HELP PLEASE...EFFECTS OF RAD & CHEMO IMPAIR LEG STRENGTH?

hope0310
hope0310 Member Posts: 320
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Anyone have experience with being too weak to walk? After treatment? Legs not working?

Mom is in remission SCLC w/mets to brain and spine....but unable to walk..

Please advise, similar stories needed!!!

Thanks so much, Elysia

Comments

  • bubbliemrs
    bubbliemrs Member Posts: 7
    #2
    effects of RAD & Chemo
    Hi Elysia,
    My mom had SCLC as well, and she received chemo and Radiation as well. Her metastasis wasn't in her spine though, just her brain and lymphnodes near her lungs. She did feel very weak to a point where she couldn't even sit up for 30 min. in her bed. She had to lie down in bed all the time. However, about a month or two after her radiatoin treatment, she felt so much better, she was even able to walk around the neighborhood with a cane.
    Depending on where the brain tumor is, it might affect balance. My mom's was in area where it controled motor functions and congnition. She lost balance often and wasn't able to find her shoe when it was near her foot. She also had a difficult time trying to describe something.
    I did notice that her cognition and memory didn't get much better, but the brain scan showed a decrease in size of the brain tumor. Her physical ability defintely improved.
    I don't know if your mom's metastasis to the spine might affect her walking more than my mom, but I'd say ask your onchologist with any concerns. He can be a great resource for you.
  • hope0310
    hope0310 Member Posts: 320
    #3
    bubbliemrs said:

    effects of RAD & Chemo
    Hi Elysia,
    My mom had SCLC as well, and she received chemo and Radiation as well. Her metastasis wasn't in her spine though, just her brain and lymphnodes near her lungs. She did feel very weak to a point where she couldn't even sit up for 30 min. in her bed. She had to lie down in bed all the time. However, about a month or two after her radiatoin treatment, she felt so much better, she was even able to walk around the neighborhood with a cane.
    Depending on where the brain tumor is, it might affect balance. My mom's was in area where it controled motor functions and congnition. She lost balance often and wasn't able to find her shoe when it was near her foot. She also had a difficult time trying to describe something.
    I did notice that her cognition and memory didn't get much better, but the brain scan showed a decrease in size of the brain tumor. Her physical ability defintely improved.
    I don't know if your mom's metastasis to the spine might affect her walking more than my mom, but I'd say ask your onchologist with any concerns. He can be a great resource for you.

    Thanks for your response,
    Thanks for your response, the onc says their is no medical reason for her inability to talk. She was hospitalized for about 37 days while they did tons of different testing yo find the source. Nothing definative at all.

    So we are all just hoping and praying it is severe weakness that will come back with PT.
  • Dapsterd
    Dapsterd Member Posts: 291
    #4
    Hope, Walking
    My Dad has Non-Hodgskins Lymphoma (NHL), Basically all over his body. He does not have Lung Cancer, however he has gone through a round of Chemo only, no rad.
    He's too tired to get from car to hospital door, requires a wheel chair.

    Chemo has wiped him out....Note; NHL has entirely different chemo drugs than LC.
    He is on what they call R-CHOP currently.

    I know shortly you will have a direct and correct answer from either a Medical Professional, and/or a Professional Survivor !!!!

    Dave
  • becmarsh
    becmarsh Member Posts: 4
    #5
    weakness
    My brother complains about weakness. He is on a medication called tarceva which is
    also chemo in one-a-day pill form. Some days, he is very weak with little appetite and other days much better. One of his main problems now is depression.

    He had 6 radiations for brain met which was successful, then 5-6 chemo sessions for lung cancer. Next, he had 9 radiations for the lung and 6 for lymph nodes and the tumors
    were not growing but 1 or 2 others spots had materialized. Now, he is on tarceva.
  • deb_needhope
    deb_needhope Member Posts: 38
    #6
    weakness in legs
    My mother (who has SCLC) has had weakness in the legs as well. The oncol said today that it's a side effect of the decadron styroid that they're giving her for the swelling around the brain tumor.. They are going to do a MRI of the brain and if the tumor is smaller, going to lower the dose of that so legs are stronger. Deb..
  • Gene Garlin
    Gene Garlin Member Posts: 3
    #7
    Its been 7 mos. since my
    Its been 7 mos. since my last chemo. Even though all my tests are good I have foot and hand swelling as well as leg pain. Also chemo induced peripheral neuropothy. I understand that this can last for as many as two years and can be permanent. It can be an irritation but I am happy to be irritated.

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