Few question regarding my mom...

[Alynn]

Hi everyone. I haven't been on here for a while, I have had my hands full with mom. I need to update my profile and plan to do so tonight but I am in a hurry to get over my moms house. For now, I'll just give you a quick update. She just finished her 3rd round of chemo with cisplatinum and etoposide. She also started radiation and has 7 bouts so far. She goes for radiation every day during the week.

My questions are:

Fatigue-How bad is it? Is fatigue bothersome or unbareable? My mom literally does nothing for herself right now. If she needs something to eat or drink she'll get me to do it. She says she is too weak and gets lightheaded. She'll walk to the car from the house when I take her for treatments every day. When we get to the cancer center, I have to get her a wheel chair because she says she can't walk.

Question number 2-She acts different. Most of the time she talks like a baby. If I ask her a question, she'll say I sink so, instead of I think so. She'll also repeat herself. She'll say something like, I don't like cold weather, no I don't like cold weather.

Depression/Anxiety-She crys about everything. She accidently knocked over a small cup of water at the cancer center and started crying. On Monday, she said she felt like she was having a panic attack. I mentioned this to her nurse at the cancer center and she said mom should ask her Doctor for Ativan. I don't know if she needs that or a depression medicine. Is this normal?

I have a lot more to post but I really do need to run. I'll try to post more tonight. Thanks everyone!

[EastCoastLadi]

Alynn,

what your mom is going thru is not out of line with what can happen to someone on chemo and radiation. Tiredness, anxiety and depression .

Also, is she on steroids? usually with the chemo treatment iv steroids are given, and they can reek havoc with some people.

Also, taking ativan isn't such a bad idea either, but definitely talk w/ your moms dr. about it.

Grace

[Don Wood]

As others have said, tiredness, etc. are normal side effects of treatment, and vary with the patient. The dizziness could be a sign of dehydration, so be sure she has enough nourishment and liquids. Don

[Nick C]

Alynn,

I certainly experienced personality changes with my mom. She got tougher and more insistant. I attributed this to the steroids..as she hadn't started radiation right away.

My mother also got very fatigued...but I am still not clear what was the radiation and what was the pneumonia...everything kinda happened at once. But that said, the literature I read said the radiation can be VERY fatiguing!!!

And Katie has a point, I get sick, I digress to being like 8!!!

Best wishes though for a positive outcome!!

[j's girl]

Hi Alynn, it sounds like my Mom was on the same treatment plan as your Mom. She was progressively more tired through as each round of chemosprogressed and a lot more tired in the third one than the first. Radiation only added to it and she did 5 weeks of radiation and by the end of it was very very sore. The pain from the radiation peaked about 10 days after she finished, so that is something to watch for in the future.

As far as your second question is concerned, my Mom has always been an extrememly patient person who was never rattled by anything. But during and after treatment she was a completely different person. No patience, and very blunt.

Definitely see about an anti-anxiety or anti-depression med. In my view, it should just be part of the treatment plan.

Hope all goes well.

Shauna

[ma's kid]

Not much to add to what has been said except my mom had all the same symptoms. It was almost as if my mom turned into *a little girl* at times...we just went *with it* but her doc did prescribe an anti anxiety med (she refused to take an anti depressant) and it seemed to help calm her.

Keep us posted and lots of prayers!

Also..what Don mentioned about dehydration...so very important that she drinks plenty of liquids.

Libby