mother in law

[charney]

Hi I have been on this site for a few months now and have followed many of your stories often in tears. My mother in law was diagnosed in January this year with PC, it is inoperable due to attachment to vein. Her treatment is 7 weeks Gemcap 1 week off. Her first two treatments had horrendous side effects, not helped I think because of her not eating. She began to eat more and her next 3 treatments were very good and she was amazingly well (even helping to decorate her bedroom), however since then she has become very very tired, wobbly on her feet and very nauseous and hospital would not give her her last treatment due to her being so poorly. She was booked in for a blood transfusion yesterday but this seems to have had no effect at all,

she was told by the nurses yesterday that this would make her feel a lot better but it hasnt. She seems to have aged very quickly, going from an independent, sprightly 75 year old to be being very frail. She is being booked in for a scan next week and her macmillan nurse has asked to see her and her daughter next week also. (which my husband says doesnt sound very good) Has anyone on here experienced this, when a blood transfusion has no effect?.

[laura]

hi there charney, sorry cant help with your specific questions, so many symptoms, so many questions, am sure someone on here will be able to help. you could of course ring pcuk on monday, am sure jeni or anna will be able to help you.

wishing mil and all of you well

regards laura

[louiepc]

Hi Charney

I'm sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. It is a truly awful illness, her diagnosis and treatment sound very similar to my mum's.

Mum had a few blood transfusions, some did seem to do wonders, gave her a real boost, and seemed reenergised. However, I do remember, at least once, if not twice, she had a transfusion and it made no difference at all.

Has she had her blood count taken since the transfusion? Maybe if it is still quite low, she needs another transfusion and this may help.

Take care, and hope she feels better soon. Oh and yes good idea from Laura, try and give Jeni or Anna a call on Monday, they are fab.

Louie xxx

[louiepc]

p.s.

seeing the mcmillan nurse may not be such a bad thing. it may just be a get together to see how treatment is going, and what on-going care can be given. Try not to think too negative (I know how easy that is to say, and how hard to do), but it could literally be just a meet up.

xxxx

[charney]

thankyou for your replies, it is such a help to have somewhere like this just to talk. My mother in law was poorly yesterday with a high temp and chills, she is currently in hospital on oxygen and having tests, her oxygen level was 85, normal being 95 to 100. she is on a medical assessment unit but probably being transfered to a cancer ward today as they are not sure but suspect a blood clot, possibly on her lung. we will know more today. This truly is a horrible disease.

cheryl

[Nardobd]

So sorry to hear the latest news Cheryl...however, that could explain why the blood transfusion didn't have the beneficial effect it should have done. Let us know how your Mum in Law gets on when you have more news.

Nicki

[charney]

well mil still in hospital, was told it was not a blood clot and all her bloods came back normal. She is reliant on oxygen, as soon as they wean her off, her levels drop again, extremely wobbly and cannot walk without some help. She was given antibiotics even though they were not sure where, if anywhere she had an infection. She then informed us yesterday that her urine has been brown since saturday (had not mentioned this to anyone before) she is having a CT scan today to see what is happening where the PC is concerned. I lost both my parents to cancer (although neither of them to PC) and know what a roller coaster ride this disease is but its the speed that PC catches up with you, very scary

cheryl x

[charney]

Hi

mil is still in hospital and now being transferred to intensive care, her breathing has got worse, oxygen levels still way too low and they still do not know cause, they have scanned her to day to see if her cancer has spread and we are waiting results. Has anyone else experienced this ? this has come on so suddenly it is very frightening.

cheryl

[louiepc]

Ahh hun, I'm sorry to hear that your mum in law is so poorly. I don't have any advice to give you, just wanted to let you know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

take care xxxx

[Nardobd]

Oh Cheryl, so sorry to hear that your mother in law isn't improving as we all hoped she would. Breathlessness and low oxygen levels are symptoms of many different things and some are less serious than others, so try not to worry too much (easy to say, I know).

Keep us up to date with the news Cheryl...I have my fingers, toes and everything else crossed that the news is better than you anticipate.

Nicki

[charney]

hi MIL still in intensive care on a large oxygen machine,( bit like Darth Vader she is so tiny) she has pneumonia not helped by the fact they have found she has emphysima (prob spelt wrong) they have said that the chemo has just wiped her out completely and have said no more to this. she is waiting for results on her ct scan re the cancer

but they have said that this problem has nothing to do with this. I feel so sorry for her she is such a fragile, tiny lady and is coping with this so couragously.

[charney]

i havent posted for a while, MIl is still in hospital but out of intensive care and has recovered from pneumonia, they found she also has a tiny blood clot in her lung which she is having a blood thinning injection every day for. Her problem now is fluctuating blood pressure and heart beat, one minute really low, then normal then slighty elevated, has any one else on here had this ? she had numerous blood tests yesterday and also finally had the CT scan on her pc, we are waiting for the results. She also feels cold all the time, but when you feel her she is quite warm, temp normal.

[charney]

Hi all

just a update, MIL is now out of hospital and has been for a couple of weeks,

she still gets very breathless and is feeling very sick all the time. She is eating

really well (but is having to force herself to do this) and seems to still be losing weight, but is glad she is in her own home.

Laura it is great news about bri, and geat to hear a positive vibe on this awful disease it gives us all hope

xx

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Hi There,

Is your mother-in-law on creon, or any other form of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy?

Jeni.

[charney]

Hi Jeni

she had asked about creon but had been told she didnt need it, however

this was while she was on chemo and before the pneumonia.

she has an appointment with oncologist end of june, where she should

get results of the scan she had before she came out of hosp. I have

told her to ask again about creon. She doesnt seem to be on any medication

at the moment, just her blood thinning injection and a tablet for stomache

lining. she feels so sick, we have told her to ask about taking her anti sickness

pills again.

cheryl x

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Hi Cheryl,

Will email you!

Jeni.

[laura]

hi cheryl, saw your post to barbara, and wondered how you all are ?? love laura x

[charney]

Hi laura

hope you are all ok,

MIl has been home for a few weeks, and is not too bad, she has a few pains back but is coping with paracetamol, thanks to Jeni suggestion of creon she is taking this now and seems to be putting weight on (not that she is happy with this lol, she has always been obsessed with her weight and watching what she ate, not sure why though she weighs about 8 stone lol.) She went yesterday for her CT results and was told that

the PC had not changed which she took as a negative as it had not shrunk but in fairness she has only had 1 cycle of chemo 5 out of the seven chemo sessions due to getting pneumonia, they said she had something on her liver but were not worried about it and also a shadow on her lung but again were not worried, ( may be residue from pneumonia) she gets very tired and finds that very hard as she was always very busy before, not one to sit around. She has another CT scan in 3 months and then we see what happens then.

even though I dont post on here very often I do keep in touch what is happening with you all, its like having a second family

best wishes to you all

cheryl

xxx

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Hi Cheryl,

This is really good news! Just encourage her not to take this as a negative. To be honest, in any cancer if it stays the same, it is a positive result. It is only if it has grown further that it is negative. Especially in pancreatic cancer, it is good for it to remain static.

Glad the pain is responding to paracetamol. She must be a strong lady. And, great news about the creon! How funny that she is not happy about putting weight on! But it is again, another good sign!

There are often residual signs of scarring or inflammation form pneumonia on CT, so as long as there is another scan scheduled, this is fine.

Plenty of rest for her - her body has been through a trauma, especially like pneumonia, so she just needs to listen to the body.

Hope she stays well,

Jeni.