Metastatic breast cancer, in bones: Trouble eating

Posted by baby99 @baby99, May 21, 2019

Original breast cancer was in 2007. In left breast but I opted for both breasts to be removed. I was DX's with medistatic breast cancer in 2018. It is in breast bone and two ribs. Dr. put me on femara and kisquil? Did not tolerate kisquil. Could not eat. Dr. took me off kisquil and left me on femara. I started marijuana RSO 2 months later. My numbers dropped each month,4 months later almost down to normal. I have been on marijuana for a year and have had a steady decline in my ability to eat. In researching online I have found that this is normal for people with other digestive problems. I have had GERD and IBS since my 20's, I am now 75. I have lost 45# in last year. Marijuana slows down the digestive process. I do not get hungry, ever. I make myself eat protein drinks so body has something. Problem is getting worse and any food I eat now make me get upset stomach and most times diarria. In last two months my cancer #'s have climbed 5 points. Dr. says my remission may be over. He wants me to go on Ibrance if #'s keep climbing. not sure I want to do that. I have struggled with stopping marijuana in the hope that my stomach will come back to normal. Fear that my cancer will get worse if I stop has me scared. After a lot of praying, my husband and I have decided that I will slowly back off of marijuana until totally off. Wondering if any one out there that has problems like mine or any advice for me. I have seen two great grand children born and added two more grand children in years I was cancer free, thank God for that joy. I tell myself that I am not afraid to die, my faith is strong and God and I talk all the time. Yet I felt fear when Dr. said remission may be over, and the same fear for stopping the marijuana. I know I have to do this but it is hard. Any help or advice or just being able to talk online with others that have problems will be a help to me. I should mention that I am also a care giver for my husband who has COPD and other lung problems. He is on O2 all the time and can do very little. Thank you

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@colleenyoung

Oh @baby99, that must've been a blow to hear yesterday on top of everything else. Did you get a chance to call about local palliative care? I highly recommend palliative care. They are trained specialists in symptom management and can help you not only deal with the effects of osteopenia, pain and nutrition, they can help you with dealing the stress. This is includes that stress you feel about your husband's health too. You are bearing a heavy load.

May I ask, is your oncologist visit in 2 weeks at Mayo Clinic? If yes, which location. I can possibly suggest additional resources at Mayo that you might find helpful. If no, where is your cancer center? (Only answer if you're comfortable sharing.)

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Thanks Colleen, Yes both of us signed up for palliative on yesterday, June 4th. I am hoping that it will help with all going on with us. Stress is my worse problem now, I know it is my eating problem from problems over years with GERD and IBS. I am hopeful that they can help some. Still trying more natural foods, helping some but still not enough food being eaten but still no hunger. Have monthly labs on Friday. Worried numbers will be high I feel stressful already. Some days I am my worse problem with how I am not handling all this. Pray daily for help. My appointment is at local cancer center next Monday., and worried doctor will not be happy with decisions I am making, but it is my life. Will let you know.
Thanks for giving me a place to vent. My best friend passed away of pancreatic cancer a couple of years ago and I miss our daily contact and leaning on each other to get through bad times. She got me through my first cancer and could make me laugh no matter how I felt. Could use that now but mostly tears around here now. Today is my 76th birthday and I feel every year. Not much joy anymore. No Golden years in this house. Thanks

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@baby99

Thanks Colleen, Yes both of us signed up for palliative on yesterday, June 4th. I am hoping that it will help with all going on with us. Stress is my worse problem now, I know it is my eating problem from problems over years with GERD and IBS. I am hopeful that they can help some. Still trying more natural foods, helping some but still not enough food being eaten but still no hunger. Have monthly labs on Friday. Worried numbers will be high I feel stressful already. Some days I am my worse problem with how I am not handling all this. Pray daily for help. My appointment is at local cancer center next Monday., and worried doctor will not be happy with decisions I am making, but it is my life. Will let you know.
Thanks for giving me a place to vent. My best friend passed away of pancreatic cancer a couple of years ago and I miss our daily contact and leaning on each other to get through bad times. She got me through my first cancer and could make me laugh no matter how I felt. Could use that now but mostly tears around here now. Today is my 76th birthday and I feel every year. Not much joy anymore. No Golden years in this house. Thanks

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So, last night I was in ER for a complete shut down of my renal system because I am not drinking enough liquid. I pray I have not done damage to my kidneys. I have had my kidneys shut down multiable times with my first cancer and with surgery's. over the years. So now I start over with this journey I am on.

