Esophagus closing up again?

DaughterDearest · June 2011

A little background; my father was diagnosed with lung cancer in May of 2010 which had spread to his esophagus.

He had radiation on his tumor roughly 2 months ago (luckily around this time he also had a feeding tube put in since the tumor basically closed his esophagus completely where he couldn't even swallow water). After a couple of weeks after his last radiation treatment, he noticed his esophagus was starting to open up a little; he was so excited to finally be able to drink water and other thin liquids again. This gave us a bit of hope that maybe it would open up wide enough so he can get actual food down, however it seemed to have stopped opening any further and in fact now seems to be starting to close up again. Water is getting harder and harder to get down.

The radiologist was almost positive they'd be able to permanently kill off his esophagus tumor with the radiation treatments and he'd be eating in no time.

My dad doesn't want to go through anymore radiation. He's already on chemo, as well, which is taxing as it is.

Are there any other options that you guys know of to get his esophagus to open up again other than radiation? Surgery is not an option for us at this point, either.

My dad tells me he wants to be able to enjoy food again before he dies, and I firmly believed he would be eating again but now I'm losing faith in even THAT. :-(

rose20 · June 2011

Daughter Dearest
I've heard many on here speak of the stretching of the espohagus. My mother had to have a stretching and she was 89 years old at the time, she is now 90, because she has a hiatal hernia and she kept choking up everything.
My brother has not been able to eat or even sip water since they put him on a different chemo and now that he has stopped it and they have flushed out his body with fluids through an IV for 3 days he is feeling so much better and today was able to get down soups and puddings for a start. So they feel the chemo he was on was too strong for him and this was what was causing him to be unable to eat or drink so they will lower the dosage or change the chemo completely.
I'm sure others here will be able to help you way better than me but this is what was stopping my brother from eating and drinking.
Have they ever stretched your dad's esophagus? If not then that would be something to suggest.

Unknown · June 2011

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Will Brady · June 2011

My heart goes out to you.
My heart goes out to you. While we who don't experience the physical pains directly, I know it is every bit as psychically painful to sit by and be able to do nothing,

My friend went through both chemo and radiation and while the oncologists can find "no cancer" the secondary effects of living with "abnormal" cells (the now dead tumor) make eating , drinking, even taking pill medications, daunting. Some days he is able to eat; some days it is incredibly painful just to take his medication.

Heck, some times he can eat in the morning and not eat in the evening.

I am teaching him about puree-ing tasty foods (such as turkey) and consume it as though it were a shake or a bottle of Ensure. No substitute, but he is able to savor the much missed flavors.

And sip small, no big gulps.

I hope this small suggestion is helpful.

caseyguest420 · December 2011

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. My dad passed from lung cancer a few years ago and now my mom is dealing with a re-occurance of breast cancer. It spread to her chest wall and bones. Just two days ago we took her to the hospital because she couldn't drink WATER or eat. A new found tumor outside the esophagus is restricting the flow of food and drink. She has been through so much I don't think she wants to do chemo or radiation. It was really hard on her in the past. They are sending her home with morphine today

I am so sad ... we have been trying holistic healing but it's beyond that at this point. I am only 28 and my sister 23. I can't bear to imagine her death at only 51 but it's a serious reality I must think of. Just wanted to say I am so sorry and I feel for you. There's no one that understands unless they have been through it. I know you posted this a while ago ... did you have a positive outcome? I'm so sorry. Sincerely, Erica

Heeran · December 2011

Hi
I'm heartbroken to read your post. My mom is T3 and water was hard for her as well. She went in to get a stretch (which she stated she was in the worst pain of her life at that moment) but it only laster 2 weeks. Then it closed back up. Then we did it again, and again in 2 weeks, closed back up.

Now that she has had 28 radiation treatments, the tumor shrunk and she is able to drink and eat again. Not large pieces of food, she still has to be careful, but she can eat food thare are really small. Radiation takes a toll, but if he's wanting to eat again, not sure if there are other options.

Heeran

Unknown · December 2011

caseyguest420 said:

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. My dad passed from lung cancer a few years ago and now my mom is dealing with a re-occurance of breast cancer. It spread to her chest wall and bones. Just two days ago we took her to the hospital because she couldn't drink WATER or eat. A new found tumor outside the esophagus is restricting the flow of food and drink. She has been through so much I don't think she wants to do chemo or radiation. It was really hard on her in the past. They are sending her home with morphine today I am so sad ... we have been trying holistic healing but it's beyond that at this point. I am only 28 and my sister 23. I can't bear to imagine her death at only 51 but it's a serious reality I must think of. Just wanted to say I am so sorry and I feel for you. There's no one that understands unless they have been through it. I know you posted this a while ago ... did you have a positive outcome? I'm so sorry. Sincerely, Erica

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Esophagus closing up again?

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