chemo not going as well

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joy44
joy44 Member Posts: 50
Chemo not going as well as we thought. My husband had his first on tuesday disconnected on thursday, started to get sick bad on friday. I know this is part of the game but did any of you have dizziness and light headed with tunnel vision? I am really concerned on what that means. since we found out my husband had cancer his appetite has gone down hill, he has lost at least 60lbs., in 3 months. With being sick it is worse, any sugestions on what to watch for him, maybe ideas on what to feed him that wont make him sick. And on top of this we see a radiation dr. next week and from what i have read radiation is much worse how can that be.

Any thoughts on this much appreciated.

I do want to tell all of you that what you do on this board really matters even for those that dont have cancer you help with clarity and hope, I think of all of you all the time, always on my mind and in my prayers
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Comments

  • tina dasilva
    tina dasilva Member Posts: 641
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    sorry
    so sorry to hear about your husband .im sure someone will come along soon .hugs Tina
  • lizzydavis
    lizzydavis Member Posts: 893
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    sorry
    so sorry to hear about your husband .im sure someone will come along soon .hugs Tina

    Hi Joy44,
    Hi Joy44,

    I am going to list some of the things which helped me and which others have suggested.

    Emily, our favorite juicing chick, wrote this:
    Juicing is a wonderful way to get all your fruits and veggies for the day especially for those healing from cancer. It's all about LIVE ENZYMES and when you juice your organic produce the juicer does the first stage of digestion--it separates the juice from the fiber so you get the optimal amount of nutrients in that glass of juice. When our bodies are compromised with cancer (or healing from the surgery or chemo which depresses our immune systems) it needs all its energy to heal. Your body does not have to expend its energy doing this and you have more energy for healing!

    ---- GREAT ADVICE!!-----

    Also, easy things for your husband to eat are:
    -------applesauce
    -------pudding
    -------soups
    -------yogurt - lots of flavors to choose and great probiotics
    -------juices - grape, apple, cranberry, pineapple, etc.

    My oncologist nurse said this is not the time to diet so I actually ate whatever I craved. For me, that was chocolate. It made me feel good and I enjoyed it. I had a candy bar which I would break pieces off every day. Many here will say sugar is bad for cancer.

    Keep your husband hydrated by giving him juice or water often. This will help dizziness etc.

    Dietician conversation:

    CANCER CAUSING Foods:
    --Deli Meats
    --Bacon
    --Sausage
    --Grilled Black Marks on Meat

    I hope this information is helpful for you and your husband. Others will soon offer some more suggestions. Please keep us updated on your husband.

    Hugs,
    Lizzy
  • coloCan
    coloCan Member Posts: 1,944 Member
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    Hi Joy44,
    Hi Joy44,

    I am going to list some of the things which helped me and which others have suggested.

    Emily, our favorite juicing chick, wrote this:
    Juicing is a wonderful way to get all your fruits and veggies for the day especially for those healing from cancer. It's all about LIVE ENZYMES and when you juice your organic produce the juicer does the first stage of digestion--it separates the juice from the fiber so you get the optimal amount of nutrients in that glass of juice. When our bodies are compromised with cancer (or healing from the surgery or chemo which depresses our immune systems) it needs all its energy to heal. Your body does not have to expend its energy doing this and you have more energy for healing!

    ---- GREAT ADVICE!!-----

    Also, easy things for your husband to eat are:
    -------applesauce
    -------pudding
    -------soups
    -------yogurt - lots of flavors to choose and great probiotics
    -------juices - grape, apple, cranberry, pineapple, etc.

    My oncologist nurse said this is not the time to diet so I actually ate whatever I craved. For me, that was chocolate. It made me feel good and I enjoyed it. I had a candy bar which I would break pieces off every day. Many here will say sugar is bad for cancer.

    Keep your husband hydrated by giving him juice or water often. This will help dizziness etc.

    Dietician conversation:

    CANCER CAUSING Foods:
    --Deli Meats
    --Bacon
    --Sausage
    --Grilled Black Marks on Meat

    I hope this information is helpful for you and your husband. Others will soon offer some more suggestions. Please keep us updated on your husband.

    Hugs,
    Lizzy

    Try nutrition drinks, maybe, such as Boost,Ensure or the
    CVS,RiteAide or other store brands; the "Plus" versions were what I used as it gave me more calories per container.....steve
  • C Dixon
    C Dixon Member Posts: 201
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    Hi Joy44,
    Hi Joy44,

    I am going to list some of the things which helped me and which others have suggested.

