Questions About Chemotherapy

[medi]

Yes, I know I can Google this and Google that and use other search engines and so on, but I am sort of wondering if I can get some feedback directly from some folks here.

I have been having some hardcore trouble with dream activity since maybe my second round of chemo when the relapse started or maybe the third round with the special chemo. I can define "special" later when I drag out some notes.

Right now I am simply wondering if anyone else who has had to do the chemo thing has had trouble with heavy duty dreaming after the chemo was stopped.

Actually, my doctor surprised the heck out of me the visit before last when he indicated that chemo stays in your system for even up to a year after a particular round has been stopped. But that may not have any bearing upon this dream thing. And my last visit a few days ago he didn't seem so interested into getting into the dreaming trouble. Not surprising, given the number of patients he has to work with. Plus this dreaming stuff is probably a different medical field he isn't fully trained in.

I don't have that sweat trouble with the dreaming like I had many, many years ago when certain active duty stuff kicked the dreaming into a problem. And docs informed all of us going through that back then that it was not unusual. And it finally did stop.

But this time - - - well, it is hardcore dreaming. Sometimes even funny stuff. Like entertaining. But it is the sort of quality of the dreaming. Really like it is actually happening. That use of the word "quality" is strange, but can't think of a better one as I am typing this.

Just sort of curious if anyone else might have had this sort of trouble? Would appreciate any feedback?

 

[noonereal]

Google shows what your describe as a side effect.

Feel better.

 

[medi]

Google shows what your describe as a side effect.

Feel better.

Well, I appreciate the feedback, but this isn't about how I "feel" as per your (you're) asking if I feel better. Can't get any "better" feeling with this as I can't control it. And I am not even 100% sure why I am asking anyone for thoughts about this. And as I haven't decided to try and find a specialist for this, I may not yet be too concerned. But it is beginning to bug me a bit more and a bit more and so on. Not really sure what to think about this. So just asking what anyone else might have experienced. Maybe somebody went through it and it stopped. That might be good news. But it is not about feeling better.

And I sure hope you haven't had this experience, noonereal, nor ever have to deal with this. This cancer stuff is a fair bit of a bummer. But it is pretty neat that I'm still alive. At least, I think I am.

 

[medi]

And one more point, if I may. The dreaming trouble is just one part of this whole chemo thing. You'll please note that the thread title is covering chemo as a whole. Meaning, a thread for a general discussion about chemo stuff, as in feedback.

Some might be good stuff. Like I figured out a really neat way to get a certain sleeping pill to work better. That one caught my doc by surprise. He hadn't been told about that before. I discovered it quite by accident.

And sleep trouble is definitely a part of the chemo stuff. Getting that under control took time. But some of you folks in the States don't have access to a certain kind of sleeping pill and I aim to do some more research on that one. Some sleeping pills can cause real trouble. I had to experiment for months and even then the best answer came by accident.

 

[Jessie C]

Yes, I know I can Google this and Google that and use other search engines and so on, but I am sort of wondering if I can get some feedback directly from some folks here.

I have been having some hardcore trouble with dream activity since maybe my second round of chemo when the relapse started or maybe the third round with the special chemo. I can define "special" later when I drag out some notes.

Right now I am simply wondering if anyone else who has had to do the chemo thing has had trouble with heavy duty dreaming after the chemo was stopped.

Actually, my doctor surprised the heck out of me the visit before last when he indicated that chemo stays in your system for even up to a year after a particular round has been stopped. But that may not have any bearing upon this dream thing. And my last visit a few days ago he didn't seem so interested into getting into the dreaming trouble. Not surprising, given the number of patients he has to work with. Plus this dreaming stuff is probably a different medical field he isn't fully trained in.

I don't have that sweat trouble with the dreaming like I had many, many years ago when certain active duty stuff kicked the dreaming into a problem. And docs informed all of us going through that back then that it was not unusual. And it finally did stop.

