Caregiver In Distress

My husband was diagnosed with Stage IV NSCLC November 1, 2005. It started with a sore eye, when he went to the specialist he found out it was a tumour. Immediately, they did a CT Scan and discovered he had Lung Ca(primary), tumour on windpipe, tumour of rib, tumour behind the eye, and Lymph Node. He was given 4 - 6 months without Chemo and 12 - 18 months with Chemo. He took 10 treatments of radiation to relieve the pain in his eye. He has no vision but it was a pain reliever. He started chemo(gemzar/carboplatin) in February for 6 cycles and was discontinued do to his blood counts & weight loss. He just had another CT Scan last Thurday which we will receive the results from on Dec.7.
It has currently started to spread into his joints and bones making them very swollen and sore. The doctor has him on Oxycontin and Oxycocet for pain, tried him on Meloxicam(antinflammatory) did not work and took him off it. Today he started him on Prednisone(sterroid) to see if this will relieve any pain. He is having great difficulties standing and walking. He is applying low amounts of heat to the worst areas as well as rubs like A535. Since this has started his temp has gone from 36.5 to 37.2, we were told at 38 he is to get to the hospital. I am so depressed watching him go through the pain the oncologist has an attitude that he is dying so there is no point in treating. I have tried to get him to change oncologist but unfortunately he's the type of guy that thinks doctor's no best.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what might help him to relieve some pain???
Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated...
Gayle

Gayle,

I had a similar prognosis 16 – 18 months. Tarceva did wonders for me. I was diagnosed in July 2005, stage IV lung cancer with a pleural effusion. I was told it was inoperable and that there is no cure. I have been cancer free since November 2005. I have no bad side effects and I feel great. I never had a sick day through all of my treatment. Maybe you would be interested in the things I did... I took a lot of supplements and other things, and still do you can read my story posted on Lance Armstrong’s web site. After you read my story you will be able to e-mail me. Type or paste this address in your browser:

http://shareyourstory.livestrong.org /siteapps/personalpage/ShowPage.aspx?c=ijIVI2PFKoG&b=738859&sid=9iIKL0NFLbIUIaMGLmE" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://shareyourstory.livestrong.org /siteapps/personalpage/S

If you have trouble copying and pasting the above web site, go to the one below and follow the directions below


http://shareyourstory.livestrong.org

Click on FIND A STORY at the left of screen; enter HAROLD in the first name box and NAPLES in the city box. Then click on submit. Click on the last name in red next to HAROLD. If you would like more info let me know. .
Ernie (Harold))

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. I agree that you should get him to go to another oncologist. You should also look into maybe going to a big treatment hospital. There are many and maybe one in your area.

Watching a loved one is so much pain is horrible. I watched my dad get sicker each day after he was dx with prostrate cancer. Is your husband still on chemo? The big treatment hospitals might have some luck with helping the pain. Also, if he isn't on chemo, have you tried hospice? I have been told that they are very good at pain management. Being in pain all the time is very dibilitating. I am sending prayers to you and your husband that you find what you need.

Lisa

Gayle;

I work for a Hematology/Oncology Clinic. I've watched our doctor fight harder to save the patients than some of the patients fight to save themselves. It's very difficult, but I agress with your suggestion. Especially if the MD he has been seeing is an older physician, he may not be as up to date on the newest drugs. However, he should be with all the Pharmaceutical Reps that come in to promote their drugs. My thoughts and prayers go out to you.

Sheila

My mom just passed from Cancer and I know that if they don't want to do any more for themselves you can't make them. I was told that they know that the more they do the more the body feeds the cancer and they just want to give up.

  My mom was in alot of pain on 380mg of morphine a day and statex for breakthrough and took up to 16 extra pills a day. At the end when she stopped taking her pills she finally had to give in and get a butterfly hooked up, it worked great for her.

  God love you, If you need to talk to someone I am here, this is an awful thing. And to me unless you've been through it people really don't understand.

 Take care of yourself.

Hello all..I am new to the message boards here...my husband was just diagnosed with Stage IV NSC lung cancer about 6 wks ago...he is getting chemo every 21 days...one combo of Gemzar/carboplatin and 1 time of just gemzar....this is so new to us..he has a cough//but also some pain in the lung site where the tumor is...no nausea, only extreme tiredness after the chemo treatments...what supplements are good to take during the chemo process...does anyone ever make it through Stage IV? I feel hopeless on what I can do for him..he gets very depressed//they have him on Xanax..helps with the nervousness/anxiety he is experiencing, but does nothing for his moods...so sad really... we are so close and this hurts us terribly..such a shock this year..we just had the hardest time getting past the crying and shock of it...I am now just ready for the fighting stage, but it is hard to get him to that...I know that there are times that he is just ready too give in to the cancer...is there any cure and what am I to expect during the future months...the oncologist said that he could give him a year, possibly two even three..is that too much to hope for..they said he had stage 4 mests., but he has notrhing in the brain and nothing in the bones..so is that mets?? He first got diagnosed becasue he had fluid in his lungs and so far he has had two thorocentesis's since Oct 12..so it became stage 4 with plueral effusion...OK..well I hope that I explained this thoroughly enough..thanks for your replies.... 

Thank you for your response.

They have changed my husband's medication now to Dilaudid 6mg 3 times a day and Oxycocet every 2 hours in between.  He says this seems to be reducing some of his pain but at most times his pain is 6-8 out of 10.

We saw the oncologist on Thursday and the tumour in his lung has grown 1cm since last CT Scan 3 mos ago.  He was given an option to try Chemo in the New Year which would be Taxotere every 21 days.  There is hope that this will shrink things again and give him some more quality of life.  I don't know anything about this drug other than he can lose his toe and finger nails.  He has chose to wait until the New Year so that we can enjoy Christmas with our families.  I am hopeful that this Chemo will reduce his pain.  The last one did.

Thank you for responding to my message.  It's good to know that people care even when they don't know you.

Very sorry to hear about your loss.

Gayle