Should I ask doctor to put Dad on IV??

midnte0708
midnte0708 Member Posts: 166
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Should I ask the doctor to put my dad on an IV?? Since he can't eat more than a couple bites of food a day if that. He's very jaundice and weak and puffed stomach from the fluid. and pump his stomach so he may be able to eat. If he can't eat he will never last the 2-3 months doc predicted.

Is it possible to get his strength back with that? enough to get to 2nd opinion. Is this something common that doctors would do?? or do they think it is prolonging the inevitable.

My mother and I met with doctor yesterday and he basically said he'll go peacefully and Xeloda he is on is a long shot. I can't help but think why would the doctor subscribe Xeloda suddenly for $233 if he had zero hope.

I also asked if he could get avastin and there is a assistance program for it through the drug company since insurance company denied it. Doctor didn't think it would be much good but it kept my dad perfectly stable for 3 years and the last 6 months without it were his downfall I believe.

Thanks,
Sue

Comments

  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #2
    IV and Avastin
    Hi Sue,

    I'm sorry to hear your dad is having such a rough time. Honestly, I don't know how it work with the iv, but common sense tells me it's definitely worth trying & couldn't hurt. I don't know why a doctor would refuse that request, even if he didn't think it would help- it couldn't really hurt him, and maybe it would help, right? Maybe it could help get his strength up enough to help him some. Question- would he then need to be hospitalized for the iv or need in home nursing help? I don't know if your insurance is an issue with that or not.

    I'm curious what insurance you have. I have Aetna HMO and they never gave me any problem with covering the Avastin or not. I'm sure the Avastin is expensive, but I believe it's becoming pretty standardized care with advanced colorectal cancer- that makes me angry to hear insurance would be denying the very drug that could save or possibly prolong someone's life. I have stage IV diagnosed a year and a half ago. I believe, medically speaking, that I might not be here or might not be doing as well as I am if it weren't for Avastin. It's used now for advanced colorectal, breast, and lung cancer & is responsible for people now surviving longer. I'm to the point where I will be going on "maintenance chemo" and my oncologist has recommended a combo of Avastin infusions every three weeks and taking the oral Xeloda pills.
    This may be an issue you could go before the insurance board and try to appeal. Best wishes with that. Definitely, I'd ask your dad's oncologist right away about the iv. Even if he balks at first, insistence might get it done and who knows- it could help him, but you'll never know and wil always wonder if it could have helped, if it isn't tried.

    Take care and God bless-
    Lisa
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #3
    stomach bloat
    definitely insist your father's abdomen be drained. he will be able to eat once space is made in there. The abdomen fills the cavity and there's no room for either the stomach or the intestines to expand. When I had a recurrence back in 2006 i had to have my abdomen drained every week; i always knew when i needed to go in cause i could no longer eat and my bowels wouldn't move. Once it was drained, there was so much room, i was hungry and would always eat a large meal on the way home. Of course, as the abdomen continued to fill, I could eat less and less, and then the cycle would start back again. I lost a lot of weight, as would be expected. Please note, the abdominal fluid wasn't from liver failure, it was from a huge tumor growing on my right ovary that was weeping. The draining procedure entails a catheter being inserted into the abdominal cavity, with the catheter draining into a plastic "bottle". I usually filled 2 1liter bottles when I went in. This is a standard procedure your onc performs on a regular basis, so it shouldn't be a problem.
    mary
  • midnte0708
    midnte0708 Member Posts: 166
    #4
    lisa42 said:

    IV and Avastin
    Hi Sue,

    I'm sorry to hear your dad is having such a rough time. Honestly, I don't know how it work with the iv, but common sense tells me it's definitely worth trying & couldn't hurt. I don't know why a doctor would refuse that request, even if he didn't think it would help- it couldn't really hurt him, and maybe it would help, right? Maybe it could help get his strength up enough to help him some. Question- would he then need to be hospitalized for the iv or need in home nursing help? I don't know if your insurance is an issue with that or not.

