Hi:

From your description, he may be depressed. Perhaps a change of meds.

I had the surgery in 2004, and I never came back even close to 100%.

Regardless, you need to get him back to a doc for further eval.

Don't wait around. We'll keep you in our prayers.

All the best,

Fred

He is on antidepressant. His doctor had him on celexa and I had him switched to rameron. The celexa made him sleepy and a side effect of the remeron is hunger. He has just killed his brain cells with pain killers and he has lost his memory and motivation. I just need advice on helping him regain that. my mom convinced him to buy a motorcycle and got him a bunch of camping gear to maybe make him want to get out more, but its only worked minimally.

Maybe he'd like to come to this board and chat with some of us that have had/have esophageal cancer. Is that the type cancer he had? I know for me it was really important to connect with others who had what I had. Even though our journey is different in ways, it's also very similar in ways. I wish him the best. I know I was zapped of energy. Maybe you could watch some funny movies with him. Laughter is a great medicine they say :-) Wishing you both the best. Brenda

Hi Myca,

My father is pretty much in the same boat as your dad. He's 57 years old, and is cancer free now, however all he does is sit and watch TV. He doesn't like to even leave the house and is only eating one meal a day. He's afraid to eat any more in fear that he'll cough it up. He's had a horrible cough, and coughed up a lot of mucus daily since the surgeries.

I'll be praying for your dad.

Hi Everyone, I am Corgan's Aunt, My brother is very depressed and displays every symptom however he is the only one who does not think that he is depressed. We have all tried to express that it is so understandable that he is depressed but he still wants to insist that he is not and just in all this pain. He most definitely has had severe complications since the esohagectomy, and these complications hindered his recovery and it is this that has caused a lot of his depression, along with his refusal to accept that although his quality of life may be changed to some degree permanently, he still has a whole lot to live for and I beleive that if we could get him eating and with

Sorry, I sent before being finished . My brother is an alcoholic and chain smokes all day long. He went through a medical detox a few months after his surgery but then started up a couple months after that drinking and smoking excessively. He has always been a heavy drinker but not like he is now. I don;t know how we can convince him that if he would just give his body a break and stop drinking and smoking that he would feel much better and with that be able to eat more and slowly get his life back. I don't know what to do, he has been to a support group one time, he does onot like to go on the computer. Can anyone help with advise, I would really appreciate any thoughts of what we can do to help him.

As a recovering alcoholic I know that he has to want to help himself, I am so sorry for you all , his family.... Alcohol is a depressant and an appetite suppressant as well. At this point he has to want help and to stop drinking, you may want to attend an Al anon meeting and see if that helps you ....I hope his doctors are aware of the issues , mixing the drink with pills is not a good combo. My husband died of this disease and he did go through a long depression after diagnosis but wanted to live and decided to fight, he hadn't smoked in 30 years and gave up his occasional cocktails. , he ate right and exercised everyday because he wanted to live....he was diagnosed stage 4b and did not have surgery it was not an option...Chemo only he survived 18 months ... I hope your Dad / brother seeks the help he needs and calls another AA member for support my thoughts and prayers are with u