    Emily, our favorite juicing chick, wrote this:
    Juicing is a wonderful way to get all your fruits and veggies for the day especially for those healing from cancer. It's all about LIVE ENZYMES and when you juice your organic produce the juicer does the first stage of digestion--it separates the juice from the fiber so you get the optimal amount of nutrients in that glass of juice. When our bodies are compromised with cancer (or healing from the surgery or chemo which depresses our immune systems) it needs all its energy to heal. Your body does not have to expend its energy doing this and you have more energy for healing!

    ---- GREAT ADVICE!!-----

    Also, easy things for your husband to eat are:
    -------applesauce
    -------pudding
    -------soups
    -------yogurt - lots of flavors to choose and great probiotics
    -------juices - grape, apple, cranberry, pineapple, etc.

    My oncologist nurse said this is not the time to diet so I actually ate whatever I craved. For me, that was chocolate. It made me feel good and I enjoyed it. I had a candy bar which I would break pieces off every day. Many here will say sugar is bad for cancer.

    Keep your husband hydrated by giving him juice or water often. This will help dizziness etc.

    Dietician conversation:

    CANCER CAUSING Foods:
    --Deli Meats
    --Bacon
    --Sausage
    --Grilled Black Marks on Meat

    I hope this information is helpful for you and your husband. Others will soon offer some more suggestions. Please keep us updated on your husband.

    Hugs,
    Lizzy

    Greek Yogurt
    Has almost double the protein as regular. You can get plain and add baby food to avoid processed sugar. I'm fighting the appetite thing too. It can be done but the patient has to be determined. Mixing flax oil with anything like a smoothie is good because it is good fat and has lots of calories.

    Catherine
  • coloCan said:

    Try nutrition drinks, maybe, such as Boost,Ensure or the
    CVS,RiteAide or other store brands; the "Plus" versions were what I used as it gave me more calories per container.....steve

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
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    Been through it
    Chemo hits us all differently. I'm one who has a very rough time.

    I have always eaten healthy and found it very hard to give that up during chemo. But I had to - no choice. Let him eat whatever he can get down, and keep down. On FOLFOX I lived on Cream of Wheat and mashed potatoes. And the occassional banana cream pie or something equally as bad for me. Jello, pudding, yogurt (one of the healthier things I ate), clam chowder. Once in a while I would get a weird craving for something like fried clams. Whatever it was, my husband or daughter would get it or make it for me. Anything I could possibly get down or keep down. Calories and hydration were the name of the game. If something sounded good, but then I just couldn't do it, they didn't get upset with me. They just tried something else. I could not make my own food, because even being in the kitchen and seeing or smelling all the different foods made me vomit. My family saved me by bringing food and beverage to me.

    Some things that I've found work for me (different on FOLFOX than FOLFIRI, but I'll list from both)

    Warm apple cider
    Apple sauce with cinnamon
    Cream of Wheat with brown sugar
    Mashed potatoes
    Baked potato with cheese
    Clam Chowder or Potato soup
    Yogurt
    Pasta - with parmesan, or with tomato sauce (even a bit spicy now on FOLFIRI)
    Couscous (plain on FOLFOX, but with curry on FOLFIRI - just not too hot due to mouth sores)
    Pudding
    Jello
    Gatorade or Powerade
    Water with a little Simply Lemonade added (plain water tastes metallic)
    Fanta - orange soda
    Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich
    Bran muffins
    Pears
    Bananas
    Peanut butter toast
    Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
    Italian ice - lemon works best for me

    I had a hard time with my favorite vegetables and many proteins. I normally drink a lot of plain water, and eat a lot of spinach, broccoli, asparagus, etc. They all tasted off to me, plus I was limited due to blood thinners (stay away from foods with Vitamin K when on them, unless you can eat the same amount of them every day). I do a little better on FOLFIRI, and I like stronger flavors this time - on FOLFOX everything had to be bland.

    With bad nausea it is important not to make food with strong odors - that can totally shut down the ability to keep anything down for a while. Avoid cooking things for the rest of the family if they have a strong odor. The most important thing is hydration. Dizziness and lightheaded is often from dehydration. Keep something by him at all times to drink and encourage just taking sips as often as possible. On FOLFOX I had to use plastic glasses and a straw to make enough progress on fluids.

