Cisplatin. Pray for a Good Scan.

The doc has decided to give my sister a break for 3-4 weeks off the chemo.  He started Erbitux, 2 weeks ago and she now has the really bad red, rash on her face and head that is painful.  That is from the Erbitux. He is going to hold it next week.  She is still going to be on the Avastin during this 3-4 week period. 

Gets a PET scan on Wednesday. We are PRAYING for a miracle that the cancer is GONE or very minimal.  Doc is going to talk to surgeon and see if he will go back in and operate since she was unresectable the first go around. 

I feel so bad for her. She has lost so much weight and just doesn't feel good. Isn't eating much.  Her stomach hurts.  Even though she didn't get many mouth sores from the 5FU, doc says that she may have the sores in her GI tract causing her to not want to eat.  

How do you get them to eat!?!?!  Without force feeding them?? 

She is so tired and she's finally posted on her face book about being depressed and sick of being sick.  She's in the "why me" place and what did she do to deserve this.

All I think about is her. She is always on my mind no matter what else I am doing.  It has now been a year that she has been not feeling well from the start of the stomach pain through the diagnosis(FINALLY) and through treatment since August to now.   

Doc is going to start a new regimen after the 3-4 week break.  I have discussed Cisplatin with him. He talks of how harsh a drug it is.  I want the best for her.    What has others experience on Cisplatin been?

Tracy

my mom is currently taking the cisplatin and is extremely bad!! but is really helping her!!!!!!! she feels really really really bad for a week then she feels better!!!!!!!! is eating more and coming little by little to her own personality! My mom gets extremely bad mouth sores and in he track as well but she drinks Ensure or boost and keeps her energy up while she can eat again. The thing that has really help my mom from a depression she had at first is the religion and the great faith she has, then her family we never tell her anything bad and ALWAYS stay positive and tell her all the other things that will make her happy. We never say no and when she says she cannot eat or can get up of bed she we say there is always a yes or at least a try NEVER no. just make you sister happy and tell her the opposite when she says no she can always do it. Then the support of the support groups and all the tips the other people with cancer have given her. I WISH you the best and ALWAYS be positive and tell her to think of her chemo as a cure and not a bad thing. ALWAYS !!! BEST WISHES -Iveth ps hope it helps!

Cisplatin is a harsh drug but it is working for my husband. 9 Weeks ago he had a scan that showed his gastric cancer had metastasized to his bladder, colon and kidney. Three rounds of cisplatin, taxotere and 5 FU and he had a scan last week that revealed that the cancer in the kidney and bladder is GONE and the colon is much improved. 

Mouth sores and extreme fatigue is the biggest thing. Cisplatin was known for how nauseated it made patients until Emend came along. My husband has no nausea whatsoever. He is taking a few week break from it and will resume next week. He is 52 and was originally diagnosed at a stage III in August of 2007, underwent a total gastrectomy, chemo and radiation and achieved remission until November of 2008.

Best of luck to you both.

 LIssa

 

Tracy,

My husband is on cisplatin, he has gone through 2 rounds of chemo treatment.  He receives the cisplatin on the 3rd day, with 1 bag of IV fluid, then 30 min of cisplatin and then another bag of IV fluid.  So far the side affect is the fatigue, he takes the Emend and that works great for the nauseau.  His nails are getting harder and his skin is very dry, other than that it hasn't been too bad.  But keep in mind he has only been on it twice.  He goes in every other week for treatment, the cisplatin is the last day of treatment.

Tracy, all the best, keep the faith.

Maria

 

 

Thanks all for your responses.

We got the preliminary scan results back and it's a "mixed response".  Some of the cancerous lymph nodes have shrunk and some have gotten larger.  That's just the preliminary from my doc ( I work for her onc).  So we get finally results back and go over them at her appointment on Monday. I PRAY it hasn't shown up anywhere else!!  

Doc has found two studies he had articles on that he's considering for her.  One does use the Cisplat.   I said to him, "hit her with everything".  I know that's easy for me to say on the outside but when it's her life.... I feel she has to do ALL she can.   He said it's going to be a rough regimen whichever one he chooses.  I am worried that she will sink into total depression when she finds out the news of her scan results and learns that he suggests more chemo.  She's been on chemo for 6 months now and is tired of feeling bad. 

When I try to get her to eat I tread lightly... she gets very irritated and "pissed off" for lack of a better term when anyone tries to tell her what she "needs" to do.  I want her to MAKE HERSELF do what she needs to do. 

I will find out Monday what regimen he is going to choose for her next.  Whichever it is he will continue with the Avastin and maybe the Erbitux if she can handle it.   She will be coming in more often for chemo and I know that's going to really bring her down.  She's only been coming every other week for chemo on her current regimen (FLOT - 5FU/leucovorin, Taxotere, Oxaliplatin, added Avastin and Erbitux).

Thank you for all your suggestions and info.   It is good to know that the cisplat has been showing positive results for you. I pray the same for my sis.

Tracy 

 

It is important to increase the protein component of the food intake.  This can be done with protein powders (whey, rice, soy...) mixed with foods.  With gastric ca, absorption, digestion and elimination are harder so it is helpful to consume foods that are easier for those three functions; such as fish instead of meats. I am not suggesting dropping any food that works-moreover, wheat products can be helpful even though rice is easier to digest.  Nuts and seeds are good sources of protein but in there whole form are hard to digest-therefore, nuts-seeds ground into powder can be helpful.  High fat cheeses are harder to digest and have less protein that lower fat solid cheeses.

For digestion, digestive enzymes can be useful and simethicone can be very helpful in dealing with stomach gas.

 

If you have any questions, please ask-I am willing to share whatever info. I have.

I know the Eurbitux rash well.  I still have the scars to prove it.  Have her doctor check the rash for staph infection every week, as with the open wounds it is easy to pick up an infection.  Tell her that I had the rash over my face, scalp, chest and back.  I had rash on top of rash.  It felt like a severe sun burn, but worse.  I made it through and so will she.  She doesn't want to discontinue the Eurbitux, the rash proves it is working.

I'm not sure the cisplatin will work with the Eurbitux very well.  My doctor had me go of the cisplatin once I went on Eurbiux.

I will be praying for her.

Andrea