BAD SIDE EFFECTS FROM NEW CHEMO...

Chelsea was discharged home after 2 weeks on Friday, but over the weekend continued to have severe diarrhea and vomiting at home. We had to come back to the hospital and be re-admitted :o(
The doctor said the intractable diarrhea and vomiting is from the new chemo Irinotecan (common side effect). She has been absolutely miserable and cannot control her bowels, which is tough for a 20 year old. They have tried so many medications to stop the diarrhea and nausea, but nothing seems to work. They did a colonoscopy and found out she has colitis (also caused from the chemo) in her lower colon as well as having the grastroporesis discovered on her previous admission. Not sure how long the n/v and diarrhea will last??? Phenergan is the only thing that was helping her nausea but she had a distonic reaction to it and now can't use it. She was on Octreotide injections, around the clock imodium for the diarrhea but it is not helping. She hasn't hardly had anything to eat in the last 2 weeks and has lost 10-15 lbs. We are getting so close to our vacation date (july 12th) and I hope this gets resolved before we leave. Any suggestions on the diarrhea issue would be helpful.....

Keep the prayers going that she heals before our trip to Florida.... she really needs and deserves it!!!

Brenda

By firelady1968
Posted July 1, 2009 at 2:28 am
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Brenda and Chelsea, I will be praying for you both....You have plenty of time before your trip to get Chelsea back on her feet and ready to take her trip to the ocean....Once she stops with that damn diarrhea, she can get her strength back up and be ready for the trip....Sending Love and Prayers, Michelle

By StacieK
Posted July 1, 2009 at 10:44 am
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Your sweet daughter and your family is in my prayers, other than meds for diarrhea have you ever heard of the BRAT diet? bananas rice applesauce toast, it's worth a try if she will eat any of it. Also, I think yogurt with live cultures is really good for diarrhea and it has good bacteria which is in your stomach/intestines and is sometimes killed off with the bad stuff during chemo. I am so very sorry your daughter has to go through this.

Stacie

By fschwendeman
Posted July 1, 2009 at 1:00 pm
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Hi Brenda,
Did she try activia. That helped me, I also had to take immodium every 2 hours until it stopped. I seemed to only have trouble from around 4pm on. I took it like that for 2 days & it finally stopped. I lost 27 pounds. But put half of it back on.
Faith

By Truelove71
Posted July 3, 2009 at 3:49 pm
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Brenda,
I will continue to pray that Chelsea gets healed for the Florida trip. You all deserve it!
If you need to talk please call me anytime day or night.I will listen or cry with you or whatever you need I promise.
God Bless,
Deanna
Hugs and Smooches!

By kq182
Posted July 3, 2009 at 4:45 pm
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Praying for you and your precious daughter, may she get well and be able to enjoy her trip to Fla. Hopefully the hospital can get her feeling well soon, you two remain in my prayers, Huggs, Karen

By staceym
Posted July 5, 2009 at 12:04 am
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Brenda - I am hoping and praying that Chelsea is feeling better and these awful symptoms get under control. Wishing her well so she can enjoy her trip to Florida.

Stacey

By prathergirl
Posted July 5, 2009 at 3:42 am
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Brenda , Have you found anything to stop the diarrhea sine your post ? My husband has had it for a month - since his 3rd chemo , and the prescription combined with immodium hasn't helped. His onc refilled the same prescription afer hearing about it. I'm wondering if there is some reason he didn't prescribed something stronger. I hope you found something that worked,
Carla

By Chi-Dreamer
Posted July 6, 2009 at 8:47 am
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Brenda & Chelsea,

Wishing you bought strength and success in battling this monster and the side effects. You are in my prayers.

Linda

By mitziger
Posted July 6, 2009 at 11:49 am
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I did the same thing on my chemo but it was altogether different than hers. (the chemo was) I took so many immodium and nothing would help the diarrhea or nausea. Even the $300 for 3 pills nausea med....... I found that activia (the yogurt type stuff) helped me and does help when I have problems with diarrhea for no reason if you do take it for the 14 days like they tell you to. It has been months since I was taking the chemo and now getting nausea again have to have that checked out.
I know she is miserable with that as I was too. Also someone told me to get crystalized ginger from a health food store and they also have it make with raw sugar which is better for you and it seems to help some with nausea if you chew on a little piece of it. Take care and God Bless, I only lost 4 lbs with mine but it really dehydrated me and I am sure that didn't help the nausea. Just too sick to eat or drink. My prayers are with her she will get something to help her. Mitzi

By Chauncey53
Posted July 6, 2009 at 2:38 pm
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My Onc gave me a prescription for Lomotil along with over the counter Immodium. It did help some.
Probiotics from the health store may also help but may take awhile to show results. Still needs lots of fluids too.
My prayers are with you - a vacation/change of scenery can be very healing and I hope you can enjoy it!
Debbie

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