My Husband Has Cancer

My husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer  on march 18,2008 it is said to be around 3 centimeters is also in his bile tube.put in a stent to release bile out as his skin was turning jaundice ..this has helped the jaundice. also found out he has sugar diabetes same day he found out about the cancer...this week started the chemo gemzar .i sure hope this works..if anyone has any ideas to share with me i would really appreceiate this i am really scared here..my husband of 35 1/2 years is 57 years old..when he started the chemo doctor was worried about his liver..please give me some ideas here..thanks..shirley

 

On 4/5/2008 daycaremom wrote:

My husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer  on march 18,2008 it is said to be around 3 centimeters is also in his bile tube.put in a stent to release bile out as his skin was turning jaundice ..this has helped the jaundice. also found out he has sugar diabetes same day he found out about the cancer...this week started the chemo gemzar .i sure hope this works..if anyone has any ideas to share with me i would really appreceiate this i am really scared here..my husband of 35 1/2 years is 57 years old..when he started the chemo doctor was worried about his liver..please give me some ideas here..thanks..shirley

Hi, I went though that with my uncle. Now my father in law has pancreatic cancer. I thought it was so rare. Anyway pancreatic cancer causes diabetes. The pancrease breaks down the sugar in your body so when the pancrease is not working you automatically get diabetes. They will need to get a home test and check his blood sugar daily. You can buy them at any drug store. Until it becomes in control. I would suggest you google pancreatic cancer or look into the american cancer socitey to see what chemo to use and the side affect before you start. 

This is a horrible disease and needs a full on attack.  I would look at what you can do to keep his weight up, energy and immune system strong with proper diet and nutrition and avoid sugar and high glycemix foods as they put strain on the body and he is already dealing with alot.  I would also look at discussing what other options are available with the chemo.  I was told by the Mayo Clinic where my mom had a 2nd opinion that Gemzar has not had the results they had hoped for with Pancreatic cancer.  Contact other Cancer centers and get their opinions. Best wishes. 

 Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Sloan Kettering, Mayo and  MD Anderson are some of the best to contact with additional questions on experimental trials and what is currently achieving different results.  The difference in knowledge and quality care from my moms local center and Mayo was shocking.

This is a horrible disease and needs a full on attack.  I would look at what you can do to keep his weight up, energy and immune system strong with proper diet and nutrition and avoid sugar and high glycemix foods as they put strain on the body and he is already dealing with alot.  I would also look at discussing what other options are available with the chemo.  I was told by the Mayo Clinic where my mom had a 2nd opinion that Gemzar has not had the results they had hoped for with Pancreatic cancer.  Contact other Cancer centers and get their opinions. Best wishes. 

 Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Sloan Kettering, Mayo and  MD Anderson are some of the best to contact with additional questions on experimental trials and what is currently achieving different results.  The difference in knowledge and quality care from my moms local center and Mayo was shocking.

 

On 4/5/2008 daycaremom wrote:

My husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer  on march 18,2008 it is said to be around 3 centimeters is also in his bile tube.put in a stent to release bile out as his skin was turning jaundice ..this has helped the jaundice. also found out he has sugar diabetes same day he found out about the cancer...this week started the chemo gemzar .i sure hope this works..if anyone has any ideas to share with me i would really appreceiate this i am really scared here..my husband of 35 1/2 years is 57 years old..when he started the chemo doctor was worried about his liver..please give me some ideas here..thanks..shirley

My husband was diagnosed adenocarsinoma with unknown primary April 07.Primary eneded up being pancreas. Started gemzar immedietly,brought his TM down from 2350 to about 144. He had gone from 2 weeks on, 1 off for many months, then went to everyother week. Maybe the change in schedule made it not as effective so he went then to 13 streight weeks  5-FU.Between the 2 the TM went to 8.

I know he is glad he went with gemzar. It has few side effects, only thining heair, not much nausea,no vomiting,etc. The fatigue was the worst, butIknow he isn't sorry he went wih gemzar

Jan

The advice to keep weight up is good advice. My husband read about Prosure but he found out about it too late. Prosure is like Ensure but it contains fish oils (you don't taste them). A study at Johns Hopkins had some preliminary findings that suggest that fish oil can slow the wasting of muscle and weight loss that is so devastating in pancreatic cancer. You can order Prosure through your pharmacist. In terms of chemo, gemzar is the chemo that has been approved by the FDA for pancreatic cancer. It's often given in a combination called GTX (genzar, taxotere and xeloda). There are other protocols being investigated. You can contact Pancan on the net. They have a clinical trial search service that helps find clinical trials being done on your husband's specific stage of PC. Keep in mind that these are trials and are not proven treatments but someday, one of them might yield the cure.