    Just keep trying - don't give up and don't get upset if you've prepared something he just can't eat. Try something else. Protein drinks like Ensure work for some people - I couldn't do them. I do have Isagenix shakes with a banana added, and those work well for me and get some extra protein in too.
  • joy44
    joy44 Member Posts: 50
    Options

    Been through it
    Chemo hits us all differently. I'm one who has a very rough time.

    I have always eaten healthy and found it very hard to give that up during chemo. But I had to - no choice. Let him eat whatever he can get down, and keep down. On FOLFOX I lived on Cream of Wheat and mashed potatoes. And the occassional banana cream pie or something equally as bad for me. Jello, pudding, yogurt (one of the healthier things I ate), clam chowder. Once in a while I would get a weird craving for something like fried clams. Whatever it was, my husband or daughter would get it or make it for me. Anything I could possibly get down or keep down. Calories and hydration were the name of the game. If something sounded good, but then I just couldn't do it, they didn't get upset with me. They just tried something else. I could not make my own food, because even being in the kitchen and seeing or smelling all the different foods made me vomit. My family saved me by bringing food and beverage to me.

    Some things that I've found work for me (different on FOLFOX than FOLFIRI, but I'll list from both)

    Warm apple cider
    Apple sauce with cinnamon
    Cream of Wheat with brown sugar
    Mashed potatoes
    Baked potato with cheese
    Clam Chowder or Potato soup
    Yogurt
    Pasta - with parmesan, or with tomato sauce (even a bit spicy now on FOLFIRI)
    Couscous (plain on FOLFOX, but with curry on FOLFIRI - just not too hot due to mouth sores)
    Pudding
    Jello
    Gatorade or Powerade
    Water with a little Simply Lemonade added (plain water tastes metallic)
    Fanta - orange soda
    Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich
    Bran muffins
    Pears
    Bananas
    Peanut butter toast
    Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
    Italian ice - lemon works best for me

    I had a hard time with my favorite vegetables and many proteins. I normally drink a lot of plain water, and eat a lot of spinach, broccoli, asparagus, etc. They all tasted off to me, plus I was limited due to blood thinners (stay away from foods with Vitamin K when on them, unless you can eat the same amount of them every day). I do a little better on FOLFIRI, and I like stronger flavors this time - on FOLFOX everything had to be bland.

    With bad nausea it is important not to make food with strong odors - that can totally shut down the ability to keep anything down for a while. Avoid cooking things for the rest of the family if they have a strong odor. The most important thing is hydration. Dizziness and lightheaded is often from dehydration. Keep something by him at all times to drink and encourage just taking sips as often as possible. On FOLFOX I had to use plastic glasses and a straw to make enough progress on fluids.

    Just keep trying - don't give up and don't get upset if you've prepared something he just can't eat. Try something else. Protein drinks like Ensure work for some people - I couldn't do them. I do have Isagenix shakes with a banana added, and those work well for me and get some extra protein in too.

    Thanks to all of you
    I am glad to see I am on the right track, I had alot of items on my grocery list. Unforutnately KC my husband got sick on me this morning due to dehydration went to our outpatient care clinic for fluids and it helped.We have been home a couple of hours and he is doing small bits every 5 minutes or so. I think I have him talked him into the blander foods for awhile anyway, he is a very fried food kind of guy and doesn't want to give it up. After this morning he is changing his mind. My daughter has a smoothie maker we are going to try it tomorrow. If he has another bad night we are to go back for more fluid IV , wish us luck.

    Thanks foe everythings!!
  • Patteee
    Patteee Member Posts: 945
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    My worse days were after the
    My worse days were after the disconnect-
    and I would be quite dizzy, lightheaded and the tunnel vision is, I think a form of almost fainting or blacking out. For me, I definitely had that- about after about treatment 7 or 8 I fainted over and over and over again- could not get upright for the life of me. That time the paramedics came and took me to the hospital- I was severely dehydrated- was in the hospital a week that time.

    So fluids, fluids, fluids, fluids- what I drank was chocolate Boost, mic for about a minute, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on it. I was on bags of fluids every other day for the remainder of treatments. I always felt so much better after a fluid fill!

    Make sure he is slowly getting up, to a sitting position in the bed, then sit for awhile. Dangling legs helped me. Stand next to him as he gets up, for support. If he gets dizzy, sit right back down. Take it slow.

