will steroids help shortness of breath

amberg
amberg Member Posts: 16
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
My dad is real short of breath. He can't hardly walk a few steps without huffing and puffing. Will steroids help him breath better? I've heard that chemo causes some scar tissue to form and that may cause shortness of breath. Thanks for your time and may God bless each and everyone of you.

Comments

  • gingertwst1
    gingertwst1 Member Posts: 1
    #2
    Hi, I had a combo of radiation and chemo at the same time and there was some pneumonitis caused by this. I was put on steroids and it did help. I am still a little short of breath but the meds helped me alot. I was also left with a cough but the steroids got rid of that too.
    Ginger
  • schuyler
    schuyler Member Posts: 32
    #3
    I've had chemo and radiation over the last 2 plus years. I have some scarring in my lungs. My lungs are prone to getting inflamed. The symptons of inflamation are cough, shortness of breath and sometimes pain in the lungs. My MD prescribes steroids to reduce the inflamation. If your Dad does go on steroids, you don't want him on them too long. They have many bad side effects. You might want to check out a nebulizer to use with medication or something like an Atrovent spray. Just some suggestions in the event you haven't already tried these things. Schuyler
  • amberg
    amberg Member Posts: 16
    #4
    gingertwst1 said:

    Hi, I had a combo of radiation and chemo at the same time and there was some pneumonitis caused by this. I was put on steroids and it did help. I am still a little short of breath but the meds helped me alot. I was also left with a cough but the steroids got rid of that too.
    Ginger

    Thanks for your replys. I will ask the doctor about that. I've been researching it on the web and it seems like it will help. You would think the doctor would have already prescribed it. God bless
  • tomsbc
    tomsbc Member Posts: 19
    #5
    I've had lung disease for 15 years now and have been taking inhaled steroids since 1996. They do help with my bronchitis and emphysema, so I assume that they will help with cancer treatment swelling. I have had radiation and am in my second round of chemo and they haven't had any bad effects on me. Inhaled steroids do not pose the same side effect problems as the systemic types.
    tomsbc

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