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Hi @baby99 Caner does suck. I was diagnosed with BC in June 2016, and MBC in the bones in September 2017. I was on Ibrance from 18 months. I did great on it. No major side effects. I just went off of it because I had more spread. But it gave me 18months of feeling good and keeping up with my 3 year old daughter. I have also tried Marijuana off and on for pain and stress. I don't have the GI issues you mention above, but it did work great for stress relief. . I do have a lot of pain though-tout on body so i take percocet everyday, and it works great for me. Best of luck on figuring it all out and what the right make of of drugs are for you.

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@baby99

Thanks Colleen, Yes both of us signed up for palliative on yesterday, June 4th. I am hoping that it will help with all going on with us. Stress is my worse problem now, I know it is my eating problem from problems over years with GERD and IBS. I am hopeful that they can help some. Still trying more natural foods, helping some but still not enough food being eaten but still no hunger. Have monthly labs on Friday. Worried numbers will be high I feel stressful already. Some days I am my worse problem with how I am not handling all this. Pray daily for help. My appointment is at local cancer center next Monday., and worried doctor will not be happy with decisions I am making, but it is my life. Will let you know.
Thanks for giving me a place to vent. My best friend passed away of pancreatic cancer a couple of years ago and I miss our daily contact and leaning on each other to get through bad times. She got me through my first cancer and could make me laugh no matter how I felt. Could use that now but mostly tears around here now. Today is my 76th birthday and I feel every year. Not much joy anymore. No Golden years in this house. Thanks

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Hi @baby99, how are you doing today?

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Hi, Colleen Haven't been on because of my many problems. I am doing ok, but my kidney function has been effected by shut down. #'s have come up some but still showing stress of shut down. So lots of water and lot of prayers. Had a scare today with husband. He choked eating supper and could not catch a breath. He finally coughed up the piece of meat, but it was hard to watch when I know more of the same is coming. Doctors, cancer and regular have warned me that I am heading for a break down if I don't get a handle on my life. I am going to call palliative care to see what help I can get right now. My cancer #'s were the same as last month, at 44. I am starting on my natural diet to see if I can get my IBS under control. Thank you

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@lynnydave12

Hi @baby99 Caner does suck. I was diagnosed with BC in June 2016, and MBC in the bones in September 2017. I was on Ibrance from 18 months. I did great on it. No major side effects. I just went off of it because I had more spread. But it gave me 18months of feeling good and keeping up with my 3 year old daughter. I have also tried Marijuana off and on for pain and stress. I don't have the GI issues you mention above, but it did work great for stress relief. . I do have a lot of pain though-tout on body so i take percocet everyday, and it works great for me. Best of luck on figuring it all out and what the right make of of drugs are for you.

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Thank you lynnydave12 Sounds like you have your hands full also. I am staying off marijuana for now as I try to get IBS more controled Am starting a natural diet, no sugar, dairy, limited meat, non GMO where I can. Hope it works. I wish you well. God bless.

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I pray so much for you and your husband. Maybe once you have weaned off the Marijuana your appetite might improve? One can only hope. There's not much I can tell you that you probably don't already know. Try to enjoy the simple pleasures and the time you and your husband have together. Bless you dear lady.

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@colleenyoung

Hi @baby99, how are you doing today?

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Haven't been on here much. Wanted to say I have a nucular scan on 27th of Aug. Cancer #'s up. Doctor thinks it is in back, pelvis. Another waiting game, worrying about what will be found. Have changed total diet, no dairy, meat, except org. chicken, gluton free, no sugar, only non GMO. Am starting marijuana again, hope gut will keep working. Husband still with me but not doing much anymore, he is tired all the time, sleeps a lot. Always seems like waiting for an answer. I am staring to have bad panic attacks. Doctor want to put me on heavy med. Holding off for now, see what test shows. Will make decision after test results about taking new meds. Will post how tests come out. Thanks for listening.

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baby, being new to all of this I am at a disadvantage to others who offer advice. I had a discussion with my onc last friday about my sugar consumption and we spoke about the myths out there about starving the cancers. I changed my unhealthy diet moderately when diagnosed; started drinking protein drinks to get all my vitamins and minerals and started eating 3 square meals instead of just when I was hungry. My onc told me that denying your body the proteins and sugars it needs means the "monster" (who he described as being at the top of the food chain) gets first go at what is there and will gobble up everything healthy leaving only scraps for the rest of your body to survive and rebuild on. If your body doesn't have enough of those good things to begin with because you are doing without then the "monster" has to eat into healthy tissue making things worse. I get scared when I hear people cutting out all of what they think is bad. Just my opinion. I hope whatever it is you do it improves your health.

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