ChrisTheWilsonZoo

I've "graduated" to seeing my oncologist every 6 months, where his protocol right now is to do a PET/CT scan – that may change with the new guidelines.  Historically, when I've seen him between PET/CT scans and mentioneded ANY symptom (headache, coughing, abdominal pain) that could indicate a recurrence, he would order either a CT or MRI to rule out it out.  I don't think any melanoma patient is going to have difficulty getting their oncologist to do a scan.  Oncologists tend to be a cautious bunch, especially when it comes to something as unpredictable as melanoma.

I've "graduated" to seeing my oncologist every 6 months, where his protocol right now is to do a PET/CT scan – that may change with the new guidelines.  Historically, when I've seen him between PET/CT scans and mentioneded ANY symptom (headache, coughing, abdominal pain) that could indicate a recurrence, he would order either a CT or MRI to rule out it out.  I don't think any melanoma patient is going to have difficulty getting their oncologist to do a scan.  Oncologists tend to be a cautious bunch, especially when it comes to something as unpredictable as melanoma.

I've "graduated" to seeing my oncologist every 6 months, where his protocol right now is to do a PET/CT scan – that may change with the new guidelines.  Historically, when I've seen him between PET/CT scans and mentioneded ANY symptom (headache, coughing, abdominal pain) that could indicate a recurrence, he would order either a CT or MRI to rule out it out.  I don't think any melanoma patient is going to have difficulty getting their oncologist to do a scan.  Oncologists tend to be a cautious bunch, especially when it comes to something as unpredictable as melanoma.

I managed 11 months of  interferon, and worked as much as I could the whole time. Thank God for understanding bosses & telework!  I finished treatment in Oct 2010, and thankfully, most of that year is now just a dull blur.

My best advice?

1) Drink – water, soda, tea, coffee, Ensure, milkshakes, whatever. Just get lots of liquids

2) EAT – anything, and whenever you're hungry (even if it's 3am, because who knows when you'll be hungry again?)

If you've had problems eating (enough to have lost weight), you might consider having your vitamin D level checked.  Poor diet and reduced sun exposure (I think we all become "vampires" while undergoing melanoma treatment!) can lead to low vitamin D levels.  One symptom of vitamin D deficiency is fatigue – and the lower the level, the worse the fatigue gets. My worst fatigue during interferon occurred when my vitamin D level had dropped to single digits.

Undereating can contribute to fatigue too. You may not realize how little you are eating (chemo fog tends to make everything a blur). If you are steadily losing weight, then you've probably decreased your diet enough to add to your fatigue.

Cheeseburger Happy Meals with a Vanilla Milkshake eventually became my friend while on interferon!  I didn't have to smell it cooking, it's actually fairly bland, the size was right, and the toy was usually very entertaining

Just my 2cents, based on what I went through.

I managed 11 months of  interferon, and worked as much as I could the whole time. Thank God for understanding bosses & telework!  I finished treatment in Oct 2010, and thankfully, most of that year is now just a dull blur.

My best advice?

1) Drink – water, soda, tea, coffee, Ensure, milkshakes, whatever. Just get lots of liquids

2) EAT – anything, and whenever you're hungry (even if it's 3am, because who knows when you'll be hungry again?)

If you've had problems eating (enough to have lost weight), you might consider having your vitamin D level checked.  Poor diet and reduced sun exposure (I think we all become "vampires" while undergoing melanoma treatment!) can lead to low vitamin D levels.  One symptom of vitamin D deficiency is fatigue – and the lower the level, the worse the fatigue gets. My worst fatigue during interferon occurred when my vitamin D level had dropped to single digits.

Undereating can contribute to fatigue too. You may not realize how little you are eating (chemo fog tends to make everything a blur). If you are steadily losing weight, then you've probably decreased your diet enough to add to your fatigue.

Cheeseburger Happy Meals with a Vanilla Milkshake eventually became my friend while on interferon!  I didn't have to smell it cooking, it's actually fairly bland, the size was right, and the toy was usually very entertaining

Just my 2cents, based on what I went through.

I managed 11 months of  interferon, and worked as much as I could the whole time. Thank God for understanding bosses & telework!  I finished treatment in Oct 2010, and thankfully, most of that year is now just a dull blur.

My best advice?

1) Drink – water, soda, tea, coffee, Ensure, milkshakes, whatever. Just get lots of liquids

2) EAT – anything, and whenever you're hungry (even if it's 3am, because who knows when you'll be hungry again?)

If you've had problems eating (enough to have lost weight), you might consider having your vitamin D level checked.  Poor diet and reduced sun exposure (I think we all become "vampires" while undergoing melanoma treatment!) can lead to low vitamin D levels.  One symptom of vitamin D deficiency is fatigue – and the lower the level, the worse the fatigue gets. My worst fatigue during interferon occurred when my vitamin D level had dropped to single digits.

