Resolved question:
Dear Doctor,
I'm writing this while in need for a consult regarding my father.
He is diagnosed with lung cancer for 2 years now. He did do radiotherapy and chemotherapy. He was in good condition for 2 years.
In the last month doctors stooped the chemotherapy since he didn't eat nothing at all for a moth. They gave him only infusion with vitamin-c b-complex dexason amophiline. Now for a week he is refusing them all. Last week days he was living with oxygen only, he stoped asking for oxygen now for 4 days. 3 Days he didn't even drink a sip of a water he is refusing everything he can hear us when we ask do you have pain he answers only with head yes. He is not giving anyvoice at all. His blood pressure today morning was 45/20 in the evening it was way better 110/70. As doctors said it's the final stage of death and there is nothing that they can do anymore. They gave him morphine and fentayl patches for 3 days now but I think that is not helping him at all he is changing the position all the time he is not sleeping at all.
I'm really confused we had our mother in the same situation were she refused last 3 days to eat or drink anything. Doctors gave her morphine for those 3 days and she was sleeping all the time till she died.
But my father after all those medications morphine fentayl patches he is not sleeping at all he is suffering a lot.
Is there anything else that we could do to stop him from suffer or give him something so he can sleep and have an easier way these last days that are left for him. He lost a lot of weight now he is extremely thin, he is probably under 50 kg
Please help.
Thank you
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Oncologist
Hello,
Thank your for your consult at DoctorSpring.com. I am sorry to hear your father's condition.
Could you please elaborate on the present blood tests , CT scans done any recently?
The present condition can be due to electrolyte imbalances or because of disease spread to the brain in which case radiation to brain can be helpful to some extent. Electrolyte imbalance needs correction. The exact treatment depends on the cause.
Why did he stop Oxygen ? Is his saturation normal without o2 support ?? RT may be tried for feeding based on his neurological status.
Kindly let me know more on the investigations done so as to allow me to help you best.
Regards
Dr Eswaran
M.B.B.S., D.M.R.T. (Rad. Onc), M.D. (Rad. Onc), D.M. (Med. Onc – PGY3)