Persistent wet/dry cough?

[Katum31]

Hi all!  My mom, who was diagnosed with Stage IV NSCLC in Feb, has had a VERY persistent wet, productive cough that sometimes turns into a dry cough for a couple of months now.  No matter what she does, she can't seem to shake it, and sometimes it gets so bad that she can't even get an entire sentence out without going into a coughing fit.  She's gone through 5 rounds of chemo so far, has had fluid drained from her lung 4 times, as well as underwent a pleuradosis a couple of months ago.  Her latest scan last month showed no fluid build up in her lungs, so the coughing isn't from that.  She has asked her oncologist a couple of times, but he never gives her an answer as to what is causing it if there is no fluid present.  No matter what she takes though, it doesnt help.  Does anyone have any experience with this?  Maybe have some remedies or medications that has helped for you that we could ask her oncologist about?  She's absolutely miserable with the coughing, and I just wish we could figure out why it's there and how we can help it.  Any insight would be great! 

[Tom Galli]

Katum,

Welcome. 

I understand coughing. Here is what I suggest. Have her see a pulmonologist. Then I’d try taking Mucinex in the morning and evening. I also suggest a long steamy shower and use of a humidifier in the evening. 

Lung cancer and treatment irritate the lungs and airway. That is my cause. My problem is seasonal (spring and summer), a hyper-reactive scar tissue area in my trachea, that reactions to pollen. I stay inside and try and avoid the irritation. 

Stay the course. 

Tom

[Katum31]

Thanks for the response and advice @Tom Galli!  Im going with her to meet with her oncologist on the 16th - she has her second CT scan scheduled for that day, and we will determine at that time if we will be starting a second line treatment and/or clinical trial - we will also speak to her oncologist about a pulmonologist referral. 

In the meantime, she will start taking Mucinex to see if that provides some relief. Is there a specific type of Mucinex that you find to be the most helpful for you?

Thanks again! 

[BridgetO]

'I like Tom'ssuggestion of a pulmonologist.

[Robert Macaulay]

I use MUCINEX and last month someone here  mentioned they used double dose. Well i decided to give it try on my ongoing chest infection and would you believe Bingo and now i only take the one double dose in the evening. Mucinex is a approved drug  to use with Durvalumab.

[Tom Galli]

I use the 600mg Mucinex and take one every evening during the pollen season. I just take the expectorant type without any augmentation. 

Ask the pulmonologist if an inhaler would help her condition. 

Stay the course. 

Tom

[Barb1260]

Hi Katie. My pulmonologist put me on a daily inhaler and an emergency inhaler if I get short of breath or start wheezing. I now have an asthma like condition because of the radiation and chemo. I also use mucinex when the pollen clogs me up. I’m allergic to Sudafed and mucinex actually unclogs my sinuses too-it can’t tell where the gunk is. 

[Terri L]

I use the pearls at 9, 2, 9 when coughing is bad.  I stack Delsym every 12 hours and in between if I am coughing I stack Vertussin.  It really works.  For 2 weeks after my infusion, though, I really don't cough at all.  I ran a fever and was admitted and they did the pearls at 9,2,9 with IVs.  I used Sudafed for awhile, but it made me unsteady.

[Barb1260]

What are pearls?

[BridgetO]

I think it's Tessalon Perles. The generic name  is benzonatate. It's a non-opiate  prescription cough surpressant. i was presctibed them when I had severe bronchitis a few weeks after my lobectomy- ugh!. They were pretty effective.

[Terri L]

12 hours ago, BridgetO said:

I think it's Tessalon Perles. The generic name  is benzonatate. It's a non-opiate  prescription cough surpressant. i was presctibed them when I had severe bronchitis a few weeks after my lobectomy- ugh!. They were pretty effective.

Yes, sorry that is what they are.  And they are effective, I agree