All just too much

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1

Hi, can’t seem to find my older posts so will just give a quick background.

My wife, (now 50) found a lump in her breast nearly two years back.
Cancer.
Lumpectomy, really poor pathology report, however scans showed no spread at all!
Due to other conditions no chemo.
Put on Tamoxifan, few months later had radio therapy to the area ‘just to be sure’
During this back pains started.

GP arranged bone scan ‘just to be sure’ this showed bone mets :frowning:
MRI and CT showed, all bones effected and liver.

We were not told how many mets in the liver just that if it was one or fifty we have to deal with it.

She was put on Zolladronic acid for the bones.
Capsiteabean chemo in tablet form.

Z-acid has helped with the pain.

She had few side effects with the chemo.

Just finished the chemo.
Her liver functions were down, onco said this could be the chemo, the cancer or the pain killers.

Changed pain killers and ended chemo.

Since then all hell has broken lose :frowning:

Tummy swollen up upper abdomen, could actually see the fist sized lump.
Felt sick and was sick despite anti sickness tabs (metroclopromide) tummy even more swollen.

Doc came and said liver was swollen.

Own GP (who is great) came and said that the liver could be swollen due to the cancer but that there are a number of other reasons.
Full bloods being taken today.

Scan arranged but as she can’t keep anything down she can’t have it due to the drink you have to have before the scan.

Last night and today, so bad I called in emergency day to work to be with her.
Can’t even keep water down to take pills (she is diabetic)
Called GP to come back.

Must be some kind of anti sickness injection?

Very, very worried.

Non of this is fair at all she has had no so called remission.

Her mid way scans showed a partial response to the chemo so that is good, however the Oncos registrar mentioned the tumours in the abdomen had gone back a bit, we knew nothing about these???

Anyway, has anyone got ideas for her to stop being sick?

Any help greatly appreciated.

(sorry for spellings)

Mike

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Hi Mike

You’ve come to the right place for support as the many informed users of this site have a wealth of information and experience between them.

While you are waiting for replies could I suggest that you give our free helpline a ring on 0808 800 6000 and have a confidential chat with one of the breast care nurses who are here to support you through this, lines are open to Monday to Friday 9.00 – 5.00 and Saturday 9.00 – 2.00.

Kindest Regards
June, moderator

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Hi…I’m so sorry your wife is going through such a bad time. I have breast cancer and bone mets but my Mum had ovarian cancer with liver involvement and had a swollen abdomen due to ascites. I wondered if the docs have taken a sample of fluid to annalyse it and whether, if it was ascites, the fluid could be drained to make your wife more comfortable? I can tell by your post you are already very aware your wife needs to be kept hydrated. Thinking of you both.

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Hi and thanks.

They are sure its not ascites (I think) they have not taken any fluid but just say there is none?

Yes I am very concerned she needs to keep hydrated.

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Hi Mike,

So sorry all this is happening. You are both having such a hard time at the moment. I have just finished chemo and was so sick on it and it was very hard to get the sickness under control. Like your wife I couldn’t keep anything down, even sips of water came back up. After the first chemo my tablets were changed from domperidone to cyclazine, but as I couln’t keep tablets down the doctor had to come out and give me stemitol injections, after 3 injections it stopped. before the final chemo they sent me home with cyclazine injections to be administered by district nurse as these are stronger than stemitol (which is all the docs carry and metoclopromide). I found I only needed one of these to get the sicknes under control then I started to take to tablets. The oncologist was also going to prescribe ondansatron but I don’t know if that come in injection form or not as we decided to try the cyclazine instead. The chemo nurses also suggested buying seabands for your wrists. they are sold for travel sickness and I had them for the last chemo and as I was a lot better so they might have helped. I also was told to grate fresh ginger into boiled water and sip continually which i did, wasn’t too bad, even cold… again I think it helped. If I sipped it when nauseous it took it away… also try elevating the head of the bed, with phone book under each leg… stops reflux…

I hope this helps… your oncologist should be able to advise you of these medications, or maybe your GP could get in touch with him.

All the best and love to your wife

Fiona xxx

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Hi Mike

Don’t know if this helps but when I had severe sickness when having chemo I had an anti-sickness injection (unfortunately didn’t work that well for me) and I then had anti-sickness medication via a syringe driver in my stomach, which the district nurse would put in which helped. Apologies but this was a few years ago so I can’t remember the name of the medication.

Might be worth speaking to either the GP about this or pallitive care (who were very good at controlling the side effects I was experiencing).

Adele

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Hi Fiona thanks

When she was on the chemo she has very little trouble.
Flet a bit sick but the pills controlled that well.

She has now stopped the chemo (oncos orders) and now the trouble has started.
Is there such a thing as ‘post chemo’ sickness?

Her tummy looks like she is pregnant just now :frowning: no chance of that however.

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OK doc has just been out and swapped her anti sickness tabs.
He also identified a large mass in the liver :frowning:

Oh dear, feeling very low both of us

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Mike,
So sorry to hear this,don’t they want her to go to hospital for some investigations or further treatment?
I would think she needs to see and Onc not just her GP.
Take care,we are thinking of you,
Love
Dot
xxx

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I agree with Dotchas re hospital especially with diabetes. I know your wife will probably get upset with the prospect of going in to hospital but by the sound of things she needs rehydrated and possibly put on sliding scale insulin (hospital regime) until she can tolerate diet and fluids again. I just feel so sorry for you both to be going through this horrible time if you don’t have the support of a McMillan nurse please ask for an urgent referral, they are excellent with symptom control and are there for family as well as the patient.
My thoughts are with you both. Life is just so cruel at times.

