Stomach stopped working

heyisa · New User Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 1

My father is going thru hell. It's hard.
After a summer of feeling bad he threw up blood last october.
The test showed stomach cancer. It didn't look good.
The surgeon did quick invasive surgery and removed most of his stomach.
He was diligent and removed as much as the cancer as possible.
My dad eventually got on chemo, but he could not eat, so he got all his nutrition through a line going thru his arm. Without his feed bags he will probably die.
After awhile the chemo started to work and then this march he did a pet scan and it showed no major signs of cancer - it was a miracle.
Little by little he started to eat again, and go back to normal. He even went on a cruise. Things were getting better and better.
Then things took a turn for the worse. Intense stomach pain and belching.
His body rejected all food, even water.

He decided to do an endoscopy to see what was going on. He choose to undergo the scope without anestisia because it would save some money.
Bad Decision! It was one of the worst decisions of his life.
It hurt so much, and the scope tore his esophigal lining. They blew air up into his intestines which bloated him and gave him hiccups incestantly.
At the same time they did some biopsys which showed that the cancer has returned.

Now he belches and belches, and can't eat anything.
The endoscopy showed that his stomach closed off going into the intestines.

Does anyone know a way to open the stomach back up?
Surgery is hard and life threatening.
One doctor suggested chemo to open up the stomach outlet, but he's never seen it work.

Anytime my dad takes anything by mouth, even water, he throws up for hours. He throws up bile, because he has nothing else to throw up.

The food bags going into him intraveneously are keeping him alive.
But he's in constant pain and discomfort having to throw up all the time.

I wish I knew a way to help.
He's running out of money. He wants to go back to his homeland in germany but, he won't have insurance over there.

I still have hope, and know he has a real strenght that will never diminish.

I just hope his stomach opens up again.

-Isa

mousa · Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 10:11 pm Post subject: Re: Stomach stopped working

Dear Isa,

Yes, it is hard. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your Dad. I am not a doctor but I think the only ways to get past the obstruction are a) to remove the rest of the stomach and bring the small intestine up and join it to the esophagus or b) join a loop of the the small intestine to the stomach, by-passing the obstruction. As your doctor says there is a chance that chemo might reduce the cancer and open up the outlet - but he has never seen it happen.

Please speak with all your relatives and friends and ask them to send good thoughts and prayers. Is there someone in your area who does Reiki healing? When my husband was diagnosed with inoperable stomach cancer one of his doctors recommended Reiki because "It works - I don't know why".

Love and prayers,

Val

missamp1 · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:31 pm Post subject: Re: Stomach stopped working

Hello - not sure if this helps you but ask your Doctor or Consultant if they could try a stent which may help your dad to hold his stomach open to empty.

Good luck our thoughts are with you.
_________________
Anna-Maria Picariello

slow_lau · New User Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 4 Location: CA

My grandfather is suffering from Stage IV esophageal cancer. Before he went into the hospital he threw everything up, similarly to your father. He couldn't keep anything down because the tumor had grown to the point where it was completely blocking his esophagus. The doctors were fortunately able to place a stint through the tumor. He is limited in what he can eat, but he can at least keep down. However, in the last week, he was taken to the emergency room because he was throwing up blood. The stint was implanted about 3 months ago, and since he has been undergoing chemo treatments. He was able to eat normally until now. The doctors said the tumor is "leaking." Several things may be contributing to this. The doctors suggested that perhaps the stint is rubbing against the tumor and irritating it. I personally wonder if the chemo was making him sick and the irritation from throwing up caused the bleeding. Additionally, he is taking cumadin (sp?) for a heart condition he's had for most of his life. The cumadin is meant to thin his blood. However, since he's been unable to eat solid food for quite some time and his Vitamin K count is low, his blood may be too thin now.

My purpose in relating his story is to tell you our experiences with the stint. It may very well be something to look into. Also, if you feel that he isn't getting the best care, you may consider switching doctors if at all possible.

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