Looking for another stage 4 colon cancer person - needs advice

r2424243

I have posted before and am helping my dad. He is 60. He cannot join himself due to a shaking disorder which makes it impossible to type. Anyway, he is very unaware of things to do with cancer, he has not known anyone in his shoes. He knew he had stage 4 cancer but just realized a week ago that there is only 4 stages. He is having a few problems. He feels the constant urge to have a BM even after he has one he still feels the urge. Also, he is having alot of trouble getting pain under control. He is on 150 mg of fentynol, 20 mg of oxycodone time released once a day and 10 mg of oxycotin every 4 hours for breakthru pain. Are any of you having similar problems? Have any suggestions? I know alot of it might have to do with location of his tumor but he is very frustrated and wants to be able to go out and do things and enjoy life but he feels like crap. He also cannot take radiation. Any ideas? As always, thanks to all of you for your help and ideas!!!

bigCrandy

Is he undergoing chemo now?
Hi, I'm sorry your father is having such a rough time. If he is undergoing chemotherapy, especially if it is folfox, then that could be causing his digestive problems. Also, from my experience, certain pain killers can also cause constipation. Chemo and pain medication cause a lot of problems in the gastointestinal tract. You need to talk to his oncologist about this and see if they can help you figure it out. I've had to take stool softeners and milk of magnesia to releive the constipation. It gradually gets better 4 or 5 days after my chemo treatment, then it starts all over the next treatment. I try to eat prunes and leafy vegetables, etc. The chemo kills a lot of cells in the digestive tract and the pain pills kinda put the system to sleep, it is very sluggish. I wish I could help you further but this is all I know from my own experience. I too am stage 4. God Bless both of you, Randy

Buckwirth

bigCrandy said:

Is he undergoing chemo now?
Hi, I'm sorry your father is having such a rough time. If he is undergoing chemotherapy, especially if it is folfox, then that could be causing his digestive problems. Also, from my experience, certain pain killers can also cause constipation. Chemo and pain medication cause a lot of problems in the gastointestinal tract. You need to talk to his oncologist about this and see if they can help you figure it out. I've had to take stool softeners and milk of magnesia to releive the constipation. It gradually gets better 4 or 5 days after my chemo treatment, then it starts all over the next treatment. I try to eat prunes and leafy vegetables, etc. The chemo kills a lot of cells in the digestive tract and the pain pills kinda put the system to sleep, it is very sluggish. I wish I could help you further but this is all I know from my own experience. I too am stage 4. God Bless both of you, Randy

Pain Specialist
Is your father seeing one, or are you using the Oncologist's suggestions? Getting that right is the first step to getting up and resuming lifes activities. Oncologists take on many roles, but sometimes it is good to see a specialist for a second opinion, this may be one of those times.