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Fatigue from Meds,Tests and Nausea - Caring for my Wife 
Started by cablestray
30 May 2013, 11:42 PM

Hello everybody! My wife was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer with mets to bones this April. I am literally watching her energy go down everyday, especially since she started letrozole, parmidronate and radiation to her hips and pelvic bone all at the same time 3 weeks ago. The first 2 days of IV therapy she had a fever, then constipation, nausea everyday since then, extreme fatigue, muscle and bone pain. We now have help from the palliative care group  
in our city, which is proving to be outstanding. It just feels good to find a place here where I can vent, just by describing what we are dealing with. Even though our life's have radically change in the last couple of months I treasure every moment good or bad that I spend with her.
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Reply by Brayden
31 May 2013, 2:16 AM

Dear Cablestray,
I am glad that you found this forum and I would like to invite you to continue to vent here as you have need. I can imagion how your life has taken a radical turn and hope that you are coping. You do not say anything about your family but I hope you are not the only one having to carry the weight of caring for your wife. Be careful not to get yourself run down so that you cannot care for her effectively.  Please keep in touch as we care about you at this forum. Peace
Brayden 
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Reply by cablestray
31 May 2013, 9:39 PM

Hello Brayden! Thanks for hearing me vent, I am the only care giver. But I have some family , friends support that I can get when I need it. At this time my wife does not need me to look after all her personal care, but she tires easily so I take care of everything else. We are fearfull of her next cat scan results which we will find out at the end of June. On a nicer note, my step daughter and her daughter are coming over for the summer. So my wife and I are looking forward to their visit.
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Reply by marstin
01 Jun 2013, 3:39 AM

Hi cablestray,

You definitely have found the right place to vent and we welcome you. It's good to have other people to lean on while you travel this journey and on here you will find so much support and understanding. It's nice to hear that you have help from palliative care workers who are incredibly kind and caring people. Many of us have faced similar circumstances to yours and have found the people on this site help make things so much easier to deal with. How long has it been since you had a visit with your stepdaughter and her daughter? I'm sure your wife is really excited to see them.

I hope you continue to share on here.

Hugs,
Tracie
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Reply by cablestray
01 Jun 2013, 10:58 PM

Hello Tracie! 

Nice to meet you and Brayden, it is a relief to be able to discuss feelings and anything that is going on in our lifes going through this journey. My stepdaughter was here in Mar this year when my wife got diagnosed. She and our grandaughter will sure place a smile on her face. My son just arrived from Montreal to spend the week with us, which is really nice. Meanwhile Marie is dreading Monday as it is the second time that she be administered the bone strenghtning therapy that made her so sick for a couple of days last month. 

Roger 
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Reply by cablestray
03 Jun 2013, 10:09 PM

Today is Marie"s second time receiving Parmidronate. Just like the last time she has temperature 38.3C, which is not as high as the last time and overall she is unwell but here again not as bad as the last time. This time we gave her tylenol 1/2 hr before the treatment and every 4 hours until the  fever brakes. Hopefully the fever will brake overnight. As  anyone else have had problems with Parmidronate?

Roger 
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Reply by marstin
04 Jun 2013, 6:14 AM

Hi Roger

I just thought I'd check to see how Marie was tonight. Has the doctor made any recommendations on what to do about her reaction to the medication? Hopefully if someone on here has dealt with that drug before, they can tell you their experience with it. Is she at home or in the hospital?

How are you doing with all of this? I know that having been a caregiver we can so easily forget to take care of ourselves as we focus on our loved ones. I hope that you are taking the time out to eat and sleep properly.

Hugs,
Tracie
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Reply by cablestray
04 Jun 2013, 11:11 AM

Hello Tracy!

I have a call into the Dr, I should here sometime today from them. Marie is home and this time I gave her Tylenol before the infusion and throughout the day yesterday. She isn't as bad as a month ago however this time she has been having abdominal cramps on and off most of the night. So I will be glad to hear from the Dr. Also the VON is coming today. 

For myself I feel terrible for Marie but I channel that negative energy into things that I can do to help alleviate her symptoms, like putting a wet cloth on her forehead, when she isn't suffering from the chills. She is up and around this morning, which is a speedier recovery than a month ago.

thanks for checking in!

Roger 
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Reply by cablestray
04 Jun 2013, 2:16 PM

Well my Marie's fever has broke early this morning, and her abdominal cramps have subsided, which is great news. She feels and looks real good, and the oncolgist said nothing to worry about!
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Reply by passirose
04 Jun 2013, 4:11 PM

Hi Cablestray,

I am a  stage IV breast cancer, with mets to lungs and bones.  I do receive Pomidronate since March 2012 and had never had side effect, but I do know it is known to have the s/e your wife is having, like a bad flu.  You did what needed to be done.  One of my friend also receive Pomidronate for her bone mets since last year, and after 8 months without side effects, it is now 3 times (months) she has lots of pain.  As you see it is true that it can be very different from a person to another.

For what I can see your wife is receiving the best care to minimize the pain and keep her confortable.  Palliative care are the best for that.

She will surely enjoy your stepdaugther visit!

Don't forget to take care of yoursefl too, you need to have some outside activities to vent.  My Hubby plays golf here and there, he has friend he sees almost everyday around a cup of coffee.  He's not "computer friendly" like you so he needs to see them.  For you, being here can be a lot of relief, you can say any fear or emotion and it will be receive and understand.

Hugs,

Suzanne  
   
   
    
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