1. < Melanoma & Skin Cancer
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I have melanoma of the eye

Posted by elc90 @elc90, May 26 4:49pm

Cant decide what treatment proton or radiation my doctor wants to do a radiation cab it scares me . Did anybody have the proton treatment done what are the side affects have to make my decision this week

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elc90 | @elc90 | 4 days ago

I had the same treatment and after 6 months doing well no big side affects only try eye what I can deal with. My vision was the same as before the treatment on the outside clear and other half plury . Did my treatment at my doctors in TN who specializes in melanoma in eye. Still worried about what's coming with time but I think this was the write decision for me

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pamela76 | @pamela76 | 4 days ago
In reply to @colleenyoung "@pamela76, welcome. Glad to hear the tumor continues to shrink. After the initial deterioration to your..." + (show)
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@pamela76, welcome. Glad to hear the tumor continues to shrink. After the initial deterioration to your vision, has it stabilized now?

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@colleenyoung
No, my eyeglass prescription has changed quite a bit. I am scheduled for another shot at Bascom Palmer in late January. Hoping for the best!

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elc90 | @elc90 | 3 days ago
In reply to @elc90 "I had the same treatment and after 6 months doing well no big side affects only..." + (show)
Profile picture for elc90 @elc90

I had the same treatment and after 6 months doing well no big side affects only try eye what I can deal with. My vision was the same as before the treatment on the outside clear and other half plury . Did my treatment at my doctors in TN who specializes in melanoma in eye. Still worried about what's coming with time but I think this was the write decision for me

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@elc90 I forgot to say my treatment was with the radiation cab for five days 6 month ago

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elc90 | @elc90 | 3 days ago
In reply to @leigha67 "Hi there. I had pbt (proton beam radiation) therapy in December. They first did a quick..." + (show)
Profile picture for leigha67 @leigha67

Hi there. I had pbt (proton beam radiation) therapy in December.
They first did a quick surgery to place tantalum rings around my eye. It was not bad, as surgeries go, with minimal pain. They gave me narcotics but I just took tylenol. My eye was bandaged for only a day.
A few days after that, I had the proton beam radiation for 5 days running.
The biggest side effect I noticed was being tired earlier than usual in the evenings.
The radiation only goes in your eye for about 15 seconds a day.
But it's an increasing dose, typically, and I just didn't expect to tire so easily.
I changed my diet, got more exercise, and I'm back to normal now.
I do experience extreme dry eyes and I use a ton of gel drops and regular drops. I've lost some vision, and fluid built up under the tumor, so I've been getting Avastin shots in my eye to lower that and they are working.

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@leigha67
How is your vision now and did the fluid buildup go away? Are there any side affects from the shots?

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leigha67 | @leigha67 | 2 days ago
In reply to @elc90 "@leigha67 How is your vision now and did the fluid buildup go away? Are there any..." + (show)
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@leigha67
How is your vision now and did the fluid buildup go away? Are there any side affects from the shots?

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@elc90 Hi there. The avastin shots helped the fluid buildup under the retina, but the scar tissue from the radiation caused a macular pucker and my retina has pressure on it and is stretched, so I'll be having a vitrectomy surgery when they can get me in (probably March, hopefully sooner). That will (hopefully) help the distortion I have in that eye. It will; however, cause me to need cataract surgery also. I can't complain. Any day above ground is a good day for me.

Warm Regards!

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leigha67 | @leigha67 | 1 day ago
In reply to @elc90 "@leigha67 How is your vision now and did the fluid buildup go away? Are there any..." + (show)
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@leigha67
How is your vision now and did the fluid buildup go away? Are there any side affects from the shots?

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@elc90 How are you doing?

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