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Radiation to Pelvic Area/Bleeding
My husband just finished up his 10 radiation treatments to the pelvic area and 5 to one of his ribs. The dr. said she did not put much radiation to the colon area but he has had a lot of diaherra and bleeding for 4 days now. Following her instructions, he doubled up on Imodium AD and we are supposed to call her back in the morning if no better. Does anyone know how long these things usually last?
Caretaker of husband, Bob.
Stage IV
Diagnosed Jan, 20077 Replies-
Deb, So sorry to hear of your frustations and prayers are with you.
I also hope your dr. returns soon.
It is so hard to see a loved one, especially your spouse, to be so sick and go through so much.
We did not make it to the beach, told our children to go on and have a wonderful time. Since my son-in-law has to attend a seminar part of the week and the house was all ready paid for, two daughters are there. Bob’s son came here (he lives at the beach) and also a daughter will be here today. Bob is doing better today though after a rough week and I think this following week will be better as he regains strength.
Let us know what happens.
Caretaker of husband, Bob.
Stage IV
Diagnosed Jan, 2007
Hello Clara I hope this mail finds you at the beach with your children having a great time.
This mail pertains to the Elavil but also other medication problems so if it needs to be moved please do so. I wrote about the Elavil and the dosage amount because even though it helped the dosage ( 25mg.) was to high causing lethargy, memory and thougth problems. A little info to catch everyone up my husband takes 240 mg. of oxycodone three times day – hydrocodone for break though pain and 300 mg. of ibuprofen. Now hears the problem I ask the doctors to either adjust the dosage of Elavil to reduce side effects or reduce oxycodone 40mg. and keep Elavil. The physician assistant agreed and I was told the prescription could be picked up. When I got there the whole plan changed doctor ( not our regular one she has been out for 4 weeks – thats another story) said no keep taking oxycodone and get off Elavil. OK even though we have no prescription coverage and I have repeatedly ask for alternative opiods to be tried due to expense. Got prescription of #270 and found out the cost had risen to $1900.00 a month. I explained this to them and ask for help. At this point a nurse I had never seen and was never introduced to proceeded to say I had just gotten an oxycodone prescription 10 days ago and wasn’t due one. After my throwing a fit the nurse started quoting standards and procedures and I myself being in health information technology we got into laws, ethics and patient rights. All I wanted was to try less expensive pain treatment. Well the nurse ended up giving me a prescription of #90 a 10 day supply of oxycodone saying the doctor thinks this is what he needs and if I get a little at a time it would be easier to pay. I just took the presription and prayed our dostor would return next week.
I write this because I am so frustrated and needed to vent. I do not intend to let my husband suffer but I feel it is the ethical obligation of a physician to provide good affordable pain management to patients. Thanks for reading and sorry for the long tale.
Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Debbie
I know about Elavil but not in conjunction with other Meds. Another name for Elavil is Amytriptyline and I used it for 2 years for depression after the birth of my second baby.
It is a blood level drug and the side effects that I had was weight gain, dry mouth and constipation. It was a life saver for severe post partum depression.
It will make you sleep. I had to be weaned off of it after 2 years. It’s not addictive, but it is blood level, which means that it has to build up in the blood and level off to give equalizing benefit. You have to come off slowly.
Elavil has been around a pretty long time.
Regards,
Rosemary
Rosemary
Age – 55
T1 G3 – Tumor free 2 yrs 3 months
Dx January 2006
[quote author=DebTN link=topic=967.msg5909#msg5909 date=1181743444]
Hello Clara,
I hope your husband is feeling better so this note is a few days late. My husband is having radiation to the pelvis area specifically the L4 lumbar. The radiologist and tech all talked about the possibilty of diarrea but none so far. We go today for his 13 treatment and he gets a total of 15. My husband takes alot of pain meds which keep him constipated this might be the reason for no side effects. I hope your husbands treatments have helped with the pain. My husband is scheduled to get a Zometa injection the first of the week. This is also helpful in bone degenation. Another thought -the oncologist put my husband on Elavil last week – it works well for chronic pain by intensifing the effects of pain meds and sedation. He takes it at bedtime and can sleep on his back all night for the first time in months. Ask for a low dose if its recommended cause my husband started at 25 mg and it gave him the feeling of a hang over all day a lower dose was better. I hope this was somewhat helpful and will keep you both in my prayers. Debbie
[/quote]I am not familiar with Elavil–would it be similar to ativan?
Caretaker of husband, Bob.
Stage IV
Diagnosed Jan, 2007Deb…very interesting to read that your doctor put your husband on Elavil…they have found so many uses for this drug by observing its side effects…….my father had a heads up doctor who put him on elavil when he developed shingles….it immediately got rid of all the pain by blocking the signals. Sounds like a very good idea to me in your husbands instance,. Pat
Deb, Thanks for the response and I hope your husband misses out on the diaherra too.
Bob’s started around the 6th treatment and continually got worse. He also is on pain medicine that cause the opposite effect before and that probably helps this from being more.
He has just been miserable this week and cannot leave the house. We are trying to get him well so we can go to the beach with all our children on Saturday.Keep me posted about how your husband does.
Caretaker of husband, Bob.
Stage IV
Diagnosed Jan, 2007
Hello Clara,
I hope your husband is feeling better so this note is a few days late. My husband is having radiation to the pelvis area specifically the L4 lumbar. The radiologist and tech all talked about the possibilty of diarrea but none so far. We go today for his 13 treatment and he gets a total of 15. My husband takes alot of pain meds which keep him constipated this might be the reason for no side effects. I hope your husbands treatments have helped with the pain. My husband is scheduled to get a Zometa injection the first of the week. This is also helpful in bone degenation. Another thought -the oncologist put my husband on Elavil last week – it works well for chronic pain by intensifing the effects of pain meds and sedation. He takes it at bedtime and can sleep on his back all night for the first time in months. Ask for a low dose if its recommended cause my husband started at 25 mg and it gave him the feeling of a hang over all day a lower dose was better. I hope this was somewhat helpful and will keep you both in my prayers. DebbieSign In to reply.
