I was do with sbc last Oct in my lungs and sternum. Started on Paclitaxel, but after the first 3 weekly doses I developed a chest infection and ended up in hospital over Xmas. Since then I have had one more chemo, then my pleural effusion increased and I had my right side drained. Home last weekend, felt very breathless and returned to hospital where I am now. Right side redrained.
Yesterday my oncologist told me that my cancer in my lungs has advanced and the Paclitaxel isn’t working. She wants to send me home on Cape, but only if the draining gets under control. My prognosis is now not good. I am devastated.
I am so very sorry that you are going through such an extremely difficult time. Have the doctors mentioned talc pleurosis (talc is placed between the lung and lining sealing the space to prevent fluid build up) or perhaps fitting a permanent chest drain to manage the fluid? A nurse can come to your home usually X2 weekly to drain the fluid enabling you to be at home and prevent having repeated needle drainings. There are many chemotherapy treatments you can try that may be more effective and I hope the Cape is more successful for you
So very sorry to hear you are suffering. I do think that there are treatments out there for you, and I hope that Cape is yours. In the meantime feel free to vent on here. Life can be a bu***r, but the medical research means that there are a number of tricks( as my Onco calls it) in the big doctors
bag. I’m sure that the efflusion has brought you very low, and I hope that there is an improvement so that you can start to feel better in yourself. Big deep breaths, girl, and one day at a time. X