CancerCompass message board discussion started by kristenL83 on 2/17/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,21035,0.htm Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer almost 3 years ago. Thank God he has been given the chance to stay with us longer than we thought. He has already gone through many rounds of chemo, radiation on his spine, and bouts of Tarceva. He has been in remission now for a few months, but stayed on the Tarceva. he recently had to stop taking it because it stopped working for him. He was on uncharted territory though since he had been on it longer than anyone with his condition. So he will have to start up chemo again. He started having severe pain in his back. To make a long story short he ended up in the hospital getting a stent put into his kidney to drain the "mass" that was found. He also had an oversized lymph (yes the cancer has been in the lymph system already) that was pushing into his urethra. He's home now and doing much better, but he is very weak. He has lost almost 25 pounds with in a few weeks. He has no appetite and is on Zofran again for the nausea. He'll eat some jello and crackers. Every now and then he'll have a little chicken or something, but he just doesn't want to eat. He was supposed to have chemo on Tuesday but he was just too frail so he has to get stronger before they can go through with it. My question is what can I or my mother do to help him eat. She is getting him to drink water, gatorade, and boost. Is there anything that you have tried that has helped with the appetite??? I know he can't stomach heave foods. I just wanted to see if anyone else has seen these problems or has them. Thanks so much ;)Kristen kristenL83 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sorry for tour Dad. I can suggest ensure and boost along with milk shakes with carnation instant breakfast added at least they taste good. Good luck. ed Ejw00100 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  Thanks!! Well dad is drinking some boost....when we can get him to. He likes the chocolate one the best. Right now we are in the hospital. He ended up getting the chemo anyway, but it just completely tore him up. He was in ICU for a few days and then was moved to the oncology floor. The chemo gave him sores all in his mouth and throat so they ended up giving him "food" through his port. We are just hopeing that they can get his white blood count up enough to come home. I know we're in the last stages of his cancer. It's already spread everywhere and is in his bones. I just hate seeing him go through all of it. He is such a fighter though and still isn't giving up!!!! kristenL83 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT We are in the same position. Would a nutritionalist(sp?)help? CarolJan Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 2/17/2008 kristenL83 wrote:My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer almost 3 years ago. Thank God he has been given the chance to stay with us longer than we thought. He has already gone through many rounds of chemo, radiation on his spine, and bouts of Tarceva. He has been in remission now for a few months, but stayed on the Tarceva. he recently had to stop taking it because it stopped working for him. He was on uncharted territory though since he had been on it longer than anyone with his condition. So he will have to start up chemo again. He started having severe pain in his back. To make a long story short he ended up in the hospital getting a stent put into his kidney to drain the "mass" that was found. He also had an oversized lymph (yes the cancer has been in the lymph system already) that was pushing into his urethra. He's home now and doing much better, but he is very weak. He has lost almost 25 pounds with in a few weeks. He has no appetite and is on Zofran again for the nausea. He'll eat some jello and crackers. Every now and then he'll have a little chicken or something, but he just doesn't want to eat. He was supposed to have chemo on Tuesday but he was just too frail so he has to get stronger before they can go through with it. My question is what can I or my mother do to help him eat. She is getting him to drink water, gatorade, and boost. Is there anything that you have tried that has helped with the appetite??? I know he can't stomach heave foods. I just wanted to see if anyone else has seen these problems or has them. Thanks so much ;)Kristen I would like youy to take a look at my post here ,thats here in this topic, Get me you real thoughts on AGEL  PLease jusy take a look at www.nomorevitaminpills.com  to see if this  great product will be the one that get your DaD back into the right step to Health. Do your rearch ,google the word FUCOIDAN See if this is what it may take? I don;t know, I do know that they has been alot og studies on this and many are having great secess!  agel562 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thank you for your insight. Unfortunately I have to say that my dad is now home with hospice. His last chemo treatment ended up staying in his system way too long because of a failed kidney. Now we are just doing what we can to keep him comfortable. He was in the hospital for almost a month until we got to bring him home last Friday. I'm just so glad that he can be more at peace now being at home. Again thanks!!! -Kristen kristenL83 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT I lost my mum to breast cancer after a small fight of just 5 months 7 years ago and not knowing anything at that present time just listened to the doctors.  I have now found out my dad has extensive small cell lung cancer and he has just started on chemo.  We have been looking onto different products he can have after the chemo as the doctors say he can only have 4 rounds and found various websites which we have ordered products from which he has not started yet but is due to start after his chemo.  These are from gethealthyagain.com and some juices which might help your dad you can get some of these from costco which are Noni Juice, Mangosteen Juice, Pomergranate Juice, Goji Juice. You can buy Goji berries on line from various supliers.  Give it a try cos every thing is worth it.  My thoughts and prayers are with you all and just try and keep your dad drinking as much as possible as well.  Siobhan1 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Oatmeal cooked with water and very little milk can give him energy and is very well tolerated,also homemade thin pancakes. My recipe is: all purpose flour, one egg, milk (diluted with water), a little sugar and a little oil. Mix the batter and pour it very thinly on a pan. Its a very good source of nutrients, I hope it helps!! dagalez Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT My husband has colon cancer and the dr gave him megace. It's a hormone that helps alot with appetite and help muscle tone. It made a difference. hop this helps. Princess princesssugar Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT We have started on Juice plus. We don't know if it will help but it's a place to start. I started my husband on milk shakes with carnation instant breakfast in it and also I have used powdered protien. He did good  from the start. Now his apitite is down since he had a blockage in the liver. Our dr. put him on Remron (sp) anti depressate and it helped . mo pappy1 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT I'm so sorry your dad went down hill.  But, working for a Hospice myself (Odyssey HealthCare) it is the best gift you could have given to your dad.  I don't believe in giving up but I do believe in hospice when there is no alternative.  I know if the hospice you have is anything like the one I work for, he is getting the best of care and his last days will be a gift you have given to him.  My prayers are with you and I know the hospice will not let him suffer. Take CareMaria Myfriend Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 7/1/2008 Myfriend wrote:I'm so sorry your dad went down hill.  But, working for a Hospice myself (Odyssey HealthCare) it is the best gift you could have given to your dad.  I don't believe in giving up but I do believe in hospice when there is no alternative.  I know if the hospice you have is anything like the one I work for, he is getting the best of care and his last days will be a gift you have given to him.  My prayers are with you and I know the hospice will not let him suffer. Take CareMariaThank you so much for your kind words. My dad is STILL fighting as he always has, but we are noticeing more signs that he is heading towards his last days. He has begun seeing things now......some things I've decided are his angels.....and then others I believe are just halucinations. He has a hard time remembering days or things that have happened, and sometimes he thinks he's been somewhere when he hasn't even left the bed. I think the hardest thing is watching him....for lack of a better word....."lose his mind" and the fact that he is sooooo skinny he looks emaciated. Sometimes I wish God would just let him close his eyes and go to sleep and join him.....but then I'm so thankful for each day I still have with him. Being a "daddy's girl" it has been really hard, but I am the backbone of the family and keep my strength going for my mom. I know it will be soon.....but I've also prepared myself 3 other times for him to pass at any time and it didn't happen. So I keep my safe wall up until I know for a FACT that it's about to happen. It's just too much of a roller coaster ride of emotions to try and prepare myself for the enevidable until I know it's time. Anyway.....thanks again for your support!!! And yes our hospice people are soooooo wonderful and kind!!! They have definately been a blessing for all of us!! Kristen kristenL83 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT