Help, mom has SCLC, questions.... - Cancer: Lung Message Board

sar4boy · 03-26-2007, 10:57 AM

My mom was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung cancer that spread to her liver. We found out on Valentines day this year, she is 53. She has had 2 rounds of Chemo and handles them very well and they gave her an 80% chance to get into remission.

The concern that I have is that her blood pressure has been very low for a couple of weeks and she gets fluids at the hospital everytime she is there because it is so low. She even sets a timer and takes 4-6oz of fluids almost every hour (sometimes more). Can anyone tell me what this means?

Also, she developed a temp of over 101 so she went to the hospital and got a bag of antibiotics put in (and of course her 2 bags of fluids for that blood pressure that she seems to need every time). We don't have test results back yet but wondering if anyone knows if you can come back from infection once you have gotten one or what this could mean.

I am very scared and don't know how to ask the questions about what will be the signs that she is going down the hill instead of up. I live 3 hours away from her and so I can't be with her all the time so I need to know what things I need to be concerned about and make sure that I get to her. She told me that everything is fine and that I don't need to come down before the weekend but now that she has some kind of infection could things take a turn and happen rapidly?

Please help me understand the events that will be happening so I know what to prepare for or when I should be more concerned! Of course on her good days it is great, but what kinds of things will happen to let me know that it is not going to good. She doesn't want me to worry and wants me to stay with my family and take care of them so I don't know if she would tell me the exact truth about how bad things might be.

courtenaynt · 03-26-2007, 11:52 AM

My mom had SCLC and they gave her a year, maybe two with good treatment. She did not respond to chemo, though, and sounds like your mom is (or did).

You need to ask her doctors. Ours were all very frank with us about Mom's prognosis. The beginning of her downhill slide was when she went on oxygen...and I could tell you other signs, but everyone is different. An 80% chance of remission is wonderful. Mom's was 50/50 to respond, only 2% to live more than two years.

My prayers are with you. Feel free to ask any other questions. This is a very scary type of cancer and I'm so sorry your young mother, and you, are facing it now.

All the best to you.

sar4boy · 03-26-2007, 02:41 PM

Thank you, we need all the prayers we can get!

I feel like I am just waiting for the bottom to drop out. She went to the doctor again today and the cultures are not back from the infection, they don't know what it is yet. But they gave her magnesium and she doesn't understand why. Her blood pressure is okay when she is laying down but when she stands it drops to 70 something over 50 something. I don't know if she understood right but yesterday when she went in and got the antibiotics her BP was 53/38. That didn't sound right but she said that is what they told her.

It just makes you so crazy not knowing, waiting, hoping, praying.....it takes all the strength you have to keep from falling apart. I feel so angry that she will be taken from me and I don't feel like I have had enough time with her. Life is just so unpredictable, you need to cherish every day!!!

I live so far away so I don't really get a chance to talk to her doctor but it would be nice to know signs that I should be concerned for. I would think that her BP being so low is a bad sign. And I don't understand giving her the magnesium.

serinity · 03-26-2007, 04:00 PM

sar4boy,
Im so sorry you and your mom has to go down this road. Its so full of ups and downs. It consumes your life. I went down this road with my mom. She also had sclc. Is there any way you could go to the doctor with your mom? I know you live a couple of hours away, but it would give you a chance to ask your questions and be more involved in her care. Does she have a good support system? Did she have a pet scan? If so what did it show? My mom also had low blood pressure. For her, it was the cancer progressing. Not to say this is the case with your mom cause everyone is different, but small cell spreads rapidly. Just be with her as much as you can. She needs you even if she says shes alright. I will say a prayer for your mom and for you BIG HUGS cause I know your falling apart too. Just know people here understand and will be here for you.

Kimslos · 03-26-2007, 04:10 PM

Hi
I am sorry to hear of your mom's diagnosis. My husband also has SCLC and will be 53 on Wednesday, but he was diagnosed in June 05. He has outlived what any doctor told him so please don't get it set in your head that just because they tell you a time frame that is when her life will end. If your mom gets 80% reduction that would be incredible since my husband at one point had a 30% reduction and he is in his 21st month of fighting this terrible monster. You just don't know how ones body will respond and there are so many factors. My husband was never a smoker so they say that is an advantage he has over others.
I do not know anything about why her blood pressure is so low. Have you asked the doctor why the blood pressure is so low? Has anyone addressed that with the doctor.
And yes, an infection can kill you and they are scary but it sounds like they are on top of it. My husband was hospitalized last year with an infection for a week. I think if you catch it early and if your body is strong enough then you can get past the infections which they are so prone to getting with their immune system weakened.
Where else has the cancer spread in her body?
I hope you can somehow get some more answers and maybe if it would help to talk to the doctor if you feel your mom is not getting the answers you need to understand what is going on with her.
Kim