Immunotherapy & a nagging cough .. how please to best relieve

[Vip1]

Hello my father has Stage 4 Lung Cancer and is now on immunotherapy.

He however has a persistent, a nagging cough that is not much fun for him at all.

Any advice for him at all , as to how to relieve the cough, would be very much appreciated .. ?

Thank you

[Eglingham]

Hi, I to am receiving immunotherapy and have a cough, I use throat lozenges and boiled sweets when having an episode, it helps to keep things lubricated. Hope this helps your father ☺

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Hi Vip1

Sorry to hear your Dad has lung cancer and is having a troublesome cough, If your dads cough is getting worse or if he is having no relief, perhaps discuss with the oncology team again.

As you are probably aware, if the cough becomes moist and he is coughing up yellow or green sputum, then this could be an infection and would need assessed.

This link is to our booklet on 'Managing lung cancer symptoms' and on page 19 you will find some tips on how to manage coughing: roycastle.org/app/uploads/2...

Simple measures like Eglingham has advised can help, and keeping hydrated or sipping fluids frequently.

You or your dad could speak to his local pharmacist for advice, there are some medications that can ease chronic coughing and it may be worth asking the lung cancer nurse specialist if there is anything that can help relieve this.

Some people find that having a humidifier in the room can help keep the air moist, there are a variety online or the local pharmacist may have some, you can add some essential oils to these. This link from Cancer Research UK provides some information on the use of oils: cancerresearchuk.org/about-...

You may find our booklet on Immunotherapy helpful if you do not have this: roycastle.org/app/uploads/2...

Hope your dad finds some relief soon and if you would like to discuss anything you can call ask the nurse on our free phone number 0800 358 7200 Monday to Thursday 0900-1700 and Friday 0900-1600, or you can email us at [e-mail]

Kind regards

The Roy Castle Support Team

[Ianhick]

I have used Broncho Stop lozenges and linctus to good effect. I also had a persistent cough which caused me to burst blood vessels in my throat. After speaking to the lung cancer nurse, my GP prescribed Oramorph and a Codeine linctus. I only used the Oramorph as it gave instant relief.

I wasn't having immunotherapy or chemo, so I would definitely speak to the lung cancer nurses and/or the oncologist.

[Vip1 in reply to Ianhick]

Many Thanks Ian, he's now on the linctus & this will hopefully start to help.

[JanetteR57]

I had a series of particularly nasty infections between 2015-2019 resulting in annual hospitalisation - and all involved coughs which started out as niggling but quickly escalated into quiet violent coughs - coughing up blood which I was told was the result of bursting blood vessels. I find drinking plenty of hot drinks (cold never relieved my airways or throat), sucking 'soothers' type sweets, inhaling over steam (Olbas oil or similar oils may help if head stuffy too) and using inhaler more frequently as rarely use an inhaler - only a preventer. Also sleeping (or trying to) propped up with pillows as it was always worse if I lay flat. hope he gets some relief soon.

[Vip1 in reply to JanetteR57]

Thank you Janette. Some really good tips there again. He's doing most of these now; perhaps just not as regularly as he might. Easy for me to say as obviously the cancer & cough ate not akways wasy to deal with. I'll keep on encouraging.

He's mentioning muscus / phlemn now (the cough was dry) & so this is something new.

The oncologist seemed less concerned by this , but I'm less sure and will check it out with the helpline here.

If any thoughts on the change , do please let me know

[JanetteR57 in reply to Vip1]

often mucous more associated with infections than lung cancer although mine was mucinous adenocarcinoma but I've always had conditions with more mucous - bronchitis as a child and frequent infections. worth asking though as infections can be treated with antibiotics, inhalers, nebulisers and steroids. hope he picks up soon.

[Vip1 in reply to JanetteR57]

Thank-you very much Janette

[JanetteR57]

This guidance may also help... physiotherapyforbpd.org.uk/...

[Vip1]

Hello all. My father's cough is now producing alot of muscous. No infection as far as we can tell, though keeping a check. The combination of the 2 (the cough and mucous) is .. really, really hard for him. I sense he's feeling exhausted and losing faith.

Any ideas please on how to help him would really help ..?

I'm on the phone with the Macmillan nurses every day, who are great.

Any tips from this community would be wonderful.

Thanks again