mama4zach Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 Hello Everyone, Just an Update, I had the bronchoscopy and the needle biopsy and both were negative. When breathing got worse my doctor referred me Johns Hopkins. The dr. there is doing a mediastinoscopy to see what my problem is. I am scared because of all the researce I have done I have never seen anyone post this test. I had a ct scan that showed nodules with an enlarged lymph gland. So I don't know what I am dealing with, but I know I feel sick and I just feel hopeless. Please pray for me, I am 50 and am raising my 2 1/2 year old grandson. Thanks for listening. Nancy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appleton Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 Nancy, Can`t answer your question, but I am wishing you the very best. Let us know how how things go. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginnyde Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 Nancy, Most people have that test prior to surgery to check for lymph node involvement. It is not a particularly invasive procedure if I remember correctly. Just a small incision. Wish you good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindi o'h Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 Hi Nancy. It is a piece of cake. Don't hurt a bit. They do it under general anesthesia and it is a tiny incision at the collar bone area. I had absolutely no pain after mine. You will be just fine, dear. Cindi o'h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 Ditto what Cindi said My mom had one. As Ginny said it tests the lymph nodes prior to surgery and is used to determine staging. Let us know how it goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 Mediastinoscopies are done to check the lymph nodes in the center of the chest...between the lungs....if there are enlarged nodes. I had mine done at around 6:30 one evening and was home by about 10: if I remember right. Had a bandage over the incision and it looked pretty red and raw...but I only took one of the pain pills they sent me home with, that first night...just to assure I'd sleep okay. It really wasn't bad at all. Now...often people have benign nodules in the lungs. I've got one...and I know others here do too. And, there could be other reasons for why a lymph node in the mediastinum is enlarged, other than it being cancer. So...try to relax until you get the biopsy results....and then take it from there. The prospect of lung cancer strikes terror in the heart....but take it from one who is 8 mos. out from diagnosis and thru treatment....it's not necessarily as scary as it seems up front! And it IS doable to get thru this and survive it! I'm hoping the biopsy comes back clean or shows another reason for the swollen lymph node. Try not to worry until you know just what you're dealing with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggiesmom Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 Nancy, I had this test done. It is not a hard test to go thru; as i recall i went in at 7 in the am and was home by about 7 or 8 that night. You have a small scar in the middle of your collar bone area, but it's barely noticeable. I'll pray for you. Try not to worry. Joanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 Nancy, An added thought--find out if they plan on removing the tumor if cancer is found at the time of the mediastonoscopy. This way you will know that you may be in the hospital and can make arrangements for your grandson. For my mom they did a mediastonoscopy instead of a bronchosopy b/c while it is more invasive than a bronchsopy, the plan was that if the lymph nodes were negative, they would continue and remove the lobe of the lung since they were already inside her chest. In her case the lymph nodes were positive, so she was closed back up and sent for chemo before surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Posted January 10, 2005 Share Posted January 10, 2005 Hi Nancy----I had one about two years ago--- I had a lobectomy in June of 2000---however, my lymph nodes seem to get enlarged. They showed up very large in one of my check up scans---so my surgeon just wanted to be sure--- I was knocked out and went in one morning and was out the next. My throat was a little sore (they make a small incision on your throat ) for a day or two---but other than that, it was not really bad at all I remember waking up from the surgery and the surgeon said it looked pretty good---Luckily he was right and there was no cancer in the nodes best of luck to you and I hope all is negative --- 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.