Vomitting Husband/Avastin/Stg Iv Multiple Liver Mets - Feeling Helpless

Good Evening Colon Cancer World~

I am posting this evening because I am feeling so helpless.  I have read postings here since my husband was diagnosed in November on his 57th Birthday with Stv IV CC w/Liver Mets, as one oncologist said to me, "look at them, they're all over the place" ..regarding the number of tumors in is liver.

After 9 rounds of Folfox w/Oxi, he is is now on is second round of Folfox w/Oxi and Avastin.  At this very moment he is resting.  Two moments ago he was throwing up - the second time today.  This is new for him and me.  I feel helpless to sooth him, he just wants me to go away.  After 28 years of marriage, to find I cannot soothe him is devastating.   I can't get him to drink water or Gatoraide, very little anyway.  He lost 9 pounds between Avastin #1 and #2 treatments.  He isn't eating, hard to get him to get a whole Carnation Instant Breakfast down -Boost/Ensure too thick and sweet for him.

Has any one had similar experience as my Husband.  I would feel so much better if I knew this isn't abnormal.  I feel so helpless and I am at a complete loss, my heart is breaking for him.  

There are two who post here that have similar situations as my husband's and I have used both their posts here as a guide for my husband's treatment.  I would welcome your comments if that is okay and if you don't mind.

Cptmac and Miracle Mary

A Loving Wife who misses her Husband

Thank you

 

 

 

 

 

I have been on chemo 3 times and currently on Folfox with two to go.  I have in the past, and currently have experienced  Nausea, throwing up, unable to eat and sometimes even difficulty drinking anything. I have had to force myself all the time to eat and drink and I do it.  I'm not saying that your husband can do the same thing, but this is not an abnormal situation for you.  If it continues all the time and he continues to loose weight, the Doctor can give him someting to help.  I know it's tough but I have had to fight the same side effects 3 times now.  I'm winning this battle after three years.  Hang in there and keep the faith.  We all pray for each on this post, and, because many of us have faced the same thing we can sympathize.

Although I never took avastin, I initially had a lot of nausea due to my liver surgery and then my chemo.  They put Zofran in my chemo and none of the drugs worked.  But, I drank coca-cola.  That worked. 

That even worked in Doc Hollywood fro the kids nausea.  It's worth a try.

I'm sure you've kept your doctor abreast of this.  Their the ones who suggested I drink Coca Cola.  The best part was, I'd given up my favorite drink when I was diagnosed.  Who knew that this would be the miracle drink for me. 

Also, after eating a small snack and drinking apple juice at my oncologists appt, I threw that up.  He thought perhaps I wasn't trying.  When that happened, he suspected a kidney infection which could cause nausea.  Sure enough, I had one.  That cleared up and the nausea went away. 

As for eating.  There was a time where it was extremely difficult for me to eat and keep my weight on.  I put several bowls of different kind of cereal throughout the house.  Since my liver was resected, it was important that I eat protein, and my favorite cereal, Cap'n Crunch, had the most protein.  So I had several different kinds of cereal throughout the house.  I walked a lot (that helps with digestion) and whenever I passed a bowl, I had to eat even a little bit.  After a while, I could finish a whole bowl of cereal. 

He doesn't have to eat cereal, but he has to eat something.  I liked cereal because I could keep it out all day and it wouldn't get stale.  But it is trial and error.  And I can understand where your husband is coming from.  When I'm sick, I don't want to be around anyone.  But offer suggestions.  Try different things.  Things will taste different so you don't know what he may or may not like.  But he needs to eat.  

Although I wasn't hungry, and I hated the boost and ensure at first, my husband encouraged me.  Eat it even if you don't like it.  You need to eat to live.  This sunk in and helped me.  I would eat whatever I needed no matter how bad the taste, so that I could live.  I got the high protein ensure and boost shakes and made sure I drank at least one a day.  Soon I was able to have more. 

Trial and error, to heck if you waste money figuring it out.  On occassion, and on doctors orders to eat as many calories as possible, Fast food being the best food for me at this time, I even went and had sausage mcmuffins from McDonalds. 

Even though it took me a long time (months) to get my appetite back, it did come back.  I told my friends to quit telling me I looked good because I lost weight.  Losing weight was not good for me.  Encourage me when I gain weight.   

