thanks, Michelle, I'm glad to know about the Dex and Depo combination.
Gloria
On Apr 25, 2006, at 9:57 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Hi, Pam. I have had several positives who got lymphoma. I think
you are doing the right thing by trying the chemo. It can do
wonders with extending life and making them more comfortable and
happy while they are here. If you do stop the chemo at any point,
rather than the natural route (which I support where effective, and
used with one of our dogs who had a sarcoma and she did well-- so I
am not against it at all normally but it does not seem to work well
for lymphoma) I would suggest doing combination shots of
dexamethasone and depomedrol (1/2 cc each, as often as needed but
can last up to a few weeks). The steroids are effective at
shrinking lymphoma and make the cats feel really good physically
and emotionally, and they usually do not have any short-term side
effects. I have had cats who seemed on their death beds, not
eating or drinking and hardly moving, who got up and ate within an
hour of getting one of these shots. Others on this list have had
the same experience. It is not a conventional treatment for
lymphoma, but I learned it from a vet whose practice uses these
shots for all terminally ill cats, and she swears by them and says
she has seen cats go months on these shots alone with lymphoma,
feeling good. I would not do it instead of chemo, but if you need
to stop the chemo for any reason. I convinced my cat Simon's
oncologist to try it, after he was at first resistant, and he was
shocked at how effective it was.
Michelle
In a message dated 4/25/2006 7:24:33 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Hi, this is Pam, mom for JuneAmy. Altho I have no FeLv kitties, I
have been so grateful for the help that has already come from those
here even tho I have not been on your list, that I had to join.
I will post her story later but suffice to say right now that she
has large cell lymphoma. Big mass in the abdomen, & more thorughout
the liver, spleen, intestines & lymph nodes. She was diagnosed a
week ago today. Had hse been a old kitty (& I am not at all sure
how old she is but think she is probably older than what I have
been told), I would probably have let her go with that diagnosis,
which was pretty grim. But I let the vets at U of WI vet hospital
give her a watered down injection of L'spar & started her on 1`0 mg
of pred last week as a trial. They thought to start the full U of
WI protocol would kill her.
She responded just enough for them to decide to go ahead & today
she got Vincristine. I am not at all sure I am doing the right
thing. But my feeling is that I have to try. I could just treat
her with pred & natural supplements, which is very tempting, & it
may come to that depending on how she does, but I have been
encouraged by those who know us, to try.
Right now she is so tired. I fed her some "lunch" of Purina DM on
comimg home but she needs to rest. As I type, I am also watching
her breathing & thinking she is having some mild difficulty. I
don't know. Going to be a long evening/night.
Pam
