Shortness of breath

Living with secondary breast cancer Treatments and medical issues
1

My sister was diagnosed with SBC in January following a routine eye test which picked up a secondary behind her eye. She then had a CT which confirmed extensive lung mets, also some spots on her liver and a small 6mm area in her other breast.

she had treatment for advanced HER2 poSitive breast cancer in 2019

she started chemotherapy last Friday but her breathing is awful

she can’t even manage to get upstairs without being short of breath.

she is also bringing up a small amount of clear fluid in the morning which I think is from her chest.

she is suffering from severe anxiety and is reluctant to see anyone about it.

I am a nurse and I think she needs a chest X-ray or at least see the GP to get her breathing assessed.

is there any treatment she can have until the chemo kicks in and hopefully shrinks the lung mets so her breathing improves?

she can’t do anything at the moment as she is so fatigued and short of breath on exertion.

Her appetite is poor too.

I speak to her every day but I live 300 miles away so I haven’t seen her in person 

Thanks in anticipation 

Kaz xx

2

KazB65 please urge her to ring her rapid response number asap would be my immediate reaction to what you have written below so her team can urgently assess her :two_hearts: :two_hearts: :sparkles: :sparkles: Shi xx

3

Hi 

I had shortness of breath just over a year ago when I was diagnosed with SBC.  The lung clinic diagnosed ‘pleural effusion’  which is a build-up of fluid in the space between the lungs and the chest wall.  

After draining the fluid my breathing greatly improved.  Didn’t receive chemotherapy as oncologist thought I was too ill.  Currently on Exemstane and Phesgo injection every three weeks.  Last scan showed cancer stable.  

Hope that this information is helpful