My dad is winning his battle with stage 3b non-small cell lung cancer. His oncology team decided that surgery was an option, but it was a very dangerous option due to the location of some of the cancer, so he had extremely aggressive chemo and radiation treatment in Sept-Dec 2007. His first post-treatment scan was all clean. In the spring he had a scan that showed one of the treated spots needed more radiation, and since this summer's second radiation treatment, he has been coughing much more than usual. Now it is time for his next pet scan, and we are wondering if he will be able to do it because he is coughing so much.
His doctors are very good and thorough. They have given him predisone, codine, tussinex, and some other medicines. They are helping, but he has acid reflux and a cracked rib (from all the coughing), and that could be contributing to his coughing. He uses oxygen and is very healthy in terms of his diet and lifestyle, but obviously the coughing is interfering with his daily life.
Two months ago he was still going out to dinner and going places with my (very active) mom. This coughing has really been a curve ball. He can't stay on the phone as much or go out with my mom as often because the coughing is wearing him out. It is a violent, dry cough. He is not coughing up anything, although he says it feels like there is something there. When the coughing first started, drinking hot coffee helped. Now he is taking the maximum dosages of his medicine, and while yes, they are helping, getting through pet scan looks to be tricky.
Any ideas/experience on managing to endure a pet scan without coughing?
Any ideas/experience on improving the coughing so he can go about his daily activities?
Thank you!
