Interferon /skin cancer

[ladyrhea4]

I have pain cramps in my legs like I did on Interferon and I have been off the Treatment of it for 2 Months now.
So I'm wanting to understand why I still hurt.
If there is someone that can help me, Please Please Help me out or ware to find any answers of what is going on with my Muscles and these Cramps that goes Up and Down My Legs..which is about the only place I have muscle on the bottom half of my body..Not much above, I think that is the reason that it has never hurt as much in the upper body.
Thanks for Reading and Help me if you can........
Thanks so much,
Ladyrhea4

[Dee1956]

so sorry old thread, not sure why it was at the top, I should have checked the date

[Dee1956]

Hi something that might help is to make sure you are drinking enough water.  Interferon causes dehydration which can cause leg cramps
I had awful leg cramps.
I also started taking calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and that helped me as well.
Good luck
Dee

[ladyrhea4]

hey sorry it has taken me so long to write back. I am going to try and answer all you asked about. Oh and to let you know if you are on Facebook there are many melanoma sites and there is a few Interferon sites. I belong to a couple of them.

Anyway its a Normal thing for someone to be on it for that long. I have heard of 15 Months ...3 shots a week...Now the 5 year one with One shot a week , I have not heard as much. I only did it a year but the doctor that was telling me all this is a Specialist in Melanoma. And the other doctor or Cancer Doctors were more into Like Breast Cancer or some other kind.

Anyway what I'm trying to say is that I have heard of many on for a year or a year and a half..but like I said not the five..
And  NO family History of it, I'm fair Skinned and freckled as a kid but did not lay out and DONT DO SUN BEDS...so they say just some of us have it in us..Never heard of what your doctor is talking about unless that is code for something?
Well I'm sorry I'm so tired I can't think......I will try to look at this again,
Thanks for writing rhea

[Winikor]

by Bhupinder Kaur, MD, May 07, 2010 06:49AM
Hello,
Thanks for the update. The vaccine for prostate cancer has got FDA approval but it is still to be marketed. It is not used for basal cell carcinoma. However there is a proposal for a vaccine for skin malignancies but it is still in the research phase.
I hope it helps. Take care and regards.

[Winikor]

by Bhupinder Kaur, MD, May 07, 2010 06:49AM
Hello,
Thanks for the update. The vaccine for prostate cancer has got FDA approval but it is still to be marketed. It is not used for basal cell carcinoma. However there is a proposal for a vaccine for skin malignancies but it is still in the research phase.
I hope it helps. Take care and regards.

[Winikor]

Thank you so much for writing.  I am so sorry that you've had to go thru all of this and are a stage 4.  I just can't believe you've been on interferon for so long.  Do you have any family history of skin cancer?  We had ruled out interferon and now we are considering radiation but most doctors are saying to go with mohs.  Tomorrow we go to yet another doctor, he's a mohs, then we're going to another plastic surgeon.  You said you had 3 surgeries, does that mean that the first surgeries didn't work and the malenoma came back? or did new malenomas surface?  I have had basal cells all over and have had surgeries but not malenoma, thankfully.  We were told by the chief of dermatology at UM that there will soon be a vaccine to cure skin cancer.  I asked other doctors and they said it's years away.  Hopefully, you'll be able to benefit from it.  Good luck and thanks for your post.

[ladyrhea4]

I had Melanoma which is the Deadly form of Skin cancer. I have had it two times now. A lot of children our getting or young adults because of the tanning beds..and I'm super fair skinned I did not do the beds.
But anyway I have been threw treatment 2 times..and the first time I had 3 surgery's and and I also had one year long treatment of Interferon 3 shots a week is Common. there are many Groups on skin cancer on Facebook and I belong to allot of them, Yes they told me the flue like feelings was normal just that I still get them. And thinning of the hair...but you do keep it and lets see what else...Its better then Dieing..

The 2nd time I was on it, They wanted me on it for 5 years and I was on it for one year and I only did one shot a week but I'm 45 now and boy oh boy did that kick my bottom and I went to a couple of other doctors and what they told me was that the life I was living on the Interferon was no life and that they would take me off it and at least I could feel good the years I have left. They don't know how long and I don't understand it.
But I will tell you skin cancer is the easiest cancer to cure if you get it in time.

I sure hope this helps......I am stage 4 of cancer and started off with a freckle that changed color and grew to the size of a pea.
I dont want to freak you out, but I also want you to know its important to fallow up.....
You can write when ever you want.
Take care,
Ladyrhea4

[Winikor]

Where did you have skin cancer and was the interferon successful in treating the skin cancer?  Was it a basal cell, if so, what type?  My daughter's doctor suggested interferon for a morpheaform basal cell carcinoma on her nose and we don't know of anyone who has had this treatment.  Are the leg cramps related to the treatment?  Were you made aware of this before?  The one thing I know for leg cramps taht helps is laying on your back on the floor and placing your legs up on the wall so that the circulation flows down and relieves the pain.  I happen to have leg pain and that's how I get relief.  Good luck.