I have a Q about WBRT?

Kat1985 · Regular Joined: 02 Aug 2008 Posts: 11

In my prior post I was talking about my mom and all her test.. The biopsy came back as stage 4 Non small cell LC
I have not heard anything about the bone scan as of yet for some reason.....

My mom has now had 3 days straight of WBRT... number 4 will be tomorrow.. and 5 will be on Tuesday..

I'm a bit worried about this.. Her hearing has been affected, memory, speech and balance, and she isn't even finished.. It's almost as if it is melting her brain Sad

She is paranoid over everything, and gets very angry. The nurses are actually afraid of her and were almost willing to discharge her!
My sister said the floor doctor, not the oncologist. Said she may only have a month. (It was said in private to my sister)

Shouldn't they be trying to do chemo next if it will benefit her providing the radiation shrinks the 2 mets? Mad

I was told that a lot of these effects are from the radiation and the steroid could that be true?.

Also has anyone had WBRT and how soon can or will these mets re develop?
Crying or Very sad

Thanks for any help info... anything anyone can offer

LizNDale · Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:54 pm Post subject: Re: I have a Q about WBRT?

Kat,

My mom had 15 sessions of wbr and did well until about half way through when she began to have balance issues and started falling. They increased her decadron and that helped. The wbr causes swelling, and since there is no where for the brain to expand, it can really wreak havac.

Her chemo started after one week of wbr, in fact after her first chemo (5 hours) she had to go across town for a rad.

My mom has been very vocal about fighting this, and was actually glad that all of this was going on.

How are you mom's spirits? You said she's paranoid and angry, how is this manifested?

My personal opinion, don't listen to that floor dr. It may be true, but it may not, it's all numbers, it's all stats, and your mom is a person. Not a stat.

I am so sorry you are going through this, my heart aches for you.

Peace,

Liz
_________________
My Mother - Stage IV NSCLC - Adenocarcinoma
Mets to Adrenal Glands and Brain
Diagnosed Thursday June 12th 2008
Died Sunday September 7th 2008

Her Story:
http://cancerforums.net/about9639.html
Her Statement of Faith Memorial:
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=10528

Tera · Senior User Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 197

Hi Kat. My mom was supposed to have 6 weeks of WBR but only made it through ten treatments before she couldn't go on any longer.

The treatments did affect her balance, hearing, and sight. She was on Decadron to prevent the brain swelling. Maybe she needs something for anxiety, which my mom also took. She didn't have steroid rages but her Decadron was 4 mg twice a day, I think.

dano · Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:33 am Post subject: Re: I have a Q about WBRT?

Hi Kat;
I agree with everything Liz said.
I had 10 days of WBR, have some hearing loss, I guess those inner ear parts don't like being cooked in a microwave, lol. I heard that before but what are the choices? I had too many Mets in my brain and they though they were mostly small, they were growing fast. Got to stop them in their tracks, but never sure if and when they will return and I'll loose some more hearing. I think your mom's tumors
were maybe larger than mine and during and after treatment they will swell and start dieing off hopefully. But the swelling pushes up against the brain causes all kinds of problems. My Rad Doctor was the best at explaining and answering questions because he has less time to get caught up in our lives, my Oncologists are treating me for the long hall, meaning I might be around for 6 months or 6 plus years they can't tell. But the last thing they want to do is discourage you, you need to be wanting to fight.
I was told that I couldn't be on Chemo and WBR at the same time, yet I have heard of others that do. It may be doctor preference or the type or severity of the cancer or type of chemo, I don't no. I've only been at this for a little over 10 months. I went to an ENT for my hearing, num scull. I mean doctor, told me that the Rads killed off the ability of my ears to clean themselves and I would just need come in every month or so to have them cleaned. Over a month later and my ears were leaking fluid and popping a lot while trying to sleep. I couldn't get in touch with the ENT so I got another one, a kid this time. The first thing he asked me was do my ears pop? He told me that the outer ear was irritated and weeping and instead of be translucent in color, it was more like the inside of your lip. He put a dry powdery medicine on it and I came back every couple weeks for more. My ears have stopped popping though my hearing has not improved, Doc said it looks better each time he sees it, but I likely have fluid behind my ear drum, which may or may not go away in time. So until then it sounds a bit like living in a can, hard to hear.
Your in a hard situation where you need to be strong for her and staying positive to help her cope, even though she maybe not coping. In time you get to see hopefully a rainbow on the other side and see which side effects will stay and which linger on. Find ways to get a laugh or a smile back. Until then your in a war and trying to keep positive thoughts through difficult times.
I'll be praying for you.
God Bless
Dan
_________________
54 year old male in Hawaii
Diagnosed Nov. 9,2007 with NSCLC IV
with Mets to the lymphs and brain
Had full brain radiation treatment in Jan 08
Currently on chemo treatments every 3 weeks
with Alimta
and taking Lovenox for blood clots
Now back to work full time
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=9993

Kat1985 · Regular Joined: 02 Aug 2008 Posts: 11

Thank you Dan, tera and liz.

According to the doctors she is to far gone to treat with chemo and it would not benefit her Sad

My mom agreed to a DNR, she will have her last WBRT on Tuesday then will go home with medication from my understanding. Crying or Very sad

All I can do now is pray that she will not be in much pain Sad

brainman · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:42 am Post subject: Re: I have a Q about WBRT?

Oh Kat, I am so sorry about your mother Sad

. I know how hard it must be for you. Both of my parents died of cancer. I was their primary care provider during the last months of their lives.

You and your mother continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

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