My wife has stage four Pancreatic cancer. The oncologist said we can't stop the cancer but we might slow it down. The dose was strong but after two and a half sessions the Dr decided to stop the treatment due to all the bad effects from the chemo, it knocked the hell out of her. The doctor said it was quality of life that was needed. Unfortunately she doesn't seem to have any now, her head is down she can't watch tv because she ia unable to concentrate to follow a programme, or even read a paragraph in a book.
Is the cause the chemo which was finished three weeks ago or is it the cancer. Is there any solution to help her.
Thanks for your time. John
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It's very difficult to say, what could be the possible cause for her situation. Effects of chemotherapy tend to linger around for a couple of weeks, and then usually settle off. Most of them atleast.
Sometimes, patients do pass through a down phase, they may find it uncomfortable to even share their problems with others.
What we can do is, like your doctor said, keep her comfortable. Does she have pain? A constant low grade pain is one thing which tends to distract a lot; and pancreatic cancers are known to cause such backaches. If she has, ensure she is covered well with pain killers.
I can also tell you, that once she is a few weeks beyond her last chemo session, she will show improvements in her symptoms, for sure. So hold on, John, and let us know, how she recovers in next few days. We are all here with you.
Thanks for replying Sumeet, the pain is controlled now after trying different pain killers she taking slow release Onxycontin which is working for her, it is the fidgiting and lack of concentration,she shakes or trembles at certain times.On a night in bed she apologises for shaking.
The doctor also gave her Dexamethasone a week ago.This was because she was so knocked out and slept so much but the fidgiting and tremors and agitation had been with her for quite a while before the steroids so I know this is not the cause
I will monitor her as you said and let you know how she progresses.
'Chemo brain' as mentioned below by pkenn is a existing entity. That could be one of the reasons. Some pain killers also tend to cause loss of attention, especially narcotic pain killers. Let's see. Do keep us posted on how it turns out for her.
What has come to be called "Chemo Brain" is not uncommon after many types of chemotherapy. People dealing with it have various degrees of trouble with memory and concentration. Someone on one of the leukemia sites posted about it today and described it just the way you have described your wife's symptoms - trouble reading even a paragraph, the inability to read music (she is a musician), and trouble remembering characters or the story line in a movie or TV show. It can affect people for different lengths of time, usually with symptoms improving step by step. I had trouble, during my chemo for leukemia, and for a short time afterwards. I hope you start to see some improvement soon. I know this is a heartbreaking time for you. I hope you and your wife are able to make some special memories together as she feels more like herself.
Thanks for your helpfull and kind words. The people on this site are inspiring, there are a lot of nice people out there but you understand from your experience what even I can not comprehend as to the turmoil she is feeling. thank you
I think that caregivers are the most overlooked group in the cancer community. You have realized something important - that you can do everything possible to be supportive, but you really can't understand what your wife is experiencing. At the same time cancer patients can't ever truly understand the pain that their loved ones experience, watching them deal with their illness. Some cancer centers are beginning to realize this and are providing support groups and workshops specifically for caregivers. Please come here whenever you need support or have questions. We may not be able to provide you with all of the answers, but we can offer a safe place for you to express your feelings, and you will need that during this difficult journey.
ys most important a pt expects is lots of love and patience.sometimes people loose pt while dealing with cancer patients.I,m also facing forgetfulness on chemo.
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