But this time - - - well, it is hardcore dreaming. Sometimes even funny stuff. Like entertaining. But it is the sort of quality of the dreaming. Really like it is actually happening. That use of the word "quality" is strange, but can't think of a better one as I am typing this.

Just sort of curious if anyone else might have had this sort of trouble? Would appreciate any feedback?

I went through 12 rounds of chemo in 1994. I think during that time my dream activity ceased.I was so doped up on so much medication to fight so many side effects...

I'm 31 years cured, but I can tell you this. My vivid dreams are more like mini movies now. Not near as dark and disturbing as they used to be.

Chemo is poison. Always was, always will be. But for many of us, the alternitive was certain death. Chemo doesn't kill a lot of us!

It does, however, come with cosmic often severe side effects. Werid dreams is only one of them. None of them are deal breakers as long as we're sill alive!!

 

[BirdinHand]

I have no personal experience or advice but will simply offer my hugs and hope someone else can share something that will be of assistance.

 

[medi]

Another area I am interested in and may not find much about through any search tool; I am wondering how often anyone sort of felt that docs were tossing out the book when medical matters were of concern for anyone having had to go through chemo treatments? Especially, if more than one round?

I honestly cannot be sure if that is just a Japanese thing for the medical professionals. Or it is in all cultures. Or maybe even just because I am not exactly a "normal" patient and so the docs know they can bend rules for me and not get in trouble.

I already know that Doc Abe had to bend rules in that second round to get the trouble under control. And their pharmacy guy spent a lot of time explaining things to me. And they were taking risks, but it worked. Very likely the two of them and the other team members, saved my life. There was no doubt it was close run thing.

But since then, there have been a few times where rules were bent. And I have been complacent in some of that, too. I recently helped doc Abe come up with a rule bending technique. In fact, I think I pushed him a bit too hard. But we're playing games with my life and even some extra quality to it, so I don't feel too guilty.

So I kind of wonder if any other patients sort of felt maybe the rule book was tossed out so as to keep them alive?

 

[medi]

I went through 12 rounds of chemo in 1994. I think during that time my dream activity ceased.I was so doped up on so much medication to fight so many side effects...

I'm 31 years cured, but I can tell you this. My vivid dreams are more like mini movies now. Not near as dark and disturbing as they used to be.

Chemo is poison. Always was, always will be. But for many of us, the alternitive was certain death. Chemo doesn't kill a lot of us!

It does, however, come with cosmic often severe side effects. Werid dreams is only one of them. None of them are deal breakers as long as we're sill alive!!

Heh, appreciate the feedback, but one thing is I am defining a "round" as the whole bit, not each time we are hooked up to that drip stuff. So you had a full one-year "round" of chemo, yes?

And 31 years ago! Now that is super cool!! I mean, the 31 years, not the having to experience part.

And that "poison" part is right on target. Had to study that stuff and my goodness I was surprised.

And I also do not remember having any dream trouble during the first two rounds, while I was actually being treated. Now round two they kept me in the hospital, not like round one where I was an in-patient for just the first part of the treatment. Round one I could go back each time and get hooked up to the drip stuff for a full day and allowed to split when all was done.

My goodness, though. 31 years is neat stuff, IF you have the trouble in the first place. You must have a strong system. Have to have some good strength from the start to get that sort of situation to happen, I think. You weren't by any chance into sports before the cancer was discovered? You know, in fine physical shape and stuff? Just wondering.

EDIT: And "mini movies" is an excellent way to describe the dreams. I'll have to remember that one.

 

[Jessie C]

Another area I am interested in and may not find much about through any search tool; I am wondering how often anyone sort of felt that docs were tossing out the book when medical matters were of concern for anyone having had to go through chemo treatments? Especially, if more than one round?

I honestly cannot be sure if that is just a Japanese thing for the medical professionals. Or it is in all cultures. Or maybe even just because I am not exactly a "normal" patient and so the docs know they can bend rules for me and not get in trouble.

