Jackie, Volunteer Mentor
@travelgirl
@travelgirl
Posts: 510
Joined: Apr 01, 2016
Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma- Watch & Wait Approach
I would like to meet others who were diagnosed with a lymphoma and are on watch and wait treatment.
I have been on a watch and wait lymphoma watch now for 2 1/2 years. I currently get blood work done every 6 months and a CT Scan once a year.
Has or is anyone else having the cancer monitored like this? Are there people who lived their whole life without ever getting treated for lymphoma?
Would love if we could share our progress on here.
Jackie
Liked by beckyjohnson
kittykiernan
@kittykiernan
@kittykiernan
Posts: 21
Joined: Aug 18, 2019
@kittiekiernan Have you been examined and tested for this? If your primary dr will not refer you to a specialist, can you appeal to your insurance for help?
Ginger
Nope no one does nothing for me
Liked by Jackie, Volunteer Mentor
kittykiernan
@kittykiernan
@kittykiernan
Posts: 21
Joined: Aug 18, 2019
Nope no one does nothing for me
Chronic Epstein barre causes it , I have it and I am brca 2 positive had full mastectomy and hysterectomy
Liked by Jackie, Volunteer Mentor
Three and 1/2 years ago I had a large tumor on my neck and a small one by my groin, both cancerous.I had radiation on both. A pet scan showed no cancer. There was nothing to do but watch and wait to see if and where it would occur again. I knew my follicular lymphoma was incurable at the time. I did not want to just wait until it came back, and with no other options I decided to research other options on my own. I decided to try curcumin. Over three years later and two PET scans and a CT scan last month found no cancer. I know that it can go into remission on its own, but it makes me feel better doing something that might be helpful. Next PET scan next March.
Can you tell me what dosage of curcumin you used? I hope your cancer stays away!
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Jackie, Volunteer Mentor
@travelgirl
@travelgirl
Posts: 510
Joined: Apr 01, 2016
Hi everyone, I have seen now 3 dentists since my last post. I got to tell you all I really despise dentists. The prosthodonist said the crown was not made correctly. I saw her 3 times.. she shaved to tooth down 3 times. The endodontist monitored the tooth and prescribed a rinse sooth the gum line and tooth. He thought the tooth was ok but the crown didn't fit right. The prosthodonist called the original dentist to tell him the tooth was not properly fitted and that he needed to redo the crown. Then that would result in a root canal. So the original dentist I went back to today. He decided to put a seal around the tooth and shave it down even more. Let see now if this works before he yanks it off and remakes the crown? This is complete torture.
Jackie, Volunteer Mentor
@travelgirl
@travelgirl
Posts: 510
Joined: Apr 01, 2016
Jackie, Volunteer Mentor
@travelgirl
@travelgirl
Posts: 510
Joined: Apr 01, 2016
I know I have this from my chronic Epstein barre virus plus had breast cancer Barca 2 positive, have every symptom, I feel like I’m dying and NO one will test me for this
@kittykiernan so sorry to hear. Who diagnosed you with Epstein barre virus? Can you go back to that Dr? Will he help you?
Jackie, Volunteer Mentor
@travelgirl
@travelgirl
Posts: 510
Joined: Apr 01, 2016
@vonbaron36 I been on a Watch and Wait since January of 2016. I dont feel or see any swollen lymph nodes. Mine lymph nodes they r waiting r near my Aorta. That is a good sign you could be on watch and wait your whole life. 🙂
@gingerw Hi Ginger, nice to meet you. I been swamped with work and my move. Don't believe you and I have chatted yet.
What made the new doctor diagnose you with lymphoma? I am not familiar with MGUS. Is that a Lymphoma? Now did the Doc say what exact kind of non-hogkins lymphoma you have? There are about 65 different types associated with this disease. You also mention kidney disease. Is that a complication from the MGUS? How is your blood work?
kittykiernan
@kittykiernan
@kittykiernan
Posts: 21
Joined: Aug 18, 2019
@kittykiernan so sorry to hear. Who diagnosed you with Epstein barre virus? Can you go back to that Dr? Will he help you?
My primary
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor
@gingerw
@gingerw
Posts: 2071
Joined: Jul 26, 2018
@vonbaron36 I been on a Watch and Wait since January of 2016. I dont feel or see any swollen lymph nodes. Mine lymph nodes they r waiting r near my Aorta. That is a good sign you could be on watch and wait your whole life. 🙂
@gingerw Hi Ginger, nice to meet you. I been swamped with work and my move. Don't believe you and I have chatted yet.
What made the new doctor diagnose you with lymphoma? I am not familiar with MGUS. Is that a Lymphoma? Now did the Doc say what exact kind of non-hogkins lymphoma you have? There are about 65 different types associated with this disease. You also mention kidney disease. Is that a complication from the MGUS? How is your blood work?
@travelgirl Hi Jackie. Two years ago I was told I had MGUS, and believed that, with quarterly bloodwork. In December 2018, my hematologist-oncologist said "let's go 6 months this time, since everything seems to be looking good". In June my bloodwork came back wonky; it was also right at the time of moving out of state. A PET CT scan and appt with new h-o here, and he told me "oh, I see you were diagnosed with low-grade Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma 2 years ago". I went back and read the very fine print of that first bone marrow biopsy and saw what he did, but my old dr never told me, nor followed up with suggested additional testing. In less than 2 weeks I get another biopsy. He also ran testing to tell me what kind of lymphoma it is, but haven't gotten the results yet. My kidney disease was diagnosed in 2015, and is ideopathic, very rare; my GFR is about 32%.
Ginger
Hi Jackie I was diagnosed January 2017 stage 1/2 Follicular lymphoma. I'm also breast cancer survivor 2.5 years out. I go to my oncology doctor every three months for blood work. My insurance will not authorize any scans so my last scan was July 2017. I'm feeling well. The doctors found my lymphoma when I was having a scan for kidney stones.
Justin McClanahan
@JustinMcClanahan
@JustinMcClanahan
Posts: 1568
Joined: Jun 01, 2016
Hi Jackie I was diagnosed January 2017 stage 1/2 Follicular lymphoma. I'm also breast cancer survivor 2.5 years out. I go to my oncology doctor every three months for blood work. My insurance will not authorize any scans so my last scan was July 2017. I'm feeling well. The doctors found my lymphoma when I was having a scan for kidney stones.
Hello @patmariejohnson. How have the results of your regular blood work looked? You may also be interested in checking out some of the discussions in the breast cancer group as well, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/breast-cancer/. You also mentioned that you are feeling well, are the regular blood draws to monitor your lymphoma during your "wait and watch" period?
@gingerw
@kittiekiernan Have you been examined and tested for this? If your primary dr will not refer you to a specialist, can you appeal to your insurance for help?
Ginger
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