Trying to help my Dad

  • 1 reply
  • 8 subscribers
  • 184 views

My dad had just had his 2nd session of FLOT chemo last Thursday and he has 2 more rounds to go, he has it every 2 weeks & was scheduled 4 rounds of chemo.

after this he will then have a 6 week break before his surgery. He has oesophagus C and has to have major surgery after the chemo due roughly on the 19th December. 

this week he has been so low and fed up with his side effects he said he has a horrible smell on his skin. The horrible metallic taste in his mouth. Tiredness his hair is now falling out loosing weight so fatigue not enjoying any food or drink & he is telling us he doesn’t want to continue treatment he won’t go out as he is scared of picking something up & we are really struggling to keep him positive and distracted to try and take his mind of all f this. 

any advice please we are really struggling.   

  • Hi  and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

    It sounds like your dad is really struggling at the moment. I was fortunate that I didn't suffer very much with side effects although I did lose my hair and experienced a change in taste initially. I did find that eating really spicy food was a big help, as I could taste that, and also pineapple always tasted of pineapple.

    I hope you don't mind me suggesting that you also join and post this in the oesophageal cancer group where you'll connect directly with others who will have had the same type of chemotherapy as your dad.

    To join, just click on the link I've created and, once you've joined, you can start a new post in the same way as you did here and join in with existing conversations by clicking on 'reply'.

    It would be great if you could put something about your dad's diagnosis and treatment to date into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.

    Community Champion Badge

     "Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"