Anybody have pleural effusions and other lung problems after the surgery

Donna70
Donna70 Member Posts: 852 Member
edited April 2022 in Esophageal Cancer #1
Well I was so happy about my clear CT findings but I did note that it said I had a moderately large atelectasis and a bronchiectasis and a pleural effusion but did not hear from the dr after I already had the report but he called Saturday to tell me I needed antibiotics for pneumonia. Has anyone had this stuff? I don't have a fever, just a cough that causes me to gag and vomit and can't seem to control the cough. I have thrown up much lately that I have lost about 4 lbs and am down to 119-120. I feel like I have aspiration pneumonia from vomiting so much. Like someone said it is not normal vomiting after an esophagectomy. So I am happy about clear CT but have so much shortness of breath and coughing, I can't celebrate the way I want. LOL!! I see the dr on Wed and I am going to say this is not acceptable, I am not getting strength back seem to be going backwards. So any input would be appreciated. thanks and prayers for all.
Donna70

Comments

  • MOE58
    MOE58 Member Posts: 589 Member
    #2
    HMMM JEFF HAD IT IN THE HOSPTIAL
    Donna,

    Unfortunately Jeff had this same thing in the hospital so he was treated there. Wish I could help. Thats what kept him in ICU for so long. Remember.

    Honey its not been that long and you need to pull up your BIG GIRL PANTIES, and say DONNA, it all takes time, quit being so inpatient.

    Jeff just went to the doctor today read my post, so you have to be patient.

    If I can help let me know

    PULL UP THE BIG GIRL PANTIES, OKAY evidently they have been slipping or you havent been wearing them.

    Lori
  • Pghmomma
    Pghmomma Member Posts: 141
    #3
    MOE58 said:

    HMMM JEFF HAD IT IN THE HOSPTIAL
    Donna,

    Unfortunately Jeff had this same thing in the hospital so he was treated there. Wish I could help. Thats what kept him in ICU for so long. Remember.

    Honey its not been that long and you need to pull up your BIG GIRL PANTIES, and say DONNA, it all takes time, quit being so inpatient.

    Jeff just went to the doctor today read my post, so you have to be patient.

    If I can help let me know

    PULL UP THE BIG GIRL PANTIES, OKAY evidently they have been slipping or you havent been wearing them.

    Lori

    Donna
    Please please please get it under control now. My dad started with the same. It started with aspriation pnenimoa and it came out of now where... He started vomiting which caused the hole. Which in turn cased his lungs to fill up and fluid isnt suppose to be in there which is why it turned into ARDS.

    God bless
    Tina
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #4
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • cclambert
    cclambert Member Posts: 30
    #5
    Pneumonia
    Hi Donna
    I had aspiration pneumonia shortly after surgery and was put on a vent for 4 days. I totally missed Christmas. Didn't even know what day it was. They put me on antibotics and breathing treatments several times a day. When you see your doctor, insist that he be very aggressive with this. I would suggest to him that he put you in the hospital on oxygen, antibotics, and breathing treatments, plus you can get TPN through an IV to keep you from dehydrating.
    Congrations on the CT scan. I will pray that you can get relief from this pneumonia. Have you started the antibotics yet?
    Cathy
  • Donna70
    Donna70 Member Posts: 852 Member
    #6
    cclambert said:

    Pneumonia
    Hi Donna
    I had aspiration pneumonia shortly after surgery and was put on a vent for 4 days. I totally missed Christmas. Didn't even know what day it was. They put me on antibotics and breathing treatments several times a day. When you see your doctor, insist that he be very aggressive with this. I would suggest to him that he put you in the hospital on oxygen, antibotics, and breathing treatments, plus you can get TPN through an IV to keep you from dehydrating.
    Congrations on the CT scan. I will pray that you can get relief from this pneumonia. Have you started the antibotics yet?
    Cathy

    on Levaquin
    Hi,
    Had to wait for liquid Levaquin to come in and just started it yesterday. Thanks for everyone's input. I am going to be aggressive because I noticed looking up bronchiectasis, that if it gets out of hand you wind up on O2. I don't know how long I have had it but have had more coughing and shortness of breath for the last month and a half. So I am taking my hubby to back up what is happening with the coughing and vomiting. Thanks again, Tina, I am so sorry about your Dad, it just doesnt seem fair at all. take care, prayers always,
    Donna70
  • Tina Blondek
    Tina Blondek Member Posts: 1,500 Member
    #7
    Donna70 said:

    on Levaquin
    Hi,
    Had to wait for liquid Levaquin to come in and just started it yesterday. Thanks for everyone's input. I am going to be aggressive because I noticed looking up bronchiectasis, that if it gets out of hand you wind up on O2. I don't know how long I have had it but have had more coughing and shortness of breath for the last month and a half. So I am taking my hubby to back up what is happening with the coughing and vomiting. Thanks again, Tina, I am so sorry about your Dad, it just doesnt seem fair at all. take care, prayers always,
    Donna70

    Get Better Soon
    Hi Donna,
    Sorry to hear you are still having that horrible cough and vomiting. But, at least you know it is phneumonia, and not from the surgery. Yes, get on it right now. Take the antibiotics, and if need be admitted to the hospital. Be agressive, be be agressive! That is a cheer I heard sometime ago! Love and hugs. Let us know how you are doing.
    Tina
  • NGC1514
    NGC1514 Member Posts: 46 Member
    #8
    Pleural effusions
    I had both pneumonia and pleural effusions after surgery. The pneumonia came about 3 months post-op and, or so the doctor told me, fairly common after major thoracic surgery. Spent 3 days in the hospital and haven't had any trouble with pneumonia since.

    Pleural effusions were a different matter. Early x-rays after surgery showed small effusions beneath both lungs. They remained stable for the next year until the left effusion suddenly growing larger. The pulmonologist drained 2 liters of fluid from the left hemithorax and found me in atrial flutter. Transported to the hospital. The flutter resumed normal heart rate by itself, but the effusion was filling again. The suspicion was, of course, a malignant devil brew in the chest.

    Decision was made to drain the effusion, go in with a scope to scan the chest wall for tumors and perform a talc pleurodesis to "glue" the lung to the chest wall. We were still not sure if the fluid was malignant or not.

    It wasn't. The chest wall was clear, the talc procedure stopped the formation of more fluid and I've been doing well since that July, 2002.

    My best to you,

    Eric in Atlanta
  • Donna70
    Donna70 Member Posts: 852 Member
    #9
    NGC1514 said:

    Pleural effusions
    I had both pneumonia and pleural effusions after surgery. The pneumonia came about 3 months post-op and, or so the doctor told me, fairly common after major thoracic surgery. Spent 3 days in the hospital and haven't had any trouble with pneumonia since.

    Pleural effusions were a different matter. Early x-rays after surgery showed small effusions beneath both lungs. They remained stable for the next year until the left effusion suddenly growing larger. The pulmonologist drained 2 liters of fluid from the left hemithorax and found me in atrial flutter. Transported to the hospital. The flutter resumed normal heart rate by itself, but the effusion was filling again. The suspicion was, of course, a malignant devil brew in the chest.

    Decision was made to drain the effusion, go in with a scope to scan the chest wall for tumors and perform a talc pleurodesis to "glue" the lung to the chest wall. We were still not sure if the fluid was malignant or not.

    It wasn't. The chest wall was clear, the talc procedure stopped the formation of more fluid and I've been doing well since that July, 2002.

    My best to you,

    Eric in Atlanta

    thanks Eric
    Hi Eric,
    Just a thank you for your info, now my onc has recommended I see the lung dr and the trouble is finding one with an opening sooner than June. Thanks for your info and also your story of hope. We all need to read the good stories so much to keep fighting. take care, prayers always,
    Donna70
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #10
    Donna70 said:

    thanks Eric
    Hi Eric,
    Just a thank you for your info, now my onc has recommended I see the lung dr and the trouble is finding one with an opening sooner than June. Thanks for your info and also your story of hope. We all need to read the good stories so much to keep fighting. take care, prayers always,
    Donna70