Undereating can contribute to fatigue too. You may not realize how little you are eating (chemo fog tends to make everything a blur). If you are steadily losing weight, then you've probably decreased your diet enough to add to your fatigue.

Cheeseburger Happy Meals with a Vanilla Milkshake eventually became my friend while on interferon!  I didn't have to smell it cooking, it's actually fairly bland, the size was right, and the toy was usually very entertaining

Just my 2cents, based on what I went through.

You could also be experiencing pleurisy. It's not uncommon with bronchitis. I seem to get it every time I have bronchitis, and yes, it can hurt even when you don't breathe.

You could also be experiencing pleurisy. It's not uncommon with bronchitis. I seem to get it every time I have bronchitis, and yes, it can hurt even when you don't breathe.

You could also be experiencing pleurisy. It's not uncommon with bronchitis. I seem to get it every time I have bronchitis, and yes, it can hurt even when you don't breathe.

I was a child of the 70s/80s. They called it suntan lotion then, and its advertised purpose was to help you get a nice, even suntan without first getting a sunburn. It was an expensive luxury, and with 7 kids, our family couldn't afford it – sunburns were an expected summer occurrence. I was sunburned numerous times, every summer until I was old enough to get a job and was able to spend more of my summers indoors than out.

I developed my first melanoma at age 28. I didn't even start using sunscreen until AFTER my diagnosis.  I blame sun exposure, not sunscreen, for my cancer.

I was a child of the 70s/80s. They called it suntan lotion then, and its advertised purpose was to help you get a nice, even suntan without first getting a sunburn. It was an expensive luxury, and with 7 kids, our family couldn't afford it – sunburns were an expected summer occurrence. I was sunburned numerous times, every summer until I was old enough to get a job and was able to spend more of my summers indoors than out.

I developed my first melanoma at age 28. I didn't even start using sunscreen until AFTER my diagnosis.  I blame sun exposure, not sunscreen, for my cancer.

I was a child of the 70s/80s. They called it suntan lotion then, and its advertised purpose was to help you get a nice, even suntan without first getting a sunburn. It was an expensive luxury, and with 7 kids, our family couldn't afford it – sunburns were an expected summer occurrence. I was sunburned numerous times, every summer until I was old enough to get a job and was able to spend more of my summers indoors than out.

I developed my first melanoma at age 28. I didn't even start using sunscreen until AFTER my diagnosis.  I blame sun exposure, not sunscreen, for my cancer.

My imaging center provides these instructions for preparing for a PET/CT.  I think every imaging center has slightly different rules/recommendations.

1) No exercise for 48-hrs prior to the test

2) A high protein/low carbohydrate diet for the day before the test.  (Limit bread, sugar, starches, and pasta)

3) Do not eat 5 hours prior to the exam. This includes gum or  mints. If on TPN, this must also be stopped 5 hours prior to the exam.

4) You may drink water only.

5) Take all routine medications.  However, if you are diabetic, NO INSULIN 6 hours before your test.

6) Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes.  (I'm always required to remove any metal, including my watch, earrings, and rings.  However, they've never made me remove my underwire bra – seems like a contradiction to me!)

As far as diet recommendations, the first time I got my prep sheet, I immediately thought "Atkins Diet, induction phase".  The Atkins diet is high protein, low carbohydrate, and the induction phase is the most stringent part of the diet.  That should give you a good list of dos/don'ts for food items.

My imaging center provides these instructions for preparing for a PET/CT.  I think every imaging center has slightly different rules/recommendations.

1) No exercise for 48-hrs prior to the test

2) A high protein/low carbohydrate diet for the day before the test.  (Limit bread, sugar, starches, and pasta)

3) Do not eat 5 hours prior to the exam. This includes gum or  mints. If on TPN, this must also be stopped 5 hours prior to the exam.

4) You may drink water only.

5) Take all routine medications.  However, if you are diabetic, NO INSULIN 6 hours before your test.

6) Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes.  (I'm always required to remove any metal, including my watch, earrings, and rings.  However, they've never made me remove my underwire bra – seems like a contradiction to me!)

As far as diet recommendations, the first time I got my prep sheet, I immediately thought "Atkins Diet, induction phase".  The Atkins diet is high protein, low carbohydrate, and the induction phase is the most stringent part of the diet.  That should give you a good list of dos/don'ts for food items.

Initial diagnosis 1992, unknown stage.  Recurrence in a lymph node in 2009, stage III.  Treated with CLND & Interferon.  NED 2 years as of 1 Sep 2011.

Chris, Head Zookeepr at The Wilson Zoo 🙂