Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

Amanda Perez42, I’m honestly not sure why your doctor thinks you're at such a high risk for developing any kind of cancer based solely on genetics. As far as I know, prostate cancer isn't nearly as tied to specific genetic markers as things like colon or breast cancer are.
Just stick to an annual OB-GYN visit with an ultrasound or mammogram, and once you hit 50, get a colonoscopy—that should cover all your bases. It wouldn't hurt to grab a yearly physical with an abdominal ultrasound too, just to stay ahead of things.

Wait, so people under 40 are actually getting abdominal ultrasounds done once a year too?

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mistyjackal842 said:Does that mean people under 40 should be getting abdominal ultrasounds every single year too?

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No, I’m talking about an option you might find through supplemental insurance—like when your plan includes one annual physical that covers an abdominal ultrasound. It's a proactive move. A lot of people end up catching kidney or gallbladder stones, fatty liver issues, or even suspicious growths early enough to actually do something about them.

Thanks for getting back to me. I’m 36, and I’ve actually never had one of those ultrasounds done myself, but my mom started dealing with circulation issues in her legs around age 50, along with frequent vein thrombosis. One clot actually traveled up to one of her kidneys, which eventually caused it to stop functioning entirely. Her other kidney kept working for a while, but even that one has started to weaken over time. I guess an ultrasound only shows the physical structure of the kidney, not how well it's actually functioning.

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mistyjackal842 said:Thanks for the input. I'm 36, and I've never actually had that ultrasound done myself, but my mom has been dealing with circulation issues in her legs since she was 50, including frequent vein thrombosis. One clot actually traveled to one of her kidneys, eventually making it non-functional. Her other kidney stayed working for a while, but it's also starting to weaken over time. An ultrasound just shows the physical structure of the kidney, not how well it's actually functioning.

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Blood clotting issues can definitely be genetic—it's called thrombophilia. A lot of women don't even realize they have it until they're pregnant. You can get specific genetic testing done, though those tests aren't exactly cheap. However, given your mother's medical history, if anything suspicious pops up in your own results, there's a good chance Medicare might cover it. Since you've had healthy pregnancies in the past, did your mom have any complications during hers?

Thanks for getting back to me. I’ve never actually been pregnant before, so I really don't know how it all works. As far as I can recall, my mom only dealt with gestational diabetes during her pregnancy with me. I'm an only child. She had her first thrombosis when she was 50 after she sprained her ankle and had to wear a brace. Because she was immobilized for a few days, she ended up with her first venous thrombosis back in 1995. After that, the venous thromboses just kept happening, even though she was on permanent Warfarin therapy following the second one. The biggest issue happened when she developed arterial insufficiency in her leg vessels, which eventually led to an amputation. I know that malignant diseases often cause a recurring tendency toward thrombosis, but despite countless tests, they never found any malignancy in her. She didn't have anemia until after the surgery, mostly because she lost so much blood—it seems like she wasn't properly prepared hematologically heading into the operation.

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Everyone, I am asking for your help. Please, if you have any experience dealing with this kind of situation, I would truly appreciate your input.

To give you some background, my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which eventually spread to his liver. His general condition seemed relatively stable at first—his body seems strong enough, though his bloodwork is poor (specifically elevated bilirubin levels) because of how the cancer has affected those two organs.

However, since he started chemotherapy, things have taken a turn for the worse. Even though the scans supposedly show the cancer hasn't spread further and remains localized, he just keeps getting weaker and weaker. On top of that, his appetite has vanished; over the last few days, he’s barely eating anything and has even started vomiting.

Because of this extreme weakness and those high bilirubin levels, he actually missed his last two chemo cycles. In my opinion, that might actually be a blessing, as it seems like every session just leaves him in a worse state than before.

Now that I’ve laid out the situation, my main concerns and questions are as follows: How can we possibly encourage him to eat? If he doesn't eat, there is simply no way he is going to recover; he needs nutrition to survive. Is there a way to get food into his system without triggering more vomiting? Has anyone else dealt with something similar? He isn't vomiting constantly, but his intake is incredibly meager—it's hard to even describe how little he eats—and when he does try, he often ends up throwing it back up. We are at a loss.

Additionally, we have access to high-quality hemp oil. It’s the genuine stuff, very expensive, and something you can't just pick up at a local grocery store; we had to source it through specific contacts. He took it a few times following the dosage instructions provided, but now we are hesitant about whether to continue. I am wondering if we should push through and give him those small doses three times a day as instructed, or if we should stop the hemp oil entirely...

Thank you.

So, my questions are: How can we get him to eat more, and should we discontinue the hemp oil or keep giving him those small amounts?