Best wishes and prayers to you and your husband. 

 

On 4/5/2008 AngelBaby wrote:

 

On 4/5/2008 daycaremom wrote:

My husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer  on march 18,2008 it is said to be around 3 centimeters is also in his bile tube.put in a stent to release bile out as his skin was turning jaundice ..this has helped the jaundice. also found out he has sugar diabetes same day he found out about the cancer...this week started the chemo gemzar .i sure hope this works..if anyone has any ideas to share with me i would really appreceiate this i am really scared here..my husband of 35 1/2 years is 57 years old..when he started the chemo doctor was worried about his liver..please give me some ideas here..thanks..shirley

Hi, I went though that with my uncle. Now my father in law has pancreatic cancer. I thought it was so rare. Anyway pancreatic cancer causes diabetes. The pancrease breaks down the sugar in your body so when the pancrease is not working you automatically get diabetes. They will need to get a home test and check his blood sugar daily. You can buy them at any drug store. Until it becomes in control. I would suggest you google pancreatic cancer or look into the american cancer socitey to see what chemo to use and the side affect before you start. 

Does diabetes apply to all PC  or just the ones that have had whipple surgery? My husbands dr has not mentioned this. He did not qualify for surgery since it had spread the the lymph glands before it was discovered.

Jan

 

On 4/7/2008 hiswayc wrote:

 

On 4/5/2008 AngelBaby wrote:

 

On 4/5/2008 daycaremom wrote:

My husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer  on march 18,2008 it is said to be around 3 centimeters is also in his bile tube.put in a stent to release bile out as his skin was turning jaundice ..this has helped the jaundice. also found out he has sugar diabetes same day he found out about the cancer...this week started the chemo gemzar .i sure hope this works..if anyone has any ideas to share with me i would really appreceiate this i am really scared here..my husband of 35 1/2 years is 57 years old..when he started the chemo doctor was worried about his liver..please give me some ideas here..thanks..shirley

Hi, I went though that with my uncle. Now my father in law has pancreatic cancer. I thought it was so rare. Anyway pancreatic cancer causes diabetes. The pancrease breaks down the sugar in your body so when the pancrease is not working you automatically get diabetes. They will need to get a home test and check his blood sugar daily. You can buy them at any drug store. Until it becomes in control. I would suggest you google pancreatic cancer or look into the american cancer socitey to see what chemo to use and the side affect before you start. 

Does diabetes apply to all PC  or just the ones that have had whipple surgery? My husbands dr has not mentioned this. He did not qualify for surgery since it had spread the the lymph glands before it was discovered.

Jan

 

Hi

Well at the time my uncle passed. It was my husbands uncle but I took care of him with the help of Hospice. This was 1992 I had not heard of whipple. I know his PC was inoperable. I did not know why I just Tried to take care of him the best way possible, The hospice nurse lived around the corner and came over every day. Basically she was there to help with the pain meds. I did help him check his sugar everyday. Some days he neede insulin but most days he did not. I was told that it was due to the PC as I explained before. Ask you Dr. to confirm this. google the pancrease function in the body.

God Bless

Toni 

I wish I had more positive info to give you .. DONT give up get 2nd opinion. Do EVERYTHING and SEE any doctor you can. My husband 56 yrs old was diagnosed July 14. No symptoms though he was having stomach problems, went to ER was told he had mass in pancreas and liver. took gemzar and tarceva...tarceva is to be the big wonderdrug. 7 treatments,. he felt great after the 7 treatments it had spread.  Put him on F5u   and the last week of Oct he went into hospital because his blood was too thin. I am said to say he went to Hopsice and passed away 5months ago today.   I dont know if seeing another doctor would have helped but I feel so guilty that we didnt seek additional info.   That is my biggest regret.  I'm sure nothing would have helped by the time we found out it wa sin the liver too and with in the time from of aug-oct it went everywhere.  but never any pain.   Pain mangement is the way to get through this.   and TAKE care of YOURSELF.   I was able to be with him both in the hospital and hospice.  and I am so very glad I was.   I dont want to be a "downer"  ther is always hope.   THis is an awful disease and there are some who are very fortunate.    I hope your husband is one.   Will keep[ you in my thoughs.....

robin