Hi, my husband (77) was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer about a year ago. He has multiple bone mets throughout the skeleton and whilst initially on Firmagon (hormone therapy), he has changed to Prostap as he had too much pain from the first.
He has bladder incontinence which is manageable by wearing pads but has been having often uncontrollable diarrhea every day for nearly four months. He has had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy, but so far and oncology say nothing to do with the cancer. He recently had an mri to rule out spinal compression and a contrast ct scan. Nothing sinister found that they didn't already know.
However, my biggest worry is that he no longer can eat. I have tried everything, obviously including his favourite foods. He can manage sweet things like fruit, yoghurt and cream cakes but he just cannot mange more than a couple of mouthfuls of any savoury food and is having Energy drinks supplied by the doctor.
My questions are, do other sufferers have bad diarrhea and is total lack of appetite and inability to eat normal. He is going downhill so fast and also getting dehydrated too. I am at my wits end trying to help him.
Hi Sidsmum and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.
I'm sorry to read how difficult it is for both you and your husband right now.
As the online community is divided up into different support groups I'm going to recommend that you join the prostate cancer group, which is a great place to ask your question about diarrhoea, and also the carers only group where you can find out from other carers what they have found works for people with a poor appetite.
To join these groups just click on the links I've created and then join and post in the same way as you did here. You can also join in with existing conversations by clicking on 'reply'.
Macmillan also have lots of useful information on their website and you might find this on eating problems helpful to have a look through.
When you feel up to it it would be good if you could pop something about your husband's diagnosis and treatment so far 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.
If you have any difficulty navigating the community just drop me a reply and I'll be pleased to help
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi Sidsmum
I don't have any experience with palliative care so can't help with your question I'm afraid. Could you speak to the nurse online again to clarify this or speak to your husband's cancer nurse specialist, sometimes referred to as a keyworker?
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