I already know that Doc Abe had to bend rules in that second round to get the trouble under control. And their pharmacy guy spent a lot of time explaining things to me. And they were taking risks, but it worked. Very likely the two of them and the other team members, saved my life. There was no doubt it was close run thing.

But since then, there have been a few times where rules were bent. And I have been complacent in some of that, too. I recently helped doc Abe come up with a rule bending technique. In fact, I think I pushed him a bit too hard. But we're playing games with my life and even some extra quality to it, so I don't feel too guilty.

So I kind of wonder if any other patients sort of felt maybe the rule book was tossed out so as to keep them alive?

Medi, please don't let multiple rounds freak you out, it almost always takes multiple rounds of chemo. Sometimes radiation too. I want to understand why having more than one chemo treatment is stressing you out. I remember feeling "Give me as many rounds as it takes to kill it" . I want to help and reassure you in any way I can.

NO, Dotors aren't messing with you. They have the protocol for cancer treatment down to a science. You are not an experiment unless you develope an undiagnosed cancer-

then you beome an alien....in the hands of ....area 51.

In 1994 my Doctors had my regimin down to the most perfected science of the day. Please don't ever doubt the technology today's Doctor's use. If it wasn't for chemo 30+ years ago, I wouldn't be here now.

 

[Fearandloathing]

Yes, I know I can Google this and Google that and use other search engines and so on, but I am sort of wondering if I can get some feedback directly from some folks here.

I have been having some hardcore trouble with dream activity since maybe my second round of chemo when the relapse started or maybe the third round with the special chemo. I can define "special" later when I drag out some notes.

Right now I am simply wondering if anyone else who has had to do the chemo thing has had trouble with heavy duty dreaming after the chemo was stopped.

Actually, my doctor surprised the heck out of me the visit before last when he indicated that chemo stays in your system for even up to a year after a particular round has been stopped. But that may not have any bearing upon this dream thing. And my last visit a few days ago he didn't seem so interested into getting into the dreaming trouble. Not surprising, given the number of patients he has to work with. Plus this dreaming stuff is probably a different medical field he isn't fully trained in.

I don't have that sweat trouble with the dreaming like I had many, many years ago when certain active duty stuff kicked the dreaming into a problem. And docs informed all of us going through that back then that it was not unusual. And it finally did stop.

But this time - - - well, it is hardcore dreaming. Sometimes even funny stuff. Like entertaining. But it is the sort of quality of the dreaming. Really like it is actually happening. That use of the word "quality" is strange, but can't think of a better one as I am typing this.

Just sort of curious if anyone else might have had this sort of trouble? Would appreciate any feedback?

As I've aged I've learned a great deal about health, mine. I am a type 2 diabetic untreated with three types of heart disease and a host of co-morbidities. At 75 I'm finding things wither pretty fast.

If I have learned anything is that the general public and/or the patient knows shit.

absolute shit! Nothing! any advice a fellow patient has goes in one ear and out the other.

Get your information from the professionals, which in our case happen to be what are called SPECIALISTS and they are called that because they know more about the field than ANYONE ELSE.

Every patient I have ever talked to about my conditions has been WRONG.

"Ask your doctor" is likely them most important advice anyone can give.,.....and DO NOT diagnose yourself over the internet. again, EVERY ONE of the patients I have spoken with have been WRONG!

and....MOST IMPORTANT...do what they say. It works. I've been type 2 for over 15 years and have not needed medication!!!!

 

[Jessie C]

Heh, appreciate the feedback, but one thing is I am defining a "round" as the whole bit, not each time we are hooked up to that drip stuff. So you had a full one-year "round" of chemo, yes?

And 31 years ago! Now that is super cool!! I mean, the 31 years, not the having to experience part.

And that "poison" part is right on target. Had to study that stuff and my goodness I was surprised.

