Update on my Hubby Gerry – PCT – Help
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Hi,
Board spectrum IVABX like cefepime,levequin can be useful for gram pos and gram neg bacteria E coli.
Gentamicin and tobramycin are other inexpensive IVABX to cover gram negative bacteria mostly.
When discharged oral abx like Levaquin,Cipro and ceftin( if not allergic to penicillin) can be of use,
God bless.No problem. Sending you my best. I do know how you are feeling as it got pretty scary with that ekoli! But once they hit the right medicine he did that fast a turn a round. Good night and hope he is better when I awake in the morning!
Thanks Lainy we are sitting here at the new Hospital but they have not started any antibiotic as yet. I am praying that they will act on it quickly. His BP is also rather low 85/60 I may just mention this antibiotic to the doctor.
Thanks so much for your help. PhilPhil, Teddy had an acute ecoli infection between his aborted Whipple and the Whipple. They had him on Leviquin IV, he had a fever and his Blood Pressure was 60/45, we almost lost him at that point. With the Levaquin he did a quick recovery but was on the IV for 9 days.
Thank you once again for helping me out. Today we were told that the blood culture has grown a gram negative rod – ecoli bacteria. He is currently having timentin IV antibiotics and we have been moved to an acute Hospital from the
Palliative Hospital, note this is the third Hospital, hopefully this one would be the one to fix his problems.Percy, you are right the Augmentin is not working on my Husband should I just mention this to the doctor?
What is the best antibiotic for this bacteria? could this be the reason for the dark urine. His temperatures are still high and they are being treated with Neurofen. I am giving him plenty to drink and may be they will put him on some IV fluids. Thanks everyone, I could not survive without you.
God Bless PhilHi,
Hi,
To answer your question:
1. As long as the doctors see the need to have stents for your husband,they will do so to help the bile flow smoothly;so do not worry about how many stents they do or will do. comfort for your husband is the key here.
2.IV antibiotics (IVABX) are powerful and your husband has three;Augumentin is only by mouth and is not as strong as Timentin thru IV alone. that is why the IVABX brought the the temperature down but may not be enough by Augumentin alone; ask the doctor to check on this ;may be he can add another BOARD spectrum antibiotics to help to bring down the tmep.
3.with regard to methadone;since it has been 3-4 days now ;and if the hospital the situation from the start as you indicated; the drug side effect should be gone by now and you should not be worry. Normally there is a safety margin built in for drugs by the drug company . There are narrow safety margins for some drugs like digoxin and coumadin . But there are boarder margins for oral antibiotics and other medicines like some pain killers. But of course,5 times overdose is not a good thing,but since it happened in the hospital and caught early;things should be improved.4. with board spectrum antibiotics like Levaquin taking for 10-14 days,there is much less chance for fever to last.Blood culture are not always reliable but the symptoms does. i am sure the doctors knows what to do. so please don’t worry.
5. PCT or ERCP procedures are determined by the availability and easy assess of the locations;you should leave this for the doctors to worry and not yourself;you have a lot on your shoulder already.
6. dark urine may be related to the bilirubin level(bile flow);ask the doctor for an answer.(ie: make the doctor aware of your concern about the urine and they will act accordingly.);it may also related to hydration or other reasons. But then again ,Phil, this is why we pay the medical system(either thru tax or insurance) so much and now is the time for them to help you out.
7.Augumentin normally will not cause fever;but in extremely rare cases(very remote chance) it may caurse “drug fever”.
Augumentin is not the drug of choice for patients who have liver problems;If I remembered correctly, several patients on this message board who were on Augumentin had problem with it. you can google the name of the drug and side effect and you may find the answer.
God bless.Phil…I am not able to answer most of your questions, but thought to share with you what I have learned so far.
Tumor-associated fever is not an uncommon occurrence with our disease, as it can be caused by the tumors blocking the intestine, stomach, urinary tract, or respiratory system. I don’t believe that doctor’s know why it occurs however; we have seen that with treatment of the cancer these fevers can subside.
Yes, stents can clog or shift within a short period of time such as three weeks.
In addition to the darkened urine is your husband experiencing yellowing of the skin or eyes? Has his bilirubin level been checked?
Lack of fluid intake also can cause darkening of urine, as can certain medications.
Phil, only a physician will be able to answer your questions but, the thoughts shared with you might help in the investigative process.