Even if they keep eating normally, the weight loss will likely continue if there's an issue with exocrine insufficiency. It might be a good idea to check in with an internist about potentially adding some pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy via tablets. Also, it wouldn't hurt to get their blood sugar levels checked just to be safe. As for the hemp oil, I wouldn't stop using it—if anything, keep it going.

High bilirubin levels are, unfortunately, a sign that the liver is starting to fail.😢
I’m going to stop posting about this because I don't want to be the one bringing everyone down or killing the mood, but you have to realize that when a diagnosis reaches this stage, treatment becomes more of an experimental attempt than a guarantee.
I wouldn't suggest taking any random supplements either; when the liver is in this condition, even processing standard food puts an extra strain on the organ and causes more damage.
Try using Ensure or a Prostate cancer treatment nutritional drink instead. If your oncologist recommends them, you can usually find them at major pharmacies. A single carton provides all the nutrition you'd get from a typical full meal.

littlemole said:Hey, I wanted to jump in here too—ever since my mom was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer a few months back, I’ve been obsessively scrolling through forums, reading testimonials, and swallowing every recommendation I find... clearly, we’re all just circling the same drain of desperation here.

Look, you shouldn't be stacking more than three proven supplements, and if you do use them, they need to be part of a logical plan from start to finish. Beta glucan is an antioxidant that binds to free radicals, which means taking it during active therapy can actually tank the effectiveness of the treatment. It makes sense to use it during those breaks between cycles to help the body recover and gear up for the next round. As for apricot kernels, I’m going to keep repeating what I’ve said on this forum: it’s nothing more than cyanide. It’s a poison that wreaks havoc on the liver and can cause dangerous interactions with other medications. Luckily, since you're giving your mom beta glucan, it might neutralize some of that damage. And baking soda? I honestly have no idea what you're hoping to achieve with that. You probably read some of those Simoncinij ramblings, but seriously, don't go off a cliff just because you're desperate. I know exactly how you feel; I was standing right where you are. Just be smart about this. Look for legitimate studies that prove something actually works or at least won't kill you. Don't forget that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Throughout all his treatments, my dad kept basically the same diet he had long before his diagnosis. He wasn't interested in adding a bunch of supplements to his routine—or maybe he just couldn't wrap his head around it back when he was healthy. To be honest, I have to start with myself: how would I even handle it if my family was constantly rushing around, trying to force-feed me every supplement they could find? I know it comes from a place of love and concern, but still. Don't try to play doctor. So many supplements can actually do more harm than good.
What was written above is exactly why I refused to push anything on my father until I knew more or had consulted a professional. Even if I had tried to nudge him, I know he wouldn't have listened. That's just who he is. He wants what's been through clinical trials, not to act as some kind of guinea pig.

How can one manage that persistent metallic taste in the mouth following chemotherapy?
To be specific, my father is finding it increasingly difficult to enjoy any food or drink because everything he consumes leaves this heavy, metallic sensation on his palate.

Has anyone here dealt with something similar, and if so, what did you find actually helped alleviate it?

I’ve been reading through all these posts about baking soda. It actually reminds me of my mom... she was taking it for a while too. Her hematologist had her on Allopurinol to deal with gout, but honestly? I still have no idea why he even put her on that medication in the first place, because she never even suffered from gout. Later on, when she reached the point where she couldn't walk anymore, I started going to his office with her test results. He actually asked me directly if she was still taking the Allopurinol. When I told him no—that I stopped giving it to her since she never had gout to begin with—he actually got angry with me. He seemed offended just because I pointed out the fact that Allopurinol is specifically for gout. So, I don't know... I guess it really pays to double-check what doctors are prescribing and maybe seek out a second opinion every now and then.

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Last winter, my mom used to love drinking fresh-squeezed orange juice. But apparently, that’s not great for the kidneys, so I stopped giving it to her after her nephrologist advised against it. She was also really fond of bananas, but she couldn't have those either because of the potassium content. A wonderful visiting nurse told me that I could try diluting the orange juice with some water instead. If anyone needs this nurse's contact info, I can send it over via private message. She is truly amazing and so hardworking, and most importantly, she has both deep medical expertise and genuine compassion. It was actually her who taught me how to properly change Mom's adult diapers. My only concern is that she seems pretty busy and carries quite a large patient load.

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restlesstiger102 said:Does anyone know how to deal with that metallic taste in the mouth after chemo?
Basically, my dad can't stand any food or drinks because everything tastes like pennies...

Has anyone dealt with this or found anything that actually helps?

Unfortunately, that’s a super common side effect and it’s incredibly tough to get rid of. You pretty much just have to grit your teeth and power through it.

As far as baking soda goes, all it really does is neutralize stomach acid.

