confusion

[Guest guest]

I thoroughly agree. I am sure you want to be with and help your Mom & Dad and

you are a wonderful daughter for wanting to help.

BUT You have a family now and that too is important. Your girls need you and

your parents

need time without the kids under foot. Your children should probably visit

Grandpa on a *good* day when he has more energy and your Mom needs rest. Being a

care-taker is a full time job not too unlike your own in terms of energy.

Here's my suggestion.

Focus as much on your family as you can. Call Mom every day for updates and

to ask if you can help with anything. Take Mom and Dad out seperately and

together to do things you've always enjoyed.

Try to be normal whenever possible.

Hope that helps

Narice

[Guest guest]

Hi to everyone:

I have an issue that I haven't seen dealt with on this board and I'm

hoping there is someone out there who has some experience they can

share with me that might help.

My mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in August. She has

mets. to the abdominal cavity and bladder. She is undergoing

treatment with 5FU, leucovorin, and irinotecan.

Lately she gets confused about things. Little things she says are

starting to raise alarm bells for me. One example - on Halloween

night she ventured over to see her grandchildren all dressed up. At

5:30 pm she said to me - " Oh everything's going so late - I better

call home and tell (her partner) I won't be home for dinner. " I

had to explain to her that Halloween trick or treating usually

started at 6:00 p.m. and wasn't usually finished by that time. It

was really strange.

My big fear is that this confusion might be a sign of spread to the

brain. Her oncologist told me a while ago (I think) that that is

usually the last place the cancer spreads and often doesn't head

there at all. It has occurred to me this could be related to all of

the overwhelming stuff she's dealing with, and not a physical cause

at all. Then, I'm also wondering if it could be chemo related.

Up until recently she was fairly lucid, intelligent, and wasn't prone

to these little episodes of confusion. For the most part she still

is the same old mom now.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Any ideas?

On another note- I just wanted to send out prayers and hugs to

Monika, a, Joyce, , and I know I'm missing lots - but

all others who have been dealing with more their fair share lately.

Laurie

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurie,

Once again I will tell you what little I know about brain mets.

It's not much, but on 's second PET scan the radiologist told

us she would also be doing the brain that day.

You know me, I freaked out. I asked if the Onc had thought there

might be a brain met. She said NO, she said that colon cancer

rarely goes to the brain. She said that Dr. Drengler is a very

cautious and agressive Onc. and it did show up in ONE of his

patients so he will not take a chance anymore and not test for it

also.

I don't know about your Mom, but looking at all the crap, as

calls it, that he takes I would not be surprized if it were not her

medication. BUT it never hurts to play it safe and mention what

happened to her Onc.

Best Wishes,

Joyce

> Hi to everyone:

>

> I have an issue that I haven't seen dealt with on this board and

I'm

> hoping there is someone out there who has some experience they can

> share with me that might help.

>

> My mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in August. She

has

> mets. to the abdominal cavity and bladder. She is undergoing

> treatment with 5FU, leucovorin, and irinotecan.

>

> Lately she gets confused about things. Little things she says are

> starting to raise alarm bells for me. One example - on Halloween

> night she ventured over to see her grandchildren all dressed up.

At

> 5:30 pm she said to me - " Oh everything's going so late - I better

> call home and tell (her partner) I won't be home for

dinner. " I

> had to explain to her that Halloween trick or treating usually

> started at 6:00 p.m. and wasn't usually finished by that time.

It

> was really strange.

>

> My big fear is that this confusion might be a sign of spread to

the

> brain. Her oncologist told me a while ago (I think) that that is

> usually the last place the cancer spreads and often doesn't head

> there at all. It has occurred to me this could be related to all

of

> the overwhelming stuff she's dealing with, and not a physical

cause

> at all. Then, I'm also wondering if it could be chemo related.

>

> Up until recently she was fairly lucid, intelligent, and wasn't

prone

> to these little episodes of confusion. For the most part she

still

> is the same old mom now.

>

> Does anyone have any experience with this? Any ideas?

>

> On another note- I just wanted to send out prayers and hugs to

> Monika, a, Joyce, , and I know I'm missing lots -

but

> all others who have been dealing with more their fair share lately.

