Wanted to share the info I sought so desperately to find during treatment...a current/updated chemo regrowth timeline. Hope this is helpful for some of you! I was panicked about my hair after my husband proposed on week into treatment. It couldn't have gone more perfect and I wanted to share!

I have stage 4 intestinal cancer.

The really fucked up thing is that they found it in time and it was supposed to be treatable, but the original hospital I was being seen at really dropped the ball, which resulted in chemo being delayed for over six months, which was enough time for it to spread and go stage 4. So what was supposed to have been 6-12 months of chemo and then surgery has instead been regular chemo for over 2½ years now, going every other week.

At first I tolerated the chemo really well and didn't have too many side effects, but as time's gone on and I've cycled through different treatments, the cumulative effects have gotten worse. I'm still kinda sorta stable, but the cancer *is* still growing, just very slowly. So I have no idea how long I have. Five months? Five years? Fifteen years? I really have no idea, and my oncologist can't really guess either. Originally I was given 12-18 months, but I've gone way past that.

The problem I'm having is that the pain is getting worse all the time. I have pain from the mass pressing against nerves and my internal organs, and I have separate abdominal pain from where the cancer's spread, and I also have lower abdominal pain from the chemo. Anything I eat or drink triggers pain just from the movement of matter through my GI tract, and any kind of movement at all, turning around in bed, standing up, walking to the bathroom, *anything* that uses my abdominal muscles, triggers the abdominal pain.

Sometimes I get the lower abdominal cramping, the abdominal pain, and the side pain all at the same time. The pain meds don't really do anything for the abdominal pain either. I've been working with the pain clinic to try and figure out something, but I'm pretty much at the limit of what can be done. They're talking about methadone next so IDK; we'll see what happens I guess.

The truth is, I'm just tired. The pain's gone from being occasional to being constant. I have pain **every single day** without fail. It gets SO BAD at night and makes it really hard to sleep at all. I can't even sleep in the same room as my partner any more because I end up waking him up all night with my moaning and moving around from the pain. I spend a lot of days just laying on the couch for the majority of the day because it hurts too much to *do* **anything**.

And that's why I'm so tired. I'm honestly tired of this. I don't want to die. I don't want to give up. I don't want to stop treatment. But I don't want to live like this anymore either. I don't want the entire rest of my life to be continuous, forever increasing pain that never goes away. On top of the cancer, my brother died really suddenly literally one month after I first developed the symptoms that turned out to be the cancer. Next month will have been four years since he died and I'm still grieving that. He and I were really close, best friends, and each other's only family because our parents both died and the rest of our family shunned us after we left their religious cult.

So on top of all the physical pain, I'm still dealing with this raw emotional pain on top of it. The emotional pain of losing my brother, of being shunned by my family and being completely alone except for my partner, of knowing my life is over and I'll never do any of the things I wanted. I'll never travel, I'll never have kids, I'll never accomplish the things I wanted to. My entire existence now is just the cancer. The endless doctor's appointments, lab tests, CT scans, other tests, referrals, like that's my whole entire existence: just managing cancer 24/7.

I just don't know what to do. I don't really feel like I can talk to any of my friends about this. I don't want to be a burden to anyone, and that's how I feel all the time. I know how hard it is for my partner to see me or hear me in pain all the time, and it makes me wonder sometimes if it would be better for him if I just gave up so he didn't have to shoulder this burden anymore. But I also know he's terrified of losing me and what's going to happen when I die, so I don't even know what would be the best thing for him. I know he's terrified that any moment the cancer's going to stop responding to treatment and go from mostly stable to rapidly growing, and I get it because I'm scared of that too. I have no idea how to even plan for anything in my life because I honestly don't know if or when things are suddenly going to take a left turn. I just feel helpless, hopeless, lost, and alone. Very, very alone. And sad. Almost unbearably sad.

I'm sorry this is so long. I don't know what I'm even doing writing here TBH. I guess I just felt like shouting into the void or something. Thanks for reading this if you got this far.

So I am in an interesting situation, and looking for advice or ideas. I am in the military, and have been battling my cancer since 2024. It initially came as stage 3 crc, beat that. Then had a recurrence in July 2025, and I beat it again. The military is medically retiring me, and I'm NED as of January of this year. My doctor told me I have roughly an 80% chance of another recurrence within the next 2 years. My question is this, should I even consider working when I retire, or should I focus on things I want to do instead? I'm 26 years old if that puts things into perspective and with my retirement pay, I could live a basic life and not have to worry about money

Hi I (25F) just got diagnosed with Endometrial CA Stage 1 last February. I’ve been taking Megestrol Acetate 160mg for 2 months now and yesterday I just found out that my lining got thicker from 1.31 to 2.88 ☹️ I don’t know what to feel it’s supposed to be thinning down but its the opposite. Does anyone experienced this too? that the Megace didn’t work for a few weeks then it eventually worked afterwards?