And I also do not remember having any dream trouble during the first two rounds, while I was actually being treated. Now round two they kept me in the hospital, not like round one where I was an in-patient for just the first part of the treatment. Round one I could go back each time and get hooked up to the drip stuff for a full day and allowed to split when all was done.

My goodness, though. 31 years is neat stuff, IF you have the trouble in the first place. You must have a strong system. Have to have some good strength from the start to get that sort of situation to happen, I think. You weren't by any chance into sports before the cancer was discovered? You know, in fine physical shape and stuff? Just wondering.

EDIT: And "mini movies" is an excellent way to describe the dreams. I'll have to remember that one.

I was 36 when I was diagnosed. I was in perfect health. All of a sudden I had constant pain in my left shoulder, then I was short of breath. I was ineffectively treated for pleuresy for a year until a lung collapsed. Then a ct scan revealed a huge tumor.

I was only hostitalized over night for 3 of my treatments. Your chances of survival are way better than mine were 31 years ago. Ride it out, my friend! I wish the absolute best for you, and I'm always here for you!

 

[Jessie C]

Heh, appreciate the feedback, but one thing is I am defining a "round" as the whole bit, not each time we are hooked up to that drip stuff. So you had a full one-year "round" of chemo, yes?

And 31 years ago! Now that is super cool!! I mean, the 31 years, not the having to experience part.

And that "poison" part is right on target. Had to study that stuff and my goodness I was surprised.

And I also do not remember having any dream trouble during the first two rounds, while I was actually being treated. Now round two they kept me in the hospital, not like round one where I was an in-patient for just the first part of the treatment. Round one I could go back each time and get hooked up to the drip stuff for a full day and allowed to split when all was done.

My goodness, though. 31 years is neat stuff, IF you have the trouble in the first place. You must have a strong system. Have to have some good strength from the start to get that sort of situation to happen, I think. You weren't by any chance into sports before the cancer was discovered? You know, in fine physical shape and stuff? Just wondering.

EDIT: And "mini movies" is an excellent way to describe the dreams. I'll have to remember that one.

Sorry, Medi I got destracted, to the bolded, a "round" of chemo is one treatment that usually happens on one day over 2-4 hours of IV infusions. Then you go home.

 

[medi]

Medi, please don't let multiple rounds freak you out, it almost always takes multiple rounds of chemo. Sometimes radiation too. I want to understand why having more than one chemo treatment is stressing you out. I remember feeling "Give me as many rounds as it takes to kill it" . I want to help and reassure you in any way I can.

NO, Dotors aren't messing with you. They have the protocol for cancer treatment down to a science. You are not an experiment unless you develope an undiagnosed cancer-

then you beome an alien....in the hands of ....area 51.

In 1994 my Doctors had my regimin down to the most perfected science of the day. Please don't ever doubt the technology today's Doctor's use. If it wasn't for chemo 30+ years ago, I wouldn't be here now.

Well, Jessie C, I know the docs have a protocol. I got that. I was fully briefed by the hospital's pharmacy chief and studied the papers he gave me. BUT they are also making some changes to the protocol and they are sometimes sort of bending a few things since. I have/had lymphoma --- maybe "have" is the only correct word. And I keep a good log and they supply me with all sorts of data, like blood test results every two months now. I have all the MRI disks supplied to me to study. And that takes special software on one of my computers.

My third round of chemo was because a membrane around my brain had gotten the cancer into it and it was swelling and would have killed my brain if they couldn't stop the swelling. And maybe they got the cancer completely out of that area.

But maybe your answer is informing me that they aren't quite as strict here in Japan. Not sure, but the exchange of information is useful to/for me. Thank you.

 

[Jessie C]

Well, Jessie C, I know the docs have a protocol. I got that. I was fully briefed by the hospital's pharmacy chief and studied the papers he gave me. BUT they are also making some changes to the protocol and they are sometimes sort of bending a few things since. I have/had lymphoma --- maybe "have" is the only correct word. And I keep a good log and they supply me with all sorts of data, like blood test results every two months now. I have all the MRI disks supplied to me to study. And that takes special software on one of my computers.

