calling all lung mets survivors

Hi Ladies,

As you all know, after battling lung mets with 7 rounds of carbo/taxotere/herceptin I am now battling pleural effusions. I had the lung talc done on the left, which was partially successful(80%) lung inflation, tiny amount of fluid left in lung. Now, my right side continues to fill with fluid after several drainages (thoracentesis) so now I', going to have a pleurodex catheter put in for continuous drainage every 3 days until it's completely gone.

I'm still on oxygen and very weak, not to mention frustrated that my recovery is taking this long.

FInally, my question for those of you with lung mets is do you still have any shortness of breath? My surgeon told me that my x-rays show changes in my lungs from when I had the cancer there that has caused a "thickness" in the elasticity of my lungs that is also causing the shortness of breath. I'm hoping the navalbine will take care of this.

I have to be honest....I'm really scared right now. I have these ongoing fears of being hooked up to this oxygen forever and I can't stand the thought of that!! These past 6 weeks have been pure hell and I just want things to be normal again. Right now I can't even do every day activities without getting short of breath.

My onc thinks another week or two the navalbine should kick in. Anybody who has been on it...how long does it usuallly take before you notice any improvements. I remember during the summer with my lung mets I was coughing a lot at the beginning and it took about 6 weeks for it to go away.

I"M NOT GIVING UP GIRLS but I really need to feel even a little tiny bit better every day to inspire me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I need your prayers angels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blessings and Hugs,

Linda in MI.

Linda,
Just want to let you know I'm pulling for you, and think that with all you've been through the fact that you're staying so strong in spirit is an inspiration to ME, so keep up the good work girl! I hope and pray you'll start having some improvement, because you have surely earned a break!
Hugs,
Lolly

Hi Linda !

I have been following your posts for the management of my mets. I, too, am suffering with pleural efusion after taking xeloda 5 cycles for my liver mets. The CT scan has shown no change in the liver tumors but shows of having pleural effision, parcardial effusion &h lingular consolidation. I even dont know the meaning of these terms & I am thinking of navelbine for the lung met, which I dont know yet I have lung met.
Right now I am confused because the navelbine may not help the liver met according to another post about navelbine, and Xeloda seems not doing anything for lungs.
Hang in there, one day we will win the battle.

Hugs Chandi