Freaking out - Need help

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BBLady
BBLady Member Posts: 114
edited June 2014 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

I am freaking out - had my 4 year blood work done Tuesday.  Today received a call from my oncologist who told me that my cancer marker was 34.  I know that's not very high, but ever since my treatment it has always been 17 or 18, and was 17 last November.  He said that it might be a false rise.  Is that really possible?  For it to show double in 6 months and not be cancer?  I don't know what to do.  I'm being re-checked next week.  I don't have any symptoms that I know of.  I thought I was doing so well, and now this!  I just don't know what to think.  Please share your thoughts.  I'm not sure how I'm going to get through this week not knowing.

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  • LRM216
    LRM216 Member Posts: 2,115
    edited June 2012

    BB:

    I know it's hard not to freak out, but try to keep in the front of your mind that you are still within normal range and that other things can cause your markers to rise, such as some meds, inflammation anywhere, infections, etc.  My onc doesn't but too much stock in tumor markers at all, although she does mine every six months.  She uses them as a tracker - in that if they rise above normal, she will test the following month, and if they continue rising, she would order scans.  I know it's easy for me to say - take it one step at a time and try to relax, but I went through the same thing you are going through when mine went from 11 to 17 one time.  I was a basket case until my onc assured me that it was totally normal and that as long as they stay within normal, she wasn't alarmed at all.  Next markers they were back down to 12.  I know it's scary, but hang in there.  Sending you gentle hugs,

    Linda

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  • madpeacock
    madpeacock Member Posts: 369
    edited June 2012

    Hang in there and take a deep breath. Don't put more into it into you know more details. Your onc sees lots and lots of patients and lots of test results, so if he says not to worry, don't worry until you know you have something to worry about. I know - easy to say, hard to do!

    Sending more hugs your way and calming thoughts... 

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  • LisaMomOfFour
    LisaMomOfFour Member Posts: 465
    edited June 2012

    My onc won't ever do tumor markers... she has said that she has experienced too many false positives in her practice -- they do all the scans and don't find anything.  I have never had my tumor markers tested at all, and as long as I stay with this onc, I won't be tested.  

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  • BBLady
    BBLady Member Posts: 114
    edited June 2012

    Thanks for the encouragement!  I will try to stay positive, and calm.  I don't know why, but this has upset me more than my origianl dx, which is weird.  I really appreciate being able to come back here and get support from you who understand!  (It's probably been two years or so since I posted, though I do check back once in awhile.)

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  • ck55
    ck55 Member Posts: 346
    edited June 2012

    Try not to worry too much (I know that is not easy!!!!)



    My ca 27.29 tumor markers went from my " normal range" of 20 - 36 to 40.5. I completely freaked out!!



    6 months later they are back down to 34.



    I think a lot of things can cause them to go up or down.



    Deep breaths !!!!!!!!!



    Cyndi

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  • BBLady
    BBLady Member Posts: 114
    edited June 2012

    Thanks, Cyndi.  It's incredibly helpful to hear that others have had their markers go up, and then back down to "normal"! 

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  • BBLady
    BBLady Member Posts: 114
    edited June 2012

    O.k.  just got back from getting my results and my markers are back down to normal!  In fact, they're back to exactly where they were in November.  I don't know if it was a glitch - but I do know that I had many people praying for me, and I believe that it definitely could be God answering those prayers!

     Thanks for all the support I got.  I really appreciate it!

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  • mmm5
    mmm5 Member Posts: 1,470
    edited June 2012

    BB

    Did you ever find out what was up with the Orange urine 

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  • BBLady
    BBLady Member Posts: 114
    edited June 2012

    Had a urinalysis and it came back that I was 'spilling' bilirubin.  The doc checked my liver function and everything was normal - so he wanted me to have it re-checked.  Just got the results back, and this time there wasn't any bilirubin in it!  My doc thinks that I was fighting a low grade infection...who knows?  All I know it was very freaky along with the tumor markers going up!

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