Hope: Hi guys. We are 5 days post... - Melanoma Caregivers

Melanoma Caregivers

Hope

kellyOd profile image
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Hi guys. We are 5 days post chemotherapy treatment. (Carboplatin and Taxol combo) Ryan is doing fairly well. He has some achy joints and muscles. Unfortunately so much so that he has been taking a low dose pain med. tolerable once it kicks in and he can carry on life as normal. He feels fine otherwise which is great.

We had a second opinion appointment today with medstar Franklin square in Baltimore. The doctor is a melanoma specialist and has given an option, or open door rather to something we didn’t know could happen. Which was like getting two birds with one stone. Avastin is a drug that is used for brain edema, and can essentially take care of it within 4 doses. Comes with a possible large price tag. So we will consider. But if we can get him off steroids which the Avastin will allow; that re opens the door for the immunotherapy that could save his life. Chemotherapy is a bridge essentially the way she put it. It will buy us time but is definitely not curative. (We knew that)

Everything is happening so fast again, and I will try and keep everyone updated as I know this is an older treatment option that not everyone is faced with, but maybe one day will.

Love you all and hope all is well; keep fighting. There’s light at the end of the tunnel. Xoxo

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missyrand profile image
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Kelly

How much, if any, down time or break from the taxol chemo would be needed if Ryan decided to try Avastin as a bridge chemo approach to return to immunotherapy? Can they be taken simultaneously?

Peace

Missy

kellyOd profile image
kellyOd in reply tomissyrand

It can actually be given at the same time. Which is awesome. As long as he is below 10mg of prednisone or 1.6mg of decadron a day he can do immunotherapy. The goal is for him to be off it as a whole. So we are deciding if the pros outweigh the cons currently. It’s great we have another door that has opened, that we thought was closed.

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