help with coughing

[AndreaBGM]

Hi everyone. I am new here. My mom was diagnosed about a year ago and is doing well on Iressa. Her coughing is pretty bad, although mostly in the evenings. Her doctor prescribed a cough pill with codeine which seems to help but she refuses to take it now except before she goes to sleep because she doesn't want it to "knock her out."

Does anyone know of any non-codeine treatments or other therapies that have helped the coughing?

Thanks in advance,

Andrea

[Don Wood]

My wife was on Iressa and developed a bad cough. In her case, it turned out to be pneumonia, probably induced by the Iressa. I would ask your onc about this. As soon as my wife was removed from Iressa, she started getting better.

[AndreaBGM]

Thanks; no she has been coughing the whole time. Her doctor keeps telling her he is "not concerned" about it--but it is an annoyance. I understand that it is a symptom of the disease. She actually had a slight case of pneumonia last spring that no one knew where it came from. I didn't know it could be casued by the drug. How is your wife doing?

My mother told me that she FINALLY asked her doctor about another medication and he suggested a particular kind of Robitussin which I guess she will try. She is stubborn and will only get around to asking questions on her time and only shares info with the family when she is ready. But that is her choice, I suppose.

I appreciate your response and hope your wife is doing OK.

Andrea

[Sam'swifeShirley]

There's a prescription non-narcotic cough pill called Tessalon (generic - benzonatate) that she might ask her Doc about. It works pretty well for lots of people.

Sam

[AndreaBGM]

Thanks so much. I will pass that info along ASAP.

Andrea