Bad stomch issues...

brend

I feel like I've been kicked in the stomach. My stomach has been running off since March. Yes, my dr does know about this. She FINALLY sent me for some tests started last friday. I have my doubts about dr dolittle. Why a chest xray, and pulmonary function test for a stomach that feels like this? I think she got her degree at Dollar Tree.

The bad pains started May 12. Yesterday I had 8 bm's. Stomach running started in March. I'm on taxol right now. I have 3 more chemo's to go. They put todays off hoping a little break would help my stomach.

I've been on the BRAT diet (bananna's, rice applesauce and toast) 6 days now. I was doing ok till yesterday. That is when all hell broke loose again.

I know dirrhea is a side effect of taxol. But this bad? I really think something else is going on. I feel 6 days is long enough to see if the BRAT diet would fix this.

Today, all I've eaten is one piece of toast, and its almost 3pm, and I woke up at 5am hurting.

Moderators

There may be some additional tips for you on this page:

Abdominal Pain.

If you don't feel that you doctor is really understanding the severity of the problem, do you have another one you can speak to? Or a nurse?

We are so sorry for what you are going through!

brend

she is the only oncologist there that does breast Cancer. I've got more out of the clinical trial nurse than anyone.

flannelette

Well, this may be right out to lunch, as I've never had Taxol chemo - but lately I discovered kefir - it's milk that has a zillion more times of the various probiotics for digestion than your average yogurt. I don't know what taxol does to the digestive system. Kefir is a traditional fermented food that has been around for centuries in the traditional cultures that always make yogurt. In case the taxol has somehow compromised your beneficial digestive bacteria, maybe try a little drink of kefir. Tastes like buttermilk. I just take a slug out of the bottle- in the fridge, every day.

I now use it whenever (rarely) I have any kind of tummy upset and find it incredibly helpful. Way more than yogurt.

Hope this clears up for you!

cbd

Have you tried Medcinal Charcoal which i get from the chemist here in England, I am also on Taxol weekly and after the second had some stomach pains and loose movements but after the third it was how many times a day can i go to the toilet i was in such pain every time i ate or drank it was another trip, in the end i remembered i had previously used the charcoal tablets and it has helped tremendously both with the pains and the movements. My onc okayed it.

Bippy625

hi,

I suffered awful nausea and diarhea, all thru chemo. Probiotics helped alot. I too was on BRAT diet and it helped, then did not help......nothing ever lasted to stop my issues. Toast was my best friend along with mashed taters. I feel for you. Be sure you hydrate though.

hugs

april25

I had diarrhea so bad during each cycle of chemo I was hospitalized the first two times and after that was on 24 hr IV drips (for the dehydration) for 2 weeks straight each cycle (6 cycles total).

I pretty much couldn't eat anything during the last cycle and was anemic. I lost 10 lbs or more each cycle (but luckily could eat for a few days at the end and at the beginning and make some of that back).

I had my taxotere reduced after the first cycle but it really didn't change anything.

I had stomach pain, but some of that was heartburn and over-the-counter meds helped.

I'm currently 2 months out from chemo and still have diarrhea, but I haven't had to have any IV drips, so I'm very happy. And I can eat what I want and it tastes good. That's a wonderful thing!

brend

After my surgery, the diarrhea just disappeared. I was started back on Herceptin and Perjetta almost 3 weeks ago. The diarrhea came back with a vengance within 2 weeks of starting back chemo. So have the itchy hives.

I remembered a few months back my neighbor had a knee replacement, and she said the pain med she was given, stopped her up for 5 days. I called to see what it was she too. Got to remember I've been desperite here, as 3 medications didn't work last time. Two of them where from the pharmacy, and one OTC. The BRAT diet didn't work last time either. She told me it was Oxycodone. I had some left over from last summer when I fell in the yard and sprained my arm. I know its not something my doc would approve of, but I took one. I'd had 5 bm's before noon that day. I slept for 4 hours after taking it, and the diarrhea stopped for several days. It slowed down after that for 4 days. It started back up bad again today. I really don't want to take them, till I get over 5 bm's in one morning again.

Tomorrow, I go for another treatment with Taxol and Perjetta. I will tell the doc what I did, although I will get some looks from her of disapproval. But you know, if I've tried 3 things she recommended, and stayed on the BRAT diet 3 whole weeks, and none of it helped, I got to do what I have to do. I don't like taking the Oxy, cause I've known so many that got hooked on it. But its not like I'm taking it daily. Just when its so bad, nothing else helps. Pretty much give up on controlling it with what they called in.

