body shutdown symptoms

Hello,

I am inquiring for some help from anyone with history in pancreatic cancer or who has gone thru the same thing.

My father has pancreatic cancer, they went to do the whipple surgery and discovered it had spread into the liver.  so they did a bypass surgery to help allow the bile to drain.  He is now back in hospital, vomiting a black color and sometimes coffee grain looking like.  He has blood in his stool, very weak and now the doctors have taken him off of all food and fluids.  I believe they are going to again put the tube in his nose to help drain the fluid out of his stomach.  Is his body shutting down slowly? Is this just the beginning.  the doctors are not really saying anything.  I know time is inevitiable, but the vomiting is unbearable to watch, and he also has what is like dry-heaving after each vomit.  They cannot give him anything to stop it. 

 

On 9/29/2009 panda70 wrote:

Hello,

I am inquiring for some help from anyone with history in pancreatic cancer or who has gone thru the same thing.

My father has pancreatic cancer, they went to do the whipple surgery and discovered it had spread into the liver.  so they did a bypass surgery to help allow the bile to drain.  He is now back in hospital, vomiting a black color and sometimes coffee grain looking like.  He has blood in his stool, very weak and now the doctors have taken him off of all food and fluids.  I believe they are going to again put the tube in his nose to help drain the fluid out of his stomach.  Is his body shutting down slowly? Is this just the beginning.  the doctors are not really saying anything.  I know time is inevitiable, but the vomiting is unbearable to watch, and he also has what is like dry-heaving after each vomit.  They cannot give him anything to stop it. 

If he vomitted like that, he could have some built-up-gastric ulcers in his stomach. Pls ask for the endoscopy EGD and ulcer drugs to control/shrink it.  If he has blood in stool, possible infection septis/colitis in his colon, ask for colonscopy to verify.  Sometimes same symptom but discharge in either mouth or anal :(

Unfortunately, this could be the beginning of the end.  If he is strong he could fight the infection and survive. I am sorry. Try to spend more time with him.  Dont let nurse, doctors over-sedate him if next time he vomits blood-like (old dead blood tissue) again as that would bring him into coma. 

Best wishes,

V

Sadly, the black vomit was an end stage sign for my husband as well. He was gone in a matter of days. Stay close to you dad. I'm so very sorry for your pain.

End stage for my mom was brown vomit- not large quantities.  No coffee ground texture but a sharp odor.  I am sorry for you and your family.

I'm sorry to hear about your dad's condition.  My mother just passed away from PC on Sept 26.  Everyone is different but I need to be honest with you.  It sounds like his body is slowing shutting down.  Once they get asietes (wrong spelling)  Fluid in the belly and swollen legs, don't leave his side.  They can withdraw the fluid temporarily but it will just come back.  My mother went quick.  She was walking on Friday but she died on Saturday morning.  Look out for swollen legs.  Once my mother's legs swelled, she lasted 4 days.  She had all the symptoms as your father.

thank you so much for the reply.  I am so sorry about your mom.  It must have been so hard to accept she was gone after seeing her walk the day prior.  I guess the only thing helping me is that the pain and agony will end for my dad.  It is so hard to sit and watch someone you love so much suffer.  the other hard thing is that I am currently 38 weeks pregnant.  I pray that dad will be able to make it until his grandson appears, then he will be able to see him and go in peace.  I think that is what is holding him on to live.  currently the vomiting has stopped and they are giving him some iv that has food and vitamins in it.  they figure he has a blockage in his stomach and are hoping the body will naturally relieve the blockage itself.  He is still weak though, but he is walking, I have not paid much attention to his legs, but I sure will now.  My heart tells me it will only be time,   Again thank you for your reply and if you need to talk, please send me an email at --Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, email address removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html--  Take Care and my thoughs are with you and your family.

 

On 10/1/2009 helgoland wrote:

End stage for my mom was brown vomit- not large quantities.  No coffee ground texture but a sharp odor.  I am sorry for you and your family.

Thanks for the reply.  I am so sorry to hear abouat your mom.  How long did she survive the cancer after being diagnosed.  the reading I do , it seems like 6 mos is the maximum.  My dad was diagnosed in July.  My dad has stopped vomiting, he was vomitting a light brown 2 days ago.  Small quantities as well.  No texture as well.  He has been given an iv with minerals and vitamins, a substitute for food, so he can get his energy up.  It is not improving a whole lot, he is able to walk without passing out, they figure he has a blockage in his stomach.  I don't think they really know.  Only time can tell.  It is so hard to watch them in agony and be so helpless.  I think dad is holding on to see the birth of his grandson, as I am currently 38 weeks pregnant.  Which is helping me to be strong, but I know deep down what is to come.  Again thanks for the message my thoughts are with you.

My dear mom lived for 4 months after her diagnosis.  She never went to a hospital.  She was walking around in the morning and looking fairly well considering her overall health.  In the afternoon, the vomiting began.  It appeared as though she had a stomach flu. She passed away so quickly in her favourite chair at home.  I love her so and miss her terribly.   I know you are suffering so much, too.