Chemo Therapy

[farangconnection]

As a lot of you I was diagnosed with Cancer in April. After a session with the village doctor, I plumped for Chemo at the District Cancer center in Ubon. Now after seven 55 hours sessions nearly all my outside skin tumours have gone, leaving me with the single inside tumour between my Oesophagus and my stomach. I have had no reaction or side effects from Chemo at all. Until two weeks ago after my sixth visit. Since then all I do is vomit. Everything, food,drink, water, the lot. I thought it was acid reflux and one of my sphinctal flaps was not operating properly, but the pills for this do nothing. Could it be that the Chemo has finally caughtv up with me and is now playing havoc with my system. I must add that first, before the food and drink come back up ( which can be two hours later), I heave up, seemingly, gallons of phlegm. Any advice or knowledge of pills to take for this condition would be appreciated. Every now and then I check in hospital for an IV energy drip.

[marshbags]

As a lot of you I was diagnosed with Cancer in April. After a session with the village doctor, I plumped for Chemo at the District Cancer center in Ubon. Now after seven 55 hours sessions nearly all my outside skin tumours have gone, leaving me with the single inside tumour between my Oesophagus and my stomach. I have had no reaction or side effects from Chemo at all. Until two weeks ago after my sixth visit. Since then all I do is vomit. Everything, food,drink, water, the lot. I thought it was acid reflux and one of my sphinctal flaps was not operating properly, but the pills for this do nothing. Could it be that the Chemo has finally caughtv up with me and is now playing havoc with my system. I must add that first, before the food and drink come back up ( which can be two hours later), I heave up, seemingly, gallons of phlegm. Any advice or knowledge of pills to take for this condition would be appreciated. Every now and then I check in hospital for an IV energy drip.

Hiya FC

There is loads of info relating to sickness and Chemo and I have one courteousy of the U.K. Cancer help website I was emailed some time back.

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/about-cancer/...nd-cancer-drugs

Scroll through it and in particualr note the When you should call the doctor.

There is also a site contact us section and in particular Ask the Nurse a question

If I am not allowed to post such important help web sites, I,ll PM them to you when I go online again later.

I,ve been reading up on your previous posts as and when you did them and feel sure members must have appreciated them as I did.

Good luck and Sincere Best Wishes

marshbags

P.S.

Incidently Admin, is it possible to put post the Cancer U.K. Help url I have for referencing as it deals with all types of cancer and there is a multitude of useful, informative sites that deal with everything related to this terrible disease and very important feedback from patient related experiences

As you will probably know it is a non profit organisation and exists by voluntary donations from patients, their families and other supporters.

Information wise this can only be positive asset to our membership. IMHO

The Ref url is

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/index.htm

On a previous enquiry I made, they didn,t object to my using it for others and passing it on, on the contrary, they encouraged it.

Thank you for your kind consideration on this point.

Edited November 4, 2009 by marshbags

[farangconnection]

As a lot of you I was diagnosed with Cancer in April. After a session with the village doctor, I plumped for Chemo at the District Cancer center in Ubon. Now after seven 55 hours sessions nearly all my outside skin tumours have gone, leaving me with the single inside tumour between my Oesophagus and my stomach. I have had no reaction or side effects from Chemo at all. Until two weeks ago after my sixth visit. Since then all I do is vomit. Everything, food,drink, water, the lot. I thought it was acid reflux and one of my sphinctal flaps was not operating properly, but the pills for this do nothing. Could it be that the Chemo has finally caughtv up with me and is now playing havoc with my system. I must add that first, before the food and drink come back up ( which can be two hours later), I heave up, seemingly, gallons of phlegm. Any advice or knowledge of pills to take for this condition would be appreciated. Every now and then I check in hospital for an IV energy drip.

Hiya FC

There is loads of info relating to sickness and Chemo and I have one courteousy of the U.K. Cancer help website I was emailed some time back.

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/about-cancer/...nd-cancer-drugs

Scroll through it and in particualr note the When you should call the doctor.

There is also a site contact us section and in particular Ask the Nurse a question

If I am not allowed to post such important help web sites, I,ll PM them to you when I go online again later.

I,ve been reading up on your previous posts as and when you did them and feel sure members must have appreciated them as I did.

Good luck and Sincere Best Wishes

marshbags

P.S.

Incidently Admin, is it possible to put post the Cancer U.K. Help url I have for referencing as it deals with all types of cancer and there is a multitude of useful, informative sites that deal with everything related to this terrible disease and very important feedback from patient related experiences

As you will probably know it is a non profit organisation and exists by voluntary donations from patients, their families and other supporters.

Information wise this can only be positive asset to our membership. IMHO

The Ref url is

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/index.htm

On a previous enquiry I made, they didn,t object to my using it for others and passing it on, on the contrary, they encouraged it.

Thank you for your kind consideration on this point.

Cheers......the last patient onm that thread had the same as me,but to a lesser extent.

[FBN]

Don't think that there would be any objection to posting a link to a non-profit organisation with such subject matter.

FC,

The sphincter associated with acid reflux at the junction of the esophagus and stomach is a functional one, not an anatomical one so there are no anatomical "flaps" this is just an acute angle caused by the opening in the diaphragm where the esophagus passes through and then the dome of the diaphragm where the stomach naturally is situated and, to some extent, kept by a collection of air inside the stomach.

Obstruction at this level may lead to vomiting earlier than 2h but, in your case, and depending on the amount of food taken could take that long and should be checked.

Drugs such as metoclopramide (Motilium, Maxolon) may help only if there is a functional problem rather than a tumour. Really no other alternatives as a gastroscopy or, if that is not indicated due to risk factors such as perforation etc, then an X-ray with contrast medium appropriate for your condition. This would clearly show if the obstruction is at the entrance or exit of the stomach.

In your case, with so many factors involved, it is extremely difficult to even venture an educated guess; best to consult the docs that are well acuainted with your current status.

Best!!

[Mobi]

Hi, so sorry to hear of your situation. I do hope things continue to go as well as can be expected, and that you make a full recovery.

I know absolutely nothing about this subject, but it just so happens that I was watching one of the Fox News 'Extras' the other day and the subject was a a new found way to eliminate vomiting when undergoing chemo therapy.

The Doctor in the bulletin was a US cancer specialist, and he was saying that they have discovered that ginger is a very effective remedy against vomiting and nausea. He said the best way to take it was in concentrated capsules, but any method would work, and even drinking ginger ale had proved to be effective.

It may be worth Googling to see if you can find anything more about this. I don't imagine you will be able to get capsules, or even ginger ale outside Bangkok, but you could probably cook ginger in some way to ingest it.

Anyway, I just thought I'd pass this on for what it's worth.

Good luck.

Mobi

[farangconnection]

Don't think that there would be any objection to posting a link to a non-profit organisation with such subject matter.

FC,

The sphincter associated with acid reflux at the junction of the esophagus and stomach is a functional one, not an anatomical one so there are no anatomical "flaps" this is just an acute angle caused by the opening in the diaphragm where the esophagus passes through and then the dome of the diaphragm where the stomach naturally is situated and, to some extent, kept by a collection of air inside the stomach.

Obstruction at this level may lead to vomiting earlier than 2h but, in your case, and depending on the amount of food taken could take that long and should be checked.

Drugs such as metoclopramide (Motilium, Maxolon) may help only if there is a functional problem rather than a tumour. Really no other alternatives as a gastroscopy or, if that is not indicated due to risk factors such as perforation etc, then an X-ray with contrast medium appropriate for your condition. This would clearly show if the obstruction is at the entrance or exit of the stomach.

In your case, with so many factors involved, it is extremely difficult to even venture an educated guess; best to consult the docs that are well acuainted with your current status.

Best!!

Just been to see my doc here, as soon as I read that report that Marshbags liked me to. I took my MRI scans and he confirmed that although my oesophagus is almost completely blocked, it is receding, and that is the last tumour I have. There are no sattelite tumours round the original, which I have been led to believe is quite common with this sort of Cancer. He was quite happy with it, and said I should just grin and bear it till it is fully gone. So, thanks for your advice again Doc, and you too Marshbags.

[Sheryl]

There are drugs specifically for the nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy as follows, very effective but due to their higher cost, Thai government hospitals tend not to use them in favor of cheaper anti-emetics. A large pharmacy should have:

Ondansetron - locally made brand names: Dantron 8, Onsia, Zetron. The imported version is Zofran.

It is usually quite effective.

Ginger also a good idea -- sip freshly made ginger tea

Good luck

[farangconnection]

There are drugs specifically for the nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy as follows, very effective but due to their higher cost, Thai government hospitals tend not to use them in favor of cheaper anti-emetics. A large pharmacy should have:

Ondansetron - locally made brand names: Dantron 8, Onsia, Zetron. The imported version is Zofran.

It is usually quite effective.

Ginger also a good idea -- sip freshly made ginger tea

Good luck

I had the first of a series of Zetron injections today. It has helped a little. Thanks. Also I have been drinking loads of ginger tea, without too many throw ups.

Edited November 5, 2009 by farangconnection

[ballbreaker]

There are drugs specifically for the nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy as follows, very effective but due to their higher cost, Thai government hospitals tend not to use them in favor of cheaper anti-emetics. A large pharmacy should have:

Ondansetron - locally made brand names: Dantron 8, Onsia, Zetron. The imported version is Zofran.

It is usually quite effective.

Ginger also a good idea -- sip freshly made ginger tea

Good luck

My wife has been undergoing chemo treatments and they prescribe Ondansetron, which she takes before each meal, and has no problems. Without the drug she experienced your same problem.

[rixalex]

Best wishes FC.

Hope you are feeling better.