Now, to find something that will work on the itchy hives. So far, what they called in for that isn't working. I've tried a tub full of ground up oatmeal, that didn't work. Only thing so far that has worked "some" is Calamine Lotion. But it doesn't work long before I have to put more on. I've been wearing nothing but silky moo moos that were my Moms cause everything else makes me itchy. And no, its not the laundry detergent, cause the itching stopped right after surgery too.

I should be through with treatment, in Jan or Feb. With as hot of an August as we've had, that seems like forever.

The oxy is not something I want to take on a regular basis. But if I have 5 bm's a day, I'll take one to slow it down for 4 or 5 days.

april485

brend, never had chemo so forgive my stupidity if this is common for people having chemo, but don't hives on your skin mean you are highly allergic to that chemo and so your body is putting out histamines? Maybe you need a different chemo regimen? Maybe your MO can take a look at changing your med? Not sure but hope you get whatever under control. Hugs and here is to less time on the john!

brend

can't get a different chemo regimine with the type of cancer I have. They were hoping it was the Taxol, which I had my last dose of it 3 weeks before surgery. I'm HER2+. I will be on both of these till I'm done with chemo.

Seems its very common for chemo. But too much diarrhea can cause blood counts to be way off, and I'd have to put off chemo. That is something I do NOT want to do, as it'd set me back. I want to be done with this by Jan or Feb!

Not real sure about the hives. The doc seems to be bumfuzzled about them too.

brend

They actually stopped chemo, and did my surgery because of the side effects in early June. I was supposed to have 3 more chemo's before surgery.

Spookiesmom

I had such bad diarrhea from chemo, I just about quit eating. Lost 34#.

Maybe this would calm the itches. I use it for the neuropathy in my feet.

Beatmon

Have you tried Imodium? Or lomotil? Imodium wasn't strong enough for me. Had to take probiotic daily and up to 6 lomotil to stop 10-15 stools a day. I've been on Herceptin since last August. Still end up taking lomotil before I leave my house.....too afraid of major diarrhea. At one time I had to add Benefiber because it will help bulk up diarrheal stools. I had frequent stools prior to Herceptin and perjeta.....so with them on board some days are living in the toilet. I'm stage 4, so no end in site.....ha, no pun intended. Good luck...get some more medicine

brend

Yep, tried both of those. Also STILL on probiotic, tried benefiber, and the brat diet. None worked! Doc told me today "well, after what you went thought the last time, I can't say as if I blame you for trying it". She also said though its not something she'd recommend. I told her if I had 5 runny bm's before noon again, I'll take another one. I took one the other day, and after sleeping 4 hours, I didn't have another bowl movement that day. Only 1 the following day, then one the day after. I've had several a day since those days. If I have 5 a day again, I'll take another, as long as its a day I don't have to go anywhere, as I know it'll put me to sleep. Certainly not anything at all I want to take daily. I've known people who have got addicted to that before, so I'm pretty afraid to do that very often. It is the type with Tynol in it too, not straight Oxycodone.

She said the reason my diarrhea stopped after surgery is because of the pain ball they put in me. It only stayed in like 4 days. But funny, I had surgery June 25th, and the diarrhea didn't start back up till August 5th. That was 2 weeks after the chemo started back up. The pain ball didn't stop me up either. Just made me have normal bm's. She googled the side effects of Herceptin and Perjetta, and said "No wonder, 67% of people taking it have that side effect". They told me it was the taxol giving me the runs, and itchy hives, and since I was done with taxol, I wouldn't have side effects with Herceptin and Perjetta. UGGGH... I don't know how the heck she got out of college, and got a degree!

