My mom was diagonosed sept 07 with NSCLC with mets to brain and adrenals. She is sleeping much of the time, but still caring for herself. She has to hang onto walls when she walks because of nerooptathy(her walking is getting worse). Yesterday she went to doctors with servere pain in rib area, it was xrayed but no fracture. The doctor put her on 100mg fetanyl patch and higher does of percocets, i think 70 mg. I have not called hospice yet but doctor has encouraged me to. A couple questions, what do you think the rib pain is? My mom has nausea, is this normal for lung cancer? I am caring for my mom by myself, no family in the area. I just dont know what to do. She has also become incontinent at times.

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September 17th Mom diagnosed with NSCLC with mets to brain and adreanal gland.
15 whole brain radiation helps symptoms.
then starts 6 cycles of chemo, 3 weeks apart.
Thanksgiving ends up in hospital with DVT.
Chemo ends in February.
BRain scan and Cat scan.
Brain stable no change in Lung cancer or Adrenals.
Doctor ends moms treatment.
She has "I think" Nuropathy, and extremem weakness.

A few months ago, my mom started complaining about pain in her ribs. They thought it was a pulled muscle at first, but a bone scan revealed that the cancer had spread to her ribs. It is not uncommon place for mets. You might ask for a bone scan. They X-rayed mom too and the mets only showed up on the scan.

You may want to consider pallitive treatment. They should be able to reduce the pain. Hospice can perhaps advise you on the best ways to keep your mother comfortable. I think a lot of us think hospice is only called when death is imminent, but its true purpose is to help cancer patients live their final months more comfortably.

Susan

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76 year-old mom diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer January 5, 2007.

15 radiation treatments to the spine and four rounds of chemo, Jan-May, 2007.

Stable disease May, 2007-May, 2008.

Bone scan May, 2008 shows new mets in the spine, pelvis and ribs.

July, 2008--finished radiation and has a Quadramet treatment.

October, 2008--Scans show mild progression. Began chemo (carbo/taxol/avistin). Will have four rounds of threatment (every 21 days) and scan in January.

01/05/2009--TWO YEAR SURVIVOR!

4/2009--STABLE! No treatment. Next scan in July

7/2009--Scan shows pleural effusion. Fluid drained and malignant. Cancer has spread to other lung and a 13 mm lesion is seen on the liver. Mom to begin Alimta on 8/3

11/2009--Alimta was hard on mom and scans showed progression.

12/2009--began Tarceva, noticed almost immediate improvement.

2/25/2010--Celebrated Mom's 80th birthday!

5/15/2010--Mom watched her oldest granddaughter graduate from college and then paritied well into the night! She's still feeling great.

6/15/2010--Mom watched her youngest granddaughter graduate from high school. Still feeling great!

8/2010-10/2010--Mom begins feeling tired and stays in bed more and more. Scans reveal that the cancer is moving rapidly throughout her body.

10/13/2010--Mom wins her battle once and for all, and passes to a place where the cancer can no longer touch her.

For a more detailed timeline see:

http://www.lungevity.org/l_community/viewtopic.php?p=360385#360385

Hi there. I don't really have any further advice but think Fillise's advice was on the mark. I hope you are able to find a plan to make your mom more comfortable. You have a lot on your plate so please take care of yourself as well.

Sandra

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See my survival story at http://lungevity.org/l_community/viewtopic.php?t=39390

43 years old at diagnosis, wife and mother of 2 wonderful children (1 of each, 12 and 13).

March 2007-cough that wouldn't clear, gets progressively worse, can't sleep on left side by July 2007
August 2007-cloudy x-ray
Aug 27-finally a CT scan, and hospitalized, 3 litres of fluid on lung. Fluid drained, hospital stay, bronchs, mediastinoscopy, thorascopy. Had been told cancer earlier, not in fluid though. Tests done to confirm staging. Staging confirmed as Stage III A, later changed to III B.
Oct 4-PET scan for radiation planning.
Oct 17-Nov 28-30 radiation treatments
Oct 17 to Jan 11-4 rounds of chemo, cisplatin and etoposide
Jan 28-Ct scan/chest x-ray
Feb 12-doc said re CT scan "results are excellent, could possibly be a complete positive response!" Don't think it gets much better than that. I won't say NED yet....
Mar 18/08-NED!!!!! based on updated CT scan. Small pleural effusion left,difficult to tell, but rest is NED. And also cleared for START, liposome vaccine clinical trial.
April 3-1st day of vaccine, every week for 8 weeks, less frequently after that
-May 8-PET scan results, bone mets!!! Lungs still clear. Begin radiation/chemo planning. Off of clinical trial after 5 treatments.
-May 27 and 30, 2 radiation treatments, 14 greys total
-June 10-July 21-first 3 alimta infusion, also receiving zometa infusions separately
-CT scan results July 21-lungs still clear, back a mess, referred to a neurosurgeon for possible surgery
-Aug 13-1st gemzar infusion (stopped alimta, was intolerant and gemzar thought to be more effective)
Aug 16-MRI as reported pain in right leg, results were probable nerve damage from spine mets
-Aug20-end of first cycle of gemzar. Treatments stopped as was intolerant, too many side effects.
Sept 25-bone scan ordered by pain doc
Oct 3-started Tarceva, 150 mg
Oct 23 PET scan results-progression in spine and left lung with lymph node involvement-CRAP!!!!!
Nov 5-Tarceva down to 125 mg
Jan 20-failed bone cement procedure, pain worse
Jan 23-admitted to hospital for 10 days: full kidney failure, later discovered infection in chest which was lanced, identified dropped foot, off of Tarceva since Jan 20
Mar 31-1st of 10 radiation treatments to the spine
May 12-started navalbine

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will". -Mahatma Gandhi

"When the going gets tough, the tough get waterproof mascara" (assuming you have eyelashes left after chemo!)