bikergirl Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Hi all! Haven't been writing in here too much lately. I just haven't been feeling well and took a couple of days off from work and rested . Feel better now, except for this awful cough again. My Onc says it is fluid that is locked and sent me to my Lung doctor, now I have to see a surgeon. They are talking about some kind of Lap surgery where they go in and clean up the lung and I guess get rid of the fluid. Has anyone had anything like this done before. I am really scared to death especially since I have been on Avastin since Oct 2007. It has kept me pretty stable and now I will have to stop taking it if I have this surgery. Any guidance or information would sure be appreciated right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 I don't know if this is the same, but I had fluid on my lung after my last heart surgery this last Dec and they went in and taped my lung to get the fluid out. It's pretty common for us lung cancer patients to get fluid on the lungs or lung and it's common for them to tape the lung to remove it. Not a fun proceedure but very doable non the less. It sure makes us feel better once that fluid is out of there. Keep us posted and I'm glad your feeling better. We're here if you need anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikergirl Posted May 12, 2008 Author Share Posted May 12, 2008 Thanks Connie, I also had my lung tapped for flluid when they first determined I had stage IV but this is different. The fluid is locked between the lung and the sack around the lung, it seems the lung is somehow attached now to the lining. They have to actually do surgery to cut away the lung that is attached and remove the fluid. They said I would probably be in the hospital about a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Now that I think about it, I do think someone else here had that done. Hopefully they will chime in. Your in my thoughts and prayers kiddo! Stay strong and know I'm cheering you on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikergirl Posted May 12, 2008 Author Share Posted May 12, 2008 Thanks so much Connie, I really appreciate your support and genuine concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Did you happen to Google this procedure? Sometimes that's a good thing to do, and sometimes it's not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 good luck with your surgery and recovery. I haven't seen that kind of procedure here before but I am sure it is quite necessary and that the doctors and surgeon know exactly what they are doing. Take care Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welthy Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Sounds like you have loculation and this is some type of procedure to release the tissues. I know both Ned and my husband had loculation, but have never heard of a procedure to fix it. Very interesting and I hope it works out well for you. This obviously goes beyond a simple thoracentesis. Best wishes for success! Welthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Hi, bikergirl, if you have the actual name of the procedure that's planned, it would be easier to determine what is involved. Your condition sounds something like mine when I went in for exploratory surgery in late August 2006 -- see my profile below. My surgery was initially planned as a thoracoscopy, a scope procedure through a small incision in the side, to drain fluid and get a biopsy to confirm the presence and type of cancer. When two sets of tissue samples turned out inconclusive, the surgeon decided to proceed to a thoracotomy (7-inch incision) during the same session. He then obtained samples positive for adenocarcinoma, and also found that the loculation (fluid trapped between strands of tissue in the pleural space) which had been pushing against one side of the lung had caused the other side to adhere to the chest wall. He freed the lung from the chest wall but could not get it to fully inflate because of the loculation. He drained as much fluid as possible, but did not attempt to clean out the entire loculation. Though I was told not to expect it, the loculation has slowly resolved during treatment and I now have practically full use of that lung. The only discomfort I've ever had from the surgery was from the incision area and the surface nerves reaching around to the front of my chest, never anything from the lung, chest wall, or pleura. I guess there are few pain nerves in that area, which is fine by me! Good luck with your procedure. Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikergirl Posted May 15, 2008 Author Share Posted May 15, 2008 Thanks Ned, went to see the surgeon yesterday. He described the first procedure you mentioned but he doesn't feel it would help me at this time. So we are in the usual wait and see pattern so natural to survivors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Did you get the impression that your loculation (loculated pleural effusion) is something new, or that it just hasn't been discussed much before? That should be clear from your previous scan reports if you have those. Mine was there from before diagnosis, decreased some while I was on Taxol/Carbo/Avastin, decreased some more during my 8 months on Avastin alone, and has continued to decrease on Tarceva. A small amount remained at the time of my last scan early this month. Unless your effusion is something new, maybe the surgeon's feeling is that it will improve with the Avastin which you're getting every 3 weeks, as mine did. Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikergirl Posted May 15, 2008 Author Share Posted May 15, 2008 No, it has been there since last Oct when I started my Chemo. I had a Thorecentesis and the fluid started coming back . Just as yours did the fluid dissapated when on the Chemo and now is locuated I have know all along it was there as my oncologist also has but hesitated to do anything about it. I have some pain in my lung area and a awful cough but I can handle that. I just don't think it is necessary to go through surgery and chest tubes etc at this point just to possibly make me more comfortable. The surgeon said he may not be able to do anything anyway if after he got in there and things were different then expected. So I will just stay in my holding pattern for now. Thanks Ned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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