On 3/11/2008
nervous wrote:
My husband was recently diagonsed with pancreatic cancer. ...
My husband has good days and bad days. He sleeps alot and sometimes he seems very disorented. Other days he is more normal and this seems like a bad dream. Is this the norm for pancreatic cancer?
He is on digestive enzymes and fyentol patches and Viocidine for break thru pain. He has to be hospitalized routinely for IV's he gets to weak to walk unassisted. He experiences bouts of itching and severe night sweats.
How much time when diagnosed with end stage pancreatic cancer..
I'm so sorry to hear of your husband's diagnosis. My husband was became jaundiced at the end of June 2007 and passed away on Jan. 2, 2008 just six months and 4 days after diagnosis. Gary had been a diabetic for 30 years but seemed to have very good diabetes control through the months following his Whipple (the tumour was not able to be removed). After the 4 month mark, he was sleeping alot but would still be able to get out of bed and take short excursions for about an hour. Then he would really need a long nap.
The pain control medication can add to confusion, as can the build up of amonia in the system. The liver is unable to clear all the chemicals that the body accumulates at this time. My husband was on similar pain medication and also needed prozac to help his moods and to stimulate his appetite. By the 5th and 6th month, he was sleeping almost 20 hours a day and experienced a lot of confusion. The itching can be caused by jaundice, as the bile builds up in the body as the tumour continues to spread. The doctor might be able to prescribe something to alleviate the itching.
After seeing the specialist, who did not want to put a best before date on my husband, I went on my own for a frank discussion with our GP. This very kind man said that most pancreatic cancer patients live for six months to a year and he told me it would more likely be six months than longer. This honesty was very helpful and I began to bring in hospice care into the home. My husband had an infection in the stent used to open up the bile duct and nurses would come to the home to provide him with a pump to use for intravenous antibiotics. This allowed Gary to stay home longer rather than needing to return to the hospital for care.
There was no other care provided for Gary beside palliative care, as pancreatic cancer doesn't respond well to treatments such as chemo or radiation. However, it's important that you and your husband check all possibilities with your specialists. We had hoped that Gary would die at home and prepared ourselves for this. Just after Christmas, he was unable to keep any liquids down and went into the hospital. His need for pain medication accelerated so rapidly that I realize it was best for him to be in the hospital as the hospice people could not have handled this.
God bless you and your husband on your journey through this illness. My prayers will be with you.