DarlaK

Hi JC, I have an issue with the high heart rate also. I now from reading here I am not sure if it is from lobectomy or from Chemo or anxiety or all of the above. This can happen with just chemo alone... http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/childhood-cancer-information/watching-for-late-effects/heart-problems/?region=ab I do not currently have blood pressure issues for now but after my 1st chemo I became dehydrated and all of the sudden my heart rate increased to 80's and anxiety really set in. I was very concerned and after discussing this issue with my ONC I had a heart Echo done A+ heart is healthy. Then after completing my 2nd infusion just two weeks ago Cisplatin/Paclitaxel now I have a higher heart rate at rest high 80's - 90's and 120's after exertion. Take care and I do hope we have heart rates lower soon. Darla

Hello to all, There is a lot of information regarding high heart rate in cancer patients after chemo and radiation. I had mentioned this high heart rate concern in an earlier general post but not a lot of replies so I though I was the rare case but now after some research I know it is not true. This can happen with just chemo alone. http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/childhood-cancer-information/watching-for-late-effects/heart-problems/?region=ab I do not currently have blood pressure issues for now but after my 1st chemo I became dehydrated and all of the sudden my heart rate increased and anxiety really set in. I was very concerned and after discussing this issue with my ONC I had a heart Echo done A+ heart is healthy. Then after completing my 2nd infusion just two weeks ago Cisplatin/Paclitaxel now I have a higher heart rate at rest 80's - 90's and 120's after exertion. I feel that my ONC thinks this is all from anxiety but I now know after reading this may not be true... We all have different stories but its is great to know we are all not alone in this Darla

Tom, Abscopal Effect - Is there anything recent on this theory/effect? - Stereotactic radiation alone stopped future recurrences - So in order to get Stereotactic radiation the cancer has to come back somewhere where they can do radiation? Darla

Hi DFK, I thanks for all this info. The ENT Dr is not the most forcoming with info and there is no way to actually talk to him. It really does ease my mind and believe the reason they are waiting is to get me through the next 3 chemo infusions first. I have not been sleeping during all of this so any tips for sleep and staying so positive during this? Hi Sillycat, that IS great news! I am not taking Durvalumab - chemo for now but I read DFK on vocal cords so just looking for support in this whole treatment journey. I am trying to be positive but it is so hard. The anxiety of this cancer crap disease is overwhelming. So I say hooray to all of you! Darla

Hi DFK, Yes please keep updating me on this part of your journey - I did get a CT of the throat and it had showed a slightly displaced arytenoid that my ENT surgically tried to put back into place two weeks prior to the start of my 1st chemo - not sure if that even helped but I do talk a bit better. I also have Minnie Mouse voice but when I talk low and quite it seems to help with the pain. I think my ENT DR and mostly the Oncologist are just trying to keep me focused on getting through the 3 more chemo infusions and don't really understand the whole aspiration of food/liquid to your lungs. I do experience daily aspirations with water and sometimes food and is quite painful and unnerving. I also during the day if I use my voice a lot that I get a swallowing a marble feeling. Please let me know what you can when you can. Thanks! Good luck to you with the Tuesday ENT pre-op appt. Darla

Hello DFK, I was also been diagnosed with Left vocal cord paralysis/dysphonia after my left upper lobectomy back in Sept. I believe from the surgery report that it is from the thoracic surgeon removing a suspicious lymph node that was very close next to the left laryngeal nerve. I wanted to know what they are going to do in the surgery exactly that will fix it? Also do you have a night and day dry throat from the paralysis? I really have no one that i can discuss this issue with so please forgive me but my vocal cord paralysis/nerve is very painful and constant. I was prescribed gabapentin every night just so I can try to get some sleep. My ENT DR and Oncologist are just saying that after chemo they will try to fix this issue but i'm not sure how... Thanks Darla

Thanks Tom - I just really feel alone in all of this. My Husband had been excellent and uplifting through all of this but and I think it is really the anxiety and depression that is getting the best of me.

