Bizarre turn

Hi All,  Anyone ever had a situation like this?  My husband Rick, had kidney removed April 08 but mets to the lungs.  One year on Sutent, OK, then found mets to brain in June 09.  Did full brain radiation and put on steroids (40 mg/day by mistake instead of 20 mg/day).  About 2 weeks after the FBR, he went to bed and quit eating.  We tried Paxil and Prozac  for depression but no change.  He also has a blood clot in each lung and they think the cancer is growing where his kidney used to be.  He was in bed with only water for about 6 weeks and we had started Hospice--he has had NO pain--just extremely tired.  Last week he had a couple of headaches so they put him on Dexamethasone (steroid) again (8 mg/day) and changed his anti-depressant to Mirtazapine 15 mg (Remeron) and you wouldn't believe the difference!  He is now eating 3 meals/day and is walking around the house since last Saturday.  The more he eats, the more energy he has.  It's absolutely amazing!  I don't know what triggered this but I am accepting it as a gift (it doesn't change the prognosis).  Some have told me Paxil & Prozac are the same type of anti-depressant and if one didn't work, it's likely the other wouldn't either.  The Remeron is a whole different type.  Also, usually the steroids make you hungry;  they didn't when Rick took them in June but they could be triggering his appetite. 

Has anyone out there had a similar experience?  I am happy for him but I see a roller coaster of emotions for me.  His hospice nurse calls him her "enigma".     Bookmum Sue

On 9/9/2009 Bookmum wrote:

Hi All,  Anyone ever had a situation like this?  My husband Rick, had kidney removed April 08 but mets to the lungs.  One year on Sutent, OK, then found mets to brain in June 09.  Did full brain radiation and put on steroids (40 mg/day by mistake instead of 20 mg/day).  About 2 weeks after the FBR, he went to bed and quit eating.  We tried Paxil and Prozac  for depression but no change.  He also has a blood clot in each lung and they think the cancer is growing where his kidney used to be.  He was in bed with only water for about 6 weeks and we had started Hospice--he has had NO pain--just extremely tired.  Last week he had a couple of headaches so they put him on Dexamethasone (steroid) again (8 mg/day) and changed his anti-depressant to Mirtazapine 15 mg (Remeron) and you wouldn't believe the difference!  He is now eating 3 meals/day and is walking around the house since last Saturday.  The more he eats, the more energy he has.  It's absolutely amazing!  I don't know what triggered this but I am accepting it as a gift (it doesn't change the prognosis).  Some have told me Paxil & Prozac are the same type of anti-depressant and if one didn't work, it's likely the other wouldn't either.  The Remeron is a whole different type.  Also, usually the steroids make you hungry;  they didn't when Rick took them in June but they could be triggering his appetite. 

Has anyone out there had a similar experience?  I am happy for him but I see a roller coaster of emotions for me.  His hospice nurse calls him her "enigma".     Bookmum Sue

Hi Sue,

I am happy to hear that your husband has got some strength back, but at the same time I understand the emotional roller coaster you are on. My son has stage IV glioblastoma multiforme, but is still taking treatments. He has days that he is feeling so bad that he cannot get out of bed and the next day, he feels good enough to spend the day outside working on his van.

All I can tell you is that you have to take each day as it comes. Rejoice in the good days and treasure them.

I wish you the best,

Diane