scaredlisa01 Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 I am new to this group, just wanted to say hi - I was recently diagnosed with adenocarcinoma - stage 3 (sort of there is some conflicting info) and I have a seperate cancer in my thyroid not related to the lung cancer. I had surger on the lung on 9/8 in which they removed the upper left lobe of my lung and on 10/16 I will be going in to have my thyroid removed. I will then begin chemo. I amscared to death. I have never smoked & am angry I got lung cancer - can anyone tell me what I can "look forward too" for chemo? anything I should ask? bor nausea? immune boosters? plz help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hi Lisa. I am sorry you need to be here but glad you found us. This board is full of caring people and lots of good information. Chemo is different for everyone but it is pretty much inevitable that you will feel somewhat awful for some days after. They will give you anti-nausea drugs that should prevent that. And during chemo it is very important to drink lots of fluids. I hope all goes as smooth as possible for you. Please keep us posted on how things are going. Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hi, Lisa, welcome to the group. We've all experienced the shock that you feel, and a lot of us are familiar with the anger part as well. Every few months somebody starts a thread on the unfair stigma associated with lung cancer, the causes and results of the stigma, outlandish questions and comments we've received, and effective ways to respond to those who are both clueless and inconsiderate. We all jump in — smokers, nonsmokers, and neversmokers alike. But since my blood pressure has been behaving very nicely, I will not start that discussion tonight! Just know that we understand. If some of your apprehension about chemo comes from stories of people who had it 10, 15, or 20 years ago, keep in mind that significant advances have been made recently, not only in the chemo drugs themselves, but even more so in the "premed" drugs, both IV and oral, that are now routinely given just before the actual chemo agents are infused. Nausea is not nearly as common as it once was. The one side effect that almost everyone experiences, to one degree or another, is fatigue. This typically sets in a couple of days after the infusion and lasts for maybe 3 or 4 days. On those days each cycle I found an afternoon nap was a must, but throughout my chemo treatment I never had a day when I was completely "out of it" and unable to do something productive. Read some of the personal stories on the board and you'll see that the other side effects vary considerably from one person to the next. The different chemo agents have their own characteristics, so when you find out which ones you'll be getting, let us know and we can be more specific. Your main job right now is to recover from your (soon to be) two surgeries. The better condition you're in when you start chemo, the better you'll be able to tolerate it, and the better you tolerate it, the more likely you'll be to have a good result. The fact that you were a candidate for a lobectomy means there's no evidence the lung cancer has spread beyond your chest and you therefore have a good shot at a cure. The chemo is like an insurance policy, with the aim of zapping any stray cancer cells that were not visible during your surgery and may be circulating in the blood. Best wishes on your thyroid surgery, and keep posting with updates and more questions. Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsC1210 Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hello Lisa and welcome So sorry you have reason to be here but you have found a wonderful place to find comfort and support as well as tons of hope! I can't personally add anything about chemo and what to expect but I can say I completely understand your anger. When my best friend was diagnosed at the age of 31, he and I went through the same anger and confusion as to how someone who had never smoked could be diagnosed with lung cancer. We decided that there was no good to be found in trying to make sense of it as cancer simply does not discriminate. The ONE and ONLY thing I will say about chemo is to make sure you drink LOTS. Dehydration is a nasty thing to have to deal with. And if your doctor gives you anti nausea meds, start them BEFORE chemo as it is much easier to keep the nausea (if it is an issue) in check before hand than trying to get it under control after.. Please keep posting and let us help you through the fears and questions. We are here for you!! Warmly, Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hello Lisa and Welcome to LCSC. As we all know Lung Cancer doesn't discriminate. It's not just a smokers disease and the truth is, it never has been. No one deserves lung cancer or any kind of cancer. ((((Lisa)))) As for Chemo, I know what you mean about being scared. We who have walked the walk know just how scary all this is. It SUCKS! But keep one thing in mind, NOT EVERYONE gets sick or has HORRIBLE things happen to them while they go through there chemo. To be honest with you, they have come a LONNNNG ways with chemo's and anti-nausea medications. Your Onc Doc or his nurse will give you all the information as to what may or may not happen. One thing I can share is having a positive attitude honestly does help. Doesn't mean your not scared, but try hard to think positive about beating this monster that lurks within. Don't be afraid to ask questions, as we ALL know there is NO SUCH THING as a dumb/stupid question. And please know we are all here for you 24/7. Take a minute and read over some of the members (MY STORY) messages. You'll see a lot of hope and get some good info from reading over them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna G Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hello, as Connie says we all know how difficult it is when you are told you have lung cancer. Glad to hear you were able to have that tumor in your lung removed surgically. Also glad to hear they are going right after that thyroid. I did not have thyroid cancer but at the time I was diagnosed they found I was Hyperthyroid. I had a chemical wype out of my thyroid. Now because of this I do have to take Syntroid. There could be loose cells so the idea to zap them now with chemo sounds good to me. Like Connie says they have really good nausea meds , and generally you don't have as many problems as years ago. Keep us posted, Donna G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Welcome Lisa. As soon as you start chemo, things will be more routine for you and less scary. chemo these days is very doable. the fact that you have had the surgery means you have a good chance for a cure. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaredlisa01 Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 thank you all that responded - last night I lost it - AS i AM NOW ACTUALLY - I try to remain positive and not do this in front of my family but it is hard. my next surgery is less than 3 days away and then I will be starting chemo. they will also be implanting a port in my chest to make it easier for the chemo - anyone else have one? did anyone get immune boosting drugs? what about flu shots> pneumonia shot? or any other vaccine? plz let me know? and thanks for listening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Hi Lisa. I can appreciate your anxiety. Many of us go through it often and also try and protect our family. Good luck with your surgery. I have not had a port but many here have and I think they can be extremely useful during the chemo process. I believe all chemo patients are encouraged to get the flu shot. I think an anti-pneumonia shot depends on your situation. As your doc about that. I have had both. Please continue to check in with us and let us know how you are doing. It is probably best to post any new questions or concerns you have in one of the other discussion forums. That way more people will take a read of them and answer. Take good care Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Hi again, Lisa. Many of us have a port. It makes the infusion SO much easier, especially since veins start to get hard to find after being subjected to chemo. It's a simple outpatient procedure, and there will be some soreness in the shoulder on that side for a few days. Mine has been in 25 months, and was used every 3 weeks for the first year. Since then I've been on oral medication and just go into the clinic once a month to have it flushed out with a small amount of saline so it's ready to go if and when needed again. When I was on my Taxol/Carboplatin program, I was told to not get a flu shot since the vaccine gives something like a mild case of the flu, and they didn't want that while I had a chemo-compromised immune system. But I've heard others say the opposite — maybe it depends on the type of flu vaccine that's being given in a particular year. Or it could be the timing, since I started chemo before the annual flu vaccine was available. The day after each of my 6 Taxol/Carbo/Avastin infustions, I received a Neulasta injection to help keep the white blood cell count up to a satisfactory level. My onc did it automatically, but some wait until there's evidence of a low WBC count before giving the shot. Maybe it's an insurance issue — it's a rather expensive injection. Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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