Help Please, worried sick!!

As you know, dealing with cancer involves a great deal of stress, and stress can cause mood swings.

We also know that some cancer drugs can affect mood. Moodiness and anger are not listed as side effects of this drug combination, but headaches and tiredness are.  I have heard of others who felt that these kinds of drugs affected their mood.

I am not a doctor, but doubt that the moodiness is caused by the cancer itself.

It is important to report these kinds of things to the treatment team.  They have an impact on quality of life and may have an impact on compliance with the treatment schedule.  Some patients, and your husband may be one, are reluctant to talk to their doctor about things like this because they are afraid they will be taken off the drug that is keeping them alive. Almost always the opposite is true–failure to address symptoms makes it more likely that you won't be able to stay on the drug.

If your husband persists in his reluctance to be forthcoming with the doctor you may want to talk with a counselor on how to manage your part of the situation–how do you navigate the conflict between what you feel is right and what your husband is adamant about doing.  This same person may have some guidance on how to deal with the moods.

I remember about three years ago on this site a person wrote that they were leaving their spouse (who was on a different drug) because they could no longer stand the anger and had become afraid for the safety of their children. The situation was similar–the patient's personality had changed radically but they refused to seek help or report the problem to the doctor.  You certainly don't want things to progress that far!

Tim–MRF

As you know, dealing with cancer involves a great deal of stress, and stress can cause mood swings.

We also know that some cancer drugs can affect mood. Moodiness and anger are not listed as side effects of this drug combination, but headaches and tiredness are.  I have heard of others who felt that these kinds of drugs affected their mood.

I am not a doctor, but doubt that the moodiness is caused by the cancer itself.

It is important to report these kinds of things to the treatment team.  They have an impact on quality of life and may have an impact on compliance with the treatment schedule.  Some patients, and your husband may be one, are reluctant to talk to their doctor about things like this because they are afraid they will be taken off the drug that is keeping them alive. Almost always the opposite is true–failure to address symptoms makes it more likely that you won't be able to stay on the drug.

If your husband persists in his reluctance to be forthcoming with the doctor you may want to talk with a counselor on how to manage your part of the situation–how do you navigate the conflict between what you feel is right and what your husband is adamant about doing.  This same person may have some guidance on how to deal with the moods.

I remember about three years ago on this site a person wrote that they were leaving their spouse (who was on a different drug) because they could no longer stand the anger and had become afraid for the safety of their children. The situation was similar–the patient's personality had changed radically but they refused to seek help or report the problem to the doctor.  You certainly don't want things to progress that far!

Tim–MRF

As you know, dealing with cancer involves a great deal of stress, and stress can cause mood swings.

We also know that some cancer drugs can affect mood. Moodiness and anger are not listed as side effects of this drug combination, but headaches and tiredness are.  I have heard of others who felt that these kinds of drugs affected their mood.

I am not a doctor, but doubt that the moodiness is caused by the cancer itself.

It is important to report these kinds of things to the treatment team.  They have an impact on quality of life and may have an impact on compliance with the treatment schedule.  Some patients, and your husband may be one, are reluctant to talk to their doctor about things like this because they are afraid they will be taken off the drug that is keeping them alive. Almost always the opposite is true–failure to address symptoms makes it more likely that you won't be able to stay on the drug.

If your husband persists in his reluctance to be forthcoming with the doctor you may want to talk with a counselor on how to manage your part of the situation–how do you navigate the conflict between what you feel is right and what your husband is adamant about doing.  This same person may have some guidance on how to deal with the moods.

I remember about three years ago on this site a person wrote that they were leaving their spouse (who was on a different drug) because they could no longer stand the anger and had become afraid for the safety of their children. The situation was similar–the patient's personality had changed radically but they refused to seek help or report the problem to the doctor.  You certainly don't want things to progress that far!

Tim–MRF

Is he on other medications besided Tafinlar and Mekinist?

If not then as a person who got hit with stage 4 last June I would say your husband is struggling to cope with this nightmare. I say that because I've been and sometimes still am moody, angry and more. Maybe if there is a local cancer support group or if he wants to talk to others here that are going through the same nightmare.

As far as knowing when the drugs quit working the doctor will take care of that with regular scans. I dunno if all doctors scan the same but mine is pretty much every 8 weeks or so.

