Opioids Fentanyl patch is keeping food from moving though stomach - Any help?

[iamcoyote]

My mom has gallbladder cancer and is prescribed 75 mcg/hr fentanyl patches. As the doctors have slowly increased the dosage a problem has become evident. Anything that she eats past around 5 o'clock P.M. doesn't seem to move out of her stomach. The next day, after sleeping and around 12-15 hours after eating last, she becomes extremely nauseous and throws up what she ate for dinner. The food isn't digested at all, and seems to just be sitting in her stomach until it spoils (she burps and says it tastes rotten or spoiled). I know opiates slow down your digestive system, so that's my best guess for the cause of the problem. She can't lower her dosage as she is in extreme pain, and she absolutely has to eat because she is losing weight rapidly.

We've told her doctors about the situation but they just prescribe her stomach medication which seems to not do anything. Other than that they say they do not know how to help. I was wondering if anyone has had a similar problem as my mom, and what you possibly did to help alleviate it. Stimulant laxatives seem to help somewhat, but its really hit or miss. Thanks a bunch for any help.

By the way, all of this is happening while she is on break from chemo/radiation. It's been months since her last round so I don't think it could be a side effect from it.(Also the tumors shrinking/responding to treatment! so yay!)

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I would encourage her to drink plenty of water to aid in digestion.

Did she tell the doctors about this?

 

[Jabberwocky]

hmmm... this sounds strange - does your mother take any antacids regularly?

maybe acid secretion in the stomach is being supressed while on the patch. is the food pooling in the stomach and not passing through into the gut, or is passing into the gut?

you've said that stimulant laxatives seem to help, which ones in particular?

perhaps dexedrine could help (a straight up stimulant but this is not a very valid opinion, i'm not a medical expert and simply guessing based on your comment mentioning stimulant laxatives helping the problem) - although i have not had this experience, fent may completely be shutting down your mothers digestive track. it is a very potent opiate. has she tried any other opiates? perhaps she could try a lower dose of fent (patch wise) and add a different opiate (say oxcontin) ontop of the patch if that is the only opiate which helps her with the pain.

i'm sorry about her condition, it sounds awful. i hope and wish her the best for recovery from chemo and her disease - and yes this definitely could be a side effect from it.

 

[BrokedownPalace]

When I was going thru treatment for cancer I had a similar issue.. My digestive tract was so fucked up from the chemo, as well as the opiates I was on at the time. I was on 85mg of methadone daily, 50mcg/hr fentanyl patches, as well as 8mg dilaudid x3 daily for break thru pain. Sounds extreme but the pain I was in was tremendous. I slowed my digestive tract so much that I wouldn't crap for like a week or two at a time. Very irritating.

The only thing that helped was coming off of methadone, and using stimulant laxatives as well as trying to stay as hydrated as possible, and eating a high fiber diet. Nothing 'cured' it unfortunately, until I got off all of those prescribed opiates and got done with my stem cell transplant. (the most painful thing I've ever been thru, god damn.)

I feeel for your mom, cancer is a tough thing to deal with b ut I am extremely happy that the treatment seems to be working! The side ffects are hard to deal w ith as well but there are potential remedies luckily. And once she beats it and is in remission things start to get back to normal.

It's been two years since I was declared in remission and I am getting back to my normal self, though my strength and athletecism is nowhere near what it used to be. Goodbye baseball career Oh well. At least I am alive.!

If you need to chat about cancer or anything feel free to PM me!

Cheers!

 

[wrongdose]

If food isn't being digested then some digestive enzymes might help. There is a liver surgeon here that recommends them for all cancer patients. Water is good but perhaps not while eating because this weakens stomach acids too. So glad the treatment is working Good luck.

 

[Nine North]

Am sorry for all you and your mother are going through. I've had numerous GI surgeries and one time after a major surgery morphine shut down my whole system, they switched me to dilaudid and then I was fine, a change in pain meds might help. I would contact your mother's doctors and demand they address the situation, there are plenty more options they can try for pain control instead of just sticking with the fentanyl patch. Again, so sorry to hear about this, have been in similar situations and it was rough, that's great though about the cancer treatment being effective, my very best to you both going forward.