SharKats

Had anyone here developed pneumonitis within a coupld days of the final treatment? If so, how was it treated? I was so happt to finish the 25 treatments and I've felt horrible ever since. My onc wants me to go back for another chest x-ray altho I just had one a 9 days ago. I am so short of breath I'm wondering if oxygen might make things easier. Would anyone mind sharing their radiation-induced pneumonitis story? I'm sorry if this is redundant and this is somewhere back in older threads. I just don't spend much time on-line since the radiation.. Thank you!

There is nothing I can add to what has already been sad. My deepest sympathy.

I know when I quit smoking last September I had an annoying cough for about 6 weeks. My doctor said it was due to my quitting smoking and that the lungs were trying to clear themselves out. I'm sure that's why you're coughing since you recently quit. Wishing you the best,

Shelly, My heart goes out to you. I can only imagine how difficult it is to watch someone you love go through such pain and suffering - be it mental, emotional or physical pain. I will certainly remember your Dad and YOU in my prayers - strength for you and healing for your Dad. God Bless!

Addie, Congratulations - that's wonderful news. (I know what you mean about test anxities, believe me. I also hope your dogger makes a full recovery - I mean you can't both be sick at the same time! Keep us posted. Sending positive thoughts your way........

That's great news!! I am so happy for you. Not much chemo to go - yahoo. I know you'll be very happy when that's over as well.

Mo, Sending you big (((((())))))))- and hoping you'll hurry up and get rid of whatever bug has got ya. It's amazing how anemia saps your strength - I know I've been dealing with it but only had to have the one day of transfusions. You're such a neat person - I'm sure the medical personnel look forward to seeing you - and I only mean that in a good way. I'm sure they'd rather you didn't have to be there at all - oh heck, you know what I mean. Get lots of rest!!!! The heck with ex-in-laws.

It would have been nice if you had been given a list of all the possible side effects of the chemo then you wouldn't have had a period of uncertainty. I was given a type-written sheet of both of my chemos that explained all about the type of chemo and gave a full list of side effects. Wishing you the best.........

Hi, I'm sure your hubby will be feeling much better after the 2nd transfusion. 7.2 is really low - no wonder he has no energy. Did they give him one or two units the first time?

Hi Addie, Wishing you the best - good luck with the test. Hey, that rhymed - didn't mean for it to but I guess I'm a can't help myself poet. Seriously, you certainly have a good, positive attitude - that will really help you.

Mo, I think it's because my 2nd opinion onc (professor of oncology @ Baylor College of Medicine) didn't want me to have radiation and chemo @ the same time since I have extensive stage sclc. He said it would make me so sick I may have to go off chemo and that chemo was the best treatment. He also felt when/if the sclc came back it would come back in my liver not my chest. When I was growing up I had strep throat all the time (seemed like it) and when tonsils were removed the gentleman left some tonsil material behind, ergo, still had a lot of sore throats and I just hate them. When I found out radiation burned your esophogus, I just thought if there were any other way to do it, I'd take the "other way". I was also told that since I had been a long time smoker that my lungs were damaged and the radiation would damage some (or a lot) of whatever healthy lung tissue was left so I would be SOB for the rest of my life. (Well, I'm already SOB all the time anyway - so........) Anyway, that's why I've been hoping to avoid it. Plus the radiation onc REFUSED to do it even though I went through all that measuring, marking, tatooing stuff once she saw it was in my liver (liver scans have been clear since first round of chemo). Did I make any sense with my ramblings?

My gosh Rachel - how did you cope with not being able to swallow for 2 weeks? That must have been awful!! Were you on a liquid diet? Wow - radiation twice a day along w/chemo!! That is certainly very aggressive treatment. I just thought of this also - what would someone do if you had chemo then radiation (or chemo concurrent w/radiation) and the tumor still came back in the original site? What then is used for pallative care?

Hi Addie, Just wanted to say hello and welcome you to a wonderful site filled with knowledgable, caring and supportive people. I'm sure you are anxious and I know first hand how anxiety can cause physical symptoms - especially with a cancer diagnosis. Just know that I'm rooting for you and hoping for the best. Stay strong - this disease isn't going to win - I tell myself that everyday. PS. I have 2 dogs also. Step children grown and gone so they're my "kids" along with a lotta cats.

Hi, Just wanted to say hello and welcome. I sincerely hope that there will be major funding for early detection and prevention of lung cancer in the VERY near future. I dont know if you can insist on lung, liver, bone and brain scans arbitrairly or not - insurance may not cover those tests on a "early detection" basis. I know I had a clear chest x-ray in April and a huge (small cell) tumor in my right lung in December of that same year. It saddens me to know how little research has been done on LC comparatively speaking. Wishing you the best.

Mo - you absolutely amaze me! To continue to work through chemo and radiation is mind-boggling. I am having trouble keeping RBC's up and am very SOB. I have trouble walking across the street and back to the front door. Jane, I'm so happy your Dad is doing well now - I can only imagine that it was a very difficult 5 months. And Don, Lucy has had amazing results with her treatment. Maybe I've read articles where people were affected horribly by radiation with no positive results and I guess I can't get it out of my mind. So many difficult decisions to make with this disease - so many differing opinions and results; it makes my head spin and the few remaining brain cells dizzy. Thanks for your imput - I really appreciate it.