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Donna70
    Donna70 Member Posts: 852 Member
    #11
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    the drs are working on it
    Hi Bill,
    The drs are working on getting me an appt right now. So don't worry, I am asking God for special help so I get seen soon. Never figured there were so few pulmonologists at the hospital where all my records are and the ones that are, are super busy. I will give you an update after I get something done. thanks again, prayers always
    Donna70
  • K_ann1015
    K_ann1015 Member Posts: 500
    #12
    Donna70 said:

    the drs are working on it
    Hi Bill,
    The drs are working on getting me an appt right now. So don't worry, I am asking God for special help so I get seen soon. Never figured there were so few pulmonologists at the hospital where all my records are and the ones that are, are super busy. I will give you an update after I get something done. thanks again, prayers always
    Donna70

    a specific prayer for you
    hang in there Donna---you are in my prayers---I will say an extra for a GOOD dr to have a cancellation right when you are available!!!! how's that for being specific????
    Kim
  • Donna70
    Donna70 Member Posts: 852 Member
    #13
    K_ann1015 said:

    a specific prayer for you
    hang in there Donna---you are in my prayers---I will say an extra for a GOOD dr to have a cancellation right when you are available!!!! how's that for being specific????
    Kim

    thanks Kim
    I believe in prayer so much, I was desperate Monday night and that is when my onc called and got me an inhaler which I think is helping somewhat. So thanks for specific prayers. I have a funny story about the power of prayer. Someone in our family has been living with a not nice person so we her family said we would all say prayers for God to help, and the police picked him up the next day and he has been in jail ever since!!!! LOL!! that is what I call the power of prayer!!! take care, prayers always,
    Donna70
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #14
    Donna70 said:

    thanks Kim
    I believe in prayer so much, I was desperate Monday night and that is when my onc called and got me an inhaler which I think is helping somewhat. So thanks for specific prayers. I have a funny story about the power of prayer. Someone in our family has been living with a not nice person so we her family said we would all say prayers for God to help, and the police picked him up the next day and he has been in jail ever since!!!! LOL!! that is what I call the power of prayer!!! take care, prayers always,
    Donna70

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Xiaowang
    Xiaowang Member Posts: 17
    #15
    NGC1514 said:

    Pleural effusions
    I had both pneumonia and pleural effusions after surgery. The pneumonia came about 3 months post-op and, or so the doctor told me, fairly common after major thoracic surgery. Spent 3 days in the hospital and haven't had any trouble with pneumonia since.

    Pleural effusions were a different matter. Early x-rays after surgery showed small effusions beneath both lungs. They remained stable for the next year until the left effusion suddenly growing larger. The pulmonologist drained 2 liters of fluid from the left hemithorax and found me in atrial flutter. Transported to the hospital. The flutter resumed normal heart rate by itself, but the effusion was filling again. The suspicion was, of course, a malignant devil brew in the chest.

    Decision was made to drain the effusion, go in with a scope to scan the chest wall for tumors and perform a talc pleurodesis to "glue" the lung to the chest wall. We were still not sure if the fluid was malignant or not.

    It wasn't. The chest wall was clear, the talc procedure stopped the formation of more fluid and I've been doing well since that July, 2002.

    My best to you,

    Eric in Atlanta

    Do you have a kras mutation

    Hi, Eric,

     

    how are you?

    i woulike like to know if you have a kras mutation? I am new here and try to find some good story about kras mutation . That is my problem . Thank you.

    Xiaowang

  • ShaSha101
    ShaSha101 Member Posts: 1 Member
    #16
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/820938#Comment_820938

    So glad you’re feeling much better. I’m 2yrs post mastectomy and developed shortness of breath, sudden weight loss and aching bones. I had a CT scan and they found my right lung was surrounded by fluid which explained the SOB. It was a pleural effusion most likely malignant and 2.5litres of fluid was drained. My lung didn’t inflate fully so was not able to have the “glue” procedure. So next time it’ll be a permanent drain. Still haven’t had the meeting with the specialist as they are yet to have their MDM. Fingers and toes crossed all will be well…

  • Pathfinder41
    Pathfinder41 Member Posts: 2 *
    #17

    I am 2 years post esophagectomy and have had P/E off and on for the first year or so. Even though 1200 ml was removed the first,I didn’t know I had an issue.

    But if you have had the surgery,you have different issues. And lots of them!!! Lots!!

    But none,in MY case,are that bad. Just an inconvenience. Yeah.

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