Hang in there, dear Phil. This has been a roller coaster ride all along and you are doing a fantastic job of hanging on.
All my best wishes are heading your way.Hugs,
MarionThanks, Lainy, Percy, Gavin, Marions, Darla & Andie. I need help once again please.
My hubby is still in Hospital, he came home just for 2 days and is back now in the Palliative Hospital. They have now started him on Methadone 12mg with breakthrough still being Hydromorphine and Gabapentyn for the Neuropathic pain.
He seems to be tolerating the Methadone but unfortunately yesterday one of the nurses accidently gave him an overdose of Methadone 5 times over and the Doctors were very apologetic to us. I was not Happy, anyway he was under review last night and seems very drowsy, has been given oxygen His saturation is good. The BP is 90/60 on the low side, has a bit of nausea but started spiking a high temperature. Now I am not too sure if it is the Methadone or another blockage. His urine is rather dark (not too bad). This morning they have done another blood test. Note:’
(1) My husband had an ERCP to re-block a stent last month. Note the first metal stent was put in on 23 March via PCT. The second via ERCP.
(2) He was put on IV antibiotics Tamacin & Timentin, Ertapenen this brought down the temperature, and was sent home on Augmentin Duo oral(3) From 21May he has been having a low grade temperature and after the Methadone overdose a spike in temperature to 39.2.
My Questions
(1) Would this fever ever leave him? blood cultures performed came back negative
(2) Is it yet again another blockage just in 3 weeks?
(3) Should we have had the stent re-blocked via PCT instead of ERCP?
(4) The Oncologist was going to try some treatment on him but now he is so ill and I am sure he will not be able to go ahead with this treatment – not too sure what he had in mind.
(5) Could Augmentin duo be causing the fever?
(6) Note with IV broad spectrum antibiotics he seems fine
(7) Has anyone had to battle this fever and stents being blocked within a matter of 2 weeks?
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Could dark urine also be the Methadone?Sorry for asking so many questions but I have had no sleep and am trying to find some answers to keep my hubby comfortable. Thanks and Godbless
Phil
Dear Phil,
I am sorry to hear what your husband is going through right now and I so agree with what the others have said to you regarding pain control and management. Getting your husbands pain under control will help make him feel much more comfortable and I am hoping that the doctors can get this done very quickly indeed.
I have no experience of Gabapentin as my dad wasn’t given that, but I found this link from the American Cancer Society that may be of help to you –
http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/GuidetoCancerDrugs/gabapentin
And please know that we are here for you.
Hugs,
Gavin
Phil,
Thanks for taking the time to let us know how things are going. I know exactly what you are feeling and going through right now. As Marion said, I can only reiterate, pain control is the most important thing right now. There is no reason for Gerry to be suffering or in pain. Can’t help you as far as the Gabapentin hopeful Percy or others will be able to give you more info on that.
My heart and thoughts are with you both.
Love & Hugs,
DarlaPil….Your husband’s pain has to be controlled with whatever means possible. I compare it to a fire – the big one needs to be controlled first – the smaller ones are dealt with later. Yes, your husband will be less response given the amount of medications it takes to douse the fire, but the main objective is to reduce his suffering.
My heart is with you. Know that we are here for you, always.
Hugs and love,
MarionJust back from the Hospital. Very traumatic to watch him suffer with the pain. Currently they have him now on Hydomprphine via the PCA and breakthrough via butterfly is also hydromorphine 4 hourly. It is making him extremely weak. I had a talk to the doctors and they are thinking that they should introduce Gabapentin, a drug which targets the nerve pain. Can anyone give me feedback on this drug>
Percy, have you heard of this drug, I googled it and it did say that it can increase the adenocarcinomas. Is this true? as they widely use it here in Australia. Please advise.
Lainy, I did miss you while you were away and hope you are settling in nicely into your new apartment.
Marions, Pecry, Andie, Darla, & Gavin, thanks for being there for us. I feel totally knackered. Godbless Phil
Dear Phil, wish I could help you but I am at a loss here. Perhaps the stent is not sitting right? Like pressing something? That is just a guess. I just feel the pain as I saw Teddy that way. Maybe they need to try a new pain med. Teddy was on long lasting Morphine 2 X a day with an hourly breakthrough dose and it worked very well. All I can do is send you a ton of love and prayers, and try to be very strong, my friend.
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