Asking For Prayers & Advice

lagwag
lagwag Member Posts: 76 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
My Mom has not been eating much at all lately. She had dropped about 25 lbs. She has another chemo treamtent next week and then her PET Scan is scheduled for the 27th of May. She will then meet with her liver dr. I am scared as she seemed to have not appetite, no energy and depressed. Just asking for prayers and any advice you can offer.

All The Best - Liz

Comments

  • Livingbyfaith
    Livingbyfaith Member Posts: 55
    #2
    Prayers
    I will definitely pray for your Mom. My husband heading toward liver surgery had two sessions of chemo - the first folfox I think, the second cpt-11 plus Avastin. The first he did fine, the 2nd he ended up in the hospital twice, terrible sick. He is off now and we are going to see if they will do the surgery first and wait for chemo after. We are concerned he will get too weak to survive surgery. I researched Avemar, you might check that out, also lots of ensure plus. My husband lost 14 pounds in about 10 days, has put about 11 back on. Its hard to know what to do. God bless.
  • lagwag
    lagwag Member Posts: 76 Member
    #3
    Livingbyfaith said:

    Prayers
    I will definitely pray for your Mom. My husband heading toward liver surgery had two sessions of chemo - the first folfox I think, the second cpt-11 plus Avastin. The first he did fine, the 2nd he ended up in the hospital twice, terrible sick. He is off now and we are going to see if they will do the surgery first and wait for chemo after. We are concerned he will get too weak to survive surgery. I researched Avemar, you might check that out, also lots of ensure plus. My husband lost 14 pounds in about 10 days, has put about 11 back on. Its hard to know what to do. God bless.

    Thanks - I'll have to look
    Thanks - I'll have to look into Avemar. Please keep me posted on your Husband does and I will praying for him - Liz
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #4
    Hi Liz
    I'm sorry to hear about your Mom. Is she in a position where she can afford to lose 25 pounds? I know that's not the ideal way to lose weight but if someone has a little extra it may not be as crucial as someone who is 100 pounds and then loses 25. Chemo is certainly NOT known for making a person hungry, quite the opposite. I do not know what state you live in, how open your Mom is to the idea or what the laws are, but marijuana has been shown to increase appetite in people. That's part of why there has been a push to allow it for people undergoing chemotherapy and other situations.
    Sometimes just getting the ball rolling with eating can really help with energy levels and one's frame of mind. Just something to think about.
    I wish her the best,
    -phil
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #5
    Liz...it's just so hard to
    Liz...it's just so hard to eat when you don't feel like it. And even then things you used to eat can be very unappealing. Taste and texture get gross. Just keep offering her small things and whatever she seems to be eating the best. Hang in there caregiver, it's tough on you guys too in different ways.

    Love and hugs, Gail
  • thxmiker
    thxmiker Member Posts: 1,278 Member
    #6
    My thoughts and prayers are
    My thoughts and prayers are with you and your mother.

    There were times I lived on Bananas and Gatoraid. They were the only thing I could keep down. My wife would make me 5-6 liters of gatoraid and make sure I had at least six bananas before leaving the house.

    I would still make her dinner at night and try to eat but I could not stomach to eat a lot.

    Best Always, mike
  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #7
    U turn
    My wife dropped 40+ lbs in several weeks last year, immediately pre-diagnosis (stage IV as it turns out). Debilitated and wasted. She was finally willing to totally reverse her diet and add supplements. Lots of (mostly cheap) supplements from online discounters.

    She started lots of really high dose nutrients: Vitamin D3, C, K2, B100s(prechemo, have to watch folate), minerals like magnesium and selenium, alpha lipoic, fish oil, coQ10, DIM. "Crazy" high, but actually reported in various literature from PhDs and MDs with track records. And of course, cimetidine for the possible CA19-9 biomarker. She was ready for surgery (really in two weeks, we took four to get everything lined out) and out two days early.
  • lagwag
    lagwag Member Posts: 76 Member
    #8
    PhillieG said:

    Hi Liz
    I'm sorry to hear about your Mom. Is she in a position where she can afford to lose 25 pounds? I know that's not the ideal way to lose weight but if someone has a little extra it may not be as crucial as someone who is 100 pounds and then loses 25. Chemo is certainly NOT known for making a person hungry, quite the opposite. I do not know what state you live in, how open your Mom is to the idea or what the laws are, but marijuana has been shown to increase appetite in people. That's part of why there has been a push to allow it for people undergoing chemotherapy and other situations.
    Sometimes just getting the ball rolling with eating can really help with energy levels and one's frame of mind. Just something to think about.
    I wish her the best,
    -phil