>

> Laurie

[Guest guest]

The irinotaken is CPT11 or camptosar. Sometimes chemo reacts in strange ways

but it might be temporary. Stress does things that make us look

differently,and

sometimes pressure gets to us. Wait a bit,and see if it continues but tell

your onc,privately. Do you have a case manager,or hospitalist or anything.they

usually

have 24 hour support and can el. Perhaps someone here already has the

answer,in any case stay posotive and hus and prayers to you all Nick M

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurie --

I would think that your mom's confusion may be due to the chemo. I

have had all the chemo agents that she is getting, and I had some

memory lapses myself. On a couple of occasions, I went home from

work without locking the business. Then the next day, I was looking

for a culprit. I also used a wrong cheque book once. And I had a

lot of trouble with names and things. I understand that the chemo

doesn't affect your neurons so much, as they don't dvide, but it can

affect the support cells that bring nourishment to the neurons.

This can cause them to not function properly.

I know of only one colon cancer patient who had mets to the brain,

and he had cancer in both the liver and lungs at the time.

Barry

> Hi to everyone:

>

> I have an issue that I haven't seen dealt with on this board and

I'm

> hoping there is someone out there who has some experience they can

> share with me that might help.

>

> My mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in August. She

has

> mets. to the abdominal cavity and bladder. She is undergoing

> treatment with 5FU, leucovorin, and irinotecan.

>

> Lately she gets confused about things. Little things she says are

> starting to raise alarm bells for me. One example - on Halloween

> night she ventured over to see her grandchildren all dressed up.

At

> 5:30 pm she said to me - " Oh everything's going so late - I better

> call home and tell (her partner) I won't be home for

dinner. " I

> had to explain to her that Halloween trick or treating usually

> started at 6:00 p.m. and wasn't usually finished by that time.

It

> was really strange.

>

> My big fear is that this confusion might be a sign of spread to

the

> brain. Her oncologist told me a while ago (I think) that that is

> usually the last place the cancer spreads and often doesn't head

> there at all. It has occurred to me this could be related to all

of

> the overwhelming stuff she's dealing with, and not a physical

cause

> at all. Then, I'm also wondering if it could be chemo related.

>

> Up until recently she was fairly lucid, intelligent, and wasn't

prone

> to these little episodes of confusion. For the most part she

still

> is the same old mom now.

>

> Does anyone have any experience with this? Any ideas?

>

> On another note- I just wanted to send out prayers and hugs to

> Monika, a, Joyce, , and I know I'm missing lots -

but

> all others who have been dealing with more their fair share lately.

>

> Laurie

[Guest guest]

Hi Narice:

Thank's for answering and for your suggestion. My mom is only on the

chemo and the anti-nausea drugs. She's never really been on any

significant meds before this. So if it is the prescriptions it can

only be the chemo regimen drugs.

I've had a few responses here that have given me reason to feel

positive about this all - but I'm going to mention it quietly to her

oncologist in any case. It probably is totally unrelated to the

cancer, and maybe I'm just on extra high alert so I'm noticing more

things.

Take care, and warm wishes to the two of you,

Laurie

> Before you assume it is the cancer have the Onc. check her

prescriptions Many

> can cause confusion and sometimes a simple substitution can solve

the problem.

> Hope this helps.

> Narice

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Barry:

Thanks for your response. Your leaving work without locking up

sounds like something I might do - and I'm not even on chemo! All

jokes aside, I really appreciate what you have to say. Seems like

you have a great grasp on the science of chemo. And, as I believe you

know already, my mom's tests are all negative for mets to the lungs.

In fact, now that you mention it, I believe when the doctor did her

chest CT he told me that he didn't worry about brain metastases

unless there was lung metastases - but I could be inventing that in

my mind since he told me right when were in the thick of things at

first.

Take care, and thanks once again,

Laurie

> > Hi to everyone:

> >

> > I have an issue that I haven't seen dealt with on this board and

> I'm

> > hoping there is someone out there who has some experience they

can

> > share with me that might help.

> >

> > My mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in August. She

> has

> > mets. to the abdominal cavity and bladder. She is undergoing

> > treatment with 5FU, leucovorin, and irinotecan.

> >

> > Lately she gets confused about things. Little things she says

are

> > starting to raise alarm bells for me. One example - on Halloween

> > night she ventured over to see her grandchildren all dressed up.

> At

> > 5:30 pm she said to me - " Oh everything's going so late - I

better

> > call home and tell (her partner) I won't be home for

> dinner. " I

> > had to explain to her that Halloween trick or treating usually

> > started at 6:00 p.m. and wasn't usually finished by that time.

