Hi Karen,

I also have OC and I'm happy to answer any questions you might have. Sometimes it is easier to ask a complete stranger than someone close to you. I have pretty thick skin, so ask anything you like.

Best wishes

Dave

ps if you click on someone's user name you will go to a brief biography. 

hi Dave thankyou for responding to my introduction.We do not know what stage dads cancer is at.All we know is that they cannot operate.He was diagnosed in october and they put a stent in to help him eat.My dad keeps bringingup bile everytime he eats.They have given him ratadine and omprezola to help with the reflux but it doesnt seem tobe working.It is heartbreaking to see him losing weight.Any sugestions on ways to help him would be greatly recieved.Many thanks Karen x

Kaazan

two things might help

perhaps seek changing medication for reflux, I'm just over two year out of throat cancer and suffer terrible with it but have lansoprazol to inhibit the acid, but mines only a small dose

to keep on the weight you medical team can give you some fortified milkshakes, they may help

a combination of both might start you dad on a better path for 2017

good luck and keep us up to date

vatch

Hi Vatch.Thankyou for your reply.Dad has gone back on the shakes and they have given him some anti sickness medicine to help.They have only just introduced the Ranitidine.Did you suffer the bad reflux before your diagnosis and has it got worse.Dad says he seems to keep his food down it is just bile he keeps bringing up.Many thanks Katen

Hi there katen

good to hear that you dad is picking up a bit that really is great news .... get him to keep sipping those drinks .... they are not the nicest.....but it's loads of calories

pre my treatment I had the odd bit of indigestion, but it chronic now days if I don't take the drugs, like someone putting a hot poker up from your stomach to your throat

sometimes it will wake me up and I have to sit up, on occasion go downstairs to get a glass of milk, or perhaps suck on a gavascon tablet. The only trouble with that is many time I have fallen asleep whilst still sucking on a gavascon only to wake with my tongue cemented to the roof of my mouth ... I will never learn

so in short, my indigestion is much worse post treatment and after just over two years shows no sign of receding.

is it bile or mucus that you dad is bringing up. I know in the early days when I woke in the morning I would start wreching, try to clear my throat of the phlegm. I eventually got a little machine from the hospital that would help break it down for me...30 mins in the morning and 30 at night

There is a bit in my blog I wrote whilst in treatment

gammaraygary.wordpress.com/.../

i hope he keeps well

vatch

My Dad (88) Was Diagnosed with inoperable Oesophagal Cancer on Dec 1st - He Wants To Go At Home So We Now Have 24hr Help (Much To Mums Annoyance - ("i dont want people walking into my house when they want")  - Everything seems to come back to me and i am losing the plot !! - Any Help Please ?? (We Have Been Told That It Will Be Days Rather Than Weeks !!) He Has Lost 5st In Less Than 6 Weeks!!

Hi.Mark my dad is 88 too.He was diagnosed with inoperable oesophagus cancer oct 2016.It is heartbreaking i feel for you.I too am new to this forum and find a small piece of comfort in talking to people who have or are going through this.I make sure that we make sure every day is as normal but special for dad.It is hard but we dont want to spend what time we have left negative.Thinking of you Karen

Hi Karen,

Sorry for the delayed response, I've not been online much for the past day or two.
My chemo alleviated the acid reflux but it still flares up from time to time. I'm on Omeprazole which wasn't working until they doubled my dosage which was very effective. I'm now on 40mg twice daily.

Hard to avoid losing weight with really bad acid reflux. When on chemo, I reversed the logic used when trying to lose weight and had homemade powershakes (smooth peanut butter and banana went down well) made with full fat milk, lots of chocolate, bananas and cake, again washed down with full fat milk and added grated cheese to mashed potatoes which I was able to keep down when "healthier" options wouldn't stay down.

I hope this helps.
Dave 

Thx  Kaz - I feel So Alone At This Time Because I Live On My Own But Very Close To Where  Mum And Dad Live  - Mum Phones Me 8-10 Times A Day And I Visit 2- 3 Times A Day ! -  Mum Is Getting Snappy At Dad  Because Dad (Knowing He Is Not Well) Is Snappy With Everybody ! - I Feel That I Am Losing It !!