My Mom Looks 9 Months Pregnant

[Curious Daughter]

My Mom has been waiting almost 7 weeks to receive a new chemotherapy drug - Doxil.  She was resistent to the Carbo/Taxol combination, so they wanted her to get this new drug.  The problem is that she is a stage IV and her gyn/oncologist was only able to remove a small portion of the tumor during her debulking surgery in August.  They were going to rely on chemo to reduce the size of the mass and see if they could get more of it out during another surgery, but her CA125 levels have not gone down and the mass was not shrinking.

She has been waiting for insurance to approve a muga scan and the new drug.  Rather than be sick over the holiday, the doctor has opted for her to receive the first round of Doxil on the 28th (if she passes the muga scan).  Her abodmen is very large (she looks 9 months pregnant) and she is not having pain on her lower right side.  The visiting nurse who comes to check her coumadin level (from prior blood clot) said that she may be really constipated because the bowel is being compressed by the mass.  

How do I help her become more comfortable.  I know she will be getting chemo again next week, but she is so sore and bloated right now.  They wanted to do an ultrasound to see if there is too much fluid, but they truly suspect that there is very little fluid outside of the mass that can be removed at this point.

So far, they are saying the mass is contained in the abdomen region.  Her lungs are clear and her blood pressure is reasonable.  She has been taking colace and senekot to help releive her bowels, but they are not working.

Does anyone have this same scenario?  I feel helpless and want to help her be more comfortable for the holiday.  I just feel it has been too long since her last treatment (because of a blood clot and insurance approvals) and I feel she is moving backward.  The doctor said she will never be cured, but I know she can be stable and "live with the cancer" for a long time.  I just wish they would help her and be more proactive.  She is supposedly seeing one of the top gyn/onc in Chicago - Dr. Jacob Rotmensch.

Thanks to all who write here....

Deb/Curious Daughter

[Curious Daughter]

Thank you, Deandra.  She's taking coumadin right now, so I will make sure that she can take one of these options.  I am learning so much about what TO DO and NOT TO DO these days.  So many medications...I get very confused.  I will talk to her when she wakes up in the morning.  I think she is ready to try anything at this poing.

Happy holidays to you too - Deb

[Brownie3321]

Hi Deb. I'm so sorry to hear your mom is so uncomfortable. Have your mom try magnesium citrate, she can drink 1/2 a bottle and it should work. Or, she can try pure goat milk or pure organic pear juice. I'm sure one of these will work. Happy holidays, with love - Deandra

[Curious Daughter]

I wrote my Mom is stage IV...she is actually stage III.  

And, she IS having pain in her lower right side.  

I guess I was typing way too fast.  I apologize.