    Thanks Phil,
    I did hear
    Thanks Phil,

    I did hear about marijuana and will have to mention it to her drs. We live in NY State, but I'm willing to have her try anything to help her improve her appetite. Hope your doing well - Liz
  • lagwag
    lagwag Member Posts: 76 Member
    #9
    PhillieG said:

    Hi Liz
    I'm sorry to hear about your Mom. Is she in a position where she can afford to lose 25 pounds? I know that's not the ideal way to lose weight but if someone has a little extra it may not be as crucial as someone who is 100 pounds and then loses 25. Chemo is certainly NOT known for making a person hungry, quite the opposite. I do not know what state you live in, how open your Mom is to the idea or what the laws are, but marijuana has been shown to increase appetite in people. That's part of why there has been a push to allow it for people undergoing chemotherapy and other situations.
    Sometimes just getting the ball rolling with eating can really help with energy levels and one's frame of mind. Just something to think about.
    I wish her the best,
    -phil

    Thanks Phil,
    I did hear
    Thanks Phil,

    I did hear about marijuana and will have to mention it to her drs. We live in NY State, but I'm willing to have her try anything to help her improve her appetite. Hope your doing well - Liz
  • lagwag
    lagwag Member Posts: 76 Member
    #10
    plh4gail said:

    Liz...it's just so hard to
    Liz...it's just so hard to eat when you don't feel like it. And even then things you used to eat can be very unappealing. Taste and texture get gross. Just keep offering her small things and whatever she seems to be eating the best. Hang in there caregiver, it's tough on you guys too in different ways.

    Love and hugs, Gail

    Thanks Gail :-)

    Thanks Gail :-)
  • lagwag
    lagwag Member Posts: 76 Member
    #11
    thxmiker said:

    My thoughts and prayers are
    My thoughts and prayers are with you and your mother.

    There were times I lived on Bananas and Gatoraid. They were the only thing I could keep down. My wife would make me 5-6 liters of gatoraid and make sure I had at least six bananas before leaving the house.

    I would still make her dinner at night and try to eat but I could not stomach to eat a lot.

    Best Always, mike

    Thanks Mike :-)

    Thanks Mike :-)
  • sharpy102
    sharpy102 Member Posts: 368 Member
    #12
    lagwag said:

    Thanks Mike :-)

    Thanks Mike :-)

    good luck Liz
    @Liz: I think of you and your Mom. I also recommend you to check after Avemar. It taste really bad, but supposed to help a lot. Also if you have access then get B17, lots of vitamin C. I also used to make carrot/beet/celery blend and have a glass of it each morning for my Mom. Also, don't know for sure what their trade name might be in the U.S., but check into "Nutridrink". It's a small box of "juice" that she can sip out with a straw and if she has three per day then she had everything that is needed for an individual in terms of nutrients and minerals. Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed for your Mom. And if I happen to remember something else too later on, I'll share it with you.
    Sophie
  • pete43lost_at_sea
    pete43lost_at_sea Member Posts: 3,900 Member
    #13
    just hug and love her
    love is the best cure fro depression.
    the other replies have covered what i was going to say.
    heaps of research on our site relevant to colorectal search te archives, read and learn. sooo much to understand, try and not be scared yourself, have faith in your doctors, and if you and your mum is willing look at alternatives.

    prayer and hugs,
    pete
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #14
    prayers
    Hi Liz,

    You got it- I will be praying. Have you asked the doctor what is recommended to stimulate her appetite? It would be worth asking and if you don't get a good answer, try to research it on the internet. She should be taking a protein powder shake/smoothie. The Boost types drinks you can get in the store are good in the meantime, but really the better ones come from the health food stores and are in powder form, then you mix it into juice or some favorite drink of hers. You've got to get the nutrition and calories into her so she stops losing the weight and can try to put some back on.

    Take care & keep in touch-
    Lisa
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #15
    Liz
    Liz,
    I'll have you and your mom in my prayers.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • dorookie
    dorookie Member Posts: 1,731 Member
    #16
    Sending Prayers
    I hope your mom starts to feel better soon, keep the faith...

    God Bless
    Beth

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