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Kavy · 06-11-2011, 02:07 AM

Hi, Everyone,
Here is a quick update. I had a MRI of the brain in April, and the tumor in the cerebellum grew, and 2 new ones showed up, so the radiation oncologist wanted me to do WBR, but I wanted to do Xknife again. Then I saw the neurosurgeon, and he said that the xknife did not work, and scheduled another craniotomy to June 2. I had to wait 3 weeks to wash off Halaven before the surgery. While this, I saw a thoracic surgeon to make sure it was safe to have surgery because of the lung mets and had the preop tests. The day before surgery, I had another MRI and I was ready to go, I even had the fiducious on my forehead, everything ready to go. Then, I got a call from the surgeon's assistant saying that he saw my MRI, that the tumor shrunk, and that he was canceling the surgery because he thought that the growth was necrosis, and that he would follow up with MRI. I was... NOT AGAIN!!!! I was ready to go and get this over, but... I was relieved at the same time. I still have balance problems, my handwriting is horrible, cramps in my fingers, blurry vision. Still on decadron and keppra.
I went to see a neuro oncologist for the first time, and he looked at both MRI from April and June 1, and he noticed that not only the tumors that were radiated with the Xknife were smaller, but also the 2 new tumor that showed up on April MRI, and he said it might be Halaven that did that, and I was WOW!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe it!!! I do pray and hope that he is right, and that Halaven is proven to cross the blood brain barrier, it would help so many of us. He said for me not to do anything now, like xknife to the 2 new spots, and we will do another MRI in one month to see how it looks. I'm back on halaven/herceptin. Now let's all pray that he is right.
Side effects of halaven: hair loss (shaved my head for the 4th time in 6 years), no nausea, some fatigue, neuropathy getting worse, no neutropenia yet, very tolerable so far.
By the way, before I started halaven, I had a very bad cough, I couldn't talk for a long time without coughing a lot. After 3 treatments with halaven in April/May, the cough is gone, and remember I had to stay 3 weeks without it for the surgery.
Have a great weekend.
KarlaV.

06-11-2011, 02:07 AM	#1
Kavy Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 157	Update on Brain Mets Hi, Everyone, Here is a quick update. I had a MRI of the brain in April, and the tumor in the cerebellum grew, and 2 new ones showed up, so the radiation oncologist wanted me to do WBR, but I wanted to do Xknife again. Then I saw the neurosurgeon, and he said that the xknife did not work, and scheduled another craniotomy to June 2. I had to wait 3 weeks to wash off Halaven before the surgery. While this, I saw a thoracic surgeon to make sure it was safe to have surgery because of the lung mets and had the preop tests. The day before surgery, I had another MRI and I was ready to go, I even had the fiducious on my forehead, everything ready to go. Then, I got a call from the surgeon's assistant saying that he saw my MRI, that the tumor shrunk, and that he was canceling the surgery because he thought that the growth was necrosis, and that he would follow up with MRI. I was... NOT AGAIN!!!! I was ready to go and get this over, but... I was relieved at the same time. I still have balance problems, my handwriting is horrible, cramps in my fingers, blurry vision. Still on decadron and keppra. I went to see a neuro oncologist for the first time, and he looked at both MRI from April and June 1, and he noticed that not only the tumors that were radiated with the Xknife were smaller, but also the 2 new tumor that showed up on April MRI, and he said it might be Halaven that did that, and I was WOW!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe it!!! I do pray and hope that he is right, and that Halaven is proven to cross the blood brain barrier, it would help so many of us. He said for me not to do anything now, like xknife to the 2 new spots, and we will do another MRI in one month to see how it looks. I'm back on halaven/herceptin. Now let's all pray that he is right. Side effects of halaven: hair loss (shaved my head for the 4th time in 6 years), no nausea, some fatigue, neuropathy getting worse, no neutropenia yet, very tolerable so far. By the way, before I started halaven, I had a very bad cough, I couldn't talk for a long time without coughing a lot. After 3 treatments with halaven in April/May, the cough is gone, and remember I had to stay 3 weeks without it for the surgery. Have a great weekend. KarlaV.