Dad's first week of chemo and radiation over, have questions?? - Cancer: Lung Message Board

mishymay3 · 04-08-2007, 07:41 PM

Hi all. Just to remind you, my dad is 55 and has stage 3b NSCLC. Nothing showed up anywhere else in his body. Lungs and lymph nodes only. He just finished his first week of chemo and radiation. He has radiation daily and chemo on Tuesdays. He is not feeling well and is complaining of "smells going right to his head." He says that he really can't explain it but it is terrible. Can anyone explain this to me and what can be done?? He also is complaining of a bad taste in his mouth. Can anything be done about this? After just one week, he already sounds so different, like he has lost his laughter. Any suggestions would be very helpful.

God Bless.

HELLASRULES · 04-10-2007, 03:43 PM

Hi Mishymay3
Well I have stage IV nsclc and have had radiation (cyberknife) to my brain and am currently undergoing chemo.
Not quiet sure whether you mean everything smells bad to your dad, or he always has a bad smell in his nose?
Since starting chemo I seem to notice a bad smell a lot of the time, and wonder if it is from the chemo too. I'm guessing it may disrupt the noses normal ability to distinguish odors and somehow creates it's own.
Hope your dad starts to feeling better. And I have read that chemo can cause oral sores and a bitter/metallic taste, so I'm sure it can affect the nose too.
Faith

Hep · 04-11-2007, 10:58 AM

Hi there. My dad had the bad taste symptom too. It was actually what caused some of his nausea. I believe there might be a medication that can assist in that symptom. Do not be afraid to mention the bad taste and smell to the Onc nurses. They can offer suggestions for the patients that maybe even the Dr. doesn't know about.

The onc. nurses are the saving grace of most cancer patients.

madninney · 04-14-2007, 11:52 PM

i am new here but my dad also says things taste different like things that he has always liked now tastes bad i bet it is from chemo like for instance he used to love tomato juice and nopw he can't drink it cause he says it has to much salt in it there has got to be pills out there somewhere to help the ones we love if you find any please let me know-daddy's girl-sam

Janmarie2 · 04-15-2007, 04:47 AM

Is your Dad getting carboplatin as part of your chemo? I believe that it effects the way things taste which is why so many people just do not feel like eating . It makes everything taste bad. Don't know about smells as my mom never mentioned things smelling bad. Some of the other chemos did not affect taste for my mom so hopefully he will find that to be true too if he continues with other chemos in the future. JanMarie