I am really thankful for this group. My Dad is still trucking along but 2 issues seem to be repeating themselves a few days after chemo and I was hoping maybe someone is familiar or has ideas of what we might try. First thing is that my Dad reports an oily feeling in his mouth. He says it's disgusting and he's not dramatic so it really must be gross. Makes him purposely avoid eating & drinking.
2nd thing is on the really crummy days post chemo he can't/won't get out of bed to do anything besides go to the bathroom. He is getting weaker & weaker. I'm wondering about whether it makes any sense to see if a physical therapist could come to him to work on his muscles? He has told me that he is unwilling to do anything that doesn't get rid of the cancer. In other words he doesn't want to go above and beyond for things that will only extend a little or something like that.
I should mention that he is a crappy patient in regards to staying hydrated, & walking for exercise.
I'm scared for him.
Thank you for your feedback as always
Pam
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pverde9901
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That nasty taste is the carboplatin chemo in his system. Try having him rinse with Biotene mouthwash. You can get it at must drug stores and medical supply stores.
Discuss this with his doctors. There are appetite stimulants he can take. Also lemon drops help clear the pallet.
How many chemos has he had? The effects are cumulative and they are debilitating. Profoundly debilitating. He’s sleeping because he needs to. The chemo works because it kills fast growing cancer cells just a little bit faster than healthy cells. Every cell in his body is feeling the effects of the chemo and he needs to rest.
That last week before the next round of chemo is when most report they are feeling like they’re recovering. He should walk more then and find it easier to eat and drink.
Denzie covered it well. “Fatigue” is such a small word to describe how it feels. I am a very active mom at age 48 but can barely get out of bed days 3-5 of my chemo cycle. Allow him that during the weeks immediately after chemo especially.
Denzie covered it well. I used Biotene products for mouth, and fatigue was terrible. My legs felt like jelly those days right after chemo. Didn’t want to stand any more than I had to. My appetite was terrible. I did try my favorite soups and ice cream but only after my doctor was talking about a feeding tube. I decided to try even though I didn’t want to. After I finished with Carboplatin and two targeted drugs, I was on Alimta as a maintenance chemo for a year. Diagnosed in 2013. My scan in March shows I am still in remission.
Oh Judy I am so glad to hear you are in remission. Did you know during that year on Alimta that you would get taken off? Part of the struggle for my dad is being told that he might be on chemo for the rest of his life.
I was also told that I would stay on it for rest of life. I had been on some kind of treatment for three years. After having a number of scans with no evidence of disease, I decided I needed a break from side effects and told oncologist. I was getting scans every three months. As they continue to be good, I have stayed off but continue those three month scans. Each person is different and those decisions are yours to make. I understand I may have to begin treatment again as cancer may show back up. Tell your Dad to hang in there and do all he can to get to no evidence of disease. Do try to eat. I know how he feels and it is hard. I am 72 and plan to have many more years ahead of me.
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