Dad Stage III Cancer & Severe Diarrhea

flowerchild_krr · 05-14-2006, 09:56 AM

My Dad is 71 years old and has colon cancer. He had surgery and they also have found 4 lymph nodes infected out of 11. He is on chemo - eloxatin. He is having SEVERE diarrhea...has taken immodium to no avail. They also tried him on lomotrill - also doing no good. Last night, he spent the evening on the bathroom floor...and eventually fell asleep there. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ADVISE SOMETHING TO HELP HIM BEFORE HE ENDS UP IN THE HOSPITAL FROM DEHYDRATION? My mother has been giving him plenty of electrolytes. He went through 18 depends from 3PM yesterday until he decided to camp out in the bathroom...and those 18 times didn't include the times he actually made it there...PLEASE, WE NEED TO HELP HIM!!!1

hiswife1 · 05-15-2006, 03:45 PM

There are a couple of shots that they can give that may help slow down the diarrhea. I am sorry but I don't know the names. When my husband was in the hospital they were giving him shots in his stomach (with a very small needle, so it didn't hurt) every few hours trying to slow down the diarrhea and it did help some. They can also give you a shot you can have once a month and it seemed to help my husband for the whole month. He has taken pepto bismal pills and they help better than the immodium and lomodel for him. Talk to his oncologist and explain what is going on and maybe they can do something to help him get through this. Is your Dad taking CPT11? That is what my husband was on and the oncologist said it can cause explosive diarrhea.

Good luck to your Dad and I will keep you all in my prayers.

gocatsgo · 05-16-2006, 12:16 PM

The shot (I don't know the name either, but it is a big one that they put in your bum) worked well for me. I had severe diarrhea as well, and had to be hydrated many times. I cannot empahsize the need for hydration enough. If he cannot keep the fluids in him, then he MUST go to the infusion room or ER and get some fluids. Dehydration will make him tired, short of breath, dizzy, etc. I took 6-8 Lomotil as well...though it didn't always work.

Good luck to him. Don't be afraid to take him in for hydration...you won't believe what a couple of bags of fluid will do to make him feel better. I would call his oncologist ASAP and make them aware of the situation as well.

Good luck.
Cats

CancerDad · 05-16-2006, 02:20 PM

Sandostatin shots didn't do much for me. What really helped was taking Lomotil AND Loperamide together. Make sure that you are NOT going with directions on the Loperamide box... It's double the dose first (which I believe is 4) and then I believe it's 2 every 3-4 hours. Also, Lomotil will direct 1 every 4-6 hours... My colorectal surgeon let me take what was necessary. There were times that I would take 3-4 tabs at once to slow it down then 1-2 every 3 hours until it slowed.

If boosting these levels don't work... you can talk to your oncologist about getting him on some Ativan to slow the bowel, and a Narcotic again to slow the bowel together with the above. As for the Loperamide dosing schedule, call the oncologist's office if you don't have a sheet with the dosing schedule for chemo patients. It's essentially double the normal doses.

Good Luck,
CancerDad

PS I had a similar problem with vomiting while on Irinotecan... I was on EVERYTHING and was still vomiting 24/7. Take him to the cancer center and they will give him a couple bags of fluids. MANY patients need to do this regularly. Good Luck ~CD

ktee_uk · 05-19-2006, 05:05 AM

Hi all

Husband used to have steroids to help increase effect of anti-nausea drugs........ would this have relieved diarrheia too ?

hope you find some answers soon.
good luck
ktee