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Anyone experience pain with Y90 treatment?

Posted by camper56 @camper56, Apr 15, 2024

My husband had the Y 90 treatment 2 1/2 weeks ago. He had nausea the first week then it went away. Then started the really sharp pain in his liver area. It usually starts in the afternoon and does not go away without taking an oxycontin. He is having a followup CT scan today. Anyone else experienced the pain for more than a few days?

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marthawyatt | @marthawyatt | Feb 25 7:02am
In reply to @allmyfriends "@marthawyatt Would love a follow up. Y90 on 1/14/2026 for cancer that spread from esophagus to..." + (show)
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@marthawyatt Would love a follow up. Y90 on 1/14/2026 for cancer that spread from esophagus to the liver and after two weeks same type of concerns. Difficulty swallowing, lost 30 pounds in three weeks, unable to keep food or water down, not able to sleep for more than a couple of hours.

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@allmyfriends
I am sorry to hear about what you are experiencing. I am fortunate enough to have a neighbor who is a retired GI doctor. He got me in with a new GI group, and within 2 weeks I had an endoscopy where they found 2 ulcers, one worse than the other. They biopsied the larger one and found remnants of a radioactive bead.

I have lost 20 pounds. I am treating the ulcers with liquid sucralfate and a prescription for Prilosec. I had the endoscopy on Jan. 28, and the medicine eased the pain within days; however, I am still building up my diet, and I still fill up after, say, a whole sweet potato.

I can't take my oral cancer meds because they irritate the ulcers. I am starting chemo next week, which scares me; I had my first chemo in 2019. Feels like I am starting over again.

There is a syndrome associated with the Y90 you have probably read about, with extended recovery. I found a few other stories on the Mayo site. I never had nausea, just extreme pain in my abdomen.

Has the interventional radiologist given you anything for nausea? Talk to them about the syndrome and maybe some painkillers as well.

Sorry for the long-winded response. Please let me know how you make out.

I teach college and had to find people to take my classes this semester.

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Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Mar 2 7:53pm
In reply to @ronnielynnhill "Hello; New to this group, and new to this unwelcome journey. My husband was diagnosed with..." + (show)
Profile picture for ronnielynnhill @ronnielynnhill

Hello; New to this group, and new to this unwelcome journey.

My husband was diagnosed with cancer of the liver on Christmas Eve, 2025 and had Y-90 treatment at UNC Chapel Hill, NC, this past Tuesday. We were dreading the possible side effects but so far, he hasn’t experienced any. They sent him home with pain medication, nausea medication and a course of steroids, and I’m so pleased that his appetite is still intact and he is on his feet multiple times throughout the day. I think the steroids have helped him a lot, because he has been awake more than weak and sleeping (which wasn’t the case leading up to the treatment). In searching online information, we were very anxious about the unknown of this treatment, and very anxious about its outcome. I understand he may face these side effects, if additional treatments are needed. Thank you, for allowing me to participate in the group, and best wishes for everyone on this journey!

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@ronnielynnhill, welcome! It's been a few days since your husband's treatment. How is he doing 2 weeks out? When did the course of steroids end? How are YOU doing?

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