Mums lung cancer

Hi Binijac, I am so sorry your mum is going through this. Have they mentioned radiotherapy at all to help with the pelvic mets? I know this is sometimes used to help with pain. 

Hi chellesimo

She is still in hospital they are trying to get it managed and we had mentioned radiotherapy to the oncologist but he said not just now it might make it worse??  He is the person that we hope knows best but from being in this group I have read that this helps so many people.   I don’t want to rock the boat with the oncologist as he has been very good.  

Your poor mum. I wonder if this is because when you have radiotherapy everything in that area becomes inflamed and could make the pain worse. I hope they manage to get the pain under control for her soon. 

It must be something like that because I’m sure he would give her it if he thought it was beneficial at the moment.    If they can get the pain sorted they will give her some physio.   I have been with my dad to buy a stairlift and an electric bed for her to make things easier for when she comes home.   It’s heartbreaking is’int it how things change so quickly 3 months back all we had to think about was what coffee shop we would go to after we had been shopping.   You just need to get on with trying to make a bad situation that little bit easier if you can.   

It is scary how quickly life can change, but it can change back as well. Once mum has some pain relief and starts physio you will see a huge improvement. When we are in pain it is natural for us to tense up our muscles, which only makes the pain worse. Once she gets some physio to relax those ligaments she will be much better I am sure.

Thanks very much for your support chellemiso.  I hope you have a nice day.  

Has she been seen by the pain team?  That's crucial to getting her pain managed.

Hi lolie

Thanks for reply.   Yes we have now spoken with the pain team and are trying to get on top of this.   Fingers crossed it’s soon.   Thanks again. 

Hi Binjac,

My mum is currently going through the diagnostic process of what sounds like the same thing. We thought my mum had bone cancer in her pelvis, but we found out that this is now elsewhere, and is likely caused by a large tumour that nobody suspected in her lung. It's been an incredible shock.

Mum was playing with the grandkids on the floor last summer, gardening etc, now she has lost all mobility and is in a lot of pain (upping pain meds regularly it seems). We're waiting to see the lung specialists, MDT and treatment plan etc but she has deteriorated so quickly it's been an incredible shock to us all.

Hi Mav

i read your story this morning and thought I must get in touch but you beat  me to it.   I couldn’t believe  how similar our stories were.  I know just how you’re feeling it’s horrendous the shock totally out of blue going along with life quite nicely then boom life is turned upside down.

Mum has back pain which she has had for years on and off so of course it’s not the first things that jumps to mind but it was getting bad and they eventually went to a&e one day as gp was not helping at all and a CT later we were told it was cancer.    We were absolutely devastated and to be honest we still are my mum is my best friend and I’m just broken hearted this is happening to her.   That was end of nov and the scans, biopsy’s and appt all ran into January when we finally got to meet the oncologist and he started my mum on a one a day pill called Tagrisso which seems to be a great treatment.   I had actually been reading about  it before we seen the oncologist so I was happy when he said that’s what he was giving her.  

She is however still in hospital because of pain management for the mets which seem to be giving her the most trouble but I think we are getting on top of it now so here’s hoping in a couple of days.    We have just had a chair lift put in to help her as her walking is not great.  My mum was same as yours a few months back she was gardening, shopping and taking her grandsons out then this.   it’s a real rollercoaster of emotions as you are experiencing right now.   I’m quite a strong person but I can honestly say since this happened I have cried everyday I would not wish this on anyone.    

I’m thankful for this site you know you’re not alone although none of want to be here.  It’s all about a day at a time now.  Thankfully mum never wanted to know prognosis she just wants to get on with treatment.   One thing I’m learning from this site is that people are living longer than their prognosis thanks to the new treatments that are coming out.   There has been a big advancement in lung cancer treatment which thank god is giving us all hope.      

Hopefully  you won’t have to wait too long to get your mums treatment plan started.  I found the waiting  for all the results seemed to go on forever and I was advised on here that once mum had seen the oncologist and a plan in place I would start to feel a bit better and it was absolutely true it’s the waiting and not knowing that can stress you out.      I’m on here alot if you want to chat more.  Thinking of you and your family.