I hope some of this may help.      

 

Great post cptmac.  I forgot - drinking coke has helped me also.  You gave him many great ideas.  I just forced myself to eat times just as you have. I love pizza, cheeseburgers, etc (who doesn't !!) and I hate having to eat when it just won't go down.  You must do what you have to do.  I put on 10 pounds during the month Of Jan knowing I would need that extra weight later on.  With three weeks to go, I have lost the ten pounds  but I can afford to loose 5 more if that is the case. 

And, exercise is effective also.  I hit the gym 5 days a week and do 10 to 12 miles on the stationary bike

Hi,

We found that fresh juices, not sweet, helped a lot.  Aloe Vera juice at the health food store is refreshing, but not sweet. 

Fruit smoothies with a touch of yogurt to help coat the stomach.  The doctor said to drink milk, but my husband found it hard to keep down.

Fresh fruit like tart apples helped along with fresh berries.

I have always given my kids cola syrup when vomiting.  It does work eventually.  It is hard to find now a days, but I think Walgreens still carries it.   Cola with the fizz is not good.

Lynette

Arnold~

Thank you so much for responding to my post!  I was very anxious that night and didn't think I would make it through, let alone my Husband! 

 I think I will be posting much more often as these new symptoms show themselves, just to be reassured, as you said.  I was so happy to see the responses.  That night I posted I waited for someone and thought no one would respond. What relief to see several posts!

Thank you!

 

 

 

Arnold, Cptmac, Lynette524~

Please forgive the post to "Arnold"...I was trying to respond to each of your posts individually, but then saw my post went to the bottem of the heap!  Not familiar with the way these work yet.

OH MY!!!!  You cannot imagine the JOY I am experiencing at this moment!!!! 

Since my initial post, I have been watching my Husband just be in bed and looking as though he would not make it to the next minute.  I was peeking my head in and seeing if his chest was rising and falling.  I absolutely could do nothing else.  I couldn't concentrate on paying the bills or making the phone calls or working my job (process health care claims at home for a major insurance co).  I was so scared he was not going to be here anymore!  His last shower was a week ago yesterday...this is a man who took a shower every day upon waking and sometimes again later if he had been doing manual labor of some sort.  AND, he wouldn't take any of his meds!  AND not eating.  The most he has eaten in the past 8 days is ALMOST 10 oz of carnation instant breakfast (I added a bit of heavy cream to the whole milk and an all natural, high calorie and protein shake mix to that - anything for calories)!  Yesterday total consumption was 12 oz of apple juice, very lightly sugared. 

SO, and I must say this was a challenge as he was a bit irritable at me "repeating myself" about him not eating - the challenge was to read your posts out loud to him.  Don't you know he was all  - nodding of the head, "Cereal??? I was thinking about that the other day" he says.  Coke?....he just looked at me in wonder.  Please forgive my not remembering at the moment who said that their spouse said the patient needed to eat to live...but that is just what I wanted to tell him...and when I did he still didn't eat.  Hence, my total frustration and fear.

The Oxiplatin (sp?) is causing him a great deal of peripheral neuropothy...especially that he has it in his throat.  It is very difficult for him to swallow.  I feel so sorry for him!  As well, he has suddenly developed a huge case of acid reflux...something he never experienced before this beast was upon him...and it is severe. The doc said to try Zantac 2x daily.  However, he developed a severe bout of hickups and belching and yet no relief from the Zantac so we quit that.

I was so delighted that he finally agreed to let me read your posts to him that I could just get up and shout!  He was impressed and grabbed a cereal box from the pantry and was reading it.  I had to come here and post my thanks to you immediately!!!  I do pray he will at least give SOMETHING a try now.

Thank you again!  I appreciate your responses so much I am not proofreading this post as I can't wait to get downstairs and see if he has at least decided what he might want to try and eat.

In appreciation

Marcella 

 

 

 

 

 

Again, I have had the same problems, acid reflux, difficulty swallowing, hiccups twice , each lasting 8 days!!  Sorry to say, this all seems to go along with chemo.  Tell you husband I know it's tough, but to hang in there!!  ( By the way, I'm 71)

Acupuncture may be able to help with some of these problems, especially nausea.    Roz