Hey everyone!!!
I’m writing this from Boston, and honestly, it’s one of those gray, gloomy, endlessly depressing days. I wanted to reach out because my mom is really struggling right now; she was diagnosed with lung cancer about two years ago. I can still vividly remember that morning when she tried so hard to hide her pain while coming home from the doctor—the one who told her the cancer had come back after eight years. When I kept asking her how she was feeling that morning, she just didn't have the strength to answer, which was my first real sign that something was seriously wrong. A few days later, the reality finally hit us.
Not long after that, she started chemotherapy, and I think she went through as many as eight rounds in that first cycle alone. After all that intense treatment, the cancer actually receded quite a bit, but the chemo definitely left its mark on her body. She deals with constant tingling in her fingers and toes, and the loss of appetite combined with total exhaustion has been such an extra burden. Her doctors prescribed various medications, and I know she leaned heavily into alternative remedies during that time too. It was everything under the sun, from honey to medicinal mushrooms to some liquid supplement called Varian. After about four months of recovery, she seemed to be doing much better. But then, fluid started building up in her lungs and around her liver. The doctors sent her back for more chemo, but this time they tried oral pills that were supposed to be easier on her while being just as effective. That didn't work, so she had to undergo another six rounds of traditional chemo. Can you even imagine what fourteen rounds of chemo does to a person? And even though the test results show improvement—meaning the cancer is receding and the fluid is clearing—her actual physical condition has just plummeted. I don't mean the cancer is spreading, because it really has backed off significantly, but physically, she’s in the worst shape of her life. The fluid constantly accumulating in her lungs makes it so hard for her to move or even breathe, and the activities she could handle after the first cycle are totally impossible now. Getting out of bed is a struggle, and it feels like she spends almost all her time lying down. Along with all these physical setbacks, depression set in, so today, it’s hard to get more than a word out of her. She’s on antidepressants, but they make her feel nauseous. Talking to her yesterday, she told me she just doesn't see a way out. I've never seen her this pessimistic in my entire life. She mostly just eats to survive, trying her best because this whole ordeal has just gone on for so long. When I think about the fact that she beat breast cancer ten years ago, I'm just in awe of her strength. To make matters worse, after that second round of six chemos, fluid started building up around her heart too. The cardiologist says that's a huge reason why she's feeling so terrible. Even though she isn't undergoing active chemo at this exact moment, she just keeps getting worse.
What I really wanted to ask you all is, if anyone knows which antidepressants work best without causing even more issues when mixed with her other meds? I feel like this is so important, because if we can help her pull through this depression—even if it's just through medication—it might help her appetite return. She needs to eat more, and I just don't know how to make that happen. Before she got sick, she was about 143 pounds, but now she's down to under 110, or somewhere around there.
And of course, I'm wondering if anyone has advice on any alternative remedies or anything else that might help boost her immune system. I couldn't keep this shorter than it is, but if you have any advice at all, please let me know. I would be so grateful.
I’m writing this from Boston, and honestly, it’s one of those gray, gloomy, endlessly depressing days. I wanted to reach out because my mom is really struggling right now; she was diagnosed with lung cancer about two years ago. I can still vividly remember that morning when she tried so hard to hide her pain while coming home from the doctor—the one who told her the cancer had come back after eight years. When I kept asking her how she was feeling that morning, she just didn't have the strength to answer, which was my first real sign that something was seriously wrong. A few days later, the reality finally hit us.
Not long after that, she started chemotherapy, and I think she went through as many as eight rounds in that first cycle alone. After all that intense treatment, the cancer actually receded quite a bit, but the chemo definitely left its mark on her body. She deals with constant tingling in her fingers and toes, and the loss of appetite combined with total exhaustion has been such an extra burden. Her doctors prescribed various medications, and I know she leaned heavily into alternative remedies during that time too. It was everything under the sun, from honey to medicinal mushrooms to some liquid supplement called Varian. After about four months of recovery, she seemed to be doing much better. But then, fluid started building up in her lungs and around her liver. The doctors sent her back for more chemo, but this time they tried oral pills that were supposed to be easier on her while being just as effective. That didn't work, so she had to undergo another six rounds of traditional chemo. Can you even imagine what fourteen rounds of chemo does to a person? And even though the test results show improvement—meaning the cancer is receding and the fluid is clearing—her actual physical condition has just plummeted. I don't mean the cancer is spreading, because it really has backed off significantly, but physically, she’s in the worst shape of her life. The fluid constantly accumulating in her lungs makes it so hard for her to move or even breathe, and the activities she could handle after the first cycle are totally impossible now. Getting out of bed is a struggle, and it feels like she spends almost all her time lying down. Along with all these physical setbacks, depression set in, so today, it’s hard to get more than a word out of her. She’s on antidepressants, but they make her feel nauseous. Talking to her yesterday, she told me she just doesn't see a way out. I've never seen her this pessimistic in my entire life. She mostly just eats to survive, trying her best because this whole ordeal has just gone on for so long. When I think about the fact that she beat breast cancer ten years ago, I'm just in awe of her strength. To make matters worse, after that second round of six chemos, fluid started building up around her heart too. The cardiologist says that's a huge reason why she's feeling so terrible. Even though she isn't undergoing active chemo at this exact moment, she just keeps getting worse.
What I really wanted to ask you all is, if anyone knows which antidepressants work best without causing even more issues when mixed with her other meds? I feel like this is so important, because if we can help her pull through this depression—even if it's just through medication—it might help her appetite return. She needs to eat more, and I just don't know how to make that happen. Before she got sick, she was about 143 pounds, but now she's down to under 110, or somewhere around there.
And of course, I'm wondering if anyone has advice on any alternative remedies or anything else that might help boost her immune system. I couldn't keep this shorter than it is, but if you have any advice at all, please let me know. I would be so grateful.