My dad diagnosed Stage IIIc NSCLC adenocarcinoma

[Shari C]

Hi everyone.  My name is Shari and my father was diagnosed with stage 3c NSCLC adenocarcinoma in Sept 2021.  He completed his treatment plan in December of 2 chemo drugs plus radiation (proton therapy) and does not show any cancer cells at the moment.  He’s undergoing immunotherapy now, but his symptoms are not getting better.  He has a really bad chronic cough, pleural effusion (had to be drained a few times in a month), and trouble swallowing.  He also has really bad pain when coughing, or taking a deep breath.  He has pain meds but they only do so much.  Looking for anyone that may have gone through similar symptoms - what procedures did you undergo or what tips do you have to get rid of these or will he have to live with these for the rest of his life?  Nice to meet all of you and I look forward to reading your stories!  I love that we have this forum to help us all navigate these difficult times.

[LouT]

Shari,

So sorry to hear about your father.  This disease can be as hard on the family as it is on the patient.  I'm glad to hear about the success of the treatment in producing a condition we call NED (No Evidence of Disease), but sad to hear that many of the original symptoms still remain.  I'm sure that others will chime in soon and share their experiences.  In my case I was asymptomatic and my LC (lung cancer) was treated surgically.  So I have nothing relevant to share on that topic that will be helpful in that regard.  But, I'm wondering if your father has seen a pulmonologist (I see mine twice a year now) so they can determine the cause of the SOB (shortness of breath) and provide some form of treatment.  Has he seen a pulmonologist yet?

As a caregiver you have some unique needs to your own.  We have a forum called "Caregiver Resource Center" and it can be found here.  People post here and share their experiences and knowledge.  It may provide some needed information and additional support for you.

Lou