stage IV melanoma

Sorry you have had to join us. Hopefully, your upcoming CT scan shows that the Zelboraf has been effective at reducing your tumor burden. Please be sure to see a melanoma specialist as there are some new treatments on the horizon that sound very promising and the benefits of Zelboraf tends to be limited to less than a year on average (some people have much longer success though). You will want to have a plan B in mind if/when that happens. 

Do not be sad about hair loss – as I guy whose hair started receding in my early 30s (maybe 20s if you ask my wife), I have always kept my hair very short… and I think it looks better this way. Your comment about travel is a tough one… I am stage 4 recently myself and I do not plan to travel overseas with my job (fortunately, I have the ability to make that choice). In your case, I would not necessarily be afraid to come here to the US as we have very good melanoma centers that you could rely on if needed.

Kevin

Sorry you have had to join us. Hopefully, your upcoming CT scan shows that the Zelboraf has been effective at reducing your tumor burden. Please be sure to see a melanoma specialist as there are some new treatments on the horizon that sound very promising and the benefits of Zelboraf tends to be limited to less than a year on average (some people have much longer success though). You will want to have a plan B in mind if/when that happens. 

Do not be sad about hair loss – as I guy whose hair started receding in my early 30s (maybe 20s if you ask my wife), I have always kept my hair very short… and I think it looks better this way. Your comment about travel is a tough one… I am stage 4 recently myself and I do not plan to travel overseas with my job (fortunately, I have the ability to make that choice). In your case, I would not necessarily be afraid to come here to the US as we have very good melanoma centers that you could rely on if needed.

Kevin

Sorry you have had to join us. Hopefully, your upcoming CT scan shows that the Zelboraf has been effective at reducing your tumor burden. Please be sure to see a melanoma specialist as there are some new treatments on the horizon that sound very promising and the benefits of Zelboraf tends to be limited to less than a year on average (some people have much longer success though). You will want to have a plan B in mind if/when that happens. 

Do not be sad about hair loss – as I guy whose hair started receding in my early 30s (maybe 20s if you ask my wife), I have always kept my hair very short… and I think it looks better this way. Your comment about travel is a tough one… I am stage 4 recently myself and I do not plan to travel overseas with my job (fortunately, I have the ability to make that choice). In your case, I would not necessarily be afraid to come here to the US as we have very good melanoma centers that you could rely on if needed.

Kevin

Hey PFM,

Sorry for the incredibly frightening journey you've been on since January!!!  There are many of us here living with various iterations of a Stage IV melanoma diagnosis, not that it changes what you are going through, but it may make you feel a little less alone.  I've not taken Zelboraf but there are many here that have and if you search the comments you might find some helpful information.  You may also want to talk to your docs about combining it with a MEK inhibitor since that seems to decrease the tumor's ability to develop resistance to the drug AND decrease side effects.  But, mostly Kevin's right!!  You guys can rock this look…even if it's not what you wanted to deal with just now!  Think Bruce Willis, Vin Diesel, and Jason Statham!  You and Kev got this!!!  Hang in there!

Yours, Celeste

Hey PFM,

Sorry for the incredibly frightening journey you've been on since January!!!  There are many of us here living with various iterations of a Stage IV melanoma diagnosis, not that it changes what you are going through, but it may make you feel a little less alone.  I've not taken Zelboraf but there are many here that have and if you search the comments you might find some helpful information.  You may also want to talk to your docs about combining it with a MEK inhibitor since that seems to decrease the tumor's ability to develop resistance to the drug AND decrease side effects.  But, mostly Kevin's right!!  You guys can rock this look…even if it's not what you wanted to deal with just now!  Think Bruce Willis, Vin Diesel, and Jason Statham!  You and Kev got this!!!  Hang in there!

Yours, Celeste

Hey PFM,

Sorry for the incredibly frightening journey you've been on since January!!!  There are many of us here living with various iterations of a Stage IV melanoma diagnosis, not that it changes what you are going through, but it may make you feel a little less alone.  I've not taken Zelboraf but there are many here that have and if you search the comments you might find some helpful information.  You may also want to talk to your docs about combining it with a MEK inhibitor since that seems to decrease the tumor's ability to develop resistance to the drug AND decrease side effects.  But, mostly Kevin's right!!  You guys can rock this look…even if it's not what you wanted to deal with just now!  Think Bruce Willis, Vin Diesel, and Jason Statham!  You and Kev got this!!!  Hang in there!

Yours, Celeste

I'm surprised they didn't do a CT earlier since it is such a simple scan and when Zelboraf works it tends to work fast. Like within 4 weeks or less. At least that is what the Drs said to me after I was already on it for 8 weeks. Hopefully it works for you which it does for a lot of people. Then you need a plan B. I would believe you would then want to do the immunoptherapies (ie: yervoy, pd1, etc) for long term kick the mel out. But that is just my opinion.

As far as the hair my hair thinning on zelboraf made me look like larry from the 3 stooges. But no big deal. After I was off zelboraf I had it cut short and it grew back thicker than before.

I'm surprised they didn't do a CT earlier since it is such a simple scan and when Zelboraf works it tends to work fast. Like within 4 weeks or less. At least that is what the Drs said to me after I was already on it for 8 weeks. Hopefully it works for you which it does for a lot of people. Then you need a plan B. I would believe you would then want to do the immunoptherapies (ie: yervoy, pd1, etc) for long term kick the mel out. But that is just my opinion.

As far as the hair my hair thinning on zelboraf made me look like larry from the 3 stooges. But no big deal. After I was off zelboraf I had it cut short and it grew back thicker than before.

I'm surprised they didn't do a CT earlier since it is such a simple scan and when Zelboraf works it tends to work fast. Like within 4 weeks or less. At least that is what the Drs said to me after I was already on it for 8 weeks. Hopefully it works for you which it does for a lot of people. Then you need a plan B. I would believe you would then want to do the immunoptherapies (ie: yervoy, pd1, etc) for long term kick the mel out. But that is just my opinion.

As far as the hair my hair thinning on zelboraf made me look like larry from the 3 stooges. But no big deal. After I was off zelboraf I had it cut short and it grew back thicker than before.