New mets to Lungs, question re asthma

godispowerful

After posting about 1.5 months ago before I had a full diagnosis, I had an upper right lung lobectomy and have been recovering since then (a little over 1 month post-surgery). I've been getting better every day, but during the first week after my lobectomy, I developed bronchospasms (asthma) and dyspnea (shortness of breath) resulting in a 24 hour hospital stay. Since then, I've been on Flovent and Levalbuterol to see if the asthma would improve. It has, but is not back to normal. I'll have my first follow-up with the pulmonologist, tomorrow.

I looked on Google for "asthma after lung lobectomy" and found: 1) Most of the posting doctors were not familiar with asthma appearing after lung surgery. 2) A number of patients posted that they had developed asthma or wheezing, after lobectomy. My pulmonologist simply told me that my lungs had just been too stressed over the previous month and were reacting to the stress. I think this is probably accurate. I also think that the problem was there but very minor, starting in early January, possibly as a result of the pneumonitis and then worsened w/each lung procedure. The doctor indicated that over time, it should improve and breathing treatments would help. I hope so.

I started chemo tx (carboplatin + gemzar) last Friday. I'm a little concerned that  1) I'm starting chemo before fully recovering from lung surgery, but my oncologist said we shouldn't wait longer than 1 month. 2) Also, I'm wondering if the chemo will make it harder to control the asthma. Have any of you who had mets to your lungs and who had a lobectomy experienced these types of breathing problems? If so, could you share with me what you know about my 2 concerns in this paragraph? Also, do you have any tips on recovering from asthma after lobectomy?

I am finding that my body is responding more strongly to chemotherapy on this first treatment than on my first treatment when I first went through chemo. I guess this is because of the cumulative effect of chemo. I have known coming into this new round of cancer treatment, that I do not have as much stamina to push through it as I did the first time. If the side effects are going to be stronger, then that goes double. Anyway, I finish my FMLA medical leave for surgery in 1.5 weeks and during that time I have 1 full cycle of chemo. I am waiting to see what happens in this week and a half and then figuring out what kind of work schedule I think I can do. 

We will see.

Nancy

Dx Triple Negative BC May, 2015 at stage 3 in R breast. Treated w/CT and AC, double mastectomy, radiation. Chemo reduced Stage 3 to Stage 1. Finished these treatments Feb 2016. 

Pneumonitis caused by radiation tx diagnosed June 2016 and treated. Follow-up CT scans of lungs discovered a nodule in right upper lung, April 2017. Needle biopsy done and diagnosed as cancer, complication w/pneumothorax (collapsed lung). Mediastinoscopy to check central lung lymph nodes which were clear. PET showed 3 nodules (have to look up the size).

Underwent right upper lung lobectomy May 2017 with pathology diagnosis of metastatic triple negative breast cancer and nodules removed with clear margins. PET also showed very small questionable spot on left upper lung, but will have to just keep an eye on it and see if it turns into anything.