What are the signs and symptoms of lung cancer?

I was feeling very tired last year for a few months Got a wheezy chest Antibiotics did not clear. I also got a cough.
Eventually I nearly collapsed and was taken to hospital. Pneumonia was diagnosed. Thanks to a wonderful young Doctor to whom I will be ever grateful. He was so great at his work spotted a tumour and had me sent for a PET Scan. The cancer is in some of my glands. I have had 4 Chemo treatments and the cancer is going away. I feel a little better at present. At the moment I am keeping very positive about the situation but finding it hard at times. I was always a very very active person and now the smallest tasks tires me out.
I was glad to find this site. I would love if there was some kind person who would be able to speak with me and maybe it would help get through this.
There has been talk about Radium and Surgery. But I guess that is further down the road.
I have now 8 Chemos over me and it has been a great experience. I was scared and did not know what to expect in the begining but I can re assure anyone reading this that there is no need to be scared.
The Oncology staff at every level are really devoted people. They explain everything so clear and not question or anything is a problem to them. The put their patients first.

Dear Irene,
I hope one of our message board members will reply to you soon, but just to let you know, our Cancer Information Service is open to you. You can speak to a nurse on freefone 1800 200 700, or chat online at http://www.cancer.ie/chat/ Mon-Thurs 9am-7pm, & Fri 9am-5pm. Alternatively you can email helpline@irishcancer.ie at any time. Our specialist cancer nurses would be glad to help you with advice, support or information.
Kind Regards

lHi Irene,
I hope you are keeping well.
I was dx with Lung cancer last Oct 2007. It was a huge shock. I had nsclc stage 1 with no spread.
I looked online for information but became disillusioned with the info as it was all bad news.
So I decided the best thing was to get an exact dx and what was going to happen. I got referred by my gp to consultant and eventually got staged after scopes biopses ct scans and pet scan.
My cancer was curable by surgery and then adjuntave chemo afterwards.
I had my surgery in Nov 07 I had lower lobe removed, all went well and was let home 3 days later.
I then had chemo for 12 weeks from Feb to Apr 08.
I am now back at work doing most of the things I used to do.
I emailed cancer.ie to volunteer but they told me they did not have a lung cancer support group. This surprised me.Then it didn,t as information was hard to come by.
I have to say I am very informed now after going through it snd if I can help you in any way let me know.
Also moderator if I can be of any help to Irish Cancer Society let me know.

regards
Niall

Dear Niall It was great hear your story and I am so pleased that you have now recovered. It is wonderful what the medical profession can do. I found all the staff from top to bottom are wonderful dedicated people. Niall you are a wonderful positive person and that helps a lot no matter what one is doing in life.

I am getting Radium now and start my last week tomorrow. It will be my next scan before I know if it has worked. I feel really scared at the moment.

It is great to hear of someone like you. Your story has helped me to focus back on the positive side again and I know it will help other so thanks very much.
Irene

Hi Niall and everyone out there this is me back again on line It has been a while since I have been on this site due to further treatment. Also I have a cataract on both eyes, which make things very uncomfortable. I work with everything enlarged as much as possible at the moment. Later down the road hope to get the cataracts removed.

Niall if you visit this site I will say once again thanks for sharing with me back last year or whenever it was. I always kept your positive message with me to this very point and time. Hope you are continuing to enjoy good health.

I should be shouting from the rooftop so to speak as my cancer has gone. Yes gone how lucky I am. There was a little left on the bottom lobe of my right lung and we decided to take away with surgery. I had surgery in August last that would have been August 2009. During the operation for medical reasons the surgeon decided to and took the complete right lung away. I have been back for a check up with my surgeon Once again I should be over the moon as he said that all the cancer is gone and that the operation was a complete success.