My third round of chemo was because a membrane around my brain had gotten the cancer into it and it was swelling and would have killed my brain if they couldn't stop the swelling. And maybe they got the cancer completely out of that area.

But maybe your answer is informing me that they aren't quite as strict here in Japan. Not sure, but the exchange of information is useful to/for me. Thank you.

I'm sorry, medi, I also had lymphoma. The Non-Hogkins type. It's not uncommon for the protocol to change during your treatment. Your cancer isn't exact, and changes to your treatment should be OK. Trust your Doctor's medi, and try not to stress. I'm here always.

 

[medi]

As I've aged I've learned a great deal about health, mine. I am a type 2 diabetic untreated with three types of heart disease and a host of co-morbidities. At 75 I'm finding things wither pretty fast.

If I have learned anything is that the general public and/or the patient knows shit.

absolute shit! Nothing! any advice a fellow patient has goes in one ear and out the other.

Get your information from the professionals, which in our case happen to be what are called SPECIALISTS and they are called that because they know more about the field than ANYONE ELSE.

Every patient I have ever talked to about my conditions has been WRONG.

"Ask your doctor" is likely them most important advice anyone can give.,.....and DO NOT diagnose yourself over the internet. again, EVERY ONE of the patients I have spoken with have been WRONG!

and....MOST IMPORTANT...do what they say. It works. I've been type 2 for over 15 years and have not needed medication!!!!

I confess to not having studied anything about diabetic trouble, or heart trouble.

And I stay with the program, for the most part, - - - the "program" the docs map out, but there are some aspects to my case that nobody is quite sure about. Also, I am sort of the mind that the other doc that handled the third round/(year-of-treatment) was on the surprised side that the treatment worked. I think it was my second "so close' case and I don't think they like to be super straight and tell me I am lucky to have survived.

So I think I remember that my case has been elevated to a category 4, with a category 1 being the least troublesome and going up means getting worse --- or some such style. I haven't got my notes in front of me.

Big area of concern for my case right now is making sure I don't have to fight any infection, which I had to do between my next-to-last doc meeting and this latest one. But I already had some good stuff to fight that infection and knew how to handle that and got it under control. Blood test results give us a lot of information about such like the immune system. My immune system isn't so great right now.

BUT, in your case, it seems your battle is one tough bit of work. Your sort of case scares me. Wouldn't mind at all to see you posting around this community for another 25 years, but I suspect that is wishful thinking. But you must have been at this battle for longer than I have been at mine. You must have strong willpower.

 

[medi]

I'm sorry, medi, I also had lymphoma. The Non-Hogkins type. It's not uncommon for the protocol to change during your treatment. Your cancer isn't exact, and changes to your treatment should be OK. Trust your Doctor's medi, and try not to stress. I'm here always.

I don't feel stressed out. Just gather information and study and then stay with other work. Unfortunately, I have an agenda that I have to try and stay with, so no time to be stressed out for medical reasons.

Actually, I find this aging thing to be a sort of adventure. Sometimes I get these really neat memory lapses; something I might have done just moments ago and my mind is a complete blank; then when I realize what happened it is kind of like a Sherlock Holmes moment.

I find the memory lapses that go back a number of years to be troublesome and get me kind of needing to reset the brain and go find the information I need. Lucky for me I have always been into keeping proper logs and such, so information is there, just have to find it. Or ask somebody.

Balance issues have certainly slowed me down and I find it interesting because I was so into sports for so many years and now I have to be careful even walking. They have me taking some sort of bone marrow stuff to help with my bone marrow and the spine is an unbelievable mess, but a lot of that is due to the sports.

And here in Japan they have this neat system of a little red flag sort of attachment to my one money/card bag and that tells folks when I am out-and-about and in public places that I'm not in the best of health. That's helpful. Not sure if you folks in other countries have that little helping thing.

