Please share the final symptoms for pancreatic cancer?!
Question: Pancreatic Cancer is unimaginably horrid. My sister-in-law was dx Jan 31, 08. Stage IV, DVT complications, has stent,
2nd tx of chemo this week, at home, taking oral morphine, not eating, fatigue, very weak, can only take a few steps before tiring, sleeps most of day, not interest in talking, .....this discribes what I observe. It's freightening. Can you share what to expect in the final days? Heart felt thanks, cc
Answers: Pancreatic Cancer is unimaginably horrid. My sister-in-law was dx Jan 31, 08. Stage IV, DVT complications, has stent,
2nd tx of chemo this week, at home, taking oral morphine, not eating, fatigue, very weak, can only take a few steps before tiring, sleeps most of day, not interest in talking, .....this discribes what I observe. It's freightening. Can you share what to expect in the final days? Heart felt thanks, cc
First I am so sorry for you and your family. Unfortunately, a lot of the symptoms you are seeing already are similar to those seen in the terminal stages, however, they could also be due to her chemo. Things that would suggest she is taking a turn for the worse are yellow skin & eyes, extreme confusion/doesn't make sense when she talks, itchy skin, spread of the cancer, no bowel movements, internal bleeds, heart problems, shortness of breath, & uncontrolled pain/doesnt't respond to oral meds.
The best predictor of how she's doing is what her oncologist tells you even though she may look bad. Hang in there.
I'm very sorry. I do not know what the chances of surviving stage IV Pancreatic Cancer is, but I know my husband had stage IV Lymphoma and my Aunt is in the final stages of breast cancer. In general, I think the final days of having cancer are all about the same. Some start to have night sweats and run low fevers at night and I once heard from a nursing homes that they knew a patient was in their final days once their earlobes folded up and had a crease in them. I know a family friend had this happen about 3 days before he passed, so it may be accurate. Fatigue and weaknes are also obvious signs, but those are also side affects of chemo (my husband was VERY tired and weak and was on high doses of chemo...he slept for days at a time). There is always a chance of recovery...no matter how small.
Let her know that you care about her and you are here. I pray that everything will be okay and that she will be in peace, if nothing else.