Mental confusion after Pc surgery- why

my dad had surgery 8 days ago to remove a tumor in his pancreas. They opened him up and were unable to remove it since it was much larger than the ct revealed. They closed him up and we brought him home after 4 days. He's on the same pain medications as before surgery and was not confused before surgery but now he is. He forgets that he took hiis medications, forgets what time the ball game is on even though he looked itup 3x in the paper etc... He does not get confused when telling stories or recounting past events in his life. My dad was sharp before this surgery and showed no signs at all of dementia. What could be the cause of his confusion? He says his mind is so messed up and it's racing. I don't know how to help him. It doesn't look like chemo will help much and we had such high hopes with the surgery and it's all crashing down.

Hi Sisteere

My husband was the same way after the same set of circumstances. The confusion may be the toll of all that's happened in such a short time. My husband did finally come around. As far as chemo not being much help, I think I'd get another opinion

Pat

I don't know how old your father is but my MIL at 87 had to have surgery on her hip.  At the time she showed a "little", maybe 15% dementia related symptoms - after surgery it has been more like 45% dementia symptoms.  I was told that older patients do not respond well to anesthisia and this is common but please go get a second opinion if you are concerned.

On Apr 18, 2012 9:26 PM shelby1 wrote:

Hi Sisteere

My husband was the same way after the same set of circumstances. The confusion may be the toll of all that's happened in such a short time. My husband did finally come around. As far as chemo not being much help, I think I'd get another opinion

Pat

We thought the oxycontin was doing it so we changed to the fentnyl (sorry spelling) patch and oxy only for break through pain. It seemed to work as first but now he is in more pain and it's not from the incision but the sharp pain from cancer wrapped around nerves. He is completely too weak and out of it for chemo. Hej is having a hard time walking on his own, will not eat hardly anything and just wants to sleep. Eighty percent of his pancreas is infiltrated with cancer and it's on his main blood vessel traveling to his liver as well as around the nerves. We would have to take him to chemo in a wheel chair and we fear he could not take it. It seems like most doctors will give chemo even if the patient is too unstable? We don't know what to do and think we rerunning out of time. The surgeon gave him 6 mo and that was a week ago. I think it's much sooner but have no idea because how do you know if they will get better?