my grandma was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer just a month ago and she's getting worse very fast. i think it's small cell type but not sure. doctors say it's very progressive. she decided not to do chemo and was prescribed medication that's supposed to slow down cancer cell spreading plus strong painkillers.
however the worst problem is breating. even after a couple of steps she can't breath. she's just sitting all day and can't move around.. and it's getting worse by hours...
i just wonder if there's anything we can do to help her? any natural supplement, medication, anything that could help her breath? after reading posts in this forum i ordered some lotus root tea which i hope will help a bit.
any advice will be very appreciated.

You don't say if she is on oxygen, but if not it may give her some relief. At least it may make her a little more comfortable for a little longer. I would ask the doctor if that might make her breathe easier or maybe they could give a steroid to help with inflammation if that is the problem. I know that you want to make her as comfortable as possible. Some pain medications can depress breathing as well. I am sorry that you have to see your grandmother in distress. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

thank you for reply. yesterday she got so bad that she was taken to nursing hospital where they gave her oxygen which helped a bit. it seems she's gonna stay here and they will probably keep giving her oxygen. i did some research on internet but unfortunately couldn't find anything that helps apart oxygen..
i wonder if anyone knows from their experience if there's something else?.. still waiting for lotus tea which helped someone here..

I am glad your grandmother is breathing easier. I lost my husband to lung cancer 9 years ago and I know how hard it is to see someone you love so dearly struggle. I am hoping that her nursing home care will enable her to remain comfortable now. Talking with her and holding her hand may also bring comfort to her. I will be praying for you and your family.

Hi, sorry to hear about your Grandmother's difficulties. My mum has had severe breathing problems for years, and was then diagnosed with lung cancer in Dec. 06. She has only a few months to live. Oxygen helps, but not enough. Recently I did some research on the internet and found lots of evidence that low doses of oral morphine can significantly help with breathing. I spoke to the Macmillan Nurse who agreed with me. Our family doctor was reluctant to try it because he was worried about side effects. However, the Macmillan Nurse educated him, that small doses are safe and effective in palliative care. Last week, after much pushing from me, the doctor finally agreed to give it a trial. Mum has started on only 2mg of oramorph per day, and after just one week she is already quite a bit better - breathing is easier and she is calmer and less panicky. She is even getting around the house a little bit and doing simple things like washing the dishes, which would have been impossible a couple of weeks ago. The dose she is taking is not even a therapeutic dose, so I am really looking forward to tomorrow when it will be slightly increased, to see how she responds. I feel it's so important to improve her quality of life for the few months she has left, so that we can enjoy each other. If you are interested in finding out more about this, I will post a link to the website I found most useful. The advice I would offer is this: Don't stop until you find a doctor who won't stop until your Grandmother is comfortable. Best wishes, A

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