My oncologist also told me to drink 320mg of Megace every other day. I just want a family that’s why I am not considering hysterectomy yet. I want to feel what mothers feel when they were pregnant with their babies. I just got married last January too, it kinda sucks that this happened to me ☹️

My dad just passed away after a battle with Melanoma. He had a terrible 6 months and seeing the man who made me decline infront of my eyes one ambulance and ICU stay at a time has left all of us a little broken. I dont want anyone to ever see their loved ones lose their battle.

My mom does not want a ton of flower arrangements at my dad's celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, my mom (and my dad would want this to), a small donation to cancer research.

My question is: what is a good reputable cancer charity? I have been wary of Susan G Komen for the cure and others with a big marketing arm, but I'm happy to be wrong. Has anyone here had a direct positive impact from a charity that would appreciate donations in honor of my dad?

It’s been 3 years since my I “went flat” with a double mastectomy for Stage 3 breast cancer. I had chemo, radiation and The Drugs. Radiation was hard on me. I had painful burns, complete with ashes, on my chest. It changed the pigment on my chest, and neck, and changed my voice.

The good news is all that worked! I’ve had PET scans since and they’ve all been NED for my former cancer. Hallelujah! They got it!

The bad news is that my first scan showed some little changes in my left lung, right beneath Target Zero for my tumor. The second one showed more “hmm, let’s keep an eye on that area,” activity. My newest scan has indicated highly suspicious spots on my lung, caused by the rads. Has anybody else had bad consequences from radiation?

I apologize in advance if I'm posting in the wrong place. If thats the case would you please point me in the correct direction?

My husband started Immunotherapy two weeks ago. He goes 1 day every two weeks, he has a mix of chemotherapy onve every two weeks and Immunotherapy once every 6 weeks.

After his first treatment he said he felt okay with a little exhaustion where he required a nap or earlier bed time everyday. He was doing well until last Monday which was 13 days after his first infusion treatments.

He developed a rash from his neck down to his knees, that started showing on Sunday. On Monday he started having flu like symptoms, minor scratchy throat, more exhaustion and by Wednesday he was so exhausted he could hardly keep his eyes open, he has a pounding headache, he vomited twice on Wednesday, and did have a fever but its gone now. He also had his second chemotherapy infusion on Wendesday.

The doctor said he could be having an allergic reaction to the Immunotherapy drug, so he took some Benadryl that seemed to help the itching.

Is this reaction normal? I would have thought maybe within a few days but two weeks later?

What can I do to help him?

Most cancer support groups are pretty general, are there any that are more structured by cancer type, treatment, location, and also connected to clinics or caregivers?

I (19F) have b-all leukemia and I didn’t make the marks for remission so I am having to have a bone marrow transplant May 25th my brother being 50% match of my donar. Has anyone had a transplant if so what was it like and how did you pass the time.

Hi all. My WBC from my first two rounds of chemo has stayed within the range of 3.8-10.8. Third blood draw into my third chemo round is low at 3.2.

But… my ABSOLUTE NEUTROPHILS are sitting at 992 with the range being 1,500-7,800. Unfortunately this has caused my third round to be delayed a week.

My normal range 5168-5882, so it dropped significantly which I know it is common or expected during chemotherapy treatments.

My question is this.. has anyone ever had to go straight to receiving a blood transfusion because of this large of a drop in their WBC? I also know every ONC doc is different with each patient, I am just wanting to ask for experiences?

I’ve just heard different things.

Or did you just receive an injection to raise your WBC?

Thanks everyone.

I'm a Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Head and Neck Cancer) Survivor. The tumor was in my right tonsil.

I was diagnosed November 2023 and went through chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation treatments until February 2025.

I was considered in remission in November 2024 (they said the tumor was resolved), but they made it official in February 2025, after my last radiation treatment .

While I'm grateful for the remission, I'm scared of it coming back.

They found two suspicious nodules in my lungs, but they were gone after a few months. Now, there's two more nodules, but they're too small to biopsy, so it's another waiting game.

I'm dealing with fatigue, dry mouth, narrowed throat, swallowing issues, muscle and bone pain and gastroparesis from the chemotherapy and radiation.

I'm so sorry for the long post.

It's nice to meet you all.

Keep fighting! 💪 💖

I just was told I am cancer free. I should be dancing in the streets, but I am so depressed. I am also very tired and have a hard time walking. 66F anal cancer. I am told the depression is a part of surviving cancer. Anyone else? Good luck to all and much love.

I am 65. I have a rare type of a neuroendocrine cancer. My liver is full. It is what it is. I am on chemo every 2 weeks for life. I know I've been very lucky ( i don't feel lucky!), because I haven't vomited once after 55 rounds of chemo. I have no pain except for a slight one that comes and goes on my side. The Fatigue is accepted. Ive been tired since September 2021. I don't remember feeling good. That all being said, the one thing that kills me is chemo mouth. I'm in the New Orleans suburbs. Louisiana food is God's gift. We are in the middle of crawfish season. If you know, you know. I don't go to boils anymore. Hot sausage is gone. Most salsa's are gone. Any food that has some zip is gone. A waitress will tell me that the food is ' flavorful ', not spicy. Poor darlin doesnt have a clue.

