HELP head and neck cancer

carlamarie
carlamarie Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hello my name is Carla, and i am asking for help. Please!! My brother has been diagnosed with squamous cell cancer, head and neck cancer. They said it was terminal. Any how since then he has had about 7 chemo treatments. He is now immune they say. He has begun radiation treatments, 18 out of 37 treatments so far. He has 2 radiation treatments a day. And 1 chemo treatment a week. He eats nothing, and he will be sleeping and then all of a sudden roll over be cold and clammy and be sound asleep with his eyes open trying to breath. We don't know what to do but call the ambulance everytime. Is this normal, he gets upset with us, but we are scared and he cant talk to us when this is accuring. please help, i can't go on. Thank You, Carla

Comments

  • pk
    pk Member Posts: 192
    #2
    carlamarie
    Why are the saying that your brother's cancer is terminal??? Where is the cancer?? It's got to be more specific than just head and neck.

    Before he has these episodes has he taken any type of sleeping pill? They can cause peculiar behavior that you would not normally see.

    Tell us more.
    PK
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #3
    pk said:

    carlamarie
    Why are the saying that your brother's cancer is terminal??? Where is the cancer?? It's got to be more specific than just head and neck.

    Before he has these episodes has he taken any type of sleeping pill? They can cause peculiar behavior that you would not normally see.

    Tell us more.
    PK

    something is not making sense to me
    Please tell us the whole story. The treatment you describe is consistent with a standard curable approach to this cancer. What is not is the fact that he is not eating anything from the start. What state and hospital are you at and who told you it's terminal? Are there other conditions associated with the cancer? Tell us as much as you can so that we can offer better opnions.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    Hi Carla
    You need to talk with his oncologist doctors about what is happing, if he is not eating at all he may need a peg tube. Some of the stuff you described that your brother is doing is normal, like the cold sweat and being clammy side affects of Chemo. The sleeping with his eyes open and hard to breath don’t sound right to me let the doctors know about this and that it is becoming a problem. I too like PK & ratface don’t understand why they are telling you his cancer is terminal if they just began treating him; don’t be afraid to question the doctors.

    A lot of us are hear to help so keep us up dated on your brother, I will also keep him and in my prayers.

    God bless
  • fishingirl
    fishingirl Member Posts: 188
    #5
    Hondo said:

    Hi Carla
    You need to talk with his oncologist doctors about what is happing, if he is not eating at all he may need a peg tube. Some of the stuff you described that your brother is doing is normal, like the cold sweat and being clammy side affects of Chemo. The sleeping with his eyes open and hard to breath don’t sound right to me let the doctors know about this and that it is becoming a problem. I too like PK & ratface don’t understand why they are telling you his cancer is terminal if they just began treating him; don’t be afraid to question the doctors.

    A lot of us are hear to help so keep us up dated on your brother, I will also keep him and in my prayers.

    God bless

    Hi Hondo!
    I am new here:) I
    Hi Hondo!

    I am new here:) I read your About you piece. And I love your outlook on life! Where you say to get as many people as you can to pray for you. I do believe that. I know I had many people pray for me:) Also, there are alternative methods of dealing with cancer.

    This is only my 27th day after radiation treatments, and I am going to change my eating habits. I think you are right about how cancer feeds on sugar. And I LOVE sugar:( Rats!! But I must try.

    Fishingirl (Cindy)
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #6
    Is Hospital an option
    Carla,

    As previous posts state you have given little info but in that condition I would think he should be in hospital. I had to go in in about the 3rd week of my 7 week treatment. I got too sick and couldn't manage the PEG well with the feeding AND medications. Lots of vomiting, reflux issues. I was on a lot of pain medication and when you vomit you sometime lose the meds or maybe not so you can end up double dosing if you retake after vomiting.

    I was getting RT twice a day, and Chemo (Erbitux) once a week. I also had the PEG (Feeding tube) put in as I couldn't eat. Hope you get him the right care but being in Hospital sorted me out even though it was still a difficult run.

    REgds
    Craig - Scambuster

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