> It

> > was really strange.

> >

> > My big fear is that this confusion might be a sign of spread to

> the

> > brain. Her oncologist told me a while ago (I think) that that is

> > usually the last place the cancer spreads and often doesn't head

> > there at all. It has occurred to me this could be related to all

> of

> > the overwhelming stuff she's dealing with, and not a physical

> cause

> > at all. Then, I'm also wondering if it could be chemo related.

> >

> > Up until recently she was fairly lucid, intelligent, and wasn't

> prone

> > to these little episodes of confusion. For the most part she

> still

> > is the same old mom now.

> >

> > Does anyone have any experience with this? Any ideas?

> >

> > On another note- I just wanted to send out prayers and hugs to

> > Monika, a, Joyce, , and I know I'm missing lots -

> but

> > all others who have been dealing with more their fair share

lately.

> >

> > Laurie

[Guest guest]

Hi Nick:

Thanks for your response. No, we don't have a case manager, and

I've never heard of a hospitalist until the last couple of posts.

Your system is so different from ours here in Canada. In any case,

those who are on clincal trials do have primary care nurses who seem

to be quite available. My mom doesn't qualify for any of the

clinical trials going cause her surgeon removed so much of the cancer

that none of it is showing up on scans and so there is no measurable

disease. One thing to be positive about, for sure.

I agree. Stress and medicine surely have to have an impact. I think

you are right about telling the oncologist privately. My mom would

be offended and defensive if she knew that I thought she was getting

confused at times - and really, if she's not too worried about it,

why should I bring it up to her?

Thanks for your concern. Your response, and the positive response

from others has helped to lessen my concern. Hope all is well with

you and your wife.

Hugs and prayers back,

Laurie

> The irinotaken is CPT11 or camptosar. Sometimes chemo reacts in

strange ways

> but it might be temporary. Stress does things that make us look

> differently,and

> sometimes pressure gets to us. Wait a bit,and see if it continues

but tell

> your onc,privately. Do you have a case manager,or hospitalist or

anything.they

> usually

> have 24 hour support and can el. Perhaps someone here already has

the

> answer,in any case stay posotive and hus and prayers to you all

Nick M

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurie

Miss a day on the forum and boy you are way behind.

Your comments on confusion are interesting I too have had a similar

experience after Camptosar chemo. I wonder if would know more

about this as a side effect.

Regards

> Hi to everyone:

>

> I have an issue that I haven't seen dealt with on this board and

I'm

> hoping there is someone out there who has some experience they can

> share with me that might help.

>

> My mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in August. She

has

> mets. to the abdominal cavity and bladder. She is undergoing

> treatment with 5FU, leucovorin, and irinotecan.

>

> Lately she gets confused about things. Little things she says are

> starting to raise alarm bells for me. One example - on Halloween

> night she ventured over to see her grandchildren all dressed up.

At

> 5:30 pm she said to me - " Oh everything's going so late - I better

> call home and tell (her partner) I won't be home for dinner. "

I

> had to explain to her that Halloween trick or treating usually

> started at 6:00 p.m. and wasn't usually finished by that time. It

> was really strange.

>

> My big fear is that this confusion might be a sign of spread to the

> brain. Her oncologist told me a while ago (I think) that that is

> usually the last place the cancer spreads and often doesn't head

> there at all. It has occurred to me this could be related to all

of

> the overwhelming stuff she's dealing with, and not a physical cause

> at all. Then, I'm also wondering if it could be chemo related.

>

> Up until recently she was fairly lucid, intelligent, and wasn't

prone

> to these little episodes of confusion. For the most part she still

> is the same old mom now.

>

> Does anyone have any experience with this? Any ideas?

>

> On another note- I just wanted to send out prayers and hugs to

> Monika, a, Joyce, , and I know I'm missing lots -

but

> all others who have been dealing with more their fair share lately.

>

> Laurie

[Guest guest]

Hi, I just wanted to pop in on this question even though my husband did

not get camptosar - just 5FU and Leu. As for confusion, both of us

experienced it to one degree or another since his diagnosis in February

- sometimes amazing ourselves with the lunacy involved. And I had no

chemo at all! Seriously, unless the confusion is pronounced, protracted

and progressive, I wouldn't put too much concern over isolated incidents

of confusion. I've done a bit of reading about this and it seems that

any major stressor (devastating illness, death, divorce, etc...) can

cause mental lapses - which can be almost as severe in the caregiver as

in the patient in the case of illness.

