Has anybody had an experience like this?

me_and_my_mom
me_and_my_mom Member Posts: 46 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1

My mom was dx w/ stage 4 on Dec. 2. She completed her first round of taxol/carboplatin 10 days ago - and has been in the hospital ever since. Her nausea and pain and pressure(upper abdomen ) are awful. She really isn't eating and has been on and off of IV fluids. Also, had NG tube for a few days. She gags a lot, and vomits occasionally - sometimes bile. She is moving her bowels right now, so that is good.  Some days I think she is end stage - as she is that sick - other days she seems better and stronger, and I feel hopeful. Had anybody every been so advanced when they started their chemo that they had to stay in the hospital for this long, and have felt this sick? Her mouth is stone dry, and she is never, ever comfortable.

One doctor (he was a hospitalist filling in for the onc who is on vacay) told my mother and father last nite "you are dying" and insinuated that she would not be leaving the hospital.

I spoke to another dr. this morning who said my mother is not activily dying, that she is stable, and that they don't expect to see if the chemo will work for 3-6 weeks (she has carcinosarcoma, which is less responsive to chemo). He quoted 25% do not respond, which I find encouraging, because that means that 75% do. He fully expects my mother to recieve another round of chemo in 11 days or so, while the other doctors (and some of the nsg staff) kind of hint that they don't think my mother will be well enough to continue her tx.

I have been getting constant mixed messages.

In summary - has anybody been this sick early on in tx?

 

thank you.

Comments

  • Lisa13Q
    Lisa13Q Member Posts: 677
    #2
    Yup

    It is quite common to be very sick after the chemo, especially after surgery and chemo. If I remember correctly, your Mom had emergency surgery and they started the chemo shortly afterwards, so she is recovering from both at the same time....that is a brutal process. You will be getting mixed messages a lot because the truth is no one knows exactly how the course of treatment will go, and so you will get as many opinions as there are people. I remember being so anxious watching my mom. At one point the doc prescribed xanax for my mother, knowing damn well, she wouldn't take it but I would. LOL. Ultimately though, I began to realize my Mom just needed me to hang with her and we would be able to deal with whatever happened and I have faith that you and your Mom will too. I will pray tonite that you and your Mom have a peaceful week, with demonstrated improvement!! She is lucky to have you by her side!!

  • me_and_my_mom
    me_and_my_mom Member Posts: 46 Member
    #3
    Lisa13Q said:

    Yup

    It is quite common to be very sick after the chemo, especially after surgery and chemo. If I remember correctly, your Mom had emergency surgery and they started the chemo shortly afterwards, so she is recovering from both at the same time....that is a brutal process. You will be getting mixed messages a lot because the truth is no one knows exactly how the course of treatment will go, and so you will get as many opinions as there are people. I remember being so anxious watching my mom. At one point the doc prescribed xanax for my mother, knowing damn well, she wouldn't take it but I would. LOL. Ultimately though, I began to realize my Mom just needed me to hang with her and we would be able to deal with whatever happened and I have faith that you and your Mom will too. I will pray tonite that you and your Mom have a peaceful week, with demonstrated improvement!! She is lucky to have you by her side!!

    thank u Lisa
    My mother has

    thank u Lisa

    My mother has not had surgery yet. It is too advanced, and they said they had to shrink the tumors down first before they would even consider surgery. I can't stand seeing her suffer like this. Thank u for your prayers.

  • Lisa13Q
    Lisa13Q Member Posts: 677
    #4
    me_and_my_mom said:

    thank u Lisa
    My mother has

    thank u Lisa

    My mother has not had surgery yet. It is too advanced, and they said they had to shrink the tumors down first before they would even consider surgery. I can't stand seeing her suffer like this. Thank u for your prayers.

    ok

    I did not remember correctly then...my mom also could not have surgery until her chemo. I will never forget the first time we met the surgeon, I hated him, he was so direct and told us he could not do surgery because there was so much cancer.... Then he saved my mother's life. I was the only one in the family who looked at her CT scan, and it was everywhere. I was astonished he was able to do what he did, but the first line chemo truly "melted the cancer" away. Then, between the chemo and the surgery, they got it down to one little spot. It's very hard watching your mother suffer and struggle. Harder for me was the tears. My mother had been so strong and I had never seen her cry. She could deal with the physical stuff, it was hard on her emotionally. Just hang by her side. That's all you can do. I sure hope she gets a little better this week. Sincerely, Lisa

  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #5
    I was hospitalized

    twice while having chemo.  The first time my white blood count bottomed out and the second time my electrolytes were depleted.  I was very ill but after a few days in the hospital I felt fine.  I had chemo before surgery as well because the cancer was wide-spread.  I got sick but it was the taxol/cisplatin post surgery that knocked me flat.

    It is such a difficult process.  I was told by a thereapist that in order to kill the cancer they get you as close to death as possible.  I told my surgeon this and he nodded.  I truly feel I was dying before my second hospitalization.  My body was giving out but I thought I was just sick from chemo.  It is so hard to know the difference.

     

    Karen 

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