UPDATE to: How did you make the decision for Pred and chemo? | TheCatSite - and, long, as usual.
New oncologist seen in November. Her assessment is NOT to give Pred due to Feeby's other health conditions - primarily CKD and the leaky heart valve (no treatment needed at this time). Because Feeby's main symptoms are lethargy and inappetence, the latter of which is being managed, she wanted a follow up this month to see if anything has changed.
Well, the only thing that really changed is Feeby has now been diagnosed with high BP, which is being treated with Amlodipine.
Feeby has also now been given monthly Solensia injections (first one in October) for her arthritis; started on ondansetron 4 mg x 2 daily also in October but is now being increased to 4 mg x 3 daily.
She still gets Mirataz every other day, and Phos-Bind every day, along with her H-T meds, and monthly B-12 injections. Mobility increased with Solensia, but nothing has improved her lethargy/lack of energy. Still maintaining her weight, not vomiting, has good, regular stools, and drinking/urination are pretty much unchanged.
The oncologist said if I feel comfortable, we could proceed with chlorambucil, but she is still of the mindset that it is not urgent to start immediately, especially since she would like to ensure Feeby's BP is under control. She bases this on the fact that Feeby's other health issues need to take equal precedent to the lymphoma, and that lymphoma cannot override all else. Among other comments, she also stated: "Patients will eventually become nonresponsive to chlorambucil therapy, I try not to begin therapy until the patient's presentation indicates it to ensure it is as effective for as long as possible."
I asked her point blank about the lymphoma and her other conditions, and what her educated conjecture would be in terms of what might 'get Feeby first'. To this she responded: "Small cell GI lymphoma can have a clinical course of years and thus it is very possible that it will not be the reason Feeby leaves us."
I know most have had cats with more symptoms than Feeby's to elicit an IBD or SCL diagnosis, and that Pred and/or chemo were started almost immediately. What I don't know is if anyone cat's lymphoma was found by accident (as was Feeby's), and between that and other health issues, the course of treatment was adjusted to better match what Feeby's oncologist is recommending. Anyone?
New oncologist seen in November. Her assessment is NOT to give Pred due to Feeby's other health conditions - primarily CKD and the leaky heart valve (no treatment needed at this time). Because Feeby's main symptoms are lethargy and inappetence, the latter of which is being managed, she wanted a follow up this month to see if anything has changed.
Well, the only thing that really changed is Feeby has now been diagnosed with high BP, which is being treated with Amlodipine.
Feeby has also now been given monthly Solensia injections (first one in October) for her arthritis; started on ondansetron 4 mg x 2 daily also in October but is now being increased to 4 mg x 3 daily.
She still gets Mirataz every other day, and Phos-Bind every day, along with her H-T meds, and monthly B-12 injections. Mobility increased with Solensia, but nothing has improved her lethargy/lack of energy. Still maintaining her weight, not vomiting, has good, regular stools, and drinking/urination are pretty much unchanged.
The oncologist said if I feel comfortable, we could proceed with chlorambucil, but she is still of the mindset that it is not urgent to start immediately, especially since she would like to ensure Feeby's BP is under control. She bases this on the fact that Feeby's other health issues need to take equal precedent to the lymphoma, and that lymphoma cannot override all else. Among other comments, she also stated: "Patients will eventually become nonresponsive to chlorambucil therapy, I try not to begin therapy until the patient's presentation indicates it to ensure it is as effective for as long as possible."
I asked her point blank about the lymphoma and her other conditions, and what her educated conjecture would be in terms of what might 'get Feeby first'. To this she responded: "Small cell GI lymphoma can have a clinical course of years and thus it is very possible that it will not be the reason Feeby leaves us."
I know most have had cats with more symptoms than Feeby's to elicit an IBD or SCL diagnosis, and that Pred and/or chemo were started almost immediately. What I don't know is if anyone cat's lymphoma was found by accident (as was Feeby's), and between that and other health issues, the course of treatment was adjusted to better match what Feeby's oncologist is recommending. Anyone?