    It really will help to take in fluids, and calories.
  • Patteee
    Patteee Member Posts: 945
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    Patteee said:

    My worse days were after the
    My worse days were after the disconnect-
    and I would be quite dizzy, lightheaded and the tunnel vision is, I think a form of almost fainting or blacking out. For me, I definitely had that- about after about treatment 7 or 8 I fainted over and over and over again- could not get upright for the life of me. That time the paramedics came and took me to the hospital- I was severely dehydrated- was in the hospital a week that time.

    So fluids, fluids, fluids, fluids- what I drank was chocolate Boost, mic for about a minute, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on it. I was on bags of fluids every other day for the remainder of treatments. I always felt so much better after a fluid fill!

    Make sure he is slowly getting up, to a sitting position in the bed, then sit for awhile. Dangling legs helped me. Stand next to him as he gets up, for support. If he gets dizzy, sit right back down. Take it slow.

    It really will help to take in fluids, and calories.

    *sigh*
    that was a horrid

    *sigh*
    that was a horrid time of my life. I had a colostomy and kept having to change the bag- and too dizzy to get it on straight. I kept having blow outs- I had chit all over the place- me, the floor, hands, bathroom rugs- it was a major mess. (my kids were all home and as soon as one of them came to check on me, they called 911). At one point I remember thinking I needed to clean up- so ran bath water with bubbles- finally got myself in the tub, laid down and had a moment of panic that I truly did not want to drown. Got out of the tub, my daughter found me in my feces mess on the bathroom floor. A horrible rough time. I was covered in bruises from falling- fortunately no major issues from that.
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
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    Joy
    I am sorry chemo didn't go better. For me, the toughest days are usually disconnect day + the following day. I drink a lot of smoothies - often frozen yogurt, frozen berries, milk + flax seed. Sometimes it is easier to drink than eat. Keeping him hyddrated is key.
  • jararno
    jararno Member Posts: 186
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    Feeling sick
    Is he having nausea and vomiting? I ended up taking EMEND and wearing a SANCUSO PATCH for the nausea. These both helped greatly although they are very expensive.

    I am terrible with drinking liquids normally so I did have major problems with dehydration. Try to get him to drink anything he can tolerate. I drank warm Sierra Mist with the bubbles shaken out. If I was eating out I ordered hot tea and a glass of water and mixed my own slightly warm tea.

    The dizzy and light headed can be dehydration....keep pumping fluids! I don't recall the tunnel vision, but I slept most of the time!

    Try to limit cooking foods if the odor bothers him. I got pretty upset with my family for bringing foods into the house that caused me to get sick. They didn't quite get it! ( a pizza had the worst effect!! )

    Try to take one day at a time....This whole thing causes a lot of stress. Many of us tend to become hermits and just want to sleep. If he ignores you, try to understand that this is normal.

    Best Of Luck

    Take Care,

    Barb
  • joy44
    joy44 Member Posts: 50
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    jararno said:

    Feeling sick
    Is he having nausea and vomiting? I ended up taking EMEND and wearing a SANCUSO PATCH for the nausea. These both helped greatly although they are very expensive.

    I am terrible with drinking liquids normally so I did have major problems with dehydration. Try to get him to drink anything he can tolerate. I drank warm Sierra Mist with the bubbles shaken out. If I was eating out I ordered hot tea and a glass of water and mixed my own slightly warm tea.

    The dizzy and light headed can be dehydration....keep pumping fluids! I don't recall the tunnel vision, but I slept most of the time!

    Try to limit cooking foods if the odor bothers him. I got pretty upset with my family for bringing foods into the house that caused me to get sick. They didn't quite get it! ( a pizza had the worst effect!! )

    Try to take one day at a time....This whole thing causes a lot of stress. Many of us tend to become hermits and just want to sleep. If he ignores you, try to understand that this is normal.

    Best Of Luck

    Take Care,

    Barb

    Thanks Barb
    Yeah, I think I am smuthering him a bit and he is pushing me away I know I need to be patient I just need to make sure he knows I am here and I am not going anywhere.
    He got some fluids at our outpatient clinic whiched helped alot, he got his color back and not as dehydrated, trying to eat alittle, still having diarrea, but we can go back tomorrow. He just hates going to the hospital all the time,dont blame him there but it did make him feel better , and he ate some all good things.

    Thank you so much for the support.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
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    joy44 said:

    Thanks Barb
    Yeah, I think I am smuthering him a bit and he is pushing me away I know I need to be patient I just need to make sure he knows I am here and I am not going anywhere.
    He got some fluids at our outpatient clinic whiched helped alot, he got his color back and not as dehydrated, trying to eat alittle, still having diarrea, but we can go back tomorrow. He just hates going to the hospital all the time,dont blame him there but it did make him feel better , and he ate some all good things.