I suppose I'll eventually need to use a neat (and expensive) walker we purchased last year, I think, but so far I can still get around in a slow and careful way. The darn black-outs have not been trouble recently, but a few times were bad, bad, bad. We figured that was due to that membrane swelling thing they hadn't spotted yet. But there was an incident back a bit that had me hauled off in an ambulance. But didn't completely black out. I just have to be super careful. It's an adventure. If a person knows how to drive or fly without clipping the fenders, wing tips, blades, then you can walk very carefully and not get damaged. Most of the time.

Good gosh I am rambling too much, aren't I?

 

[beefheart]

Yes, I know I can Google this and Google that and use other search engines and so on, but I am sort of wondering if I can get some feedback directly from some folks here.

I have been having some hardcore trouble with dream activity since maybe my second round of chemo when the relapse started or maybe the third round with the special chemo. I can define "special" later when I drag out some notes.

Right now I am simply wondering if anyone else who has had to do the chemo thing has had trouble with heavy duty dreaming after the chemo was stopped.

Actually, my doctor surprised the heck out of me the visit before last when he indicated that chemo stays in your system for even up to a year after a particular round has been stopped. But that may not have any bearing upon this dream thing. And my last visit a few days ago he didn't seem so interested into getting into the dreaming trouble. Not surprising, given the number of patients he has to work with. Plus this dreaming stuff is probably a different medical field he isn't fully trained in.

I don't have that sweat trouble with the dreaming like I had many, many years ago when certain active duty stuff kicked the dreaming into a problem. And docs informed all of us going through that back then that it was not unusual. And it finally did stop.

But this time - - - well, it is hardcore dreaming. Sometimes even funny stuff. Like entertaining. But it is the sort of quality of the dreaming. Really like it is actually happening. That use of the word "quality" is strange, but can't think of a better one as I am typing this.

Just sort of curious if anyone else might have had this sort of trouble? Would appreciate any feedback?

Didn't do that for my wife. I dream some amazing shit, and I remember situations that repeat in my dreams, while I am dreaming. It's kind of meta.

 

[Jessie C]

I don't feel stressed out. Just gather information and study and then stay with other work. Unfortunately, I have an agenda that I have to try and stay with, so no time to be stressed out for medical reasons.

Actually, I find this aging thing to be a sort of adventure. Sometimes I get these really neat memory lapses; something I might have done just moments ago and my mind is a complete blank; then when I realize what happened it is kind of like a Sherlock Holmes moment.

I find the memory lapses that go back a number of years to be troublesome and get me kind of needing to reset the brain and go find the information I need. Lucky for me I have always been into keeping proper logs and such, so information is there, just have to find it. Or ask somebody.

Balance issues have certainly slowed me down and I find it interesting because I was so into sports for so many years and now I have to be careful even walking. They have me taking some sort of bone marrow stuff to help with my bone marrow and the spine is an unbelievable mess, but a lot of that is due to the sports.

And here in Japan they have this neat system of a little red flag sort of attachment to my one money/card bag and that tells folks when I am out-and-about and in public places that I'm not in the best of health. That's helpful. Not sure if you folks in other countries have that little helping thing.

I suppose I'll eventually need to use a neat (and expensive) walker we purchased last year, I think, but so far I can still get around in a slow and careful way. The darn black-outs have not been trouble recently, but a few times were bad, bad, bad. We figured that was due to that membrane swelling thing they hadn't spotted yet. But there was an incident back a bit that had me hauled off in an ambulance. But didn't completely black out. I just have to be super careful. It's an adventure. If a person knows how to drive or fly without clipping the fenders, wing tips, blades, then you can walk very carefully and not get damaged. Most of the time.

Good gosh I am rambling too much, aren't I?

You're fine, medi. Keep talking, my friend. People here are listening. Once you're post chemo your body will recover a lot. Maybe not 100%, but a lot. Stay positive, and stay in touch with us..

