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What was your experience immediately following RT/chemo?
Esophageal Cancer | Last Active: Jul 18 8:01pm | Replies (21)Comment receiving replies
I’m having difficulty getting enough calories thru my g tube due to increased nausea ( due to chemo) I’m supposed to take 6 cartons of jevity every 24 hours but really get 4+. Haven’t had any food by mouth ( even pureed) in about 6 weeks. My normal weight ( I’m may)was 135 lbs. but yesterday I was weighed at 115. Due to 10 sessions of radiation I have esophagitis and can’t even swallow liquid. Doc says this is the hardest period for me and I should see improvement after next chemo round ( will be my 3rd). My wife thinks my nausea and aversion to feedings is intentional which isn’t true but she also thinks my pain complaints are bogus and this saddens me. Going back to work tomorrow on highly flexible schedule as I’m on short term disability- my doc doesn’t agree but is permitting it. I’m not sure how it’ll work out but I’m giving it a try. Really looking forward to the two immunotherapy drugs that will be added next round - they could make all the difference.
So suffering is now a daily part of life and if I wasn’t a faithful Christian, I think I’d be living in darkness much of the time.
Replies to "I’m having difficulty getting enough calories thru my g tube due to increased nausea ( due..."
Do you have a G tube... or a J tube? If you are heading to surgery I will assume you have a J tube.
Yes, dark times right now... but hang tough... the chemoradiation will do its job... and a couple of weeks after treatments stop, taste buds come back, sore throat improves greatly, etc. Scan will show you are ready for surgery.
Two immunotherapies... to be added in now? What stage are you? Are we talking Keytruda, Herceptin, Ramucirumab, Opdivo? Which ones? And while they could cause you no issues... they just might.
You have my number... give me a call.
Gary
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Hang in there, the esophagitis is slow to improve but will get better. ❤️🩹 Someone here suggested phenergan suppositories for the nausea if you're not finding you can tolerate the pills for it. That too might help with being able to tolerate the tube feeds. So important to keep your strength up especially if you're going to try to return to work. You're in my prayers!