    Thank you so much for the support.

    The main thing is just be there ....its a comfort thing for us..
    and try him on some homemade chili...the spicy overwhelms the nausea...can't hurt..sick nauseous or not O could eat chili and keep it down....and I wish I had drank a lot more water than I did...I never was a water drinker, but when I did drink it during treatment, it sure seemed to help me feel better faster..Love to you both, Buzz

    and one more thing...I was the poster child for being sick while doing chemo (Folfox)..its a nasty regimen, anyone gets through all 12 of them deserves a Purple Heart.....again, Love to ya both....
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
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    Praying
    Hey, Joy.

    I didn't do chemo, so I can't comment on that, but just wanted you to know that y'all are in my prayers.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • thxmiker
    thxmiker Member Posts: 1,278 Member
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    My two cents.
    My second Chemo is when I started having eating issues. Try Bananas, Juice, and Gatoraid. These will replace the electrolytes that he is losing. I eat a banana and drink either or Juice or gatoraid after each stool. I get some replacement. Try probiotics in liquid or powder form. These will help keep the flora in his intestines normal. This will not stop the weight loss, but slow it down.

    Our thoughts and prayers are with you two!
    Best Always, mike
  • joy44
    joy44 Member Posts: 50
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    Buzzard said:

    The main thing is just be there ....its a comfort thing for us..
    and try him on some homemade chili...the spicy overwhelms the nausea...can't hurt..sick nauseous or not O could eat chili and keep it down....and I wish I had drank a lot more water than I did...I never was a water drinker, but when I did drink it during treatment, it sure seemed to help me feel better faster..Love to you both, Buzz

    and one more thing...I was the poster child for being sick while doing chemo (Folfox)..its a nasty regimen, anyone gets through all 12 of them deserves a Purple Heart.....again, Love to ya both....

    Thanks Buzz your advice
    Thanks Buzz your advice always helps, an well will keep on trunkn'. He did well all day until last night he tried to eat alittle then he got sick again. Hope he doesnt get to discouraged and keeps trying, someone suggested smoothies so we may try take that.

    Take care of your self, always thinking of you!
  • nikkig
    nikkig Member Posts: 1
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    Weight Loss and Dehydration Is Scary...
    My mother was diagnosed with liver cancer and had 60 percent of her liver removed in 2008 and received a few doses of chemo, to 'just make sure'. 2009 she was cancer free. 2010 her cancer returned. She started chemo in June of 2010. She began at that time losing weight. She started at 125 and went down to 82. The cancer was growing and they wanted to add another agressive chemo. What does one do? She could hardly say no and surrender. She was already into this and had to move forward. 82 pounds, feeling ill, having no appetite she became dehydrated and was hospitalized. Her WBC was extremely high, fluids were in place, blood transfusion doing its thing, doctor allowed her to go home, but she must stay hydrated. My brother was taking care of her. A few days after...he was unable to be with her one night and half of the next day, but we both felt she was doing well and staying hydrated. That next day he took her to the hospital since her lips were peeling...she was that dehydrated.

    My mother passed away last week. Her body was too weak to fight. Her heart stopped. I am sorry to share a sad story...but weight loss and dehydration is scary and agressive action should be taken to prevent this. I am now trying to figure what could have been done differently. Should she have been given steroids, never should have been sent home, natural remedies along with chemo, hospitalization/in home care with constant fluids and nurses, held off on the agressive chemo...I just don't know. I do not think I did enough 'googling' on this issue. The dehydration was so quick (all within one week). I did trust her doctors and felt that we were doing all we could do, but I don't know. I hope I can be of some help and give some insight on the severity of weight loss and deyhdration.

    hugs and kisses to you
  • thxmiker
    thxmiker Member Posts: 1,278 Member
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    nikkig said:

    Weight Loss and Dehydration Is Scary...
    My mother was diagnosed with liver cancer and had 60 percent of her liver removed in 2008 and received a few doses of chemo, to 'just make sure'. 2009 she was cancer free. 2010 her cancer returned. She started chemo in June of 2010. She began at that time losing weight. She started at 125 and went down to 82. The cancer was growing and they wanted to add another agressive chemo. What does one do? She could hardly say no and surrender. She was already into this and had to move forward. 82 pounds, feeling ill, having no appetite she became dehydrated and was hospitalized. Her WBC was extremely high, fluids were in place, blood transfusion doing its thing, doctor allowed her to go home, but she must stay hydrated. My brother was taking care of her. A few days after...he was unable to be with her one night and half of the next day, but we both felt she was doing well and staying hydrated. That next day he took her to the hospital since her lips were peeling...she was that dehydrated.

