Trigger Warning - question for those with experience of palliative care

[Star_22]

Hello all,

Before I get into my post, I’d want to note it contains content about my mums end of life care. I do not want to worry or upset anyone so my post is more for those who are either end of life themselves, or have supported a loved one at this stage.

If you are a family member, I kindly ask that you do not share information of how long end of life care has been or was.

The next part contains my questions.

Unfortunately my mums cancer has stopped responding to treatment. Her oncology team are now working with our wonderful hospice team to manage mums symptoms.

One symptom they are struggling to control is nausea, vomiting and trapped wind.

Medication used has included Cyclizine, Metoclopramide and Levomepromazine. A syringe driver was used for a little while before being swapped out for tablets but the nausea and vomiting has returned.

We think mum is stuck in a cycle where she feels nausea, doesn’t want to eat, takes medication which irritates her tummy, creates wind and then she vomits. We are trying to break the cycle and the lack of food is making her very weak.

She is on a mix of other medications including pain relief, antidepressants, laxido and buscopan.

Does anyone have any similar experiences? If yes, was there something specific that worked? The hospice has said they just need to get the medication balanced and it will improve but it’s just taking time and is distressing seeing mum so unwell.

Thank you in advance x

[N-A-58]

Hi, I’m so sorry to read this. I supported my mum last year. My mum also had these symptoms and it was from a blocked bowel. They gave her an ng tube was she was nil by mouth. The blockage ‘resolved ’ and this in turn stopped the abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. I am thinking of you all. X

[Star_22 in reply to N-A-58]

Thank you for replying.

Luckily we know it’s not a blocked bowel as she is going to the toilet regularly.

It just seems to be a symptom they can’t get on top of - so it means her quality of life is limited 😞

[N-A-58 in reply to Star_22]

It’s not the same but I suffered with HG in my pregnancies and to stop the vomiting they put me on ondenstron. I mention it incase it’s something they could offer?

Just know if you need anything else that you’d like not public, please private message me. X

[Kcwz]

Good morning,

I am sorry about your mum. I can only imagine how hard it is watching her unwell and the feelings of helplessness you have.

From a professional perspective I would trust the hospice team. There are many anti-emetics available which work on differnt receptors in the body. It can take time to find the right one for an individual. Palliative care are experts in symptom control and work within a big multipy disciplinary team to ensure the best care is given to an individual. Also to be mindful that even with the best care and medications the symptom may never be fully resolved and it's about how to live the best possibly life with that symptom.

Nausea is such a difficult to symptom to have ( from personals experience) apart from medications I am sure the hospice team have most likely gone through some holistic recommendations.

Again, I understand how difficult it is seeing someone you love in distress but trust the palliative care team and I am sure they would be more than happy to sit with you and go through things. Being a loved one is just as difficult as being the person going through cancer sometimes and I am sure being there helps your mum more than you could imagine.

Xxx

[candyapplegrey]

Hi, Sorry to hear how your Mum is suffering. My Dad spent some time in a hospice and they never managed to get him to eat anything at all.

I've had nausea and taken cyclizine (made no difference), ondansteron (?) (not sure if it worked) and domperidone (this did work). Also, many years before this, I had meningitis and could not keep anything down because of the nausea. A GP came round (turned out to be an old school-friend) and she gave me an injection (in my backside) which resolved it immediately. And didn't involve me swallowing anything! Unfortunately, I felt too ill to ask what it was.

Perhaps you could mention these to the team at the hospice. There may be good reasons why your Mum has not been offered these alternatives but can't help to ask ...

Best of luck xx

[Jazmin222]

I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. It sounds horrendous. I suffered a lot with sickness on chemo ….and was given ondanestron which is a v good antisickness - if she’s vommiting too much to keep it down …. Paramedics have access to an injection of ondanestron that can ‘break the cycle’ of vommiting …. And then go back to pills again after that. You can’t be on it for weeks tho as it makes you horribly constipated. You have to switch to another antisickness like domperidone. Praying for you all.