Coughing & Shortness of Breath During or After Rads

KAK - Me, too.  I had a pulmonary function test that showed that I had pre-emphysema.  I've never even smoked a day in my life.  I've gone from using my rescue inhaler once a year to once a month.  Radiation sucks and I will never do it again...Of course, now that I have had both breasts removed, I won't have to.

A couple weeks after rads ended, I got a respiratory virus.  Now here I am weeks later, still coughing my head off, but I don't think mine is strictly from the rads because I have had lingering bronchitis due to a virus before.  However, all this coughing made my ribs on my treatment side get pretty sore.  I wanted to mention the rib soreness on your coughing thread to see if most others notice this too.

Also, in all my Googling, I remember seeing something about the effects of radiation to the lung worsening over a year's time.  I mean if you got a lung x-ray right after rads, you might not notice much difference in how the lung looks; but if you x-rayed the same lung a year after rads, you could easily see the damage caused by the rads.

I don't know if any of you ASKED your doctors HOW MUCH of your lung was getting zapped.  I was "disturbed" to find out they were hitting 20% of mine.  I threw a minor fit and the doctor was able to reduce that to 12-13% by blocking the lung off a little more.  That still seems like way too much, but in rads treatment the attitude is like, "Ho-Hum, that kind of collateral damage is just an everyday occurence around here."  I guess that's why I am always going on about "better treatments" because if the best they can do is also ruining ~10% of your lung, that is just NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Wow I could have written your post myself.  Mine started almost immediately after rads were over.  Seemed like no matter what I did ( even carrying a load of laundry in to fold) I was out of breath.  I could breathe in, but it never seemed like enough air.  I am also using inhalers (from my previous once or twice a month) to once or twice a day.  PCP put me on antiobiotics, steriods, steriod shot and a breathing treatment, seemed to help some, but as soon as meds were done, right back to where I was.  My fatigue is better, but with this breathing problem, still cant do much.  My PCP tood chest xray and said it was fine.  I am totally sick of this and am not getting much result from the rad onc.  Just to  a point that I don't know who to see and what to expect.

I have just started rads and my rad onc warned me about pneumonitis but said if it occurred it would be many years in the future. He also said it is treatable with antibiotics and steroids, which need to be reduced slowly.

Macc

I've had asthma for 8 years now. I just finished chemo Nov 20th and started radiation Dec 16th and the 2nd and 3rd days of radiation I started coughing and having choking sensations. My asthma has been acting up badly and I use my inhaler every few hours daily now. This after only 3 treatments...eeeks! I don't want to go back and am thinking of quiting the radiation. After all I am about quality of life not quantity and if I have to cough and have shortness of breath well that just stinks because I am a hiker, bike rider, yoga enthusiast and walker so my lungs are important to me :-)   

I am thinking about canceling my rad appt and waiting for the doc to come back after the holiday to talk so I can tell her "heck no". They do rad on three areas, my throat, chest and arm pit areas. It's rough and I very much dislike it. Forget these side effects. I came I tried I don't like.

I keep thinking about what the doc said "if you don't do radiation the chances the cancer could come back are 60%" so as I sit here I think about that more than anything. I don't know what to do but I know I don't like how I feel right now with shortness of breath, dry mouth and a nasty cough. If I feel that now how much worse and for how long will it be around. I just don't think I can do the remaining 32 treatments of radiation. This is nuts and my heart goes out to all who have these decisions to make.   

I know. My rad onc said it wouldn't affect my asthma or breathing at all. She told me not to worry about it. I was very concerned considering she told me the radiation would cut into part of my lung. It was at this point when I said no way would I do this if it affected my asthma or breathing and she told me if I didn't do the radiation the chance the cancer would come back was at 60% and not to worry too much about the asthma because it probably wouldn't affect it. I left that office telling my friend "no way will I do this if my breathing/asthma gets worse". And now I just have to make that decision. I haven't felt good about doing the radiation anyway but now after my trouble breathing and reading more online about it I don't think I will continue with it.

I get the feeling they don't want to worry you about possible side effects and cause more worry than necessay but at the same time I'd rather know. I want my options and possibilities up front please :-)

I am grateful to have forums like these and people who speak up so I can be better informed. We are lucky to have each other. I spoke with a breast cancer survivor of some 40 years who said back in the day they didn't have all this internet knowledge and how lucky I am which I agree. Most of my knowledge and help has came from nurses. They have seen so much and heard so many things and they sometimes will share stories which is helpful. I do love the nurses and lab techs and everyone who cares enough to share.

My throat really feels like it's been burned and I sure am having such trouble breathing in fact my lungs hurt. This cough is annoying! Coughing and wheezing and I haven't even done anything yet this morning.

I don't think people should avoid radiation but at least research it, talk to the doc & nurses, and find out any options that are available. If it works then great and if it doesn't then you'll know what the next step is and how to take care of yourself that best suit your needs as well as your health for now and your future. It's a tough decision but I am glad I get to the make the decisions about my own health but it doesn't make it easy. Talk, ask, research!  

Kak I am so sorry you have to deal with all that your going through but I am so glad you posted and shared your experience and wealth of knowledge you have and what you've found. This is all so helpful. Thank you and may your big heart be filled with all that's good.

KAK ~ Tried the Perles and unfortunately they have no effect on me. Also tried Vicodin which has the funny little side effect of suppressing cough but who needs narcotic addiction added to the mix !?!? The one thing that has helped (and this IS weird) is Alka Seltzer Night Time Cough and Cold. I only take it at night because it causes drowsiness with a capital D but I'm at least not awake coughing all night. Oftentimes I have thought if I had it to do over again, I would scuttle rads and take my chances. My throat still burns occ. and my voice is much softer and more hoarse sounding, thank you rads, and I don't expect this to change. Do the Docs not have a moral or ethical obligation to at least warn us of these possible side effects? It's too late now I realize, but hell, it just seems SO WRONG that we weren't informed!!

Nico

Interesting, as I was told that with the amount of radiation that hit my lung I wouldn't notice anything except if I decided to become a long distance runner.  When I developed a cough during rads (which I still have), I was told "no, it's not from rads".  And yet before I started radiation I was asked if I wanted to go in to a trial to see if there WAS any difference in my lungs before and after radiation.  Since the testing involved more radiaoactive stuff I declined. 

Since I did have one positive node I doubt I would have changed my tx choices however, I sometimes feel my concerns were not taken seriously.  Sigh, they are after all, in the business of treating cancer. 

I just canceled my radiation. When I told them I have asthma and developed a cough and have trouble breathing just from a few treatments (3) all she said was "that's too bad". She told me that for me radiation treatment isn't really an option but I told her that I can't live with breathing problems and a cough like this, that just wouldn't work for me.   

All, sorry to hear of SE's though relieved others having lung issues post radiation.  My right lung is just plain diminished and isn't working quite right. I too have the dry cough and get wheezy.  Am hoarse by end of day. It's been 7 weeks since 3 weeks PB accelarated trial ended. Am tired of doctors telling me it's not from radiation or maybe it's a cold.