 

[Lord of Planar]

Yes, I know I can Google this and Google that and use other search engines and so on, but I am sort of wondering if I can get some feedback directly from some folks here.

I have been having some hardcore trouble with dream activity since maybe my second round of chemo when the relapse started or maybe the third round with the special chemo. I can define "special" later when I drag out some notes.

Right now I am simply wondering if anyone else who has had to do the chemo thing has had trouble with heavy duty dreaming after the chemo was stopped.

Actually, my doctor surprised the heck out of me the visit before last when he indicated that chemo stays in your system for even up to a year after a particular round has been stopped. But that may not have any bearing upon this dream thing. And my last visit a few days ago he didn't seem so interested into getting into the dreaming trouble. Not surprising, given the number of patients he has to work with. Plus this dreaming stuff is probably a different medical field he isn't fully trained in.

I don't have that sweat trouble with the dreaming like I had many, many years ago when certain active duty stuff kicked the dreaming into a problem. And docs informed all of us going through that back then that it was not unusual. And it finally did stop.

But this time - - - well, it is hardcore dreaming. Sometimes even funny stuff. Like entertaining. But it is the sort of quality of the dreaming. Really like it is actually happening. That use of the word "quality" is strange, but can't think of a better one as I am typing this.

Just sort of curious if anyone else might have had this sort of trouble? Would appreciate any feedback?

If marijuana legal where you live? I hear it is supposed to help with chemo.

 

[medi]

Didn't do that for my wife. I dream some amazing shit, and I remember situations that repeat in my dreams, while I am dreaming. It's kind of meta.

You mean a kind of series? I had that happening about last year. In fact, I kept a pretty good log of that because it was amazing. It seemed like one dream linked with an earlier one. But that has not been happening for a fair bit of time now. I have had some repeat dreams. But that series thing stopped.

Of course, you might not be referring to the series style. Actually, your post only just now reminded me about that. Hadn't thought about that for a while.

And I've logged some of the recent dreams, especially if the funny kind; or the really bad kind. Just a few days ago I had a very detailed dream about a chopper accident and even the area where it happened was close to where we had one of our homes. In the dream. I think I remember waking up from that one and not even realizing right away I had been sleeping. That one was super weird.

 

[medi]

If marijuana legal where you live? I hear it is supposed to help with chemo.

Not in Japan. They are very mean about that stuff.

EDIT: And I don't think it is even allowed on a medical type basis. Funny, though, I never thought to check about medical use of the stuff. Not so sure I'd be trying that, though. I have other work that requires a bit of sharpness out of the brain. Well, as best as possible.

 

[beefheart]

You mean a kind of series? I had that happening about last year. In fact, I kept a pretty good log of that because it was amazing. It seemed like one dream linked with an earlier one. But that has not been happening for a fair bit of time now. I have had some repeat dreams. But that series thing stopped.

Of course, you might not be referring to the series style. Actually, your post only just now reminded me about that. Hadn't thought about that for a while.

And I've logged some of the recent dreams, especially if the funny kind; or the really bad kind. Just a few days ago I had a very detailed dream about a chopper accident and even the area where it happened was close to where we had one of our homes. In the dream. I think I remember waking up from that one and not even realizing right away I had been sleeping. That one was super weird.

Last might I dreamed I was writing in a notebook, but there was no empty pages left, I remarked to my nephew in the dream about how this always happens in my dreams. I had a dream where I watched a plane crash a few days ago, today I saw a video of an airliner crash in Nepal that was pretty much the same thing. I have dreams with like situations and I recognize that while I am dreaming, it's wild.

 

[soylentgreen]

Well, Jessie C, I know the docs have a protocol. I got that. I was fully briefed by the hospital's pharmacy chief and studied the papers he gave me. BUT they are also making some changes to the protocol and they are sometimes sort of bending a few things since. I have/had lymphoma --- maybe "have" is the only correct word. And I keep a good log and they supply me with all sorts of data, like blood test results every two months now. I have all the MRI disks supplied to me to study. And that takes special software on one of my computers.

