Now I am really confused......

Darwin · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:06 am Post subject: Now I am really confused......

Hello Everyone
My ex husband has bowel cancer which has spread to his liver and lungs and has returned to the bowel after his initial surgery 2 years ago. Over the past three weeks he has had increasing severe pain when he stands up for even 2-3 minutes. So severe he cannot continue to stand. On a few days he can manage to stand for 20-30 minutes but then the pain starts. Once he sits it stops. The doctor increased his medication twice last week with no result and then he was taken into the hospice for observation for four days. They have let him come home today but they admit that even after an ultra sound and then a CT Scan they cannot find what is causing the pain and cannot fix it. I reminded the hospice doctor that she told us that " in this day and age no one needs to be in pain" but his pain continues unrelieved. She said that after bowel surgery sometimes there is nerve pain that returns. My ex suggested taking an antiiinflammatory med that they prescribed for the swollen capule of his liver and the doctor said OK try it. I feel they have no idea about either what is causing the pain or how to relieve the pain although I know they are doing their best.
Does anyone know what could be causing this or have any suggestions? Has anyone had the same pain which he says feels deep down in his bowel. The Oncologist gave him an examination three weeks ago and said he didn't think it had spread to his bones. It breaks my heart to see my ex literally rolling on the floor in a fetal position groaning in pain and I don't know what to do to help him.
All the tests show is that the liver lesions have enlarged very slightly.
Thanks for your support and advice.
Dorothy
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Ex husband's diagnosis was January 2006, stage IV bowel cancer with mets to liver and lungs. Two years of continuous chemo, folfox then folfirri. On MAX chemo now. Has had radiation to pelvic area and radioactive SIRT spheres injected through the portal vein into the liver.

Vee Smith · Moderator Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 790 Location: UK

Oh dear, Dorothy, I am sorry - pain is such a difficult problem, particularly when no obvious source is found.

I have been scrabbling around seeing if there is anything that might help and came across this site: http://www.westmeadanaesthesia.org/pain/

Also, this may have information of interest: http://tinyurl.com/3jpwvz

Darwin

Thanks Vee
I have checked out both sites and will be speaking to the pallative care team today. John has pain due to a number of factors so I guess it is difficult to separate the factors or for John to differenicate between the various sources of pain. It all just adds up to a lot of pain. I hope he can find relief soon. He seems a little better today so fingers crossed that things will improve.
Thanks for taking the time to offer these suggestions.
Dorothy
_________________
Ex husband's diagnosis was January 2006, stage IV bowel cancer with mets to liver and lungs. Two years of continuous chemo, folfox then folfirri. On MAX chemo now. Has had radiation to pelvic area and radioactive SIRT spheres injected through the portal vein into the liver.

Vee Smith · Moderator Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 790 Location: UK

I do so hope they can find some way to help. Crying or Very sad

brainman

Dorothy, I am so sorry that John is in pain. I hope that his medical team can find ways to help him.

As always, you and John are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

Darwin

Hi All
Well the five weeks of daily radiation has shrunk the tumor which was causing the back pain but..... now John has pain just under his ribcage usually all across the front of his body but sometimes just on one sde at the frount or the other. The nurse said it might just be his reaction after all the treatment he has had but I am wondering if it could be something else???????? Any thoughts?
_________________
Ex husband's diagnosis was January 2006, stage IV bowel cancer with mets to liver and lungs. Two years of continuous chemo, folfox then folfirri. On MAX chemo now. Has had radiation to pelvic area and radioactive SIRT spheres injected through the portal vein into the liver.

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