I saw my onc this past Friday and she told me that if I didn't have radiation within the next month my tumor will be back as big and bulky as it was initially. (It was a big one blocking most of the airway on my right lung). I think she said this because my last lung scan said "non-specific nodular density" at about the original site. I am terrified of radiation - from what I've read it's not going to "cure" small cell and that it is mainly used for pallative treatment. I was hoping to get some feedback from those of you who have gone through chemo and then radiation. Would you mind sharing your experience with me, briefly, i.e., are you glad you had it, did it help you, did the effects really harm your quality of life? Thanks for any info you can give me.

That's wonderful!! Keeping all paws crossed that the brain scan will also be clear. Thinking and sending positive thoughts your way........

Boy do I remember the feelings I experienced when I was given my diagnosis. Shock, denial, fear, anger, bewilderment (Are they really talking about me and to me - there be a mistake.) Initially I felt as if I no longer had control over my life and that's a frightening thought. It's a rough road to travel but you have your family for support, comfort and encouragement which is such a blessing. You are definitely "talking" with a group of people who know just how you feel, who understand and care. There is also a wealth of information here along with shared experiences. God bless you and keep you strong.

I'm so very sorry - I truly am. I wish I had magic words of comfort for you but I don't. Your Mom fought a good fight and I know you must have been a tremendous source of support, care and love for her. I'm sure you were a wonderful daughter and that she was grateful for your presence. May God keep your Mom in His care and wrap His arms around you and give you strength and courage while you deal with your grief. God bless you.

Hi Cindy, So glad to know things are stable and that you're doing okay. Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you. Purrs,

Is anyone here a member of ALCASE?? I have begun receiving their newsletters and I'm quite impressed. I found out that over $11,000 (Aprox - I don't have the mag in front of me) was spent per breast cancer death, $8,000 (aprox)per prostrate cancer death and about $1,300 per lung cancer death for research and prevention. I was quite upset when I heard the statistics. ALLCASE's Fall 2003 issue stated that Senator Hagel, a Vietnam vet had sponsored additional language into the Senate Appropriations Committee report on fiscal year 2004 funding for Department of Defense. "The Committee urges the Secretary of Defense in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to begin a multi-institutional lung cancer screening program with centralized imaging review incorporating state of the art image processing and integration of computer assisted diagnostic tools." 'If implemented, such a program would give active and former military service men and women the opportunity to participate in lung cancer screening as part of their medical coverage. This is a particularly important issue because several studies have shown that U.S. military veterans have a higher rate of lung cancer than the non-veteran population.' (I didn't know that). The article also states that exposure to carcinogenic agents such as dioxin, radiation and others are likely contributing factors. ALCASE send him a letter of thanks and stated how badly lung cancer screening is needed and pointed out that the cost of care for the expected 171,900 new cases of lung cancer to be diagnosed in 2003 would exceed 8.5 billion dollars. The lung cancer advocacy community needs to follow-up on Senator Hagel's efforts. ALCASE suggested we write, email or call Senator Hagel to thank him for his initiative and ask for his continued efforts on behalf of those living with and at risk for lung cancer and also suggested we contact our own Senators and Representatives to ask for their support on behalf of the lung cancer community. Senator Chuck Hagel 248 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-4224 email: chuck_hagel@hagel.senate.gov PS. I also bought the lung cancer "crystal ribbons" - they're really pretty and eye-catching and a number of people have asked what they represent. I also purchased some for friends who are wearing them. Every little bit helps.

Oh, I'm so sorry you're having to go through so much more chemo. I KNOW how you felt when you thought you were having the last one because Monday I start my 6th and last round (hopefully last round) at least for a while and when I walk out of there Wednesday I'll be doing a happy dance. (course there's those lovely shots to go back and take Thurs and Friday but that's nuttin. I don't think doctors should ever tell a patient they have a month, a year, or whatever. How the hell do they know for sure? So many people would be devastated and if they really did have just a year they would probably spend a lot of time agonizing over that fact. I hope and pray this young man you met proves them wrong and has many more years ahead of him. I'm sure you gave him a lot of encouragement and hope. I found out last Friday that when my onc first saw me back in January she and the other doctors didn't think I would live more than a few weeks. They are just amazed that I'm still around and kicking and doing so well four months later. I can't tell you how HAPPY I am that they didn't tell me that initially. Just the diagnosis alone is shock and horror enough but to be given an actual death date is just plain wrong! I'll be thinking of you and hoping, wishing and praying things will go well for you.

Wow! That's an incredible "essay" you wrote - I'm very impressed. I'm sclc so surgery isn't an option but if it were, this would be printed out in BIG, boldletters and it would be read daily. If I ever know anyone who is having any type of major surgery, I'm gonna give them a copy of this as it can apply for many different surgeries. Great job!!!!

Hi, I just had blood transfusion this past Saturday. I finished 5th round of chemo 10 days ago so I guess this was about the time for my RBC to take a big dip although I was hoping to make it through without having to have one. I do feel much better after the transfusion. They did it on an out-patient basis and it took about 7 hours for the two units. I'm also getting the ARANESP (never can spell that) and taking iron supplements. I would think I'm probably going to have to have another transfusion after round 6 (and the last one - yahoo) that begins up next Monday.

Hi Jane, I'm so sorry that we have to "meet" this way. But I am glad you found this Board and I know you'll be very glad you did also. I'm relatively new, still have days of feeling overwhelmed and that I wish someone would wake me up from this bad dream. But I guess we all have days like that and it's nice to have friends who know exactly how you feel. Wishing you the very best!