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Penny
01-11-2005, 06:56 PM
Mom has lung and liver mets since 2000. Chemo is not working as well as it once did and she has lost a lot of weight. She has problems eating. She says she feels so full after she eats. Even if it's only a container of yogurt. Has anyone else had this problem and what can we do about it? Is this a typical symptom of advanced disease? If she drinks all the fluids they recommend, she can't eat!

*_celina_*
01-12-2005, 12:22 PM
My sister hasn't had much of an appetite lately either. She suspects this is due to the chemo...she has recently switched from Taxol to Navelbine. Could it be the chemo?

Penny
01-12-2005, 08:01 PM
Celina--She says it not that she's not hungry (although she does have a decrease in appetite). She says she feels like she can eat and then when she's done she is so filled up. Like she ate a big meal and only had a little soup or something. Right now she's not on chemo because she's been so sick. We just wish we knew what was causing this so maybe we could correct it and she could feel stronger.
Your sister's is probably from the chemo. I remember my mom had both those drugs and although I think she gained weight with taxol, she said when she was on navelbine food didn't taste right. She said it was like her taste buds changed.

al from canada
01-13-2005, 09:10 PM
Penny,
One other thing that can cause a feeling of "fullness" after eating a small serving is liver mets. The liver swells and pushes against the stomach. Also, an elevated bilirubin count will kill your taste and cause anorexia.
Take care,
Al

Penny
01-14-2005, 06:55 AM
Al - She does have liver mets. I think that probably is what is making her feel that way. Would the high bilirubin count be from the liver mets getting worse? I hate to ask the Dr. these questions when my mom's around because she gets more upset. She has lost about 30 lbs. and she's been complaining that nothing tastes right.
Take Care,
Penny

StephN
01-14-2005, 09:02 PM
Hi Penny -
sorry your Mom is in a bad way with her eating and drinking.

I had a lot of chemo to fight my very extensive liver mets. I can fully relate to your Mom's sore mouth, the bloated feeling, the sense of taste all screwed up.

Make sure she does NOT have a yeast infection in her mouth (thrush). I got it twice and this has to be taken care of.

There were many times when I was only taking organic chicken broth with rice and some gratted carrot with some soft multigrain bread. Pudding was ok, but tasted terrible. Anything acidic at all irritated my mouth and stomach.
No canned soups - they are too salty and I tasted all the additives and plus didn't even smell good to me.
Egg noodles with a little butter/olive oil were also ok.
Boiled eggs smashed up with soda crackers was what I could eat in the morning.
I did also force down some Boost and Ensure to try to keep my strength up a little.
Organic chamomile tea was fine, but nothing with any tannins or flavors added. Was just TOO sensitive for all of that. Apple juice was about all I drank as it was the least acidic.

Hope this will help.

Penny
01-15-2005, 01:59 PM
StephN - Thanks so much for the advice, I will pass that on to my mom. What chemo did you have for the liver mets? Did you have the liver ablation done? I hadn't even heard of that until I found this website. We live in a very small town and I don't think some of these options are readily available to us, unless we just aren't informed of them. I've learned that you have to research things yourself. You can't always rely on your doctor to tell you all possilbilities.

Take Care - Penny

StephN
01-15-2005, 06:29 PM
Dear Penny -
You are doing JUST the RIGHT thing to expand your resources beyond a small community where options are limited. i am fortunate to live in a large metro area where there is a a lot on the medical forefront. But even so, I need a site like this to learn from.

I took Taxol, navelbine and Herceptin for my liver mets. There was one stubborn tumor (that had begun as about 4 cm) around one of the hepatic veins that was well nourished and was looking like they may try to ablate - but they did not like that location very well for this procedure. Lucky that the chemo finally got it all or docs would have gone in for a surgical resection.

Hope the food/drink tips help. There are also some mild MOUTHWASH solutions that your Mom can try. You can make them with baking soda, etc. I liked the Biotene brand as it was not prickly in my tender mouth.
Now this is what we use!

Penny
01-16-2005, 07:45 PM
Hi StephN,
It does help to come to this site, I've learned so much! And even though we live in a small town-we're only 20 min. from Geisinger Medical Center in PA. In 1981 my mom was in a clincal trial. I'm not sure what drug they gave her (she can't remember either) but it was the milder one of the two. She often wonders if the other group with the stronger drug did any better. Back then it wasn't as easy to obtain information and I was only 11. I'm not sure if they are still doing clinical trials at Geisinger or not.
She's already had the drugs you've mentioned. Her onc. says she has done wonderful. But now it's getting tough again. I'm still holding on to some hope. I'm glad I have people like you to ask these questions. It helps to ask someone who's been there. I don't know how she's feeling, I'm not the one with the disease. I just have to stand by and watch. You really feel helpless. But, reading other peoples stories on this site really boosts your spirit. I'm glad it's here. I'm sure it helps alot of people get through this.
Thanks again, Steph, for the advice!
Take Care,
Penny