Hello Jay123

I wanted to reply as our team of nurses doesn't work at the weekend so you won't hear from them until Monday. 

I'm sorry to hear about all that your Mum has been through and that since coming home, she's been struggling with nausea and as a result she's been unable to keep any medication down. 

Please do give NHS 111 a call today. Let them know your Mum's diagnosis and the problems she's been having. They should be able to arrange for a doctor to call to see Mum at home and, if necessary, administer any medication, arrange support over the weekend or admit Mum back into hospital if appropriate. It's important that you and your Mum get the support that's needed, so don't be afraid to call NHS 111 for advice and support. 

I do hope that things settle for you both soon. 

Best wishes, 
Jenn
Cancer Chat moderator 

Thank you so much for getting back to me. I have just suggested a call to 111 but she seems adamant not to want this, however I may need to override her decision here. Just wish I knew if it was the antibiotics making her feel worse or just recovery from surgery. Thanks again for your reply. 

Hello Jay123

It's difficult when a loved one refuses help. It may be that she's feeling so rotten that she just wants to be left alone, but as you say, it may be a case that you need to override her decision. You can always call them to ask for advice from a qualified health professional in the first instance. 

Let us know how you get on. 

Best wishes, 
Jenn
Cancer Chat moderator 

Hi there and thanks for posting

I am glad to see the moderators got in touch with you over the weekend whilst we weren't around and I hope you took their advice and contacted NHS 111 for guidance.

I'm so sorry to hear about your mums recent surgery and now a possibility of the cancer spreading this can't be easy news to take onboard on top of how poorly she is currently feeling.

If you mum is unable to keep anything down including her antibiotics then it may be best if she is admitted back to hospital at this time. Both an infection and antibiotics can make people feel awful with symptoms such as nausea and vomiting not unusual so it can be a difficult time to navigate.

Anti sickness medication can help but if your mum is already struggling this can also make things worse. However some antibiotics medication can be prescribed that dissolve in the gum rather than needing to be swallowed which can help with this.

In terms of eating then a low fibre diet is usually recommended after bowel surgery. Trying small portions of food every couple of hours is often easier to manage than facing larger meals. There is more information about eating and bowel cancer on the website that may be useful to read. Alongside some food supplement drinks can also be taken to increase a persons calorie intake and energy levels.

Do speak with your mums doctor/specialist team if you haven't already done so they can also assess her and advise what is best for her at this time.

I hope this is helpful but do get back in touch if you need to or of you prefer give us a call on 0808 800 4040, we're here weekdays 9-5.

I hope your mum starts to feel better soon,

Best wishes

Naomi

Hi there Jay123 and thanks for getting back

I'm sorry your mum is still feeling poorly and low. It sounds like the infection isn't clearing up as quickly as expected but hopefully the consultant can say more tomorrow and come up with a plan.

Hang in there as best as you can for now. I'm sure you are doing all you can for your mum and just being there for her is enough.

Times like this are never easy for anyone, try and take things one step at a time. I'm sure once the doctors get on top of the infection your mum will start feeling better again but sometimes it can take time.

Take care

Naomi