    I'm curious what insurance you have. I have Aetna HMO and they never gave me any problem with covering the Avastin or not. I'm sure the Avastin is expensive, but I believe it's becoming pretty standardized care with advanced colorectal cancer- that makes me angry to hear insurance would be denying the very drug that could save or possibly prolong someone's life. I have stage IV diagnosed a year and a half ago. I believe, medically speaking, that I might not be here or might not be doing as well as I am if it weren't for Avastin. It's used now for advanced colorectal, breast, and lung cancer & is responsible for people now surviving longer. I'm to the point where I will be going on "maintenance chemo" and my oncologist has recommended a combo of Avastin infusions every three weeks and taking the oral Xeloda pills.
    This may be an issue you could go before the insurance board and try to appeal. Best wishes with that. Definitely, I'd ask your dad's oncologist right away about the iv. Even if he balks at first, insistence might get it done and who knows- it could help him, but you'll never know and wil always wonder if it could have helped, if it isn't tried.

    Take care and God bless-
    Lisa

    Thanks Lisa
    He has Preferred Care Gold/Medicare HMO now.
    He was on Avastin for 3 years with FOLFIRI and it did wonders. Since he developed small lung mets (never tested to be mets just assumed from the CT scan) the doctor decided to start 2nd line treatment with FOLFOX, the doc tried to get Avastin added also but it was not approved, I guess even though Avastin has been very successful in 2nd line treatment in stage 4 people it is not "officially approved" for 2nd line treatment according to the insurance company.
    I went to doc office today and nurse looked into the avastin assistance program and talked to doc about it. Doc said he would not rule out giving him avastin yet but didn't want to do anything till his 2nd opinion appointment on April 8th.
    They said IV will only bloat him up and not recommended. He did eat more this morning than he's eaten all week so thats' encouraging for now.
    I'm glad you had such good results with Avastin, I've heard the Avastin/Xeloda combo has great results as well.

    Sue
  • midnte0708
    midnte0708 Member Posts: 166
    #5
    msccolon said:

    stomach bloat
    definitely insist your father's abdomen be drained. he will be able to eat once space is made in there. The abdomen fills the cavity and there's no room for either the stomach or the intestines to expand. When I had a recurrence back in 2006 i had to have my abdomen drained every week; i always knew when i needed to go in cause i could no longer eat and my bowels wouldn't move. Once it was drained, there was so much room, i was hungry and would always eat a large meal on the way home. Of course, as the abdomen continued to fill, I could eat less and less, and then the cycle would start back again. I lost a lot of weight, as would be expected. Please note, the abdominal fluid wasn't from liver failure, it was from a huge tumor growing on my right ovary that was weeping. The draining procedure entails a catheter being inserted into the abdominal cavity, with the catheter draining into a plastic "bottle". I usually filled 2 1liter bottles when I went in. This is a standard procedure your onc performs on a regular basis, so it shouldn't be a problem.
    mary

    They said NO
    The doc said no about draining him stomach, nurse just called me. She said if he was having trouble breathing because it was pushing on his lungs thats when they may think about it. Oh well, I thought it would clear room for food like you said. I just love running into these brick walls.

    Thanks.
    Sue
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #6
    midnte0708 said:

    They said NO
    The doc said no about draining him stomach, nurse just called me. She said if he was having trouble breathing because it was pushing on his lungs thats when they may think about it. Oh well, I thought it would clear room for food like you said. I just love running into these brick walls.

    Thanks.
    Sue

    NO until he can't breathe?!!
    I can't believe that! I wasn't having trouble breathing, but I was in tears the first time I went in the office with all the fluid, I was so uncomfortable and had 2 weeks until my appt. with the surgeon at Baptist. From then on, it was draining every week, what a relief! And i was even having issues with my insurance at the time, so as far as they knew they weren't going to get paid, and it was somewhere around $600 every time i went in.
    mary

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