RandyW Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Well no growth is a good thing...hope meds work... Sent from my U671C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michellep Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Please let us know what happens on your next appt! ((hugs)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 This is what the CT scan results say so I'm not sure if this is such good news. Sorry about the attachment thing but this wouldn't allow me to cut and paste. Impression.txt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michellep Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 I'm not familiar with medical terminology but I'm sure someone will follow who can help you understand this. My thoughts are with you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 Thanks Michelle. How are you doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted August 13, 2015 Author Share Posted August 13, 2015 Multiple new dense patchy areas of opacification are noted in the leftupper lung field, potentially malignant, inflammatory, or infectiousrelated. There, again, is a pleura-based, irregular mass in the rightposterior apex, measuring minimally smaller. That was on the final report of her July 2015 chest CT. I'm not sure what any of this means. She was treated with 2 weeks on a hefty antibiotic and since that treatment has occassional unproductive cough and is short of breath with any exersion. She'll be going back to the cancer center next Tuesday. The shortness of breath could be caused by whatever is going on with the lungs, her low blood pressure, or dehydration. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyA Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 BlueWolf, is there a Nurse Navigator or Social Worker that you are connected with? She or he may be able to explain these test results more clearly. I'm glad to read that her pain is gone. How are you doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted August 21, 2015 Author Share Posted August 21, 2015 I'm nervous but otherwise okay CindyA. The lung "specialist" doesn't know what it is either. He said it could be a fungal infection which they did a blood test for today. It could be blood clots in the lung (which shes first getting tested for on Monday because there is a "special test" they do to look for blood clots that wouldn't be seen in the two CT scans shes had in the last month), or it could be cancer which is the first thing her Oncologist ruled out. So.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Does she breath through her nose or mouth???? This could be factor.. Sent from my U671C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 Mouth when she gets breathless but she says normally through her nose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Can she take oxygen maybe?? Sent from my U671C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 Her O2 saturation is above 90 so no one has even offered her O2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 Hmmmmm Sent from my U671C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted August 22, 2015 Author Share Posted August 22, 2015 Whatever it is, I hope it's an easy fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 above 90 is rpetty good... My mom without LC BTW dropped to 82 one day and now she is on O2 since she breathes through her mouth. now she breathes through her nose and is above 90.... sxee if this link might have some helpful info!!! http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/what-if-i-am-diagnosed/side-effect-management/shortness-of-breath-dyspnea.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 I just had a chat with the PA at the cancer clinic and she thinks it is scar tissue due to the radiation. She feels that the prednisone and antibiotics will help it but that the scar tissue will never completely go away. We pretty much have no choice but to go through these tests on Monday and Thursday of next week and hope that the increase in prednisone helps her. If not I will have to take her to the hospital ER and see what they can do to help her. Her O2 sats were 94, no one can hear anything when they listen to her lungs (no "rails" or whatever else they hear when something is wrong), no bluish nail beds or lips....as a friend said to me its not like we have been to a foreign country or anything so there is no excuse that no one knows what this is. She has had 22 blood tests in the last week and a half because she also lost 2 points on her hemoglobin and had to get a pint of blood last week. She's had 2 chest CT scans with contrast dye and a chest x-ray as well in the past month. Thank God for Medicare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Prayers .. for both of you.... keep us posted.. Sent from my U671C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michellep Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I too will be praying for you both! I was wondering though.....does she have any swelling in her feet, ankles or calf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted August 24, 2015 Author Share Posted August 24, 2015 No swelling. They even tested her heart last week. Today's results show no blood clots in the lungs. I just hope they don't see anything new in the PET scan on Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Be aware you can sometimes get false positives on pet scans Sent from my U671C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 Well since the Oncologist ruled out cancer last month, if something does show up as being positive I will have a LONG chat with the Oncologist and make certain it really is cancer before they subject her to more chemo. Last time she got chemo things didn't work out too well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf6457 Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 PET scan will not be done because insurance wont pay for it. Now we are just going to wait for the head lung specialist to return from vacation since the guy my sister was seeing doesn't have a clue what is wrong with her. ALL of the tests have come back normal and/or negative. The Oncologists PA thinks this is scarring from the radiation. That actually seems feesable but I have no clue how this is treated or even IF it is treated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Hmmm we only had one pet scan . Will have to look into this one for ya ... Sent from my U671C using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 BlueWolf, I read your post history of your sister's treatment. On 13 August, you posted a radiologist's description of a recent CT scan and asked what the description meant. Here is a website that I've used in the past to understand my radiology impressions - http://www.radiologyassistant.nl/en/p50d95b0ab4b90/chest-x-ray-lung-disease.html I've had all kinds of unusual CT and PET scan findings. One CT reported by a radiologist in a local hospital on emergency admission scared the daylights out of the ER physician. A quick doctor-to-doctor consult with my oncologist calmed things down a lot. Radiographic interpretation is indeed difficult. The PET scan would have clarified the situation but for Medicare. Sadly, lung cancer has this unfortunate stigma of self-inducement that tamps down diagnostics and treatment that other cancer survivors normally benefit from. I wrote my congressman and senators a nasty letter about Medicare'd denial of PETs. It didn't change things, but perhaps if we all start pinging our elected officials, things might change. They did approve low dose CTs for at risk lung cancer patients. Now for some suggestions. My after scan consultations with my oncologist consisted of my oncologist reading and explaining the radiologist written report. No film was ever used. I once had an area of concern in my empty right cavity (post pneumonectomy) after a CT that the radiologist report suggested new metastatic disease. The word "opacification" was used in the radiologist interpretation. My oncologist called me before the consult and told me the opacification area was located in proximity to my incision scars - a site of chronic pain. We asked him to obtain the film for the consult. During the consult, my wife and I with the oncologist and senior scan technician looked at the film and concluded the reported area was indeed in the immediate area of my incision scars. So, sometimes asking your oncologist to obtain the actual film as an explanation vehicle is helpful. It did earn me another CT and the opacification was no longer present. Stay the course. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 thanks for the help Tom!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.