HELP! WHOLE BRAIN METS=Anyone Having Stomach Problems???

[Lani]

brain mets don't usually cause stomach problems but the treatment for the brain mets can in the longer run ie, steroids given to decrease swelling in the brain can cause ulcers. Also, from what I understand, radiation given which passes through the abdomen and pelvis cannot help but affect the parts of the Gastrointestinal tract that lie in the way (they try to apply the radiation with pinpoint accuracy, but areas around what they are aiming at do get some radiation and the cells which line the GI tract are some of the fastest multiplying cells in the body (and therefore among those most affected by nontargetted chemotherapy and radiation therapy. As I recall your husband was waiting to get on Tykerb/Xeloda, as we all know from the "diarrhea diva" that at least one and perhaps both of these can cause diarrhea and other GI complaints.

Hope some of this helped.

PS is he on any other meds (Pain meds or otherwise) which he might ask to
try an alternative to to see if his stomach complaints improve. Many pain meds bother the "stomach" ie, cause nausea, stomach pain,bloating or cause lower GI complaints such as diarrhea or constipation.