Lung Cancer FINAL stage- Please HELP - Cancer: Lung Message Board

vietbird · 02-20-2004, 11:24 PM

My mother has Lung Cancer that was discovered only 2 months ago but now it has already developed into the final stage.
Here are the clinical symptoms:
- She is puffed with edema: her legs become swelling up and very big. She just sits all days, she is unable to stand or walk.
- Very difficult to breath: she is breathing oxygen but still very difficult. She cannot lie down because that will make her very tired.
- Cannot eat or drink (extremely difficult) because her throat, gullet are narrowing.
- Her mental is still in a good condition.

Does anyone know how to treat this disease or how to reduce the symptoms (edema and breath difficulty)?
If you know some medicines, formulas or any helpful information that could be used for the treatment, please let me know urgently.
My family is in deep desperation. Please help us.
We very much appreciate and thank you for your help.

[real name and contact information removed]

trac · 02-22-2004, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vietbird

My mother has Lung Cancer that was discovered only 2 months ago but now it has already developed into the final stage.
Here are the clinical symptoms:
- She is puffed with edema: her legs become swelling up and very big. She just sits all days, she is unable to stand or walk.
- Very difficult to breath: she is breathing oxygen but still very difficult. She cannot lie down because that will make her very tired.
- Cannot eat or drink (extremely difficult) because her throat, gullet are narrowing.
- Her mental is still in a good condition.

Does anyone know how to treat this disease or how to reduce the symptoms (edema and breath difficulty)?
If you know some medicines, formulas or any helpful information that could be used for the treatment, please let me know urgently.
My family is in deep desperation. Please help us.
We very much appreciate and thank you for your help.

[real name and contact information removed]

just read your message. i'm so sorry about your mum and i wish i had some answers. i just wanted to respond to you. it is a lonely time and although i really haven't got any suggestions apart from ask your doctor, i still want to wish you all some good times. in this day and age nobody should have to suffer, there must be something they can do to ease these symptoms. let us know how you get on. also, i read somewhere that people with oesephagus cancer have a narrowing of the gullet which causes eating problems and the doctors insert a stent or something (can't remember what) which keeps it open. maybe this will help with her breathing too.

delrae4753 · 02-22-2004, 07:20 PM

how much time has the Dr's given her ? have they suggested having hospice come in that is usually what most drs do when patients get in that stage of the disease hospice is a wonderful organization they provide some of the care for the terminal patient and in addition to that they are a wonderful support system for the family contact the Dr about a hospice referral you wont be sorry they have most of the answers you are looking for... sure hope this help and Good Luck

little bambi · 02-26-2004, 08:14 AM

Hi,Im sorry to hear about your mother.I went through the same thing last august with my aunt,and Im afraid all they could do for her was to keep her comfortable.At the minute my husbands grandad is dying of cancer and he is unable to get up and out of bed.he has no energy although his wife says that he is no in pain.When does this all stop.I lost my mother 9 years ago to a stroke and my dad died when i was 14,im now 36.I wish i could wave a magic wand and get rid of this truely terrible disease.please keep you chin up and be brave.

Joya · 02-26-2004, 11:42 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your mom. I also lost my mom to lung cancer almost 4 years ago to the day. We didn't discover it until stage 4 as well. It was the most difficult 8 months of my life, but I am thankful that I got to spend that time with her. I have a different opinion of Hospice than most. I found them to push for overmedication, often bordering on "euthanasia". We got rid of them after the first month or so, then brought them back in when we were closer to the end. When she was first diagnosed, she didn't want to just give up and start taking all those powerful pain medications but Hospice seemed to really push for them (atleast the one in my area).

I think the best advise is to cherish EVERY moment you have with your mom now. I know if I could bring her back just for a few more of those moments, I would give anything for it. It's never enough time, but just be sure to tell her everything you feel for her. I replay those moments often in my mind, those are all that's left after it's all over... just the memories.

I also had to struggle with letting my mom know it was OK to let go. I know she was waiting for me to give her my blessing because those were the last words she heard. She didn't even admit to me that she wasn't going to make it until the morning of her last day here. I think for a lot of parents, it must be difficult to know you're leaving your children without a mother or father anymore. They need to know we'll be alright here, and that we don't want them to suffer. I lost my father 4 years before my mother, and I was there for both of their final moments. It was by far the most difficult single moment in my life, but I knew I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I let them go through that alone. They say the last thing to go is your hearing, I can still take some comfort in knowing that there wasn't anything left unsaid between my mother and myself and that the last sound she heard was my voice.

Lung cancer is such a terrible disease because it is largely preventable in most cases.

Good luck to you, and try to stay strong.