Vomitting Husband/Avastin/Stg IV multiple liver mets - feeling helpless

H!  My Mom was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer met to liver and passed away slightly less than a year later last October adn then my Dad was diagnosed with Appendiceal cancer with spread to his abdomen in Febrruary and I am a childhood leukemia survivor, so unfortunately I have a lot of experience with chemo!

First check with your doctor and make sure it is not progression of disease or a blockage that is causing these symptoms.  At the end for my Mom, she could not eat or drink.  My dad had an issue with that it was a blockage and is now doing better.

 Check with your doctor and see if you can take Pepcid for the reflux... less harsh that the other stuff.  Try a ginger pill twice a day for nausea.  See if doctor will prescribe Decadron, it is a steroid that increases appetite.  My Dad goes on Decadron pilss three days following chemo treatments and has definitely helped.

Sometimes it is very spicy or very sour food that may work as well.  For me and my Mom, we had to have tomato sauce!  Dad seems to really like Mac and Cheese, French Fries and Kentucky Fried Chickem... we joke that it is strangely greasy food what he craves, can handle and taste.  It is a lot of trying things!  HE also likes those Nilla Wafers and tons of Jello (although Jello has little as far as nutrient and calories, it at least gets him fluid)!  I also bought a snow cone machine that helps with fluid intake!

To keep weight on my Mom we used the Carnation Instant Breakfast with Heavy Whipping Cream and Whole milk and then added chocolate syrup (if chocolate flavor) or Strawberry Quick (if strawberry or vanilla flavor) to kick up the calories, we had her drink to 1000 calories and she got down two a day... the doctors were amazed we kept all the weight on her!

Peanutbutter is a great source of calories and good fat too.

Have your husband try sucking on sour candies to stimulate his taste buds. 

It is hard to force things on them.  I remember when I was sick... it is hard as the caregiver to put yourself in the place of the sick patient and how they fill.  I was in the hospital four months straight when I was sick and the first month I wanted no light or TV, it made me nauseaous.  It is a very hard place top be, the patient or the caregiver.  I am sorry so many of us go through this and no one truly understands until you are faced with the situation.  Sometimes I think it is harder being the caregiver than when I was the patient because you feel so helpless and you so want to take away the pain and hurt and can't.  Hang in there and just try tons of different things and let us know how you are doing! 

 

Again, Thank you!  to you that have replied...I just checked here quick to see if there were any responses. 

 Last night my Husband actually ate a small bowl of cereal...my cereal which he usually thinks is too sugary.  I was delighted.  I have to run to the store but so appreciate your responses and later when I have more time will read them in more detail.  Thanks for the news about the hickups...they are so hard to watch ..it feels to me like they must hurt terribly.  I have done Carnation, and added heavy cream and a all natural protein powder and whipped it up with whole milk..anything for the calories.  Someone from the Navigator portion of the Am. Cncer Scty is sending me a very high calorie 'base" mix that I can add flavorings too as a drink for him.  Will share here with you.  I also have juiced blueberries, strawberries, rasberries, cranberries...taken the seeds out and boiled them down to a syrup hoping I could incorporate these flavorings into a high calorie mix for him.  So far, he's not interested. 

Back soon, thank you all so much!  Thank you for this site!!!  It helps to know...that even 71 year youngin's (Arnold) are managing this...helps me see a brighter future for my 57 yr old 110 lb Hunk of a Husband !!!!

Marcella

 

Smittens~ Please accept my apology for being so ignorant as to not mention how sorry I am at the passing of your Mother.  I hope that the fight you have with your Dad now is very successful.  Apparently you are here with all your experience to help support those like me.  Thank you much and I will be sure to include all of you in my prayers!

Thanking you!

Marcella

Hi Mard,

For your husbands nasuea maybe try any variety of chicken noodle soup starting with mostly broth and gradually adding more noodles....it has a soothing effect on stomach lining as well as a good amount of protein. 

Also chewing peppermint gum, (peppermint has chemical properties that soothes stomach upset)  along with saliva (that contains natural enzymes that coats stomach lining)  hopefully will be helpful

~Trenttd

Hi Trenttd~

Thanks for those suggestions.  He was eating chicken noodle soup about 10 days ago, but isn't interested lately.  Thanks for the other advice about mint items.

 Today, he has been sleeping all day.  He hasn't been up once to do anything more than go to the washroom.  No eating, no sipping water or juice and he just wants to sleep.  No regular meds or anti naussea meds or pain meds taken either.  He just wants me to go away.  Scares me. 

 Anyone have the same experience?  I don't know how we do this to be quite honest, rips my heart up.

Mardilove (Marcella)

and thanks again!

 

I would suggest that you contact the doctor ASAP.and bring him up to speed on your husband's condition.  It doesn't look good and maybe the doctor can help you.  I don't want to alarm you, but it sounds like he is giving up.  Good luck and God bless.  Please keep us posted.

Sorry to hear about your husband.  When my dad had colon cancer he was the same way when he was going through chemo.  He didnt want to eat he said everything tasted bad.  He would lose weight while on chemo.  It does sound like your husband is very depressed.  I would talk to the drs about that.  Maybe you can give him something.  Is he still getting chemo now?  I would definately tell the drs about him not eating and sleeping alot.  It could be the disease or it could be depression.  Good luck  Mindy

Hi Mindy~

Thanks for sharing aobut your Dad.  Today, my husband got up around 1:30pm ..then he ate a couple of slices of orange, half and egg, and 1 piece of bacon.  Then, off to bed he went and is still there.  I try to talk to him and he will say he needs to be quiet now.  To say I miss him and am completley lonely, would be an understatement.  He was prescribed a milk anti-depressant but he doesn't feel he should take it.  I have never known him to be so stubborn,  So yes, he could be depressed, which wouldn't surprise me.

We have an appointment with the oncolohgist this next Tuesday and you can bet I will be relaying all info to the doc.  

I am worried though, it scares me terribly that he isn't getting up and that he is losiung a tremendous amount of weight.

Mardilove 

 

 

 

Hi I know how helpless you feel.  I felt so bad that I couldnt help my dad.  When he got cancer he did the same thing your husband did.  He didnt want to eat with the family, he would eat on the couch by himself.  He had no interest in talking on the phone with his brothers.  He was disstancing himself from everyone.  I read somewhere that they do that.  Im glad your husband ate something.  He could be losing weight because he is not eating well.  We gave our dad ensures but he really didnt even want to drink those either.  Hopefully when you talk to the dr's you can get an better idea if how he is reacting is depression or from the disease.  What do the dr's tell you?  Is he still getting chemo?  Is he on any pain killers?  Mindy

Hi,

I think it's really hard for us to understand the incredible fatigue that cancer patients experience.  Everything contributes to it-- the treatment, the meds, and the disease itself.  Interaction with other people does take energy, and it sounds like your husband does not have any to spare.  It is definitely worth discussing with his doctor.  I think it also is worth looking into treatments like Reiki which might help him feel better and don't have negative side effects, if he is receptive.  He may just need to be left alone for the time being.    Roz