downdog

Tamoxifen gave me severe diarrhea. I have been off it and started back on and the diarrhea came back. At its worse, I had 12+ movements a day that were like a colonoscopy clean out. I was tested for C Dif, parasites etc and my PCP recommended the BRAT diet, which did nothing to relieve my symptoms. I wasn't offered lomotil, but took 9 Imodium + 5 shots of Pepto Bismol and they had zero effect. Once my symptoms began to improve, Imodium was effective. Prior to my problem, I did not have any digestive issues, ate wheat and gluten and lots of yogurt, so I never was lactose intolerant. I researched what IBS sufferers tried and found the FODMAP diet, which has been used successfully to relieve the symptoms of 75% of people with IBS. I had restored my gut flora and was about 95% back to normal after 6 weeks of this diet when I restarted the taxom and the diarrhea came back 3 weeks later, so I am in the process of restoring it a second time and am having success again. My bloating and gas reduced significantly after 1 week on the diet. I have been taking probiotics all along as well as eating fermented foods like sauerkraut and coconut milk kefir. With the good bacteria in your gut depleted, your guts are extra-sensitive. The FODMAP diet means giving up gluten, so no wheat, and dairy. That T in the BRAT diet is likely toasted wheat bread, so that's a no-no. The big surprise for me is that apples are a strong gut irritant and a food to be avoided, and this means applesauce as well. That Benefiber that you tried? I tried it too, but it's 100% inulin from wheat, inulin and wheat are both a big irritant, so I tossed mine. Psyllium (Metamucil) is a low fructan food, so it is an acceptable source of fiber supplement, if you choose to add one. I did not try a fiber supplement after discontinuing the Benefiber.

The FODMAP acronym stands for Fermentable, Oligosaccharides - fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), Disaccharides - lactose, Monosaccharides - fructose And Polyols. Some foods, like apples and foods made from apples are categorized as not suitable in more than one of the preceding categories (excess free fructose and high polyols). Watermelon is high in the same two categories, so should be avoided. The idea behind this diet is to avoid all the high gut irritant foods and then when you are better, re-introduce them to see if you can tolerate them. I fully expect to return to my former diet, once I get this diarrhea completely cleared up. Surprisingly, onion is one of the highest offenders, including all types (leeks, shallots, green onion etc). Even cooking with it and removing the onion pieces only reduces your load. I still cook with onion some of the time, since I like the taste. Garlic is also an offender, but cooking with 1-2 cloves in a meal for 4 people is OK. Since all fruit has fructose, it recommends eating no more than 1 c at a serving and spacing servings by 2-3 hours to reduce the fructose load. Some suitable fruits: bananas, blueberries, cranberries, grapefruit, grapes, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemons, limes, oranges, papaya, pineapple, raspberries, rhubarb, cantaloupe, strawberries, tangerines. Blackberries, cherries, figs, mangoes, pears, peaches, plums are all on the avoid list. Veggies to avoid: artichokes, cauliflower, mushrooms. Limit these veggies: broccoli: 1/2 cup, brussel sprouts: 1/2 cup, butternut squash: 1/2 cup, green peas: 1/2 c, sweet corn: 1/2 cob. Well rinsed canned chick peas: 1/4 c, well-rinsed canned red or brown lentils 1/4c. Beans that you soak are all off limits, as are canned kidney, black, navy etc. Camomile and fennel tea are not suitable. Avoid honey. Regular tea and coffee and most herbal teas are suitable. Carbohydrates are the offenders, so meat, fish and eggs, are fine to eat. The book is called: The Complete Low-FODMAP Diet: A Revolutionary Plan for Managing IBS and Other Digestive Disorders by Sue Shepherd. You may want to consider seeing if this book is in your library or buy it. If that's not an option and you are interested, brend, PM me and I will scan the charts for you. Good luck and hope your get your gut flora restored soon.

brend

wow downdog, that diet is way over my head. The diarrhea is much better. Only took that pain med one time. I'm taking gas x for gas, and I'm still having MAJOR gas, and bloating. I think I could outfart any male on earth! I'm a size bigger because of the boating!

I've stayed away from all foods that can cause gas. Guess, as long as the diarrhea doesn't come back, I can expect relief from the gas and bloating, in January or Feb, when treatment ends...bahahaha...

Meow13

Brend, I am sorry you have that horrible diarrhea it makes you feel trapped unable to go out. I had unexplained diarrhea years ago doctor made me think I was emotionally unbalanced. Jerk, just because he couldn't explain it finally it went away on its own. Cancer treatment can sure be rough glad th hear you are better.

brend

Well, bad diarrhea came back today. 6 times, and its not even noon. Took a pain med to see if that helps slow things down. I haven't had to take one in over a month. Pretty sure, I'll be back asleep in another hour.

I really don't know if I can make it like this through Jan or Feb. Chemo was 1 week ago today. I've only got dressed one day since then. Just physically wiped out.

Making me wish I'd had children, to help around the house when I need it like I have this past week.

brend

Now that I'm taking 5 gas pills a day, stomach issues not that bad. WHEW....