1st week of chemo is done with only slight side effects. I had no nausea or vomiting and ONC says all blood work was good but the worst thing is that I am still feeling jittey with a higher than my normal resting heart rate is 75-85 but it is now high from 85-100-110 bpm started on day 5 and still feel it now on day 9. Is this normal? My Dr says its just anxiety and prescribed meds but Im thinking its the DEX so has anyone else had this and what helped?

Susan, I feel like doctors want to just focus just on the Chemo starting and not really address the sleep issue. So the Xanax for sleep does not have a tolerance factor to it? If you still take it and so does Tom after this long I assume it works almost all the time without tolerance build up? Darla

Tom, You are and continue to be a true Survivor - thanks for sharing this information. I will stay positive and I know that the Chemo treatment whether I can sleep or not is the only option. Darla,

Hello again, So am starting chemo next week 11/1 and I'm not sure how much rest and not sleeping at night will affect the treatments and my ability to get through the Cisplatin/Taxol 4 rounds every 3 weeks. I am really really trying to be optimistic during the day and when it comes down to night and sleeping I just am having a really difficult time. I get maybe 1-3 hours a night and think I have tried everything. Insight timer, meditation, breathing - Xanax I read a lot about many people have very bad pain and terrible side effects and still living with the effects so this is not without compassion for everyone but is everyone sleeping well? I want to be strong, thrive and live and I know this is possible from reading all the great survivors here. Im sure its anxiety at its best but is there anyone out there that also has or had a hard time with sleep and getting through the chemo? I don't see a lot from reading all of the posts that sleep is an issue before and during chemo? is it possible to get through on no sleep? Please let me know your story. Peace to all, Darla

Hello Tom, I got a call from the oncologist last night for my sleep issue and other info but i did mention the Biomarker testing but since it is squamous I think he thinks I can wait till after the chemo to check it? Is there something I am missing about squamous NSCLC and doing the testing now vs. later? I am truly inspired by your journey and it keeps me very hopeful as I go on...I am so glad for you and I hope to be NED too and for many years to come... I WILL Stay the course Darla

I am hanging in there for sure and it is getting a little easier to deal with as time goes on. The Oncologist prescribed Remeron for the possible depression and lack of sleep but see the drug side effect is possibly low white blood cell count. He reassured me it will be ok...I took a 7.5mg and a .25mg Xanax last night and think I got some sleep but woke up at least 6 times during the night. It is so hard for me to sleep and I fell like I am going to go crazy.. the mindfulness and deep breathing seem to work a little bit but is is really hard right now. I have already lost 10 pounds since DX and need to keep up weight for chemo I am sure.

Newly DX Sept 3rd and have been on this site for weeks now looking for hope and help. Many of you are a blessing to calm the anxiety that is caused by this awful disease. I am 50 years old former smoker and quit cold turkey Jan 1st 2006. Here is a bit of my journey so far… In May this year had bad coughing for a month and then blood started so I went to Dr. I had chest x ray and then CT June 20th that showed a 4CM cavity lesion and waited taking antibiotics while all the Doctors thought it was TB or bacterial issue Valley Fever..all were wrong. Sent to pulmonologist and on Aug 30th I finally had a bronchoscopy and diagnosed Sept 3rd with poorly differentiated squamous NSCLC in left upper lobe. Pet scan came back clear all but the lesion in upper lobe so I was cleared to get robotic surgery Sept 20th to remove the upper left lobe...praying the cancer had not spread to any lymph nodes but 1 out of 16 they took out had evidence of cancer. Size of lesion I was told is actually around 5CM after resection so staged at 111A. I know I am lucky so far. The cancer is out and I need to get any cancer stragglers out with chemo in a few weeks. I am so worried and can’t get it off my mind especially at night. I know it does not change anything to worry but it is hard not to. I can't sleep at all at night any suggestions?