Can anyone speak to this? I am wondering whether radiation and chemo can cause behavior changes.
I have noticed that my father is becoming increasingly angry, abrupt, interruptive,impatient, uncooperative, and unpleasant.
While these traits are usual for him, they seem be getting much worse.
He has stage IV base of tongue cancer and just started radiation and chemo this past Monday, so is at the beginning of treatment. He has radiation M-F for seven weeks with (Erbitux) chemo every Tuesday. So far so good, except that he gets screamingly mad about every little thing.
He also has a mass on his pituitary, which is not a new finding. He takes Bromocriptine for it. Maybe that has something to do with his behavior?
He just got over pneumonia, and the more he is angry and raises his voice the more he coughs. When he is calm he does not cough.
He has finished the medication he was given for the pneumonia, but as far as I know he hasn't been back to his doctor to determine whether the pneumonia is in fact gone. Would it make a difference receiving radiation and chemo if the pneumonia is still there?
The pneumonia was discovered about two or three weeks ago during a visit to the ER. He went to ER because his heart was racing, slowing, then racing and slowing, six times in all. He was very frightened.
Any input? I thank you in advance.
Maggie