Jump to content

need answers please


Recommended Posts

Hi everyone....

Today was my moms fourth day of chemo and radation. She is not feeling well at all. She is flushed and felt like she had a tempature. She is complaining of pain that is different than her normal pain.

It was my sisters turn to drive her so I didnt go with her to her appointment. They checked her temp but because she had just drank alot of water on the way to the appt.( its about and hour and a half away) her temp was normal. They were going to recheck after her chemo.

Well the next thing I know my sister called after she had her chemo and said that she is in the ER. She is complaining about her chest hurting and she is short of breath. Her blood pressure is real low. She is having all sorts of tests done..Checking her heart..checking for blood clots...She even had a chest x-ray.

They gave her something for pain and my sister said that she is resting now...SO we are just waiting for someone to tell us something.

Any Ideas of what could be going on?...Does it sound in the range of anything normal? Could this be side affects or something really wrong?

Just a little scared I guess.....Kim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm the caretaker for my wife Lisa. I'm always scared and I thought I would get use to it by now but everyday is a new day and some good, some great, and some pretty low for us both. The part I always wait for is that "she is resting now". Lisa has the feelings after chemo of feeling warm and feeling pain all over. This usually happens day 1-3 after chemo. My wife also was anemic and that can make you fell worst. Chemo kills your red blood cell count. She had a reaction to the chemo once and her blood pressure went really low and they had to give her adrenaline (epi shot) and sent her to the ER drugged with Benadryl. If she is doing Radiation and Chemo at the same time that can an extra strain on your mom's system. The chemo is suppose to kill rapidly dividing cells both cancer and normal cells and that can make you feel like you have a fever all over and hot and cold chills. She's in good hands at the hospital. Hang in there and keep a close look on her at all times. Chuck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kim,

I am sorry to hear about your mom, I know you must be so scared. I wish I could tell you why this is happening to her, it may be chemo or cancer related, or it could even be something different altogether. Just be reassured she is in good hands at the hospital. I know they will get down to what is going on. I do know that as I have said before, when you go for cancer treatment it literally is a crap-shoot, you don't know for certain what effects it may or may not have on someone, everyone is different. But I am sure that you mom will be fine. I am sending out my prayers to you all.

Grace

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank You all for your caring thoughts.....I Just wanted to let you all know that my mom is fine. Apparently the doctors feel that what happen to my mom today was all anxiety related. She is over tired and really not feeling well. Not alot to complain about just not feeling good.

She was fighting with my sister today about going to chemo and radation. She said that she was tired and sick and didnt want to go. But my sister made her go anyway explaining to her that she had to go no ifs... ands... or butts.

My sister is going to talk to the nurse tomorrow about getting her something for depression and maybe anxiety, and maybe even something to help her sleep.

It drives me crazy because she is already taking so many different kinds of meds. My heart hurts for her.

I am just glad that she is ok for the moment.

thanks all for listening.....Kim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kim,

I am glad this all worked out for you. This has certainly been a difficult road for you and your family it sounds like. Cancer is NEVER easy I guess, but still, we hate to hear the rollercoaster ride start.

I know that it is hard to watch the ones we love on drugs for this and for that. My dad never even took a vitamin his whole life, let alone any daily medication. Now he has so many you should see the plate they all have to go on for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! However, I can say that someone here on the boards told me....don't worry about how many drugs he has to take to feel good...feeling good is part of the curing process, and it gives one the ability to fight. So...I agree, and my dad was put on antidepressants right away during his second round of chemo. It helped tremendously. I used to be so afraid of them...but now I see their "magic!"

Prayers for you and family!

Jen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kim...

I know it's hard to see Mom on so many different pills constantly...mine was the type of person that you had to about beat over the head to get her to take even something for a headache! LOL Just remember that not ALL of the pills are going to be all the time. At the height of Mom's treatment she took so many that we had to have a schedule to figure it all out (and even THEN we were lost sometimes!) and now she's down to about three a day...and sometimes she doesn't even take all of them! LOL

It's a rollercoaster ride, that's for sure...there will be many ups and downs along the way...but once you buckle in tight, you can ride them out as will Mom.

Many prayers for you and your family.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kim:

Glad things appear to be working out for your mom. Everyone reacts in their own unique way to treatment and eventually you'll see a clearer pattern of effects of treatment develop (it's just early yet for your mom). My mom had the tingling hot/cold fevery feeling too as a side effect from her chemo (developed around round 7 or so for her). My mom also had "aches/pain all over," from the anemia shots she was getting (those shots ask the bone marrow to work harder at producing red blood cells, so the marrow aches in overdrive).

My mom often wanted to not go to chemo/radiation appts. too. However, it is very, very important to keep appts. even when feeling ratty. The doctors are monitoring how her body is doing probably every chemo session (ours did) and will make scheduling/medication adjustments in response to how your mom's body is doing. All concerns should be addressed with the doctor at those appts. on how she is feeling -- there's lots they can do to alleviate side effects.

I agree that all those meds. are confusing -- my mom went from a few to over 19 of them just after dx and they kept changing.......I spent a good deal of time just understanding what they all were for and looking for potential interactions that might cause side effects of their own -- doing something like that is just wise advocacy to help your mom move through the height of treatment she's in now.

Linda

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know how easy it is to be afraid of what is going on, especially if something is new to you. My Johnny had a reaction to the Carboplatin. It sounds pretty much like your mom had the same thing. He was freezing one minute and had a temperature of 104 in less than 10 minutes. His blood pressure also dropped while in the ER and he was given a shot. Once he had the shot all symptoms left him. Doctors swore it was a build up of the Plantnum in his system.

As for the drugs I understand your concern very well believe me they played a major role in my Johnny losing his battle. Some of them can really be good and do wonders for people but others can do more harm than good. Take the time to learn what you can about everything she is taking. If you see something that is not right speak up. YOu have to advocate for her. Many drugs cause bad if not life threatening conditions, many warn not to mix them with other things. The point is that when cancer is the diagnosis(lung cancer) they no longer look at those things.

I was told point blank by a pharmacist at the Washington State Medical Board that once lung cancer is diagnosed all precautions no longer apply.

You have to be strong to support your mom and that means knowing as much as you can. Take nothing or no one for granted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.