Liver Cancer Support Group

Hi Violettt, i too am looking for more info and what to expect/side effects/pain/etc... So thank you for posting this. When are you having the TACE done?

Jan. 23 is my date with the interventional radiologists - still trying to figure out a way to wiggle out of this.........but I guess I'm at that point where I am considering a mega-xxstrong dose of chemo poison and intentional clotting off of blood vessels as a possible good thing! This disease must be effecting my mind more than I am willing to admit, or maybe it is the logical thing to do. Ambiguity................................sucks. But we all get through this, one way or another. Keep the faith.

Like I said, the TACE saved my life. I had it twice while waiting for my transplant, and both times, it shrunk my tumor considerably. And since they inject the chemo directly into the tumor, you don't have the side effects of full body chemo. About 2 to 3 weeks after my TACE each time, I felt very tired and noticed some hair loss for another couple of weeks. They said it was because by then the chemo had done it's work killing cancer cells inside the tumor, and that a small amount sometimes leaks out into your system at that point causing temporary symptoms. But I was able to still take care of myself, just had to rest a little more. Go to Google and type in TACE and read about it. Good luck.

Thank you MLTTexas!

Violett, Jan 23 is our date too, coincidentally enough! Good luck to you and sending you hugs.

Hi Mum,
I am sending hugs right back at ya!
What to do
what to do
what to do
I always swore I wouldn't jump in that fast flowing river of 'medical care', yet just like other things in my life - you can say how you'll do it; but when it really happens, it's a whole different story.
Your hubby is lucky to have you there for him!

Please V have the procedure done...it worked very well on shrinking my husbands tumors ....it helped give him another year and half of being able to stay on this Earth with us...after he was removed from the Transplant list. All in all, after we found out he had cancer of the liver between radio frequency ablation and the chemoembolization he survived 2 1/2 years...and they were good years...I am grateful he had the procedures done....terribly sad that being on the transplant list for 10 months and never getting that liver...do whatever it takes...

Hi. Just wanted to say thanks to all of you for your feedback and encouragement. I had the procedure. It went great. So far, no side effects. Unbelieveable.
So thanks everyone.

The first chemo normally has less side effects than the rest. My mom has gone through 3 in the past 1,5 years. The first one went easy: she was up in 3 days and with exception of some loss of taste she was fine. Then 3 weeks later she had a severe urinary tract and colon infection. No one told us about this being a side effect but that what apparently happens often. After 10 days of anti biotic she was fine.
Second chemo was a bit worst in terms of her strength and in terms of her ability to recover, that took longer. She also had problems testing food and complained about pain in the liver for longer.

She had two small (under 2 centimeters) tumors. Then the same tumor that needed chemo had to be killed again by Radiofrequency ablation (RFA). RFA was done under general anesthesia. She seamed to be disoriented for about a week but overall she felt no side effects after that.

Then 3 months later we got a call that the first (one of the two) tumors got active again and was aggressively growing. It was over 3 cm when we got a call. She needed a chemo again. This time she came out of the surgery in pain and morphine did not help. She was down for two weeks not able to eat or talk. But now it has been 3 weeks and she is up and walking but her whole abdominal has swollen like a balloon.She can't eat, she has diarrhea and urine is dark practically orange color. I had to call the doctor and they'll see her tomorrow. But it seams like it is getting worst every time she goes in. Not sure she will live to see the transplant....

Well, one thing you can count on for sure.....no-one will tell you when it doesn't work, they don't give you your money back, they just want to repeat the whole failed procedure over and over. And we fall for it. I did. I had one. I am NOT back to how I was before. I am sure the toxic chemo hurt my liver, gallbladder, pancrease, stomach, and intestines worse that 20 years of HCV ever did.
I'm still waiting to feel better. I am so fatigued, and there is pain involved; even though you have to beg for a pain medication that works and doesn't hurt your liver any more.
Sorry. You caught me on an honest night. I hope your Mom does better, but that ain't no picnic she's going through.
Best wishes and prayers to you all.