Pleurisy with Lung Mets

Wenchie

I've gone from doctor to doctor and I myself find an article on the internet regarding pleurisy. Bingo, that's got to be my latest issue! Have any of you had pleurisy and how was it treated? I was on antibiotics twice and I thought it was cleared up and then it came right back. Do you have to have your lung drained?

Lovekitties

Hi
I don't know if the mets themselves cause pleurisy, but other things can be the cause...like pneumonia.

Hope you can find a doc to work with you on this.

Marie who loves kitties

Sundanceh

Hey Wen:)
Did you have any radiation to the lung? Alot of us get some kind of radiation induced pneumonia...hard coughing and some fluid in the lungs....I have not had to have them drained.

-c

Wenchie

Sundanceh said:

Hey Wen:)
Did you have any radiation to the lung? Alot of us get some kind of radiation induced pneumonia...hard coughing and some fluid in the lungs....I have not had to have them drained.

-c

Pleurisy
Hey Craig, no radiation...yet! I was "supposed" to have cyberknife next week but it's looking doubtful now. I'm just pissed off that I had to diagnose myself! What did we ever do before the internet. I saw a doctor today and he said that it must have been "coincidence" that when I took antibiotics (twice) the pain disappeared. He ordered a CTScan but I'm holding off on that because I already have a PetScan scheduled this week! The appointments just never end! I'm going to call my Oncologist tomorrow to see about an ultrasound to rule out a pulmonary embolism.

Sundanceh

Wenchie said:

Pleurisy
Hey Craig, no radiation...yet! I was "supposed" to have cyberknife next week but it's looking doubtful now. I'm just pissed off that I had to diagnose myself! What did we ever do before the internet. I saw a doctor today and he said that it must have been "coincidence" that when I took antibiotics (twice) the pain disappeared. He ordered a CTScan but I'm holding off on that because I already have a PetScan scheduled this week! The appointments just never end! I'm going to call my Oncologist tomorrow to see about an ultrasound to rule out a pulmonary embolism.

Your Calendar is Full...
I know you're pissed - but you know what's great? You! Look how smart you were..."Necessity is the Mother of Invention..."

That's what they say anyway - LOL!

Really though I'm glad you found something that worked - it is a shame we pay them - but it goes to show you over and over again, how we have to take the wheel and "drive the bus" sometimes:)

Good luck on the PET - a CT would go along nicely too, but your week is full. Yes, the endless appointments...I've been to the hospital 3 times in 3 weeks...scope, surgery, and follow-up...scans in 2 weeks, follow-up blah blah:)

It looks like we're always up on some mechanic's rack:)

It's tough to live, isn't it? It's good to see you...I can't wait to hear about this ultrasounds...hope the answers will be revealed....scream, shout, and then back to it, darlin'....we gotta' lot of fightin' to do.

Do take care...being a long-termer isn't easy somedays, but I'm still glad you're with us. Stay in touch.

-Craig

lisa42

Sundanceh said:

Hey Wen:)
Did you have any radiation to the lung? Alot of us get some kind of radiation induced pneumonia...hard coughing and some fluid in the lungs....I have not had to have them drained.

-c

my thoughts
to both Wenchie and Craig,

Wenchie, I'm so sorry you're now dealing with pleuresy and that your cyberknife is having to be delayed. Your onc said that it's a coincidence that your pain stopped both times on antibiotics. Well, if it came back again after antibiotics were done, I think in most likelihood, that the antibiotics were starting to work but weren't strong enough to totally wipe it out. I've been on and off of antibiotics ever since the hospital stay with pneumonia. I keep getting what seems like sinus infections and I was on a fairly strong antibiotic for that two different times. I was fine for about two weeks after each & then it would come back again. I took an even stronger antibiotic which seemed to do the trick, but I've been warned it still could come back again with my whole respiratory system still compromised & me continually having congestion from allergies or from whatever it is. I was told the many tumors in my lungs could also now be producing mucus.
Anyhow, I hope and pray that you get over the pleuresy soon & can get to the cyberknife you're needing very quickly.

Craig, your mentioning radiation induced pneumonia with hard coughing and fluid in the lungs...hmmm... I was planning on seeing a radiation oncologist about possibly zapping any particular lung tumors that might be larger or compromising my breathing more than others. My pulmonologist said he didn't advise radiation because it could cause more inflammation and my breathing even worse. I thought well, he doesn't work in oncology or radiation, he's just a regular pulmonologist- maybe he doesn't know everything & I should consult with a radiation oncologist. I think I still will, but it now makes me think the regular pulm. may have been right & from what you said maybe that would be the case.

Lisa

Sundanceh

lisa42 said:

my thoughts
to both Wenchie and Craig,

Wenchie, I'm so sorry you're now dealing with pleuresy and that your cyberknife is having to be delayed. Your onc said that it's a coincidence that your pain stopped both times on antibiotics. Well, if it came back again after antibiotics were done, I think in most likelihood, that the antibiotics were starting to work but weren't strong enough to totally wipe it out. I've been on and off of antibiotics ever since the hospital stay with pneumonia. I keep getting what seems like sinus infections and I was on a fairly strong antibiotic for that two different times. I was fine for about two weeks after each & then it would come back again. I took an even stronger antibiotic which seemed to do the trick, but I've been warned it still could come back again with my whole respiratory system still compromised & me continually having congestion from allergies or from whatever it is. I was told the many tumors in my lungs could also now be producing mucus.
Anyhow, I hope and pray that you get over the pleuresy soon & can get to the cyberknife you're needing very quickly.

Craig, your mentioning radiation induced pneumonia with hard coughing and fluid in the lungs...hmmm... I was planning on seeing a radiation oncologist about possibly zapping any particular lung tumors that might be larger or compromising my breathing more than others. My pulmonologist said he didn't advise radiation because it could cause more inflammation and my breathing even worse. I thought well, he doesn't work in oncology or radiation, he's just a regular pulmonologist- maybe he doesn't know everything & I should consult with a radiation oncologist. I think I still will, but it now makes me think the regular pulm. may have been right & from what you said maybe that would be the case.

Lisa

Lisa:)
I had dismissed it after the radiation was over....of course, I was put in a position that I had to do the radiation (when I first came to the board, I said I would never do it)....but the surgery never got me clear margins, so I had to change course...

This did not seem to happen right away...I had what I thought was bronchitis a couple of times...I took antibiotics and it seemed to help...and then I had to clearing the stuff out of my lungs...and the coughing fits were very hard on me, especially after 2 lung surgeries.

I remember thinking to myself, "this is what is going to kill me - before the cancer does."

It was just physically demanding and left me tired...it happened twice in fairly short order.

I remember reading about someone else who had radiation - and the doctors told them that it was some type of radiation induced pneumonia from the treatment. I believe it does go away but can take a few months to subside.

When we were at CP9, Leslie and I sat down to talk and she told me that she had this as well - and we talked about mine and deduced that could have happened to me as well.

The rad oncs cut me loose after treatment and never followed up - I was too tired and sick to care much at that point - so I'll never know if I got this, or whether is was a bronchial infection.

But, as I said, I've read and talked to people and apparently this is not an uncommon side effect from that treatment.

Push came to Shove - and I had to do it or else...I guess the only thing really to do, Lisa, was to see what the rad onc said and compare to the pulm guy - you've always been very good at weighing the Risks vs Benefits...I wish it was an easy answer or decision.

The question for you seems to be "would the treatment alleviate enough of the pain to warrant the possible side effects?"

I think about you all the time:)

-Craig