Metastatic breast cancer

titaM
titaM Member Posts: 14
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I think my aunt has metastatic breast cancer, she had breast cancer about 10 or 11 years ago, was fine and then last year they found bone cancer which was being cured by treatment. Within the last several months, they said she has thyroid cancer. She is being treated with taxoter. She has swelling of the feet and they can't seem to bring down the swelling, they give her diuretics but they don't seem to work. She also has trouble swallowing and when she drinks fluids, she chokes or gags which is causing shortness of breath. She had fluid in one lung which was taken out, and seemed to be doing better. Does anyone have any advice? She is also very tired and fatigued. Would someone please give us some advice to help her? Thanks.

Comments

  • LesleyH
    LesleyH Member Posts: 370
    #2
    I'm sorry, I cannot give any advice to help your aunt. Perhaps you, or someone who loves her, could go with her to the next doctor's visit and find out what is going on and what you can do to help. Taxotere can cause the feet to swell which is very uncomfortable. It may help to sit with her feet raised. If she can't swallow, that is serious and someone should let the doctor know immediately. I'm sure that they can do something about that. She really needs to drink a lot of water.

    Hugs.

    Lesley
  • titaM
    titaM Member Posts: 14
    #3
    LesleyH said:

    I'm sorry, I cannot give any advice to help your aunt. Perhaps you, or someone who loves her, could go with her to the next doctor's visit and find out what is going on and what you can do to help. Taxotere can cause the feet to swell which is very uncomfortable. It may help to sit with her feet raised. If she can't swallow, that is serious and someone should let the doctor know immediately. I'm sure that they can do something about that. She really needs to drink a lot of water.

    Hugs.

    Lesley

    Thanks for the information. We went to the doctor, the nurse knws about the swallowing. The dr. is on vacation like usual fo two weeks, so we are looking to get a second opinion. I guess the nurse, his assistant says that the thyroid is not related to the breast cancer. It is hard to know how to help when they don't help.

    Sorry for sounding pissed but we are not so frustrated and would like to help my aunt.
    Thanks for answering me.
  • mc2001
    mc2001 Member Posts: 343
    #4
    My neighbor wore a tight bandage around her arm to keep the swelling down. She had breast cancer. Is your aunt wearing one of those bands? If not, it may help?
    -Michael
  • LesleyH
    LesleyH Member Posts: 370
    #5
    titaM said:

    Thanks for the information. We went to the doctor, the nurse knws about the swallowing. The dr. is on vacation like usual fo two weeks, so we are looking to get a second opinion. I guess the nurse, his assistant says that the thyroid is not related to the breast cancer. It is hard to know how to help when they don't help.

    Sorry for sounding pissed but we are not so frustrated and would like to help my aunt.
    Thanks for answering me.

    It sounds very frustrating. Do try to see a doctor soon. Sometimes when people have difficulty swallowing it helps to give them things like jello or puddings. Have you tried that? Please don't put anything tight on her legs. I hope you get some answers soon.

    Hugs.

    Lesley
  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #6
    I would ask the Doctor to have an echocardiagram done. Some of the symtoms sounds like she may has some issues with her heart. Sometimes the chemo drugs cause problems with heart functions. The feet hurting and being a little swollen is typcial of taxoter. But the choking and difficulty swallowing is not typical. But the shortness of breath, feet swelling and being fatigued is very typical of heart issues that are sometimes brought on by treatment. So ask that the Oncologist get a Cardiologist to do a Echocardiagram, if nothing else it will rule it out.

    Hope your Aunt will start to feel better soon.

    Take Care... God Bless....

    Susan
  • titaM
    titaM Member Posts: 14
    #7
    LesleyH said:

    It sounds very frustrating. Do try to see a doctor soon. Sometimes when people have difficulty swallowing it helps to give them things like jello or puddings. Have you tried that? Please don't put anything tight on her legs. I hope you get some answers soon.

    Hugs.

    Lesley

    Thanks for responding, we appreciate all the help we can get. My aunt eats jello and apple sauce, it does seem to help. It is mostly when she drinks liquids, especially water.

    Thanks again.
    Nannette
  • titaM
    titaM Member Posts: 14
    #8
    mc2001 said:

    My neighbor wore a tight bandage around her arm to keep the swelling down. She had breast cancer. Is your aunt wearing one of those bands? If not, it may help?
    -Michael

    Thanks for the information. My aunt has never worn anything for the swelling of the arm or now for the legs. Where and what kind of bandage is it? How long did your neighbor have to wear it? Is it something she should alwys wear or to sleep? Sorry for the questions, it's just I can't get answers from the dr. or his nurses.

    Thank you so much for your help, we really appreciate all the help we can get.

    Nannette
  • titaM
    titaM Member Posts: 14
    #9
    Susan956 said:

    I would ask the Doctor to have an echocardiagram done. Some of the symtoms sounds like she may has some issues with her heart. Sometimes the chemo drugs cause problems with heart functions. The feet hurting and being a little swollen is typcial of taxoter. But the choking and difficulty swallowing is not typical. But the shortness of breath, feet swelling and being fatigued is very typical of heart issues that are sometimes brought on by treatment. So ask that the Oncologist get a Cardiologist to do a Echocardiagram, if nothing else it will rule it out.

    Hope your Aunt will start to feel better soon.

    Take Care... God Bless....

    Susan

    Thanks for the information. My aunt had an echo and other heart tests. All the tests came back saying her heart was perfect and strong, not a problem at all. I don't know, maybe it's the taxoter? I don't know. We are going o find a dr. for a second opinion.

    Thank you for your help
    Nannette
  • cruf
    cruf Member Posts: 908
    #10
    titaM said:

    Thanks for responding, we appreciate all the help we can get. My aunt eats jello and apple sauce, it does seem to help. It is mostly when she drinks liquids, especially water.

    Thanks again.
    Nannette

    There are thickeners to put in liquids to make them less fluid. The more you put in the thicker it gets. Doesn't quence the thirst as well but does help prevent choking. Also you can try thicker drinks such as milk shakes thicker fruit juices like apricot nector juice etc... One kind of thickener is called Thicket(not sure of the spelling).Ask the druggest. He could probably help you more. I hope this helps but you still have to find out what causes this choking.One problem with choking on fluids is aspiration pneumonia. Sorry if I'm scaring you but it's very important to try to stop the choking. Let us know how she does. HUGS!! Cathy
  • titaM
    titaM Member Posts: 14
    #11
    cruf said:

    There are thickeners to put in liquids to make them less fluid. The more you put in the thicker it gets. Doesn't quence the thirst as well but does help prevent choking. Also you can try thicker drinks such as milk shakes thicker fruit juices like apricot nector juice etc... One kind of thickener is called Thicket(not sure of the spelling).Ask the druggest. He could probably help you more. I hope this helps but you still have to find out what causes this choking.One problem with choking on fluids is aspiration pneumonia. Sorry if I'm scaring you but it's very important to try to stop the choking. Let us know how she does. HUGS!! Cathy

    Thanks, I will try to find out about thickett. We are going to call a new doctor tomorrow to get a second opinion. She was in the hospital about one week ago and they gave her inhalers but when she does the inhalers, Advair, Spiriva, and another regular inhaler used for asthma, she says it makes her weak and she can't breathe as well. She does have oxygen and the dr said as needed but she has been using it a bit more than as needed. I hope we find a dr to help her and take care of her get better.

    Thanks again for the advice.

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