Forgetfulness, saying the opposite of what you meant to say, confusion,

hearing one thing the doc said and not taking in another....we

experienced it all. Now that Tim has been off chemo for 2 1/2 months and

currently has no evidence of disease, it is amazing how much our mental

capabilites have improved. :-) Not to say you shouldn't be observant

but it might be nothing more than that your mom has had much more on her

mind than the Halloween trick or treating schedule.

Peggy

grampys2002 wrote:

>

> Hi Laurie

> Miss a day on the forum and boy you are way behind.

> Your comments on confusion are interesting I too have had a similar

> experience after Camptosar chemo. I wonder if would know more

> about this as a side effect.

> Regards

>

>

>

>

> > Hi to everyone:

> >

> > I have an issue that I haven't seen dealt with on this board and

> I'm

> > hoping there is someone out there who has some experience they can

> > share with me that might help.

> >

> > My mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in August. She

> has

> > mets. to the abdominal cavity and bladder. She is undergoing

> > treatment with 5FU, leucovorin, and irinotecan.

> >

> > Lately she gets confused about things. Little things she says are

> > starting to raise alarm bells for me. One example - on Halloween

> > night she ventured over to see her grandchildren all dressed up.

> At

> > 5:30 pm she said to me - " Oh everything's going so late - I better

> > call home and tell (her partner) I won't be home for dinner. "

> I

> > had to explain to her that Halloween trick or treating usually

> > started at 6:00 p.m. and wasn't usually finished by that time. It

> > was really strange.

> >

> > My big fear is that this confusion might be a sign of spread to the

> > brain. Her oncologist told me a while ago (I think) that that is

> > usually the last place the cancer spreads and often doesn't head

> > there at all. It has occurred to me this could be related to all

> of

> > the overwhelming stuff she's dealing with, and not a physical cause

> > at all. Then, I'm also wondering if it could be chemo related.

> >

> > Up until recently she was fairly lucid, intelligent, and wasn't

> prone

> > to these little episodes of confusion. For the most part she still

> > is the same old mom now.

> >

> > Does anyone have any experience with this? Any ideas?

> >

> > On another note- I just wanted to send out prayers and hugs to

> > Monika, a, Joyce, , and I know I'm missing lots -

> but

> > all others who have been dealing with more their fair share lately.

> >

> > Laurie

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi :

Thanks.

You are right about keeping up with this site. Thinking about trying

to log in just a couple times a week, but then I get caught up and

think I'll never catch up! I guess it is testament to how well

people are served by it.

Thanks for your feedback on Camptosar. As you've seen, there are

others with similar experiences, so perhaps we can chalk it up to

that.

I definitely feel better about it.

Laurie

> > Hi to everyone:

> >

> > I have an issue that I haven't seen dealt with on this board and

> I'm

> > hoping there is someone out there who has some experience they

can

> > share with me that might help.

> >

> > My mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in August. She

> has

> > mets. to the abdominal cavity and bladder. She is undergoing

> > treatment with 5FU, leucovorin, and irinotecan.

> >

> > Lately she gets confused about things. Little things she says

are

> > starting to raise alarm bells for me. One example - on Halloween

> > night she ventured over to see her grandchildren all dressed up.

> At

> > 5:30 pm she said to me - " Oh everything's going so late - I

better

> > call home and tell (her partner) I won't be home for

dinner. "

> I

> > had to explain to her that Halloween trick or treating usually

> > started at 6:00 p.m. and wasn't usually finished by that time.

It

> > was really strange.

> >

> > My big fear is that this confusion might be a sign of spread to

the

> > brain. Her oncologist told me a while ago (I think) that that is

> > usually the last place the cancer spreads and often doesn't head

> > there at all. It has occurred to me this could be related to all

> of

> > the overwhelming stuff she's dealing with, and not a physical

cause

> > at all. Then, I'm also wondering if it could be chemo related.

> >

> > Up until recently she was fairly lucid, intelligent, and wasn't

> prone

> > to these little episodes of confusion. For the most part she

still

> > is the same old mom now.

> >

> > Does anyone have any experience with this? Any ideas?

> >

> > On another note- I just wanted to send out prayers and hugs to

> > Monika, a, Joyce, , and I know I'm missing lots -

> but

> > all others who have been dealing with more their fair share

lately.

> >

> > Laurie