other members of our forum come and say hello and share their story with you. 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

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    Hi I hope you’re okay, if don’t mind me asking what tests did you have done to get a diagnosis? 

  • Offline in reply to Nic108

    Hi Nic108,

    I’m coping ok thank you. I originally went into A & E with suspected appendicitis but after blood tests, which showed up nothing, I eventually had a CT scan and a tumour showed up. My only symptoms were a pain low down on the left right side of my stomach. I hope this helps if you need any more help, I am an open book and you can ask me anything.

    Are you awaiting a diagnosis? If so I have everything crossed for you. 
    best wishes

    After the CT scan, I had biopsies and a PET scan.

  • Offline in reply to Moderator Lucie

    Hi Lucie,

    Thanks for your reply. My scan was fine yesterday, I will get the results in approx 2 weeks. I am staying positive and hopeful. 

    best wishes

    x

  • Offline in reply to Welshlady71

    That’s good to hear, ave been to A&E a few times because my back pain has been bad, but haven’t got an answer, ave had multiple blood tests done, my LDH levels were a little bit high and ESR rate was a bit abnormal. I had a CT scan and they found a small lucent lesion on my spine, but they said if there was anything wrong with my pancreas it would have showed. I have had symptoms since May, which are itchy skin, mid back pain which comes and goes and night sweats have been my main ones. Thank you so much for replying! 

  • Offline in reply to Nic108

    Hi Nic I hope youve had your results of your CT back how are you 

  • Offline in reply to cat999

    Hi I have had them ages ago, they said everything was fine apart from they found a small lucent lesion on my spine. I currently have a bad cold so that’s not helping either. How are you? 

  • Offline in reply to Welshlady71

    How did you get them to do a PET scan? Was it because your CT scan showed that there was something wrong? 

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