Hi - I have still not figured this out.... My mom started hospice 2 weeks ago... So things for her have steadily gone downhill. Since I last posted this in June, my mom's memory continued to deteriorate. She did about 6 treatments with Alimta and then when they re-scanned, they found that the drug wasn't working. So they stopped all chemo. Unfortunately, the doctor either neglected to scan her brain or she scanned her brain and refused to tell us whether the cancer is in her brain. (Or, maybe she told my dad and he didn't hear or won't tell us? it's a long story - we 4 daughters have no regular access to the doctors b/c we don't live near my parents - and my dad, who is 87, is/was the primary person taking mom to/from the doctor - and he can't hear well.. And he really doesn't want to hear that the love of his life has cancer in her brain, too... :-( )
Anyway - I suspect, but have no proof, that mom's problems are the result of brain mets. Her memory (especially short term) continued to deteriorate until after Labor Day in Sept. when she really started to get weak (and started taking some falls - another sign, to me, that the cancer is in her brain). Over the past month, my mom has had periods of lucidity, but she spends much of the time in a fog. She's not really talking much - except for some mornings when she wakes up more clear-headed.. Those days come less frequently now. I can no longer talk to her on the phone, because she doesn't talk..
I am not sure you want to hear this.. But it is driving me nuts that I don't know what's coming.. so maybe my story will shed some light on what might happen with your parent.. Spend time with him now... My mom didn't recognize one of my sisters the other day :( ...
Sorry to ramble. I wish you the best.....
On 10/12/2009 jhhboston wrote:Hello,
I know it has been some time since you last posted this....and I really do hope things are going well on your end.
I found your post online and found it very similar to my situation and was wondering if you had any updates or more information. I also have a parent on Alimta...going on the 5th/6th treatment. In addition to the adenocarcinoma, there are a couple of brain mets, but through treatment and monitoring, things haven't grown. The doctors say that the brain mets aren't causing any memory problems, but it seems my father's short term memory is really going downhill. We've seen doctors specifically for this, but no one can give a clear answer. So, I'm also just looking for anything and everything....and also just curious if this course of treatment could have any impact at all on memory. All the best to you and your family.
On 6/6/2009 PVGal wrote:My mom was diagnosed with Stage IV NSCLC (Adenocarcinoma) in 1/08. She is in chronic pain and takes oxycontin regularly (60 mg/day currently). She had her second dose of Alimta (2nd line chemotherapy) just Monday (6/1/09). Since starting Alimta her memory has taken a terrible turn for the worse - she can never remember what day it is, for example.
Have others experienced this? Our worst fear is that this is not the oxycontin or the Alimta, but brain mets..