Some Changes

Hello,

My dad is weaker today than he has been. The staff at the rehab facility put him in bed because he kept slumping forward in his chair and they were afraid he would fall out. He is also very tired.

We are working hard to get him CBD/THC in the hopes of boosting his appetite. I am also considering the Remeron that people suggested the other day. He eats very little, so I know that is a problem. The doctors are talking about increasing the steroid (he is at 2 mg. now). I really want him to be done with it because it is a double-edged sword, but is increasing it the best option right now? He has very little edema at this point. They are also talking about doing an MRI sooner rather than later. He has two sessions of radiation left.

Is the extreme weakness all part of the treatment? Is the tumor causing this? I am guessing it is a combination of things, and I want to help him. Meanwhile the doctors are making their suggestions and I am trying to figure out what is best.

I appreciate your thoughts.

Best,
Stephanie

cachexia

Any one here no ways of treating and preventing cachexia?

Weight loss

Though my husband's tumor is stable, at least as of last month's MRI, he continues to struggle with weight loss. He barely eats 750 calories a day. He's lost over 25 lbs, mostly muscle mass. I know that this is partly from the side-effects of chemo but some of this pre-dates chemo and must be tied directly with the tumor. His tumor is in the right frontal lobe. A neighbor who is an emergency nurse recommended Megestrol Acetate to increase appetite. It has been used for other cancers and HIV/AIDS patients. Does anyone here grapple with the same issue? The other thing that is compounding the problem is Provigil, which he takes to stay awake but is also an appetite suppressant.