So what is bothering me you might say everything is going in the right direction. I am so glad but do find the recovery from the operation hard there seamed to be no one else In the same stage as me. I am sure that there are plenty of you out there and I would love if we could share our experiences

Regards to all Irene

Hi Niall and everyone out there this is me back again on line It has been a while since I have been on this site due to further treatment. Also I have a cataract on both eyes, which make things very uncomfortable. I work with everything enlarged as much as possible at the moment. Later down the road hope to get the cataracts removed.

Niall if you visit this site I will say once again thanks for sharing with me back last year or whenever it was. I always kept your positive message with me to this very point and time. Hope you are continuing to enjoy good health.

I should be shouting from the rooftop so to speak as my cancer has gone. Yes gone how lucky I am. There was a little left on the bottom lobe of my right lung and we decided to take away with surgery. I had surgery in August last that would have been August 2009. During the operation for medical reasons the surgeon decided to and took the complete right lung away. I have been back for a check up with my surgeon Once again I should be over the moon as he said that all the cancer is gone and that the operation was a complete success.

So what is bothering me you might say everything is going in the right direction. I am so glad but do find the recovery from the operation hard there seamed to be no one else In the same stage as me. I am sure that there are plenty of you out there and I would love if we could share our experiences

Regards to all Irene

Hi Irene,
yeah come back to visit when someone posts on lung part of this site.

Thats great news.I am so delighted for you.
The recover road is long and tough after that operation.

Tips take it easy, dont over do it (i ignoed this advice and paid for it)
Walk walk walk if you can.At this stage I am now going back for my 6 month checkup in 2 weeks time. I am back doing martial arts twice a week an in the gym and swimming.

Got my bike fixed last week so goin out into the air Sunday morning for a spin.

just enjoy doing what YOU do and live your life to the fullest, you now know it can be very short.

if ya need anything mail me.

Good luck
Niall

Hi to all and thanks for your support Niall

Good luck for your check up I can see you are great. You are really a great help to me and anyone else who are traveling this road. I am so delighted for you and your progress. Niall I am sure that we are from two diffrent age groups me been on the oldest. Life is very sweet at any age. I have not cycled a bicycle in more than 30 years My son was the all Ireland Junior Triathlon back in around 1992. At the moment he has no time to get into sport with a family and high pressured work. We all enjoyed it and my grandson shows a great intrest in sport although he is only seven.

If I have it correct it is eight weeks today since the surgery. I have come a long way and there is no need to say only it was a painful journey. I hope to be off OxyContin altogether next week Maybe you have never heard of those
I have a check up wth my oncologist the week after next.

Bye for now and have a wonderful week end.
Irene

Hi Irene,
Thanks hopefully all will be well. Yeah I am only 43, havent ben on my bike in a while either. But looking forward to Sunday morn.

I will be 2 years over my surgery in November, I still have a lot of numbness, phantom pains pin prick pains etc around the scar site.
I remember taking oxycontin very well, I came off them 5 weeks after the op as I could not stick the constipation any more. Rather the pain. They call it hillbilly heroin in the USA as a lot of celebs take it to get high.

Rememmber to drink drink drink, I am sure you are but really helps the body.

Let me know how you get on with your onc next week.

Have a good weekend yourself.
Niall

How did the Cycling go on Sunday It does not matter you had it on your mind and I consider that's another step forward We grow with each little step as you have shown me.
I was on the site one night and I could see you were on line also is it possible to make a connection with an other member on line? You mentioned to email you, where do I find your email address? As you can gather I do not know much about computers.

Speak again Niall and keep good

How did the Cycling go on Sunday It does not matter you had it on your mind and I consider that's another step forward We grow with each little step as you have shown me.
I was on the site one night and I could see you were on line also is it possible to make a connection with an other member on line? You mentioned to email you, where do I find your email address? As you can gather I do not know much about computers.

Speak again Niall and keep good

Went fine, cycled for 55 mins, really enjoyed it. Fresh air, cows, smells, rain, tough on the old behind.

Ready for next week now.

I added u as a friend, I think u can mail me from that request.

Niall