First HAI pump chemo and he is jaundice

Ruthmomto4
Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

his numbers for his liver are horrible, ast 444 alk 268 alt 218 Bilirubin 3.7  lactate dehydrogenase 333

so bad! This is chemo toxicity not cancer he is still NED obviously directly infusing his liver is not good for him, since this is mop up chemo he is telling them no more, and having them fill the pump with glycerin. Unless of course the numbers don’t come down, then he will need more steroids.

i am so upset because he was feeling so good and looked so good and I am having such flashbacks to last summer when the tumor blocked his bile duct and he spent most of the summer jaundice. I know this isn’t that but this scares me too, I worry we got the cancer out only to wreck his liver with chemo. The dr said it was higher than normal but it should come down, google has not been my friend. I also feel guilty because they have a limited amount of HAI pumps left and it is wasted on him. Someone could have certainly benefited from it more. 

Has anyone who received hepatic artery infusion chemo had their numbers go this high and come down? I can’t help but shake the fear he has unfixable liver damage. I am so tired of being worried all the time. Things were going so well. The plus is CEA is steady at 2.0. It’s a good indicator for him.

Comments

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #2
    So very sorry

    Oh my goodness, I'd have hoped that after all he has been through that this would have worked for him.  I'm not able to help you with this situation or answer any of your questions, but I'll be praying for you both.  You've already been through so much.  Please ask your doctor some specific questions on what their future plan is.

    Kim

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
    edited July 2018 #3
    Annabelle41415 said:

    So very sorry

    Oh my goodness, I'd have hoped that after all he has been through that this would have worked for him.  I'm not able to help you with this situation or answer any of your questions, but I'll be praying for you both.  You've already been through so much.  Please ask your doctor some specific questions on what their future plan is.

    Kim

    The plan was 4

    sessions total of this chemo, but with a reaction this severe I think we both have decided the benefits are not worth permanent liver damage. Not when there are no tumors and all margins were clear, with 6 months of chemo before. It just seems the risks are too high. I am just hoping he starts to look and feel better soon and we get to make a choice. i am praying his liver starts to fix itself very quickly. 

    Thank you Kim!!!

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
    #4
    Butt said:

    I think we got respected

    I think we got resected around the same time. I am also on HAI now Plus systemic. His Numbers are high. I think steroids in pump can reduce them. I do blood work weekly. They are watching it. My doc said people usually can have only 3-4 treatments because there is a liver toxicity. Not sure why he increased so early. Keep us posted. Butt. PS. There are supplements that may assist in fixing. Liv 52, liver guard, NAC, forte essentialE.

    Yes I think you did

    get resected and pump implanted at basically the same time. I knew his liver enzymes would go high but I wasn’t expecting his bilirubin to go up. the oncologist said they were higher than normal but wasn’t to nervous about it. She gave him a steroid in his pump yesterday, hoping it brings t down. In my searching I did see some people’s liver just can’t handle the direct infusion. This was his second resection, and he spent most of last year with high liver enzymes due to a tumor. I am not a dr but I think his liver is saying cut the crap already. 

    Anyway I hope your numbers come down and you are doing well!

  • Butt
    Butt Member Posts: 352 Member
    #5
    I think we got respected

    I think we got resected around the same time. I am also on HAI now Plus systemic. His Numbers are high. I think steroids in pump can reduce them. I do blood work weekly. They are watching it. My doc said people usually can have only 3-4 treatments because there is a liver toxicity. Not sure why he increased so early. Keep us posted. Butt. PS. There are supplements that may assist in fixing. Liv 52, liver guard, NAC, forte essentialE.

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
    #6
    He looks better today

    a lot less jaundice, they want him to do a special mri called an mrcp to check for blockages from the chemo  but the only place that could fit him in was in nyc. He told them no, if he gets worse he will call them. I don’t blame him enough already.

  • Butt
    Butt Member Posts: 352 Member
    #7
    Where are you geographically?

    Where are you geographically? I have a good pump doc in FL.

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
    #8
    Butt said:

    Where are you geographically?

    Where are you geographically? I have a good pump doc in FL.

    We are

    in Ct he goes to sloan Kettering in nyc

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #9
    Ruthmomto4 said:

    He looks better today

    a lot less jaundice, they want him to do a special mri called an mrcp to check for blockages from the chemo  but the only place that could fit him in was in nyc. He told them no, if he gets worse he will call them. I don’t blame him enough already.

    Wife

    You are such a good wife and I'm so glad that he looks better.  It's good to let him make the calls on what direction he wants to take and it seems like you are letting him take it.  Hope he starts to feel better and everything falls into place for him. 

    Hugs!  Kim

  • Twinzma
    Twinzma Member Posts: 236 Member
    #10
    Butt said:

    Where are you geographically?

    Where are you geographically? I have a good pump doc in FL.

    WHO?????

    Who is your doctor in Florida????? I can't get my husband to go to NY, he's stubborn and refuses to miss time from work. Maybe if he can see someone close to home he'd go. His oncologist is great and he likes her, but is in the dark when it comes to the HAI pump with liver mets. 

     

  • Butt
    Butt Member Posts: 352 Member
    #11
    Mark Bloomston in Fort Myers.

    Mark Bloomston in Fort Myers. They stopped making the pumps and he doesn't have any left. He does liver resections and knows how to monitor the pumps.

  • Butt
    Butt Member Posts: 352 Member
    #12
    Extras

    I was told if the pump deal is not working they can do Y90/spheres. Most people get the second option and not the pump originally according to an MD Anderson doc.

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