#23679 07-06-2007 02:31 PM | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 11 Member | OP  Member
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 11 | Hello all.
I've been looking around here for a month or so now and the information has been invaluable. My husband just got his Peg tube in today, and a nurse is coming tomorrow to show us how to use it. He had his second chemo a week ago and hasn't been able to drink VHC since (he's been drinking the VHC for about 3 weeks now - that's all he eats). He's only had water.
My big concern now is his nausea that seems to be caused from the mucous. He's on Zofran and pilocarpine. The mucous gets his gag reflex going and then he throws up.
What happens in this situation when you have a Peg tube? Does your nausea become more manageable? I know he's better off with the Peg and will get his fluids and nutrition, but I worry that he won't retain anything.
Any advice? Should I repost this in "Currently in Treatment?" Thanks.
Shelly
CG to husband, age 58 (nonsmoker/seldom drinker), Dx SCC right tonsil and one node - tonsilectomy 5/15/07, Rx Cisplatin x 3 with IMRT x 35, Peg 7/6/07, last chemo 7/20/07 and last rad 7/25/07; PET scans clear until 4/10, 9/13/10 diagnosis of "ALL" leukemia, in hospital for 2-4 weeks treatment
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#23680 07-06-2007 06:12 PM | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 583 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 583 | Welcome SW to OCF
When I had the thick mucous I used baking soda and salt mixed in warm water. Rise mouth with that. It will help cut the saliva.
Soon that will stop and you will get dry mouth. You can post questions there as well. Usually post here to introduce self and get started.
Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Someone will come along & help.
Take care,
Diane
2004 SCC R.tip 1/4 tongue Oct. 2005 R. Neck SCC cancer/Chemo Cisplatin 2x/8wks. Rad. Removed Jugular vein, Lymph gland & some neck muscle. TX finished 1/20/06... B.Cancer 3/29/07 Finished 6/07 Bi-op 7/15/09 SCC in-situ, laser surgery removed from 1st. sight. Right jaw replacement 11/3/14. 9 yrs cancer free as of Jan. 2015
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#23681 07-07-2007 02:09 AM | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Shelly, Been there and did that plenty except I didn't have a tube. The nausea was the worst side effect of my Tx. It magnified everything else. I wasn't able to overcome it until a few weeks post Tx when I also stopped taking all my pain meds, which were also causing me nasuea. Good news is I still survived the Tx so I'm sure he'll get through this. Has he been tested for HPV yet?
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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#23682 07-07-2007 02:22 AM | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 11 Member | | OP Member
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 11 | He hasn't been tested for HPV. Thanks for the replies. I appreciate hearing from people who have been through all this already.
Shelly
CG to husband, age 58 (nonsmoker/seldom drinker), Dx SCC right tonsil and one node - tonsilectomy 5/15/07, Rx Cisplatin x 3 with IMRT x 35, Peg 7/6/07, last chemo 7/20/07 and last rad 7/25/07; PET scans clear until 4/10, 9/13/10 diagnosis of "ALL" leukemia, in hospital for 2-4 weeks treatment
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#23683 07-07-2007 02:30 AM | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 525 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 525 | Welcome Shelly
You posted correctly to introduce yourself. "Ride" this thread for a few days.
The next time you post a topic, "Currently in Treatment" is correct.
Good Luck on your journey. You and your spouse will be in my prayers.
Petey
DX 3-21-07 L tongue,SCC Stage IV (T3N2MO) TX Slash/Burn/Poison Method.
***Rapid Aggressive Recurrence 8-4-07 with same DX/TX. Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh. Never Give Up! ****UPDATE**** Our dear friend Petey passed away, RIP 9-2-07
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#23684 07-07-2007 02:20 PM | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 510 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 510 | Shelly: Just wanted to say 'hello' and to let you know that THIS website is the place to get 'real' answers to all your questions...Husband and I are just beginning our battle with the 'beast' but have learned so much these past few weeks,thanks to OCF. Do keep us posted as to how treatment is progressing. Good luck and God bless!
