coughing

[hope4life]

Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've been on this board, maybe because deep down I'm hoping so badly that my mom's cancer was cured with the chemo.

My mom was diagnosed in Aug 2007 with NSCLC adenocarcinoma Stage IIIA at age 60. She had her left upper lobe removed Sept 2007 followed by carbo/gemzar chemo. Her CT scan in April 2008 showed NED and her recent xray July 2008 showed no growth either. My concern is that my mother has had a dry cough ever since she had surgery last year which has been worsening as time goes on. She never had any coughing prior to surgery. My question is...is this a sign that it is coming back? She describes it as a feeling near her sternum, almost like a tickle, that makes her want to cough.

Anyone out there have no cough prior to surgery then develop one afterwards? What (if not new growth) could be causing this?

Thanks for your help and insight...it's truly appreciated!

[Larry's Wife]

Hope, I really can't answer your question. My husband never had surgery. But I just wondered what your mom's doctors have to say about it. You might also ask Dr. West on cancergrace.org.

Praying for a resolution to your mom's problem.

Lynn

[Yorktown Linda]

Hope,

I developed a dry, hacking cough about 3 months after my second surgery. As I was on vacation in Vermont at the time, I just phoned my onc and he called in an antibitoic rx to a local pharmarcy. The coughing get better, but didn't go away, after a day or 2 on the meds but when I got back home, a CAT scan showed 2 new small growths. My onc says they're too small to be causing the cough. Me, I'm not so sure.

Sorry, I know this is not the answer you're looking for.

But remember -- just because we have lung cancer, it doesn't mean we can't get colds and at least here in the northeast, it is the start of one mean allergy season.

Best of luck!

Linda

[sharyn]

Hope,

I have no answer, but, please call the doc and let them know.... you don't want to overlook anything... I am sending positive thoughts... Love, Sharon

[Tom K]

Hi,

I also had a cough after treatments. It turns out it was caused by a drug called Lisinopril that I was taking to control Blood Pressure. Ask your doctor if any of her other drugs could be causing the cough.

[Don M]

i had a dry cough for several months after my second surgery. After talking with others and my doctor about it, we theorized that it might be due to my remaining lung reshaping and realligning itself. I suppose her remaining lobe could be responding to stretching and could cause a cough too. I also have heard of others getting acid reflux after surgery which produced a dry cough.

I got codeine for it at one point which helped.

Don M

[nonni]

Ican tell you that after my lung sugery back in 2004....I developed a really bad dry cough that would just not go away....I spoke to my surgeon and he said that is absolutely normal after lung surgery.....Well the GP thought I should look into it furthur and ordered a Pet Scan....the Pet showed normal and the cough finally went away....

I am 4 years out of surgery and still cough...mostly at night which I attributeSo to my sinuses....hope so anyway....So it really wouldn't hurt to look into it...but I'm quite sure many people develop a cough after surgery....good luck and God Bless

hugs...nonni..