Is he on other medications besided Tafinlar and Mekinist?

If not then as a person who got hit with stage 4 last June I would say your husband is struggling to cope with this nightmare. I say that because I've been and sometimes still am moody, angry and more. Maybe if there is a local cancer support group or if he wants to talk to others here that are going through the same nightmare.

As far as knowing when the drugs quit working the doctor will take care of that with regular scans. I dunno if all doctors scan the same but mine is pretty much every 8 weeks or so.

Is he on other medications besided Tafinlar and Mekinist?

If not then as a person who got hit with stage 4 last June I would say your husband is struggling to cope with this nightmare. I say that because I've been and sometimes still am moody, angry and more. Maybe if there is a local cancer support group or if he wants to talk to others here that are going through the same nightmare.

As far as knowing when the drugs quit working the doctor will take care of that with regular scans. I dunno if all doctors scan the same but mine is pretty much every 8 weeks or so.

I don't know if it is the right thing to do but anytime my husband didn't want to tell the Dr. and it got to the point I felt it was an issue, I told the doctor.  Maybe you could email the doctor with your concerns and why? Then maybe the doctor can bring it up?  My husband adrenals failed from ippi and that caused him to be terribly irritable….   Sometimes other meds he may be taking, or maybe depression?  It can be so many different things…    Best of luck!

I don't know if it is the right thing to do but anytime my husband didn't want to tell the Dr. and it got to the point I felt it was an issue, I told the doctor.  Maybe you could email the doctor with your concerns and why? Then maybe the doctor can bring it up?  My husband adrenals failed from ippi and that caused him to be terribly irritable….   Sometimes other meds he may be taking, or maybe depression?  It can be so many different things…    Best of luck!

I don't know if it is the right thing to do but anytime my husband didn't want to tell the Dr. and it got to the point I felt it was an issue, I told the doctor.  Maybe you could email the doctor with your concerns and why? Then maybe the doctor can bring it up?  My husband adrenals failed from ippi and that caused him to be terribly irritable….   Sometimes other meds he may be taking, or maybe depression?  It can be so many different things…    Best of luck!

I go along with keeping the Oncologists informed of all effects ones body and mind is experiencing.  I tell my Onc and often tell him that I just want him sto know, but that will lset him knmkow where I am within the coming time.   He then tells me what he considers should OR could be do ne.  I make Most final decisions, but have seen so many physicl and mental side effects in this journey that kknow our minds can do things to us that we don't always see clearly.  You can always try tellings him what the effects on you are and the problems you are having and that talking with the Onc will help YOUR mind.  The caregiver must lso be taken care of, not just the melanoma patient.

I go along with keeping the Oncologists informed of all effects ones body and mind is experiencing.  I tell my Onc and often tell him that I just want him sto know, but that will lset him knmkow where I am within the coming time.   He then tells me what he considers should OR could be do ne.  I make Most final decisions, but have seen so many physicl and mental side effects in this journey that kknow our minds can do things to us that we don't always see clearly.  You can always try tellings him what the effects on you are and the problems you are having and that talking with the Onc will help YOUR mind.  The caregiver must lso be taken care of, not just the melanoma patient.

I go along with keeping the Oncologists informed of all effects ones body and mind is experiencing.  I tell my Onc and often tell him that I just want him sto know, but that will lset him knmkow where I am within the coming time.   He then tells me what he considers should OR could be do ne.  I make Most final decisions, but have seen so many physicl and mental side effects in this journey that kknow our minds can do things to us that we don't always see clearly.  You can always try tellings him what the effects on you are and the problems you are having and that talking with the Onc will help YOUR mind.  The caregiver must lso be taken care of, not just the melanoma patient.

Not to be a downer, but don't forget to mention mood swings because it may indicate brain mets as well.  Hope it is only due to the situation or meds.  Hang tough, but tell the doctor.

Not to be a downer, but don't forget to mention mood swings because it may indicate brain mets as well.  Hope it is only due to the situation or meds.  Hang tough, but tell the doctor.

Not to be a downer, but don't forget to mention mood swings because it may indicate brain mets as well.  Hope it is only due to the situation or meds.  Hang tough, but tell the doctor.