Need Advice/Guidance

git228

Hello everybody. I’ve finally gotten so desperate that I’m reaching out to anybody who can help me. I am the daughter of a cancer patient. My mom was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in Feb of this year. She went through the surgery and recovery and started chemo in the beginning of April. First treatment went relatively well but every treatment after that has been a disaster because she contracted Norovirus somehow. Now it’s been about 5 weeks since the onset of her symptoms. Uncontrollable and non stop diarrhea which lead to dehydration and malnourishment. She was going in for hydration like every other day and not even feeling it made a difference. She also has been having severe abdominal pain/spasms. Finally last Friday she was so weak and so sick that we decided to go to the hospital ER and demanded she be admitted to be further worked up. CT scan of abdomen showed inflammation, labs were off upon her arrival but have since returned to normal limits. They also skipped her chemo treatment that was supposed to be due yesterday. This is now the second time they’ve skipped a week of chemo due to her de conditioned state. So they’ve done an entire work up. Ruled out that she has sepsis or anything else. Norovirus is not in her system anymore either. The reason she’s still in the hospital is because they can’t stop the diarrhea which means if they discharged her she’d be right back with dehydration again. They started Questrean 2 days ago and it has helped more than Imodium or lomotil. They also started her on Bentyl and this has helped with the pain. Yesterday was the first day she felt good and was hoping she would go home today…. But unfortunately all the symptoms returned this morning and she is not doing good again. Has anybody else contracted norovirus during chemo and would you be willing to share your experience with me? I feel absolutely helpless and I’m so worried about how this disruption is affecting her treatments and overall health/ability to complete chemo.

Trubrit

Hello, and welcome to the forum that nobody care to be a part of.

I am so sorry to hear about the horrors that your mother is experiencing. While I have nothing to say that will help, I just wanted to let you know that your post has been seen, at least by me.

The forum, while running like free flowing water, once upon a time, has slowed to a trickle now, because the format changed, and all of us old-timers have a problem adjusting. So, while I know that time is of the essence as far as wanting an answer, I am hoping that someone will pop on soon, and be able to help and give you advice.

I do want to let you know that missing a chemo treatment or two or three, will not affect the growth of the Cancer, unless she has a virulent type, that spreads fast. I had three or four treatments postponed due to one issue or another, and the only effect it had was on my desire to get it over and done with.

I do so hope that the Doctor's in charge of your mum, can find out what is causing her awful diarrhea, and put a stop to it.

Thinking of you both.

Tru