Hi, my spouse was all done with rad 8/9, and chemo 8/5. He still gets nauseous and using zofran and compazine round the clock and on oxycodone and prilosec, and thrush medicine fluconazale. dr said to stay on the flucon til he can start eating food. He has been throwing up black bile which they advised last month was blood but he his labs are ok and not showing any active bleed. Has to have an upper gi when he is able to swallow (since he cannot yet). Still on peg.

Has anyone else experienced the black stuff?
Is there any suggestions on what works best on trying to swallow first? I keep trying to encourage him to swallow but he says it hurts too bad even on the pain med.

also, Has anyone on this form tried pure Quantum aloe drink?

Any additional suggestions on post treatment issues?

Thanks for your replies in advance.

Positive - I can't speak to the black bile issue. But on the subject of mouth pain, have you tried viscous lidocaine? I found it was the only thing that helped me. I took all those meds your husband takes, still on Prilosec over a year later and still take the odd Oxy.

As far as what to try... liquids first of course, maybe the stuff he's taking through the PEG. I didn't have one so I was just chugging it as best I could (Ensure, Boost and their clones, but I understand Carnation VHC packs an even bigger punch). Once I got back on solids I began with vegetable soup I made with the vegetables cooked to maximum softness, miso soup, then oatmeal and soft boiled eggs, eventually ice cream. I believe there's a whole section here at OCF devoted to soft food recipes.

As far as other issues... rest, hydrate, eat, rest, hydrate and repeat.

As many have noted here, the first month or so after Radiation is just as tough or tougher than the treatment itself. My guess is he'll start feeling a lot better in a couple of weeks!

Keep us posted and please ask any and all questions. Others will likely weigh in with more valuable info than I've been able to provide!

Courage.
David 2

You don't say where the treatments are taking place. I am concerned about the blood in the vomit. That is not right. A stomach bleed that generates dark vomit, might also result in dark stools. Is this happening? None of his meds should be causing a stomach bleed, I would want the doctors to be checking out his PEG system, and more. This is the first time this has been reported on these boards and that makes me feel something is amiss.

Besides his oncologists he must have seen a gastro doc to have the PEG put in. That person would be my first phone call since you are getting a dismissal attitude from the other docs.

Thanks for replies. Treatments were at The James at OSU Ohio. He's been having constipation and takes lactolose for that and goes about every 3 days. His stools are dark but we had them tested a few weeks ago and they said no blood. They are not what i call a normal stool. This has been one of his biggest battles.

A dr. came in and did a visual check of peg a few weeks ago which his Boost/Water/meds all go through fine. Dr. said no concern but after he can stand to swallow they will do an upper gi.

Today still mucositis, His throat is still raw, and he still has nausea. No more weight loss but no weight gain either. Still putting a lot of water thru the tube to stay hydrated.

The pain meds definitely cause constipation and stool softeners are a must during this time - over the counter stuff works fine. Whlle the doc looked at his PEG externally and it is draining fine, I would want to be sure that internally it is where it is supposed to be. Blood in vomit is not normal, you don't mention the doctors comments about that. Some of this might be from bleeding mucocitis sores in his throat and oropharynx if it is reddish but if it is dark it has to be from something further away.