It’s that specific baking soda you get from the pharmacy, not just the stuff they sell at the local grocery store.

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Angela Wright said:Unfortunately, this is a fairly standard side effect that is quite difficult to avoid entirely. One simply has to power through it.

Regarding the soda, its primary function is merely to neutralize the acid present in the stomach.

So, you're saying there aren't any specific pills or remedies available that could make this more manageable?

I know this isn't strictly on topic, but I'm new here and I desperately need some help. Lately, my legs and feet have been tingling multiple times a day—it's even causing cramps. I’m dealing with dizziness, disorientation, and these occasional dull pains on the right side of my head, almost like a stabbing sensation. Every single time I stand up, the world spins, and I've ended up on the floor more than once. On top of that, I've started having issues with frequent urination, pain in my lower abdomen, and a constant sore throat. I have no idea what to do. I've been searching online, but everything I find looks terrifying. Honestly, I'm scared to go see a doctor because I don't even know how to begin explaining all of this. If anyone can offer any kind of advice, please. I apologize if this is out of line, but I am truly terrified.🙂

Back again, just in case anyone missed my previous posts. I’ve been dealing with ovarian cancer that spread to other organs, so they ended up removing my ovaries, fallopian tubes, appendix, uterus, lymph nodes, peritoneum, a section of my colon, and even had to scrape some parts of my liver. I’m supposed to start my first round of chemo pretty soon, and in the meantime, they sent me home with all these supplements: Megostat, Gatorade, extra strength Tylenol immune support at 750mg, plus some Immunoahcc capsules. I guess I'm just wondering if it's actually okay to take all this stuff before the chemo starts? I'm not really sure how bad it might be to mix everything together like this.

Listen, I don’t have the energy to sugarcoat things for people who can't grasp simple concepts. If you want someone to hold your hand and tell you everything is going to be fine while you make terrible decisions, go find a life coach. I’m just here to state the facts, however much they might bruise your ego. Most of the "advice" floating around these boards is nothing more than a collection of delusions wrapped in optimism. It's exhausting. Either get it right or stop wasting my time. kaže:
So, what? You’re telling me there aren't any pills or supplements out there that can actually make this easier?

I haven't heard of anyone actually fixing the issue yet. The only thing people are doing is sucking on hard candy just to try and mask the sensitivity. 😢

I don't know what to tell you. People love to talk, but they rarely actually listen. It’s always the same cycle of noise and zero substance. If you want my take, I'll give it to you straight: most of this is just clutter. Stop overcomplicating things and look at the facts. That's how you actually get anywhere. kaže:
I know this isn't strictly on-topic, but I'm new here and I really need some help. Lately, my legs and feet have been tingling multiple times a day, and I've even started getting cramps. On top of that, I’m dealing with dizziness, feeling completely disoriented, and these occasional dull pains on the right side of my head—almost like something is stabbing me. Every time I stand up, the world spins so hard that I frequently end up flat on the floor. I've also started having issues with frequent urination, pain in my lower abdomen, and a constant sore throat. I have no idea what to do. I've been scouring the internet for answers, but everything I find looks terrifying, and honestly, I'm scared to go see a doctor because I don't even know how to begin explaining all of this. If anyone can offer any kind of guidance, please. I'm sorry if this is out of line, but I am genuinely terrified.🙂

Look, you have a whole laundry list of symptoms here that a doctor actually needs to diagnose. It’s impossible to make any kind of call without a proper exam or actual testing. For all you know, you could be dealing with an electrolyte imbalance, and you need to figure out what's driving that. For God's sake, woman, not every single pain, dizzy spell, or cramp is cancer. In reality, most of the time, it isn't. Be realistic and take some responsibility for your health—go see your primary care physician for a basic checkup. A simple blood or urine test might give you the answer you're looking for, so stop guessing and get some facts.

restlessraven44 said:Here I am again. For those who aren't up to speed, I’m dealing with ovarian cancer that has spread to other organs. They’ve already had to remove my ovaries, fallopian tubes, appendix, uterus, lymph nodes, peritoneum, a section of my colon, and they even had to scrape the liver. I’m scheduled to start my first round of chemo very soon, and in the meantime, they handed me this list of supplements: Megostat, Gatorade, extra strength Tylenol immune support (750mg), and some ImmunoAHCC capsules. Is it safe for me to take all of this before chemo kicks in? I have no idea how dangerous it could be to mix all these things together.

Pick three supplements so you can actually track how each one affects you and put together a combination that makes sense. You absolutely have to let your doctor know exactly what you're taking! Just don't touch any of them on the day you have chemo or the day right after. It’s much better to stick to using supplements during the gaps between your cycles.