please help, Lung mets and scared

weenan · 11-20-2007, 07:41 AM

Hi there
Im writing to seek help for my mum.
She is 53 years old and has her2+ that has spread to her lungs.

She was dx in December 06 she had a masectomy and Chemo. She finished Chemo in May 07.

In September 07 she started having breathing troubles, she was told she had pnemonia and was treated for that with no luck.

She was hospitalized for breathing problems and was discovered that she has lung mets and pleural effusion.
She has been in the hospital for a month, she is currently in ICU and has been on a ventilator for 17 days.
She is getting Herceptin, Gemzar (sp) and another drug I can not remember she got all 3 drugs on 11/3 Gemzar on 11/10 and she is scheduled to get all 3 in a double dose on 11/24.

She was doing better was able to breathe on her own for a few hours until last night, when she got a fever, she has a yeast infection that has spread throught out her body.

The Dr's are not being postive at all, we and she are not ready to give up yet. We were told in the begining that we would need at least 4-6 weeks to see if this form of Chemo would help, it has not been that long.If not we were told we could try tyker (sp).
We are meeting with the Dr's tomorrow I spoke with the oncologist today and he said she is to weak to get chemo, that he now only gives her a 10% chance of survial. He will still give her chemo if that is what we want but feels that it will kill her.

We are not giving up, she does need to have the vent removed and she will get a trach, we are hoping and praying something will work. Has anyone been where we are??? Can anyone offer any advice???
Please help if you can we are DESPERATE!!!!

thanks so much

MJo · 11-20-2007, 07:48 AM

I don't have advice -- other women here know more. But I want you to know I'm thinking about you and your mom. Maybe lowering the dosage of the chemo will make it tolerable -- but I'm not a doctor. Miracles happen.

tousled1 · 11-20-2007, 08:20 AM

Weenan,

My heart goes out to you and your mother. I too have lung mets that were discovered shortly after I completed my treatment - 3 months to be exact. I'm on Taxol, Carboplatin weekly with 3 weeks on and one week off. In addition I'm getting Herceptin weekly. I was diagnosed with pneumonia just last Thursday and am now on antibiotics for that so I can't get my chemo. The most important thing right now is to get your mom's pneumonia under control and then address the issue of chemo treatment plan. Please keep us posted

jhandley · 11-21-2007, 09:14 PM

tousled offers good advice. Hope things get better soon.
take care, hug for you both.
jackie (down under)

CLTann · 11-21-2007, 10:35 PM

From what you described, your mother is weak and in ICU. Obviously, the first order of priority is to take care of her pneumonia problem. Breast cancer and its metastatic site are seldom medical emergencies. Treating her with chemo at this critical moment would only weaken her resistance to various germs. Try to help her with encouragement words. Best of luck to all of you.