NEED ADVICE

Radiation caused severe lung problems several months after I finished. Fluid built up between my lung lining and scar tissue from the rads. I woke up in the night and couldn't get a breath. It was terrible and lasted for about 3 months.

Yes, I had it too. I noticed it when my usual trek up out of the subway (46 steps) became a five minute journey rather than the usual 15 second sprint. Primarily it was just after any of my surgeries and definitely towards the end of radiation. It has resolved itself, although I find I lose ground quickly if i don't keep my exercise level up.

SOB can be a sign of low HBG which can definitely be caused by chemo or rads. Bone marrow creates HBG and rads can affect bone marrow. Chemo can affect HBG production because they are one of the rapidly dividing cells that can be zapped by chemo.

Yup, it's happened to me. Same thing as NancyD on the subway. I attribute it to not being very physically fit. I had a chest CT in Feb and it was clear.

Firstly, hope you don't mind me posting here since I'm not Stage III..



Rads can cause pneumonitis and one of the signs of that is SOB. It's important you get this diagnosed (x-ray or CT scan) and get treatment (prednisolone) as if it is left it can cause long term fibrosis...



It usually shows up 3-10 weeks after rads.



Jenn

I did following chemo as well.  I was taken by surprised by the degree which I had it. 

For some reason I was thinking when I finished chemo I would have my really tough day or two after the treatment but then begin to get stronger and stronger. I didn't consider how it builds in your system.  But it was tough for me after treatment with leg pain and weakness and shortness of breath.  I forget about it now but as soon as I hear someone mention it, it all comes back.   I also felt it more toward the end of radiation and following radiation it would come and go.  It's a lot more on the body than people realize.

Hope she feels better soon.

Jenn, thanks for the info.



Mine improved some, but persisted. Eventually I called the doc. They did a blood test (normal), CT (normal, yeah!), heart ultrasound (normal, also yeah!).



So my onc says nothing is wrong with me and it must be anxiety, i.e. in my head.



I know what anxiety feels like, thanks to cancer, lol, and this is not anxiety.



So I will go see a lung guy on tuesday. I realized that I also have the weirdness in my voice that I had on tax and was told, then, that it was inflammation.



Anyway, anyone else?