meggles42's Journal, 22 October 2016

I called my doc on Tuesday 10/18 because I've been getting really short of breath lately for no good reason - I can normally walk a few blocks or go up a few flights of stairs no problem, but lately I've had to stop to catch my breath after even one flight of stairs.

My PCP didn't have an appointment I could make, so they sent me to the ER. At the ER, they found a heart murmur, did a chest xray and found extra water around my lungs that was causing me to be short of breath, so they admitted me to try to drain some of the fluid off. They tried to do it via thoracentesis (with a needle) the next day, but somehow the fluid had run away! They started my on water pills to get some of the fluid out that way.

So I was there until Friday night while the cardiologists and the endocrinologists and eventually the oncologists tried to figure out what was the root of the problem. My other symptoms included diarrhea (since Decemer 2015, but controlled by Immodium), occasionally flushing/hot flashes (no, not early menopause, as it turns out). Turns out all of these, along with valve damage on the right side of the heart, are part of "carcinoid syndrome" and I have a carcinoid tumor in my small intestine. It has spread to my liver - the doc who tried to do the thoracentesis noticed the spots on the ultrasound. They did a full liver and abdomen MRI to find the tumor and confirmed it with a 24-hour urine test.

But, it might not be as bad as it sounds - the carcinoid is weird compared to most cancers and metastases don't necessarily mean it's an aggressive tumor. So they did a biopsy on one of the liver spots to find out if it's a slow carcinoid (common) or a fast one (rare). If it's a slow one, I get a shot once a month for the rest of my life to stop it's growth and a scan every 6 months to make sure it hasn't changed. If it's a fast one, chemo for me. I should find out Thursday or Friday.

All that to explain the rapid weight loss - it's all fluid. They told me I probably have another 10 pounds of fluid to lost in the next week.
230.8 lb Lost so far: 18.6 lb.    Still to go: 70.8 lb.    Diet followed reasonably well.

Diet Calendar Entry for 22 October 2016:
1928 kcal Fat: 60.11g | Prot: 58.57g | Carb: 302.56g.   Breakfast: Kroger 1/2% Lowfat Milk, Kroger Raisin Bran Cereal, Larabar Apple Pie. Lunch: Amy's Organic Low Fat Minestrone Soup, Navels Oranges. Dinner: Salt, Kroger Tater Rounds Potato Nuggets, Butter (Salted), Egg, Water, Stash Lemon Ginger Caffeine Free Herbal Tea, Kroger Orange Juice with Calcium. Snacks/Other: Publix Red Seedless Grapes, Kroger Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Italia Bakery Panini. more...
losing 13.7 lb a week

23 Supporters    Support   

Comments 
Cancer sucks! It sound's like you've been to hell and back. I'll be praying for you that it's the slow cancer, even better a miracle of no cancer at all. *Hugs*  
22 Oct 16 by member: Jones Jennifer
praying for you!  
22 Oct 16 by member: Sparrowsquirrel
Praying for you. Be positive  
22 Oct 16 by member: redm262
Prayers to you!  
23 Oct 16 by member: PGM012197
Wow! Sending good vibes and hope for good health and feeling good again! 
23 Oct 16 by member: iulani
Prayers for you! 
23 Oct 16 by member: VeggieJunkie
Praying for you.  
23 Oct 16 by member: HappyLady88
Prayers and good wishes for good outcome!! 
23 Oct 16 by member: pandasmom
I will be prayering for healing and good health. Stay positive!!!! 
23 Oct 16 by member: Lady Vincent
Blessing for you that things are easily treated 
23 Oct 16 by member: HCB
Glad you went to the hospital. Sounds like you are going to be safe, now. You really could have drowned in your sleep. If you were less active, you may not have noticed the shortness of breath. 
23 Oct 16 by member: LadyinDenim
Oh wow, good that you got right on this. Thoughts and prayers that it's easily treated. 
23 Oct 16 by member: PhillySue
Thanks for all the support! It really helps because I don't know what's happening next. Wishing you all health & happiness. 
23 Oct 16 by member: meggles42

     
 

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