CG to 77 y/o hubby;SCC Alveolar Ridge; Wake Forest Baptist Hosp surgery: 07/19/07; bi mod radical resection/jaw replacement;
T2 N2-B M0 Stage IV-A
28 IMRT +
6 Paclitaxel/Carboplatin
Getting stronger every day!
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#23685 07-07-2007 02:44 PM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,676 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,676 | Hi, Shelly, mucous and nausea are two very big and ongoing issues with this treatment. Many people will tell you that "you have to stay on top of it" Read that to mean- "Keep insisting that his Docs and nurses hear that he is having a problem and try different things to get it under control." Also, keep a good chart of the pain meds. he is taking- many of them can wreck havoc on one's stomach. How are you doing so far? Amy in the Ozarks
CGtoJohn:SCC Flr of Mouth.Dx 3\05. Surg.4\05.T3NOMO.IMRTx30. Recur Dx 1\06.Surg 2\06. Chemo: 4 Cycles of Carbo\Taxol:on Erbitux for 7 mo. Lost our battle 2-23-07- But not the will to fight this disease
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#23686 07-08-2007 06:25 AM | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 11 Member | | OP Member
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 11 | Thanks for the replies, everyone. He's already adjusted to the Peg tube, and we got a suction machine (very helpful). I don't know if it's the discomfort of the Peg tube healing or what, but he's just now getting in touch with pain, so he's on Oxycodone (5mg) every 4 hours. He really wasn't taking anything for pain before. I looked in his mouth/throat for the first time in a while last night and couldn't get over how much was going on in there - yikes! I'm doing pretty well. We have two little boys -both ALL boy  - 4 and 6 years old, so things are a little crazy here. We're lucky that we've had family come stay with us (tag team) to help out. Thanks for listening and the great advice!
Shelly
CG to husband, age 58 (nonsmoker/seldom drinker), Dx SCC right tonsil and one node - tonsilectomy 5/15/07, Rx Cisplatin x 3 with IMRT x 35, Peg 7/6/07, last chemo 7/20/07 and last rad 7/25/07; PET scans clear until 4/10, 9/13/10 diagnosis of "ALL" leukemia, in hospital for 2-4 weeks treatment
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#23687 07-08-2007 11:29 AM | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 378 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 378 | Hi Shelly, Jack also had a PEG tube and we found that small amounts of feedings run very slowly thru a gravity drip bag helped. It's a platic pouch that is hung from an IV pole and there's a wheel on the tubing that allows you to control the flow. We kept track of the number of calories he was getting each time so that he would have the proper amount at the end of the day. You can use the gravity bag for water or food and it's good for a 24 hour period. He just couldn't tolerate having the formula poured in his PEG at the height of his nausea, although we went back to that when he was able to.
He also used zofran 8mg ODT (dissoved under the tongue) twice a day and compazine for breakthough nausea.
Glad to hear that you have family helping you - sounds like you have your hands full right now. Good luck.
Regards JoAnne
JoAnne - Caregiver to husband, cancer rt. tonsil, mets to soft palate, BOT, 7 lymph nodes - T3N2BM0, stage 4. Robotic assisted surgery, radical neck dissection 2/06; 30 IMTX treatments and 4 cycles of cisplatin completed June 06.
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#23688 07-08-2007 03:26 PM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,676 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,676 | Shelly, glad to hear that the suction machine is helping and that he has Oxycodone to help with the pain. But I gotta tell you that if I had 4 and 6 yr. old boys in the house- I would be taking something stronger than that  Glad to know you have some family around. Try to get some rest for yourself, gal! Amy in the Ozarks
CGtoJohn:SCC Flr of Mouth.Dx 3\05. Surg.4\05.T3NOMO.IMRTx30. Recur Dx 1\06.Surg 2\06. Chemo: 4 Cycles of Carbo\Taxol:on Erbitux for 7 mo. Lost our battle 2-23-07- But not the will to fight this disease
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