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colorectal cancer

Suziblues
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Hi, my very good friend's mum has just been diagnosed with colorectal cancer stage 4 and been given just 2 to 3 weeks. It has spread to her lungs and liver and she's really struggling atm, high oxygen to be able to breathe etc. We want to look into high dose vitamin C which has been known to shrink cancers but its seems very hard to find an organisation that would come to her home or a hospice to provide the treatment, as the hospital will not allow any alternative treaments Can any body here help with any advice or suggetions at this stage of the game, it's a desperate bid to buy this beautiful human being a bit more time here but to not be suffering. Please - any one who has any suggestions please post as soon as possible. We are in the Lincolnshire area. Thank you everyone xxxx

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    Hi Suzi. 
    sorry to find you in here looking for advice-the nurses seem to be allocated 9-5times to reply. 
    I'm not a nurse but can offer some advice as I've got cancer and I've nursed both my mam and dad with it too. 

    My mam had advanced lung cancer -mam was not aware of any issues other than cough that had been there years and a chest infection that didn't clear with antibiotics. And pain in side. -my mam wasn't offered any treatment as although was 66-she was frail and had a type of Parkinson's. She died at home on a syringe driver 7 weeks after diagnosis. Me and my sister cared for her at home with district nurse help.

    Its awful watching those in which you love suffer and you feel so helpless. 
    If they've given your friends Mam a number of weeks that's rubbish news.-sometimes it's a estimated guess and no one really knows.

    they say if you see daily deterioration then you have days left. And weekly determination then weeks left.  

     Have the doctors discussed with your fiends mam her wishes ??  
    Is she at home / hospice/hospital ?  Carers ? In touch with palliative care team ? District nurse?DNR   Anticipatory meds? For syringe driver?  
    I haven't heard personally of vitamin C treatment -  I presume this is given via a drip into a vein -which needs to be done by a trained medical professional.

    sometimes living longer is not always the be all and end all. You want people to live longer in good health and nor

    suffer longer

    Sometimes however hard it may be if they have had enough its time to let them go. My mam and dad where both exhausted -their bodies had had enough. ( mam was 66 and dad 67years old) I often feel a bit ripped off having them around for a short period of life but they where both amazing people who I didn't want to suffer any longer.

    Be there to support your friend -this time is so hard.


    Tell your friend To. Take photo's if ok to do so. Talk, cry , hold hands. Lay in bed with her Mam.  Spend time with her. 

    thinking if you x

    Efffie x

     
     

  • Offline in reply to Efffie

    Hi Effie, 

    I'm so sorry to hear what you guys went through with your parents and now you yourself. Sending you much love and strength. 

    Thank you so much for sharing your story and your suggestions, I have passed them on to the family straight away so that if those things havent been suggested they can perhaps bring them up between themselves and with the doctors. I think at the moment that there is a degree of shock amongst everyone, so I'm not sure what kind of questions have been asked at this point. So I want to say thank you so much for your time in sharing and i think it will be really helpful.

    lots of love

    Suzi xxxx

     

     

  • Hello and thank you for your post.

    I am sorry to hear about your friend's mum, and can understand your wish to help in some way.

    Unfortunately, there is no current scientific evidence to suggest that high dose vitamin C is effective as a cancer treatment. I am sorry as this will be disappointing for you. High dose vitamin C can cause severe diarrhoea in some people, so it is not recommended. That is why you won't find health professionals providing this service. 

    There is some information here about it,

    news.cancerresearchuk.org/.../

    Be wary of various alternative treatments advertised, they don't tend to help, and often come with side effects, which can reduce someone's quality of life.

    I hope that this is useful,

    Please get back to us if you need any more information or support.  You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline.  The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

    Yours sincerely,

    Vanda

  • Offline in reply to CRUK Nurse Vanda

    Vanda - thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience. I've passed on the information to the family, i think every bit of info they can get at the moment is helping them to collate what is happening and what to do. Thank you.

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