My wife is undergoing the FOLFIRINOX Chemo and suffers chronic diarrhoea no matter how much immodium and Creon she consumes. This is accompanied by belching and stomach/intestinal pain. Is there anything else she could take to control this? It is making her weaker and weaker and she has already lost vast amounts of weight.
Hi Orangeblue31,
Thank you for getting in touch with us and welcome to the online community.
I’m Lorna one of the cancer information nurse specialists on the support line.
I can see that you have joined our pancreatic cancer forum. I hope you are finding this useful and getting support from it too.
I’m sorry to hear that your wife has been experiencing chronic diarrhoea while having her FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy. Unfortunately, one of the common side effects of this regime can be severe diarrhoea.
There can be different reasons why your wife is feeling tired and weak or in pain. It’s important to get in touch with her doctor or nurse who will be able to assess her, and prescribe any medications she may need.
Because we are not part of the NHS, and don’t have access to your wife’s medical records, we cannot recommend any specific medication for her. We would always recommend that if your wife experiences any new or worsening symptoms, to get in touch with her chemotherapy team for advice and support as soon as possible.
The pancreas plays and important role in digesting the foods that we eat. Problems caused by cancer may mean that your wife is not able to absorb all the nutrients she needs, this can cause weight loss. Symptoms are usually managed by pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) like Creon. Any problems your wife may have with diet, indigestion and weight loss should be discussed with her dietician.
It can be a distressing time for you caring for your partner at this time. It can help to talk to others who share your experiences on our family and friend’s forum.
I hope this information is useful. Please don’t hesitate to get back in contact by email, webchat or phone, if you need further information or support.
The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.
Best wishes
Lorna- Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
Ref: LB/KHa