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Dear Mike
I’m so sorry to hear that you and your wife are going through so much suffering. Seeing somebody that you really care about suffer is extremely tough and I really feel for you both. I really agree with the others that if your wife can’t keep anything down then she may need hydrating in hospital. Being dehydrated can also make you feel extremely unwell (having been there before) and in this hot weather it’s vitally important all the more to keep hydrated. Also with her underlying conditions sounds like she needs hospital treatment.

I’m thinking of you both.
Ruby xx

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Thanks both, sorry to be giving bad news.

OK her diabetes was tested and was 7.2 which he was quite happy with.
If the new anti sick pills work then control will be re established.

Been in touch with local hospice nurse (like McMilan) and asked her to come out.

Don’t know why there should be a tumor like this? I mean the chemo, the Zolladex and the Zometa, what has it all been for?

Mike

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Hi Mike
I know there are some ladies on here who can help you more than I can but in the meantime, I think that one of the drugs is a bone strengthening drug for people whose breast cancer has spread to their bones and the other tablet Zoladex is a drug to prevent hormones being produced (which I was given during chemotherapy for a different reason - it was to switch off my ovaries to help preserve them during treatment) and in your wife’s case the Zoladex is probably to stop the body from producing hormones which fuel the breast cancer. Sounds like the doctors thought this was the best course of treatment under the circumstances.

xx

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Hi…again…I hope they will be able to try another chemo when your wife is feeling stronger. Capecitabine works well for some of us, I’m on it at the moment, but not all. Ruby is right in saying the Zoladex is to stop periods which in turn depletes the level of oestrogen and Zometa is a bone strengthening bisphosphonate, the majority of us with bone mets are usually on one of the bisphosphonates. I hope the Macmillan nurse will offer you some sound advice and answer any questions, worries you have about your wife’s treatment. Take Care both of you.

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HI

It all hangs on the blood tests today I understand.
Also getting her well enough to have the scans.

What I don’t understand is why the mid way scans were positive.
They showed no increase in cancer and some reduction.
How bloody fast can this stuff move?

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Hi Mike,
sorry I am joining this thread a bit late.
I have secs to bone liver and omentum so sounds similar to your wife.
I was on capecitabine for 2 years and it worked well for about 18 mths and then stopped I have just done 18 mths taxol and avastin and have changed to vinerolbine 2 weeks ago. My liver grows and looks like I am about 7 mths pregnant and then when chemo starts to work it shrinks back and is less uncomfortable. At the moment mine feels like it is trying to burst out from under my rib cage so can cause alot of discomfort.
I will try and give you a few hints that have helped me.

Re scans I only have the drink a fennel type taste about once a year the fluid help shows up the spread but you can have the canular in and that die shows up as well. So ask why they have not done this type of scan.
Antisickness ondancetron can be given before chemo in canular but they have tablets and for me these work best, you take 1 twice a day and if still feeling sick top up with domperidone. You can take up to 8 a day.
My liver over the past 5 years has been in areally bad mess and onc has been very worried but I have been lucky and treatments have shrunk it back and this has given me more time.
I wont insult your inteligence by saying ‘try not to worry’ becauase Ian and I hav had plenty of worrying moments. We have got through alot and I hope and pray that you both will as well.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Love Debsxxx

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Thanks Debs

That is very helpful actually!

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Hi

Update time.

Yesterday was just dreadful.

Doctor came out and said he identifies a large mass on her liver.
Says its a tumour???

Changed her anti sick pills over.

Her sickness has reduced today but not stopped.

We have had her blood test results.

Apart from the liver function which was down.
And a test showed that she is severely dehydrated all her other bloods were really good!
11.4 on the reds, everything else good!

We are glad as we expected them to be very down.

I went out and got some fresh ginger, have grated it fine then added to boiling water, let it soak then strained into a new cup and added a little cold. Seemed to help her.

Is there a limit to how many of these she could drink per day?

Now we have to get this sickness under control so she can have the scans and we can look the enemy in the eye.

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Hi Mike, glad your lovely wife is a little better today. Not sure about the ginger drink I am sure someone will be able to advise, but don’t see a reason for not taking it whenever she can tolerate it. Love to you both and I hope she will be able to get her scans soon.

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Hi Mike, You sound like a loving caring husband. I have a very supportive husband too and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate all the little things he does. I have been on Biphosphonates for about ten years and am on chemo (Capacitabine) too at the moment. I also take morphine for pain relief but compared to how I was ten years ago, I feel so much better now…which is hard to believe. I remember well the shock of the Cancer spreading to my bones as my first experience of breast cancer was 20 years ago. I remember the sickness, nausea, being scared, confused with all this new stuff you have to somehow take onboard. I am just offering you a friendly ear so keep your messages coming and if you want to send a private message feel free to do so. My heart goes out to you both. Just take one day at a time. I am not saying “Don’t worry” coz you are bound to be.Love to you both, from Scottishlass