Oops I think I posted in the wrong forum. Anyway, the Ileus was a ruptured colon. My mom almost died from the resulting infection and pressure on her one remaining lung. We cant see the Oncologist until august 9th due to her latest surgery. I am stunned at this latest set back, moms spirits are low. I hate cancer...
Anyway, she is walking again, she has a stoma, eating a little, getting strength back, off oxygen (after being on a ventillator for 5 days) I want to ask for Tarceva and some other drug combo to fight her bone mets. She wants to take us on a trip "while she still feels good". She took us to Kapalua, the West coast of Maui last summer and wants to return. Any thoughts ona drug combo that would have minimal side effects for a family trip.
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Blessings.
Tiffany
Reply # - July 17, 2012, 07:32 AM
Reply To: Ileus was ruptured colon
Oh Tiffany, I hate cancer too. I can imagine how the last few weeks have been for your mom, you, and the rest of your family. but How wonderful she walking, eating, and breathing entirely on her on.
Before I send a request to have a doctor respond to your question would you please add a background of what she has and what treatment and response she's had, dates may also be helpful. It would be best for you to put it in the form of a signature that way it will show up on the bottom of your posts automatically and you don't have to repeat it every time you have a question. Go to your "forum profile" by clicking your username/avatar on the left of all your posts, that will take you to the page that will ask you to edit or give a "signature".
Thanks
Reply # - July 17, 2012, 08:04 AM
Reply To: Ileus was ruptured colon
Thank you for being so kind, everybody here seems so supportive. I did the signature, thank you.
The surgery was last August, as soon as they let her she did radiation and simultaneous chemo (Etopised/cisplatin) she had a break around Christmas and then started in January with Cisplatin/Alimta. She had a clear scan after that. A few months went by and her arm and leg started hurting and nothing was helping. She would "ice and elevate" for hours. We thought it was from the exercize she was doing (light walking and weights) Scan showed bone mets to upper left arm and right leg above knee. As far as we know the cancer is not in any organs.
She just had rods put into her arm and leg to support the bones and then the colon rupture happened. We just want some time... we know what we are up against... any suggestions as to what we can try next? I want to be armed with good info and facts when I speak with her Oncologist.
Just spoke to mom, she sounded stronger today. Im going to learn how to care for her stoma today.
Blessings,
Tiffany
Reply # - July 17, 2012, 06:12 PM
Reply To: Ileus was ruptured colon
I'm so very sorry to hear about her recent terrible complications. Is it clear that it's related to her cancer or treatment? Might it have been unrelated? We don't typically see bowel perforations in lung cancer patients.
This post is probably going to be the most helpful about further treatment options:
http://cancergrace.org/lung/2010/10/04/lung-cancer-faq-2nd-line-nsclc-o…
For people who have already been on Alimta (pemetrexed), Taxotere (docetaxel) and Tarceva (erlotinib) are the studied treatments that can provide a survival benefit. I think most oncologists would say that Tarceva is likely to be a little better tolerated, but it can vary. I don't think either is trivial after a bowel perforation, and we generally wouldn't rush into anything until a person has really recovered.
There are other treatments that are mentioned in the link above, and they may be very reasonable options as well, but they have less evidence to support them.
Good luck.
-Dr. West
Reply # - July 17, 2012, 06:50 PM
Reply To: Ileus was ruptured colon
Thank you Dr. West for the link. I will read it tonight once my kids are sleeping.
Pretty sure the bowel perforation was unrelated. After her surgery to strengthen her bones, she went to a nursing facility. She did not have a bowel movement for a REALLY long time. It seems simple, but maybe the bowel just couldnt take the pressure once everything kept backing up?
I really appreciate your help. I'm going with mom on the 9th to see her Oncologist and I will come educated, so I can best advocate for my mom. I was thinking Tarceva might be a good option too once she was fully healed.
She is walking again, we learned how to care for her stoma today, her appetite is returning again, she is in no pain right now, so today was an ok day I guess.
We just want some time...I guess that's what we everybody here wants as well.
Blessings.
Tiffany