    My mother passed away last week. Her body was too weak to fight. Her heart stopped. I am sorry to share a sad story...but weight loss and dehydration is scary and agressive action should be taken to prevent this. I am now trying to figure what could have been done differently. Should she have been given steroids, never should have been sent home, natural remedies along with chemo, hospitalization/in home care with constant fluids and nurses, held off on the agressive chemo...I just don't know. I do not think I did enough 'googling' on this issue. The dehydration was so quick (all within one week). I did trust her doctors and felt that we were doing all we could do, but I don't know. I hope I can be of some help and give some insight on the severity of weight loss and deyhdration.

    hugs and kisses to you

    We are sorry for your loss.
    Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family,
    Best Aways, mike
  • thxmiker
    thxmiker Member Posts: 1,278 Member
    Options
    nikkig said:

    Weight Loss and Dehydration Is Scary...
    My mother was diagnosed with liver cancer and had 60 percent of her liver removed in 2008 and received a few doses of chemo, to 'just make sure'. 2009 she was cancer free. 2010 her cancer returned. She started chemo in June of 2010. She began at that time losing weight. She started at 125 and went down to 82. The cancer was growing and they wanted to add another agressive chemo. What does one do? She could hardly say no and surrender. She was already into this and had to move forward. 82 pounds, feeling ill, having no appetite she became dehydrated and was hospitalized. Her WBC was extremely high, fluids were in place, blood transfusion doing its thing, doctor allowed her to go home, but she must stay hydrated. My brother was taking care of her. A few days after...he was unable to be with her one night and half of the next day, but we both felt she was doing well and staying hydrated. That next day he took her to the hospital since her lips were peeling...she was that dehydrated.

    My mother passed away last week. Her body was too weak to fight. Her heart stopped. I am sorry to share a sad story...but weight loss and dehydration is scary and agressive action should be taken to prevent this. I am now trying to figure what could have been done differently. Should she have been given steroids, never should have been sent home, natural remedies along with chemo, hospitalization/in home care with constant fluids and nurses, held off on the agressive chemo...I just don't know. I do not think I did enough 'googling' on this issue. The dehydration was so quick (all within one week). I did trust her doctors and felt that we were doing all we could do, but I don't know. I hope I can be of some help and give some insight on the severity of weight loss and deyhdration.

    hugs and kisses to you

    We are sorry for your loss.
    Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family,
    Best Aways, mike
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    Options
    nikkig said:

    Weight Loss and Dehydration Is Scary...
    My mother was diagnosed with liver cancer and had 60 percent of her liver removed in 2008 and received a few doses of chemo, to 'just make sure'. 2009 she was cancer free. 2010 her cancer returned. She started chemo in June of 2010. She began at that time losing weight. She started at 125 and went down to 82. The cancer was growing and they wanted to add another agressive chemo. What does one do? She could hardly say no and surrender. She was already into this and had to move forward. 82 pounds, feeling ill, having no appetite she became dehydrated and was hospitalized. Her WBC was extremely high, fluids were in place, blood transfusion doing its thing, doctor allowed her to go home, but she must stay hydrated. My brother was taking care of her. A few days after...he was unable to be with her one night and half of the next day, but we both felt she was doing well and staying hydrated. That next day he took her to the hospital since her lips were peeling...she was that dehydrated.

    My mother passed away last week. Her body was too weak to fight. Her heart stopped. I am sorry to share a sad story...but weight loss and dehydration is scary and agressive action should be taken to prevent this. I am now trying to figure what could have been done differently. Should she have been given steroids, never should have been sent home, natural remedies along with chemo, hospitalization/in home care with constant fluids and nurses, held off on the agressive chemo...I just don't know. I do not think I did enough 'googling' on this issue. The dehydration was so quick (all within one week). I did trust her doctors and felt that we were doing all we could do, but I don't know. I hope I can be of some help and give some insight on the severity of weight loss and deyhdration.

    hugs and kisses to you

    Sorry for your loss
    Yes weight loss and dehydration are serious things.

    Do not beat yourself up about what you 'might' have done or 'should' have done for your mother. We all fight to beat back cancer, but some times all our efforts are not enough.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties