Lower abdominal pain still early in treatment. 80 years old

IntheSand
IntheSand Member Posts: 5
in Anal Cancer #1

My mother who is 80 started the treatment for anal cancer 2 weeks ago she had Mitomycin C and Fu-5 for five days. She seemed to tolerate chemo as well as could be hoped for, in general didn't feel well, nausea, general malaise but did not vomit. She has had 10 radiation treatments out of 33 scheduled. She felt well enough to stay at home alone last Wednesday through Sunday then the lower abdominal pain that she has been having got too painful. Bowel movements are soft but not diarrhea and she is regular. She has been having a very hard time eating and drinking enough. Yesterday she vomited for the first time. 

She has been eating very small meals of mostly the BRAT diet for the last 5 days. We see both her Radiologist and her Oncologist tomorrow. I'm getting very worried about dehydration and nutrition. I know that she didn't eat or drink enough particularly in the past two days. Has anyone else had intense lower abdominal pain so early in the treatment?  What did you do for relief?  I feel very helpless because I know that it is still early in the treatment and she may feel much worse in the coming weeks. I am feeling quite overwhelmed with worry. I know that she is already wondering about starting this treatment but she knows there is no going back. 

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #2
    IntheSand

    I'm sorry to hear your mother is having the pain that you describe.  Honestly, it's been so long ago that I went through treatment--over 8 years--that I don't remember whether or not I had any such pain.  I cannot be of much help.  It's good that she is seeing her doctors today and I hope they can identify the cause and give her something to relieve her pain.  I can understand the helpless feelings you have and I hope the doctors can help her.  I'm sure you are doing all you can for her.  I wish both of you all the very best and hope you'll keep us posted.

    Martha

  • sephie
    sephie Member Posts: 650 Member
    edited February 2017 #3
    so sorry

    i did not have that kind of pain.....tons of pain in the radiation area ...mouthsores terribly,,,,,it is hard to ear and drink enough....see if she can tolerate 2-3 boosts or muscle milks per day.....gator aide...etc.... so glad she will see her docs soon.....sephie

  • Phoebesnow
    Phoebesnow Member Posts: 600 Member
    #4
    Abdominal pain

    I would immediately tell your radiation doctor.  I had pain in my clitoris.  I told my doctor and they redid the planning and I never had pain in that area for the duration of treatment.

  • IntheSand
    IntheSand Member Posts: 5
    edited February 2017 #5
    My mother was admitted to the

    My mother was admitted to the hospital today with a very low platelet and white blood cell count. She was feeling terrible. Of course I'm very concerned. She is receiving antibiotics and will be given neupogen. 

  • Phoebesnow
    Phoebesnow Member Posts: 600 Member
    edited February 2017 #6
    IntheSand said:

    My mother was admitted to the

    My mother was admitted to the hospital today with a very low platelet and white blood cell count. She was feeling terrible. Of course I'm very concerned. She is receiving antibiotics and will be given neupogen. 

    Mom

    im sorry to hear this.  It might help to know it is not totally unusual.  I hope she feels better soon.

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    edited February 2017 #7
    IntheSand

    I'm sorry to hear your momis in the hospital, but it is probably the best place for her right now so she can be closely watched.  I hope she will improve quickly so that she can go home.

  • IntheSand
    IntheSand Member Posts: 5
    #8
    I want to report on my mother

    I want to report on my mother. She stayed in the hospital from Tuesday until Saturday and was pumped up with antibiotics and Nuepogen. She feels much better and was able to have radiation today. Her white count went down so low that she has now lost most of her hair which has been hard on her but her attitude is that the hair will grow back eventually. I have now learned that extreme Neutropenia pretty much guarantees hair loss. The only good thing about the low blood counts is that it also means that you really gave the cancer a whack too. Still a long way to go in this treatment but almost half way. 

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #9
    IntheSand

    I'm glad your mother is doing better and was released to go home.  I hope she continues to improve.  As for hair loss, it can be traumatic.  I remember when I first realized I was losing hair and how sad it made me.  I did not lose all of my hair, only patches of hair all over my head.  I found that keeping my hair short helped make it a bit less noticeable. 

    I hope your mom continues to fight this disease without further complications.  I send good thoughts and prayers for her.

    Martha

  • Mtrichards
    Mtrichards Member Posts: 9
    edited February 2017 #10
    hang in there

    What a trooper your mom must be. I'm so sorry she has to endure this treatment. my brother is a doctor and recommended that I drink all electrolyte drinks while I was doing treatment- the dehydration issue is big and real. so pedialyte , popsicles, etc. are all good. I did not have that pain either in my lower abdomen , but in other areas. the hardest part for me was keeping my bladder full for the radiation treatments- so I can empathize with your mom. It's going to get worse, so get all the help you need and try it all- acupuncture, gentle massage and anything that makes your mom feel good. you are her angel!!!

    Margaret

  • IntheSand
    IntheSand Member Posts: 5
    edited February 2017 #11
    Mtrichards said:

    hang in there

    What a trooper your mom must be. I'm so sorry she has to endure this treatment. my brother is a doctor and recommended that I drink all electrolyte drinks while I was doing treatment- the dehydration issue is big and real. so pedialyte , popsicles, etc. are all good. I did not have that pain either in my lower abdomen , but in other areas. the hardest part for me was keeping my bladder full for the radiation treatments- so I can empathize with your mom. It's going to get worse, so get all the help you need and try it all- acupuncture, gentle massage and anything that makes your mom feel good. you are her angel!!!

    Margaret

    Thank you Margaret,

    Thank you Margaret,

    Please tell me more about keeping your bladder full. Her Radiologist has not told her to have a full bladder. Thank goodness her lower abdominal pain has been resolved. The Oncologist thinks it was because of the chemo and because she had become septic. She is taking Bentyl which is a gut antispasmodic and is feeling so much better. She is eatting much better and she feels like food is tasting more like it should. 

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    edited February 2017 #12
    IntheSand

    I was also advised by my radiation oncologist to have a full bladder for my radiation treatments.  I would advise asking her doctor about this.

  • sephie
    sephie Member Posts: 650 Member
    #13
    mp327 said:

    IntheSand

    I was also advised by my radiation oncologist to have a full bladder for my radiation treatments.  I would advise asking her doctor about this.

    full bladder???

    hey martha,,,, can u tell me the reason for the full bladder???? perhaps it moves it out of the radiation field???thx....i was not told to do this in 2009 at md anderson.....thx.....sephie

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    edited February 2017 #14
    sephie

    My rad onc told me that having the bladder full protects it and can reduce the damage that can occur to it from the radiation beams.  I think I remember him saying that it does help to move it out of the field, but don't quote me on that--it was over 8 1/2 years ago and I've lost some brain cells since then.  Frown

  • tanda
    tanda Member Posts: 174 Member
    #15
    Full Bladder

    My radiation was with pencil beam scanning proton therapy.  When I arrived at my appointment(not before, when I was at home) they required me to drink two 8-once bottles of water very quickly.  I was told that it was to inflate the bladder move it out of the radiation field.

     

    Given the fact, that I sometimes have a few leaks, I assume the bladder got a bit of the rads!!

  • sephie
    sephie Member Posts: 650 Member
    edited February 2017 #16
    mp327 said:

    sephie

    My rad onc told me that having the bladder full protects it and can reduce the damage that can occur to it from the radiation beams.  I think I remember him saying that it does help to move it out of the field, but don't quote me on that--it was over 8 1/2 years ago and I've lost some brain cells since then.  Frown

    thankyou

    thankyou for the reply....yes, it makes sense.....i do have radiation damage to bladder ( had cystoscope which revealed this issue)  with bladder leakage but....the anal leakage and accidents bother me a lot more but doable ...still,,, i am blessed......sephie

  • mxperry220
    mxperry220 Member Posts: 496 Member
    #17
    Eating

    During treatments I drank Ensure daily as it has various vitamins in it.  I like the banana flavor best.  I drank one per day.  Also I ate toasted cheese sanwiches during treatment.  This seemed to help with the diahrrea even though I had multiple BMs daily.  I remember telling my radiologist I hated eating anything because I knew immediately I would have multiple BMs.  I found immodium helped slow down the diahrrea issues.  Eight years later I still take two immodium daily.  The doctor said these would not be harmful.  You are correct.  The worst is to come for your mom.  Week 5 is where the acculative effect of the radiation kicked in.  I was not severly burned but my groin area and anal area was like a severe sunburn with no blisters.  It was very uncomfortable.  All I wanted to do is get bed rest during this time.

    Mike 

  • rlr000dc
    rlr000dc Member Posts: 51
    edited February 2017 #18
    IntheSand said:

    I want to report on my mother

    I want to report on my mother. She stayed in the hospital from Tuesday until Saturday and was pumped up with antibiotics and Nuepogen. She feels much better and was able to have radiation today. Her white count went down so low that she has now lost most of her hair which has been hard on her but her attitude is that the hair will grow back eventually. I have now learned that extreme Neutropenia pretty much guarantees hair loss. The only good thing about the low blood counts is that it also means that you really gave the cancer a whack too. Still a long way to go in this treatment but almost half way. 

    Your mom may have to continue

    Your mom may have to continue going to get fluids for dehydration. They kept telling me to eat and drink but wasnt very successful so i went about 3x for that. Give her anti nausea meds about 20 min. before food and drink to give it time to work. Also ask for Diflucan in liquid form to stave off thrush, begin taking it before chemo and during if possible. Please try and get one more person who can go through this with you so to give you rest and so that you can care for your self, maybe have time to take a shower! Thoughts are with you.

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