Fluid in lungs

mary720
mary720 Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
I have had lung cancer 6yrs ago and had surgery, chemo and radiation. Pretty agressive. I had a cold in April and now have fluid in the lung. I opted to wait 2 months to see if it goes away but am worried it could be the cancer back. Anyone hear about it coming back after all this time? Anyone who answers would be making me most grateful.

Comments

  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #2
    I am a 5 year breast cancer survivor and a 2 year lung cancer survivor. One thing I've learned is that it isn't cancer till the pathologist sees it under a microscope. Worrying won't change it if it is and worrying won't change it if it isn't. It could be that your lungs were weakened by the surgery, chemo and radiation. I had a lobe removed and they warned me to drop nursery duty at church because I could end up in the hospital if I caught any of the multitude of strep infections floating around. I can't quit my regular job around kids(I like to eat and need the insurance!), but I could drop the nursery duty so I did. I also practice as much prevention like handwashing, eating right, sleeping on schedule, and other such boring but necessary practices as much as I can. Pneumonia and fluid in the lungs can be a sign of cancer, but they can also set in from infections due to weakened immune systems resulting from all you've been through. Why not go see your favorite thoracic &/or pulmonary specialist and see what he or she has to say? If it is only an infection, it is past time to get it cleared up. If it turns out to be nastier stuff, it is time to get that cleared up too. My doctor told me that most people have lung cancers that show up within one to three years if they are going to have a reoccurance, but I have a sort that doubles very slowly. I will need to be watched for much longer than 5 years. Some folks he said have a reoccurance as late as 8 years. But worrying will just keep you up at night and it could be just a weak immune system. So go get checked out and let us know how you are doing.

    C. Abbott
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #3
    Cancer can come back 20 years later, sadly enough. But Cabbott is correct: as time goes by the chances generally diminish greatly.

    In this case, the real question is not about cancer but rather why you are writing yourself a potential free pass back to the hospital for an extended stay.

    Pneumonia is nothing to fool around with, nor is an infection of some other type, particularly for someone whose past includes surgery and other invasive treatments of their lungs.

    Whatever you learn by knowing, it is better than not knowing and allowing it to get the better of you.

    I would strongly advise getting to the doctor, letting him/her check it out, get it corrected, and move on. Not only will you be taking care of yourself physically, but equally as important, you will be relieving your mind of great stress.

    Take care and best wishes.

    Joe

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