New here and some advice please.

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Hello, I just joined the lung cancer group. My wife (60 years old) was diagnosed with lung cancer in May this year. She was prescribed four cycles of Paclitaxel and Carboplatin chemo and then up to 2 years of Pembrolizumab. Unfortunately she had an anaphylactic shock reaction to Paclitaxel so she just had Carboplatin and now just Pembrolizumab every three weeks. We have sorted out some pain relief, but our biggest issue at the moment is cough relief. Any recommendations to relieve the cough would be appreciated.Thank you all.

  • Hi

    Over the counter medicine will  not work. Best to either contact your wife's cancer team or your GP for advice.

    Hope she feels better soon.

    Kegsy x

    "If you are going through hell, keep going" ; Sir Winston Churchill
    " Cancer may take my life; however it will not become my life" Kegsy August 2011
  • It would be best to contact the consultant who prescribed the Pembrolizumab.  About six weeks after I started Durvalumab (a similar kind of immunotherapy) I complained of a new and worse cough I was experiencing and my oncologist found that I had pneumonitis - which can be a consequence of immunotherapy.  She prescribed two weeks of dexamethazone and that did the trick.  This is a prescription drug so you can't buy it over the counter, and your wife needs medical advice for the cough - you shouldn't try and treat it yourself. Best wishes, I'd be interested to hear the outcome. 

  • Thank you Pamela. Sarah had a CT scan today and we'll ask her oncologist about pneumonitis.