My third round of chemo was because a membrane around my brain had gotten the cancer into it and it was swelling and would have killed my brain if they couldn't stop the swelling. And maybe they got the cancer completely out of that area.

But maybe your answer is informing me that they aren't quite as strict here in Japan. Not sure, but the exchange of information is useful to/for me. Thank you.

The part in bold might be the reason for your dreams. Because the brain is what creates your dreams. the whole brain plays some parts in creating dreams especially the cortex.

Your cerebral cortex, also called gray matter, is your brain's outermost layer of nerve cell tissue. The cortex is responsible for the content of dreams, including the monsters we flee from, the people we meet, or the experience of flying. Since we are highly visual animals the visual cortex, right at the back of the brain, is especially active, but so are many other parts of the cortex. Deep inside the temporal lobe of the brain, the hippocampus has a central role in our ability to remember, imagine and dream. Our most vivid dreams are a remarkable replication of reality, combining disparate objects, actions and perceptions into a richly detailed hallucinatory experience.

You're in a stressful position with poison running through your veins. So you're having stressful dreams. Does not sound like you need a psychiatrist, perhaps just someone you can talk to would be enough. Work through the stress and you work through the dreams.

I too have had cancer . Lost a chunk of my lungs and went through several rounds of chemo. But I felt very little in the way of stress through it all. The shitty hospital food was my biggest bug. So no stressful dreams.

 

[Fearandloathing]

I confess to not having studied anything about diabetic trouble, or heart trouble.

And I stay with the program, for the most part, - - - the "program" the docs map out, but there are some aspects to my case that nobody is quite sure about. Also, I am sort of the mind that the other doc that handled the third round/(year-of-treatment) was on the surprised side that the treatment worked. I think it was my second "so close' case and I don't think they like to be super straight and tell me I am lucky to have survived.

So I think I remember that my case has been elevated to a category 4, with a category 1 being the least troublesome and going up means getting worse --- or some such style. I haven't got my notes in front of me.

Big area of concern for my case right now is making sure I don't have to fight any infection, which I had to do between my next-to-last doc meeting and this latest one. But I already had some good stuff to fight that infection and knew how to handle that and got it under control. Blood test results give us a lot of information about such like the immune system. My immune system isn't so great right now.

BUT, in your case, it seems your battle is one tough bit of work. Your sort of case scares me. Wouldn't mind at all to see you posting around this community for another 25 years, but I suspect that is wishful thinking. But you must have been at this battle for longer than I have been at mine. You must have strong willpower.

Medicine, I have found, may be a science, but not always an exacting science.

I have psoriasis. For years I lathered myself in creams, tars, ointments etc, all with limited affect. I was one of the first cases of experimentation of high dose ultra violet light, which worked, sometimes. Over years we found relationships with stress, work hours, and lifestyle, none of which had been considered by dermatologists to that point.

Then e moved on to a chemical solution which really makes everyone very nervous, an immune suppressant and was of questionable efficacy. That treatment, a cancer fighting drug has worked 100% and despite cautions about continuous use are unnecessary as there are no long term side effects.

That med was scary then because a number of people in the US died using it. It took me and other research to determine that mixed with alcohol the drub can kill! Ironically I joined Alcoholics Anonymous at the time I stared using the drug and that was 35 years ago.

I still take it daily.

My dermatologist at the time, a man who explored every option and then some, had practiced medicine for 50 years at that point, was totally astonished that the drug worked!

It happens.

Medication is not an exact science sometimes.

 

[Lord of Planar]

Not in Japan. They are very mean about that stuff.

EDIT: And I don't think it is even allowed on a medical type basis. Funny, though, I never thought to check about medical use of the stuff. Not so sure I'd be trying that, though. I have other work that requires a bit of sharpness out of the brain. Well, as best as possible.

Yes, it affects different people differently. It doesn't take away my acuity, but I tend to jump around from one topic to another.