Need Help with Lung Cancer/CHEMO/Managing Side Effects

RxDawg44

I am new here. My Father,69, was diagnosed with small cell CA of the Lung about 6 weeks ago. There is also spreading to the Liver. he has just finished up his 2nd round of Chemo with Carboplatin and VP-16 (etoposide). I am looking for suggestions to help him manage some of the side effects. They are particularly frustrating because we are both Pharmacists,knew these were coming and still can't do much about them.

During the 3 days he has chemo, he feels good and eats pretty well. about 2 days after the chemo is over he gets very weak, his taste buds go away and he won't eat anything. u am looking for suggestions or any successes any of you have had with stimulating the taste buds or appetite. he is ready to quit the chemo. His next is scheduled Feb 6th, and then another scan will be done to see if there has been any effect. I am hoping to get him to be a little more positive and upbeat, at least until the next round of chemo and the scan.

Thanks for any help in advance.
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Ken

shellyp · New User Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 2

Hello, My Thoughts are with you and your family. I am in a similar situation with my mother who is in chemotherapy at the moment for lung cancer and her side effects are so intense I don't know which is worse-the cancer or the chemo. Best of luck to you.

justpat

While my husband was taking chemo, the taste of food was bad, he said everything tasted like metal. He also had a problem making himself eat and the doctor gave him Marinol. He explained Marinol is the part of the marijuana plant that gives you the munchies. It also can help with the sick to your stomach feeling. It worked well for him but is very expensive. Also chemo gave him a sore throat and he couldn't seem to manage to eat. For that the doctor gave him something called Mircle Wash to use before eating and it helped him a lot. I fixed him one or two milk shakes each day with just ice cream and milk but I always added something for favor. We used peanut butter, fresh strawberrys and even grape jelly mixed in it. This seems to go down well because it is smooth and cold and it helps to keep the weight up a little. Make sure that if he is feeling down more than up that you have the doctor give him something to help this feeling. A good nerve pill that makes him feel as if "Whatever" can help. I believe the will to survive is more important than all the medicine in the world. Also, is he working? If not include him even if you know the answers. Keep him an active part of his old world with questions, with bringing home news fliers, etc so he is busy. Call, call, call the chemo nurse about anything and everthing. You will find her to be the most help with any problem you have. She has helped so many with chemo and she knows what worked for some and what worked for others. The doctor does the ordering but the nurse at chemo talks to you and you tell her what brothers you what doesn't. She is a real angel to anyone who has chemo and cancer. You can after talking with her talk with your doctor and ask about what she suggested and he will probably be glad to try it for you. I also found, that by hanging a curtain at my kitchen door while I was cooking helped him be able to eat the food after it was cooked. Seems smelling the food cook and the steam from the cooking turn on the taste buds ahead of time and by the time you serve the food he is already just about unable to eat. Good luck with your fight and fight, fight, fight you must. One of the first things the chemo nurse told us was never to just accept any feeling. No manner if pain, feeling sick, feeling tired or whatever. Ask for something to help! As a Pharmacist you know there is a pill for anything. Use them all to help your Dad feel as good as possible. God Bless you. I will keep you in my prayers. I lost my husband in January, but the night before he died he was still explaining to me how to do things and making business decesions for me. He was a wonderful man and I will miss him but he is in a better place now with no pain.
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