pleural effusion question

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karen1951
karen1951 Member Posts: 103
in Ovarian Cancer #1
i've had to have both of my lungs drained several times. i had a semi permanent tube placed in my right lung with a tube hanging out my side (for 2 months) so my husband could "drain me" as needed. that was NASTY. my left lung keeps filling up and now i either have to have the semi permanent tube placed again or they do a procedure where they drain the lung and then blow talc into the space which creates inflammation and seals the lung to the surrounding sack ... this supposedly solves the fluid problem permanently. i'm pretty sure it's done under general and inpatient. the onc said it "hurts" for a few days...kinda scares me because when they say you'll feel some "discomfort" it usually rates about a 9 on the pain scale. when he says it "hurts" and most older people can't tolerate the procedure ... then i start to thing twice...any thoughts? thanks...karen

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  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    #2
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    Don't know anything about this
    I have heard about it though . If you don 't get a response here I would try over on the Inspire board I think there are more people there.
    Colleen
  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    #3
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    Cafewoman53 said:

    Don't know anything about this
    I have heard about it though . If you don 't get a response here I would try over on the Inspire board I think there are more people there.
    Colleen

    talc
    I just looked this up and it seems to be a common procedure, You can have this done at bedside or in the surgery. They drain the fluid and then insert a chest tube and blow in the talc to seal lung spaces. I had a chest-tube in twice..one at bedside,which was a total bust by the MD and it hurt, I remember screaming. When the MD told me he had to insert another I said no!!!!.I demanded it be done in surgery which was much less painful. Once the spaces in your lungs have healed and after chest xray they will take our the chest tube. The only pain I felt was at the insertion site. I needed a chest tube because in surgery I need a central line and it was placed in my neck and I had a collasped lung. I hope this helps...val
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #4
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    Its called plueradesis
    Hi Karen
    I have had this procedure done here in the UK. I have had a total of 7 chest drains for both lungs when I was first diagnosed. I stayed in hospital for all of the procedures. They can only blow talc in if ALL OF THE FLUID has been drained.

    I had my plueradesis done while I was under heavy sedation. All of the fluid was drained from my right lung and the talc was blown in during the same procedure. I stayed in hospital for about 2 days after and then was allowed home.

    I did hurt afterwards and every time I breathed in it was sore and painful. My lung also felt very restrictive and full of fluid just like it did before. However I was told this was normal as it was all healing. Eventually it got better day by day and I have never looked back.

    This all happened in November 2009 and I am still free from fluid in that lung. It was a complete success.

    Hope it works well for you, please let me know xxxxxxx Tina
  • karen1951
    karen1951 Member Posts: 103
    #5
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    Tina Brown said:

    Its called plueradesis
    Hi Karen
    I have had this procedure done here in the UK. I have had a total of 7 chest drains for both lungs when I was first diagnosed. I stayed in hospital for all of the procedures. They can only blow talc in if ALL OF THE FLUID has been drained.

    I had my plueradesis done while I was under heavy sedation. All of the fluid was drained from my right lung and the talc was blown in during the same procedure. I stayed in hospital for about 2 days after and then was allowed home.

    I did hurt afterwards and every time I breathed in it was sore and painful. My lung also felt very restrictive and full of fluid just like it did before. However I was told this was normal as it was all healing. Eventually it got better day by day and I have never looked back.

    This all happened in November 2009 and I am still free from fluid in that lung. It was a complete success.

    Hope it works well for you, please let me know xxxxxxx Tina

    tina....thank you so much
    tina....thank you so much for your reply....i know this is what's coming...my left lung is 1/3 full already after having it drained a month ago....i just know i can't do that semi permanent lung drain again...you are so brave....hope we have many more years to "commiserate" .... xoxoxo...karen
  • AnneBehymer
    AnneBehymer Member Posts: 738 Member
    #6
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    karen1951 said:

    tina....thank you so much
    tina....thank you so much for your reply....i know this is what's coming...my left lung is 1/3 full already after having it drained a month ago....i just know i can't do that semi permanent lung drain again...you are so brave....hope we have many more years to "commiserate" .... xoxoxo...karen

    Night, Night
    I say after reading what everone wrote I would ask to be under sedation not something I would want to be awake for. Val you are one tough bird lol I bow to you I could never have gone through that.

    Anne

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