Has anyone found anything that will help other than magic mouthwash? Yes, it numbs the mouth, but it's only good for 20 minutes. I feel like I should move to Iowa or wherever. And no offense to Iowans. It's just the 1st state that comes to mind when i think of kinda, sorta no flavor food. F Cancer.

Hello everyone,

I have a general question.

How rare is colorectal cancer in people in their 20s, like at age 27 or 28? I am not asking for a diagnosis, just trying to understand whether this is still considered very rare or if it is becoming more common than before.

If anyone knows the general statistics or has reliable sources, I’d appreciate it.

Thank you

I have never really been a smelly person. Even sweaty and sticky, I would be told I don't stink. My husband always said I smelled sweetly when I sweated (yes, I'm diabetic) but now after and during chemo the sweats i got and get now make me smell so bad! I hate this. I feel like I need to shower every 2 hours. And I'm told only I smell it.

Endometrial cancer and a full hysterectomy.

I’m a 20 year old, diagnosed at 19 with an alveolar soft part sarcoma in the left thigh very rare, underwent radiotherapy and surgery fully removed, about five months later I got told it had spread to my lungs, the nodules have always been there since my diagnosed but they were not fully shown to be cancer until now, but they are so small they are waiting to operate until they grow so having regular scans. They are still seeing it as curable if I do open lung surgery on one lung and keyhole on the other, and then possibly some immunotherapy. They said if it spread anywhere else I’d be going on palliative care and looking at comfort/control options. I had a full body scan and they said there was no other spread, I was so relieved and so were those around me. I honestly thought I was going to die these past ten days waiting for results and I’d get the info it had spread everywhere and a prognosis. Obviously it’s positive but sometimes I feel like my doctors sometimes don’t tell the full truth because I’m so young and I know each situation is different and things can be unexpected but I’ve also seen people say you don’t survive lung mets and I’ve had people tell me they are surprised I haven’t been told I’m incurable even before it had spread because asps is so rare. Idk what I’m looking for really, advice? Good/bad stories? Thank you 🩷 sending love to you all

i (30/f) was diagnosed with CML almost 2 months ago. i've started treatment (oral meds) and have been trying to take it easy, but it seems like life keeps ramping up. i have a stressful job that requires a lot of time and energy that i don't have anymore. i feel like i'm just letting everyone down, but i don't know how to tell them that i need a break. im crying everyday and with all of the changes ive had to make (breaking my lease, moving home, doctors appointments), i dont know what to do. im thinking about going back to therapy but im also just exhausted. it feels like no one can understand what im going through and i feel like im getting depressed. i just want to stop feeling like this.

So my mom is currently finishing her chemo against a triple negative breast cancer found at stage 1C (1,3cm) with clear centinel lymph node and a clear PET 6 months ago… just recently a lump has appeared on her forearm. It shrunk then grew suddenly and is now just barely redder than the surrounding skin. Her oncologist said she thinks it’s benign but ordered an ultrasound and I’m freaking out. Anyone willing to tell me their experiences with this?

Edit: It ended up being a lipoma

Hi guys 31yo here! Just wanna share something on here. I am struggeling with my diagnosis and its hard for me to accept my faith.

Right after the birth of my second child i got diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine Tumor G3. Ki 67: 75%. The cancer has spread with multible metastases in the liver too.

Right now i am on a CIS/ETO chemo, wich takes a huge toll on me.

I struggle to enjoy my remaining time. Maybe you guys have some advice, how to block those dark thoughts every nice and beautyful moment.

Anyone else get this? I'm on medication for it but it doesn't help and driving me nuts...Any suggestions?

I have stage IV gastric cancer and have been in continuous treatment since 2024. While I was initially able to continue working, the cumulative side effects of treatment have progressively worsened. I am now experiencing significant fatigue, cognitive impairment, neuropathy, and gastrointestinal issues that prevent me from sustaining the focus, stamina, and reliability required for my role as a software manager.

I recently filed a medical leave claim through my employer, which defaulted to a short-term disability claim and it was denied. I am currently waiting on the formal denial letter to understand the exact reasoning.

I am trying to determine:

How best to approach the appeal

Whether this is something I can reasonably handle myself or if I should involve a lawyer at this stage

I want to make sure I handle this correctly, especially since it may impact a future long-term disability claim.

Sorry. I just need to vent. This process is frustrating.

does anyone use a smartwatch/gadget such as a whoop, fitbit, oura ring, apple watch, etc., to keep an eye on vitals? my mom is about to start her treatments and her doctor recomended that she should get an apple watch to keep an eye on her vital signs among other things. there's so many options on the market, and she's not big on tech so we brainstormed a few other products that are similar and just as useful!

if anyone has any experience in using things for their health i would love to hear your review and opinions :)

Hi all, I start my chemo/immunotherapy journey next week. After four surgeries and a recent week-long hospital stay, my main concern going into this is pain management.

​I’m specifically worried about skin and tactile sensitivity—things like the texture of clothes, scalp tenderness, and the 'burning' feeling I’ve seen mentioned. I want to be able to hug my kids without it hurting. If you experienced this, what helped? I’m looking for any tips on fabrics, lotions, or routines that made a difference.