I do not think it is a good idea to stop the dex if it is making him feel better. If there is a mass, what else does she think it could be? Felv+ cats get lymphoma so much, I would think that if there is obviously cancer it should be fine to assume it is lymphoma. It does not seem, to me, that she thinks it could be pneumonia, or she would not be giving steroids. A heart condition would not respond to steroids either. Only asthma or lymphoma would respond to steroids like this. Does she think it could be asthma?
That is really frustrating.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [email protected]
Sent: Mon, 11 Sep 2006 2:47 PM
Subject: Re: Spencer's treatment (Interferon and Acemannan) - and Elspar
I forgot to mention that my Internist also commented on the Elspar... She said that it is a good treatment; it's not considered "chemo". Its effects lasts for approx 3 days and is used to get patients into remission quickly, but does not "hold". She said even if I could afford it, it can't be given indefinitely because it's a "foreign protein" and Spencer would develop an allergic reaction to it with continued use.
N
Nina wrote:
> I got a message from my Internist yesterday, (unfortunately I haven't > been able to reconnect with her for follow up questions). My question > had been about Dex shots and what to do now that Spencer seems to have > a new lease on life. She said that in order to prescribe chemo drugs > she'd need a confirmation on it truly being lymphoma. We could send > in fluid from his chest for testing, but since the Dex shots are > working so well, there might not be fluid to tap.
> I had asked her about using Acemannan. She wasn't against it, but > hasn't seen enough proof that it's effective either. She also > mentioned that, yes, it's an anti-tumor treatment, but if Spencer does > have Lymphoma, the Acemannan OR even Interferon might not be a good > choice, because in stimulating the lymphocytes, (which are part of the > immune system), we might be stimulating the very lymphocytes we are > trying to suppress. If that were the case it could make the situation > worse not better. I immediately thought of Simon, (Michelle's Simon), > and our questioning the same thing with his auto immune response. I'm > wondering if that's why Spencer had such a bad reaction to his > injections of Interferon Omega.
>
> So, I have another call in to see if they think it's wise at this > point to stop the Dex shots and see if the fluid builds back up, (so > we have something to test). I don't know if testing the fluid will > even be definitive in diagnosing Lymphoma. It seems to me, someone > already told me it might not be. Of course I'd like to not have to > give him steroid shots, but I'm so afraid of what his reaction will be > if I stop. I know it's unreasonable to feel this way, but I keep > hoping that this is all some terrible mistake, it's not Lymphoma, he's > actually got a chance to somehow get better and this will all go away > like a bad dream. What's a mother to do?? Any thoughts? God I hate > this disease.
> Nina
>
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N
Nina wrote:
> I got a message from my Internist yesterday, (unfortunately I haven't > been able to reconnect with her for follow up questions). My question > had been about Dex shots and what to do now that Spencer seems to have > a new lease on life. She said that in order to prescribe chemo drugs > she'd need a confirmation on it truly being lymphoma. We could send > in fluid from his chest for testing, but since the Dex shots are > working so well, there might not be fluid to tap.
> I had asked her about using Acemannan. She wasn't against it, but > hasn't seen enough proof that it's effective either. She also > mentioned that, yes, it's an anti-tumor treatment, but if Spencer does > have Lymphoma, the Acemannan OR even Interferon might not be a good > choice, because in stimulating the lymphocytes, (which are part of the > immune system), we might be stimulating the very lymphocytes we are > trying to suppress. If that were the case it could make the situation > worse not better. I immediately thought of Simon, (Michelle's Simon), > and our questioning the same thing with his auto immune response. I'm > wondering if that's why Spencer had such a bad reaction to his > injections of Interferon Omega.
>
> So, I have another call in to see if they think it's wise at this > point to stop the Dex shots and see if the fluid builds back up, (so > we have something to test). I don't know if testing the fluid will > even be definitive in diagnosing Lymphoma. It seems to me, someone > already told me it might not be. Of course I'd like to not have to > give him steroid shots, but I'm so afraid of what his reaction will be > if I stop. I know it's unreasonable to feel this way, but I keep > hoping that this is all some terrible mistake, it's not Lymphoma, he's > actually got a chance to somehow get better and this will all go away > like a bad dream. What's a mother to do?? Any thoughts? God I hate > this disease.
> Nina
>
>
>
>
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>
