Hi Rayb

just been through this had FLOT april and may operation in june  its a long journey but stick witk it.

It may all sound a bit frightening at first i would recommend you read up on your treatment the FLOT is bearable and the operation is not really a worry although it is a major operation i will say that at no point in my journey have i really suffered any major pain and i am 90  percent recovered as of today if i can offer you any help or advice please contact me as it is always good to hear from someone who has been through this procedure recently , our NHS will take care of you by far the best care you can get ,trust me.

Hi RayB and doogreg, 

good to link up with you both.

doogreg, got your response on my other thread- I'm no tech gal, so sometimes get hopelessly lost among the posts.
Anyway, Doogreg, your info is incredibly useful and positive. Most of the general net is a horror story, so it is really good to have the perspective of a real post op patient.

we had our op date today, brought forward a week to the 10th December. Much better than the 17th!!. We have young kids for whom Xmas is still all sparkles n magic, so to have him in hospital over Xmas would really have been a nightmare ( not that this whole thing is any fun).

i am with you on the praise for NHs- omg, they have been so quick n slick over this whole thing. 
rayb- husband was only diagnosed on 29 th July- totally unexpected, his only symptoms was occasionally food clogging- but his loving nagging wife (me) forced him to the gp and the rest has been an utter rollercoaster. Appointments coming out of our ears in the first couple of weeks, so much and too much info, but that settled and he was on chemo within 5 weeks from diagnosis.

He's just completed the 4 pre op FLOT- nuclear stuff, but bravely borne. Symptoms gone after 2 cycles.

Now op on 10 th. I've told him it is chicken fortisip for his Xmas dinner while we eat the turkey , something for him to work towards after his op

Doogreg- did you have to post op FLOT?

rayb- keep in touch.

both- the emotional side of things is another beast all by itselfwow. My best 'treatment' for that was and is keeping things as normal as possible.. we are even back to squabbling whose turn it is to take the bins out

best wishes.

Ps- sorry I am a bit of a chatterbox.......

IS it just me or is this cancer on the rise??. When he was going for chemo over at the unit- there was 3 blokes, him being one, he being the oldest at 56!!!, the others 47 & 44. All blokes, all with varying stage 2/3 oesophageal. All with hardly any symptoms. Generally fit and well blokes.

it might be that the unit do all their oesophageals on a Friday, but including you guys that is 5 of you all in similar situations in a short period of time- interesting I thought.

Ps- sorry I am a bit of a chatterbox.......

IS it just me or is this cancer on the rise??. When he was going for chemo over at the unit- there was 3 blokes, him being one, he being the oldest at 56!!!, the others 47 & 44. All blokes, all with varying stage 2/3 oesophageal. All with hardly any symptoms. Generally fit and well blokes.

it might be that the unit do all their oesophageals on a Friday, but including you guys that is 5 of you all in similar situations in a short period of time- interesting I thought.

The statistics don’t reflect any increase in numbers, but people are getting diagnosed earlier and more of us are surviving and living to tell our stories.