Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 6/16/2005

Question
Hello. Just 2 weeks before Christmas, my Father was diagnosed with colon cancer. First they had to do a colostomy(sp) and then go in and do the actual removal of the cancerous tumor. He ended up having 4 operations within a 2 month period. My Father by the way is 78, and NOT a very active person, nor does he have a very healthy diet, ala his wife. ANYway...my questions to you are these....does chemotherapy (which he is schedlued to have 3 more treatmensts)cause a sudden and VERY noticable loss of memory, as my Father has almost the outward symptoms of Alzheimers disease or posssibly a mild stroke and says things that make no sense at all, and is very beligerant about some things, and 2) he also has some minor heart problems and we all as a family understand that the chemo makes you weak, would the "energy drinks" on the market be harmful to him in any way? He's sadly having to move into a new "home" and doesn't have the energy to do anything, and I'm absoulutely serious...the man has no energy at all. Today, he didn't even have the strenght to make it to the bathroom before he deficated on himself. I need some really serious honest answers, since his doctor will NOT discuss his health with me because of the "hippa law"(sp) I and HE both need some help and guidance. I'm his oldest son...and even named after him, and I'm absoulutely lost and confused and worried. THANK you for your time and knowledge!

regards,
chuck correll

Answer
I'm sorry to read about all the problems of your father!
The symptoms you describe may not have anything to do with your father's therapy so I suggest that you let both a good neurologist and a psychiatrist check him. Chemo therapy does have a lot of side effects, among them is the effect of making the patient weaker. I doubt that any "energy drink" can correct that but there is hardly any harm in trying, so feel free to try. Unfortunately if he does have a neurological problem as described, it may not be curable. Some kind of nursing home may be necessary for him.