Drink plenty of water or hot tea; a good goal is eight 8-ounce glasses a day. Use cough drops to help stave off a cough when you feel it coming on. A humidifier can help if you have a dry cough. Avoid irritants like dust and cold air.
Hoarseness can be due to the lung cancer itself, so treatment can help lessen it. Otherwise, it’s good to rest your voice or speak quietly if needed. Also stay hydrated to keep your vocal cords moist.
Loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss are common with cancer. Your doctor can refer you to a dietitian to recommend a diet tailored for you or meal replacements as needed. Some medications can be used to help boost appetite, such as steroids.
Shortness of breath can be related to the cancer itself, so treatment should help address the underlying cause. In addition, your doctor can prescribe medications to help, such as bronchodilators, steroids, or pain medicines.
Lung cancer treatment can cause watery, loose bowel movements. Staying hydrated can help, as can eating bland foods that are gentle on your stomach, like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Over-the-counter antidiarrheal products like Imodium (loperamide) can help as well.
Targeted therapies may cause a skin rash that’s treatable with over-the-counter products like Benadryl (diphenhydramine) or Claritin (loratadine), or prescription hydrocortisone cream. It’s also good to avoid sun exposure and skin irritants like perfumed hand lotion.