Thaks Janet I had a bit of a setback today, I felt great yesterday and today I woke up with heartburn and I think constipation from taking Oxycontin'.  I had a stomach flu all day and I've always caught everything in a hospital when I go into one.  Last time I had a stomach flu was when I quit smoking!  DAng I was going to drive 150 miles to break this to my mother but cramps and heartburn and not keeping anything down all day.  Guess I'm lucky I felt this come on an hour after getting up and not on the trip.

If still this miserable tomorrow I'll go the ER.  It just dawned on me I may be allergic to the plastic chemo port, Yesterday I felt great and made a big roast for the family and really over ate, first time in 4 days of eating ;p

Today I've also been worrying about a dear friend of mine a few months behind me, pray for Anna B, she is having the top of her lung mass removed, I have no idea how she made it through the day ;(

Seeyou.

Rich

Hi Rich saw your post. Glad you postponed that trip. My dad became very constipated with OxyContin too and he took stool softener Senokot S and also Senokot laxative. You don't want your bowels to get plugged up it gets way too painful. Call your family doctor to get the old ok. Also my brother in law used it too and for upset stomach and sore mouth from chemo he lived on watermelon and black seedless grapes as they gave him needed calories. He said it really helped if it was chilled too. Chemo can be so rough. Your port needs to be checked so get some answers from your doc. Hope your friend is ok as surgery is no picnic. Take care dear friend. 

Rich - I am fairly new to this forum (6 weeks), but have already seen the many benefits of having a group of like-minded individuals that can lean on each other in a time of need.
I thank you for sharing your journey with all of us.  It is very courageous and much appreciated.  My thoughts and prayers are with you as you travel this road.
Carol

Quit October 3/16

Thanks Debbie, I was advised to get all those in recovery.  I quit taking the oxy yesterday, I can get by with tylenol!  From my patient portal the doctor said I had a stomach virus.  My doctor is always at least a week before I can get an appt but he has a good portal system.  My problem is I have a screwed up stomach on perisecs and they barely work on a good day, I'm going to ask him to to advocate my insurance to pay for Nexium for my kemo treatment and see what happens.  I had to just sleep this off for two day.  The port hasn't swelled or hurt anymore so I think its good.  I have my first oncologist meeting Thurs at noon, so I'm sure I can get some more info from him, so I'll have 3 doctors working at this disease.  I'll keep you up to date, I just needed to sleep all day today to get over the virus, they take 3 days to incubate, then 2 days to get over.

Thanks Carol, it really does take a group to help kick an addiction.  I love it here and now I'm depending on just simple hand holding to get me over this hurdle.  Hang in there you have plenty of sunny days ahead and stick with your Oct group, they are going through the same stages and feelings as you are.  Thanks for stopping by ;D

Rich

I was so sorry to hear of your cancer diagnosis. Thank you for sharing this new journal so we know how you're doing on this new part of your journey. I've always enjoyed reading your posts with your special brand of warmth and wit. I plan on continuing to read them for a very long time.

Wishing you the best. 

Hugs,

Andrea

Hey Rich,

Love your thread.  it should be made recommended reading to anyone who joins this forum.  The no nonsense clarity in which you describe your journey, from  smoker to non-smoker to Stage 3 lung cancer after a five year quit is sobering.  As we discussed the other day, after so many years of indulging we can't seriously expect to get away scot-free, it's just not a realistic expectation.

I believe that even if we eventually suffer dire consequences from smoking, the quit is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves.  I treasure mine and protect it like the incredible asset that it is.

Tomorrow I may be you and will try to be as relevant as you are being now.  From the bottom of my heart I thank you my friend.

Well only reason I toughed it out is I've had stomach virus's before, and from a clinic, they take 3 days to incubate and none of my vitals were craxy, 99core wasn't enough, and I'd just had to pay 250$ to wait for the day shift to come in, I sent an email to my primary but he's lucky to respond by 2 days, busy.... After getting 12hrs sleep I'm almost back to normal and I quit taking the oxy's, they were small and I didn't see the benefit over the complications.  Normally I eat Excedrin but I can't take those for a long time cause they cause bleeding and with a few biopies in my lung, no aspirin. I'm ok, and I'll see what the docs say later this week, I'm sure the oncologist will have alot of suggestions.  Thanks!

Rich

Thanks Andrea, this will definitely be my longest milestone every.  Everyone tells me I have a 'style' of writing, I'm just being myself.  I tease the wife constantly and my kids, but thanks for the compliment. I'm just feeling good enough without a fever to type again, Thurs I'll probably have more to add once I see the main guy for C, the oncologist.  I was readying my patient portal that mentioned that my gurd may of caused or contributed to this mass.  There are so many factors to lung cancer and so few to nail it to.  As I learn I'll pass it back to here.  My dear friend Anna was in yesterday for a mass on the top of her lung, they removed it, she said it was cancer, I'm sure she'll have to take the same chemo ;(  Yes definitely stay tuned. ;D

Rich