Is this the beginning of the end?

[root]

Hi everyone

I've been with dad this weekend and he is not well at all. He cannot keep any food down - banana, soup...nothing of any substance and this is not new but considerably worse. He has no appetite for food at all and Dr's have said he is anorexic. He is taking fluid but not in any great amount. He spends much of his time sleeping but when he is awake he is lucid and can get up for a while to talk or read, though he has no energy to do anything. He is so skinny and looks pretty awful.

He is nearly a year into diagnosis. He has no known spread to any other organs but Dr's stopped chemo 6 weeks ago and are suggesting a course of steroids -dexamethasone.

It is so painful to see him like this and my mum is so distressed. I live 2 hours away so only get to see them at weekends.

Please, share your stories and experiences and advice. No one can say how long of course but does this sound like the end?????

[sandraW]

Hi, sorry I can't give you any advice or help, but I just didn't want your post to go unanswered. The nurses on here will be available tomorrow I am sure they will be able to give you support, please take care sandrax

[root]

Thanks for your reply. I've spoken to the nurses before and they are awesome.

[Sueoliver]

Hi my mum was like this a couple of weeks ago and they found the tumour was pressing on the duodenum. They have put a stent in now and she has really improved. I hope you find out if anything else is wrong with your dad. This is such a hard journey with so many twists and turns. Take care. Sue x

[PCUK Nurse Dianne]

HI Root,

I am sorry to hear your father has been poorly over the weekend, has anything changed in the last couple of days? Sue's comment (thanks Sue) could also be the same issue with your father. We know that due to the location of the pancreas (just below the curve of the stomach where it joins the duodenum - so beginnin of the bowel) that if the tumour is pressing on the stomach it can cause a blockage of the 'outlet valve' and this will prevent food from going through. This has a medical term called 'Gastric outlet obstruction or GOO' and patients can become quite dehydrated with this.

Please feel free to give us a ring if you need Root, if your father is still unable to keep food down, it is important to access some help today if you have not done so already. Your father may need some intravenous fluids to rehydrate him, and as Sue mentioned a stent can be inserted into the 'duodenum' so that it will re-open the area and allow food to pass through more easily.

I hope this helps, and don't hesitate to call if you wish to chat through this.

Dianne

Support Team

[root]

Hi Diane,

Thanks for your response. Don't think dad needs a duodenum stent because he had some kind of billary bypass when he had his failed whipples attempt in January. This created 2 tubes to his stomach I think? Or maybe intestine? He had a duodenal stent removed permanently during this process and told he would never need another one. But it does seem as if there is a blockage. Jenny also spoke of this when we talked recently (your colleague). But something is clearly wrong. He now throws up pretty much everything but he says it is mostly bile and liquid.

Last Friday we received a letter from his consultant saying that he would undergo no further chemo due to toxicity. It also said that he is was now anorexic and they want to refer him to the local hospice to best manage his symptoms. They also want to try him on dexamethasone for his fatigue and appetite.

He has some stomach pain, but he claims it isn't bad and that he doesn't feel ill just utterly worn out and worried about not wanting or being able to eat.

He is drinking, but no a lot. He will ask for a cup of tea but will perhaps have half a cup maybe 4 times a day.

He is seeing dr about steroids on Friday so we shall see. I can't help thinking that this is the end but ive thought that for the last year so who knows.

Thanks for all your comments