Flyman35 Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Tom has not been doing well the last 5 days or so and it is just getting worse. First his BP dropped again and then the cough came back big time. He is breathing very hard all day like he just ran a 5K. He also just told me this morning that his vision keeps going blurry and he is dizzy all the time. He went to the Onc's office this morning and was there for an hour. While he was there they drew blood on him and his O2 sats are at 90. They told him they did not know what was wrong with him and that he needed to either go to the ER or see his primary. So Tom being Tom he called the primary and they saw him at 2 p.m. this afternoon. They tell him what we all knew already, "Tom, you do have a chronic lung disease. There is really nothing we can do for you." BS,BS,BS!!! So they give him an inhaler to try and some more Tussionex. No tests, no scans, no x-rays. Just, "Here take this and maybe you will feel better." BS,BS,BS!!! He has fought so hard to beat the cancer that I will be DAMNED if I am going to lose him to COPD or something of the like!!! Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patti B Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Denise- GGGGGGGRRRRRR!!!! I know exactly how you feel. Everything lately with my doc is "its a side effect of long term chemo". Well, we know how full of sh@t he was with the blood clot thing, huh!!! Do you think Tom would go to the ER??? At least there, they will run a million tests. I am thinking of you, girlfriend. Go give them hell!!! Hugs - Patti B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 has he ever had a pleural effusion done?? fluid develops around the lungs as an effect of the treatment and a drain is done to release fluid and it generally feels better! Just a thought besides the usual crap that everyone tells Ya!! Prayers and thoughts always RANDY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 You go Denise! I agree with Patti. Get him to go to ER. Don't even tell them you have talked to the onc. Hopefully once in there they will do a bunch of tests. And Randy also has a good thougth re fluid build up. That can cause major coughing for sure and needs to be drained if that is the cause. So tell him he HAS to go. I agree, he hasn't fought this hard to stop following up on things now. Please keep us posted. Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shellit74 Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Good Lord.. the guy could have a PE (clot in the lung)! What the heck! Weird too that the ONC would send him someplace else... when Dad got sick, his Onc said.. I AM YOUR DOC NOW... for everything! You need to take him to the ER, STAT!!! At pulse ox of 90 is unexceptable!!! I hope that he gets the proper care he deserves!!! Sorry you have to go though all of this Denise! Shelli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyman35 Posted October 7, 2008 Author Share Posted October 7, 2008 Thanks guys. Tom neglected to tell me that the Onc gave him another order for a chest x-ray. He does not believe Tom when he told him he had it done last week. The Onc did not get a copy and I guess they could not pull it up in the system. So tomorrow morning he will go for another x-ray. The cough syrup they gave him is Tussionex Pennkinetic ER and the inhaler is Symbicort 160-4.5/budesonide/formoterol combo. We will see what that does for him. How do you diagnose a pleural effusion? Can you tell from an x-ray if the fluid is there? Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Hi Denise. I do not think that an x-ray can properly diagnose a pleural effusion, it just looks cloudy. I had a few x-rays done with no great anxiousness. Then finally a CT and pleural effusion which got looked after real fast. Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Can you tell from an x-ray if the fluid is there? It depends on how much fluid is present. If there's a lot, it can completely obliterate the view of everything else in that location. My first x-ray looked much like the second photo in this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleural_effusion except my effusion was on the right side and part of my right upper lobe was visible above the fluid. A CT scan provides view slices in three dimensions, so the structures are visible in addition to the fluid. Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shineladysue Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Denise, My first thought was pneumonitis . The SOB, the cough and the fact that he had radiation not that long ago made me think of that. That being the case, it would show on CT scan and there is only one med for it... Prednisone in high dose. Sure hope he gets the help he needs soon . Hugs, Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyman35 Posted October 7, 2008 Author Share Posted October 7, 2008 Sue Tom was given prednisone for 2 weeks after radiation and when he finished that the cough came back. He then took it for 2 more weeks and he was fime when he was on it but now the cough is back again along with the other stuff. It was the radiologist that put him on it but he has not called her back regarding this. He also DID NOT go for his chest x-ray today!! He said he will go tomorrow. He did not drag himself out of bed today until after 8:30 a.m. and normally he is at Grammy D's having breakfast by 6:30 a.m. He is just feeling to weak. He did manage to get it together and go to work though. Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeye Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Denise, I am so sorry! I thought "pleural effusion" too. Good luck I hope he feels better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Denise; I think it might be pneumonitis too. It can come and go. I have had it for over a year. maybe Tom should see a pulmonlogist. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dscherer Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Denise, I am so sorry to hear Tom is going through all this crud! I hope you find an answer soon adn Tom is back to his old self. My thoughts are with you, Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyman35 Posted October 10, 2008 Author Share Posted October 10, 2008 Still no ER for Tom. He has been on his new meds for 2 days now and he said today has been WAY better than the last week. He sounds better too. The breathing is not so labored. He slept real good last night too. So maybe we are on to something. Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Denise, Soooooo glad to hear Tom is feeling better. For future reference, my pleural effusion was dx'd with a good doctor with a stethoscope (sp?) and confirmed with a chest x-ray. Judy in Key West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyman35 Posted October 10, 2008 Author Share Posted October 10, 2008 Yeah. Come to think of it they did not call today regarding the X-ray yesterday. Maybe that is good news or maybe they lost this one too. Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Hi Denise. I am glad to hear that Tom is feeling better. However (and I don't mean to sound like a broken record) but I am still very worried about liquid on his lungs. I too was given an inhaler to help and it did...but only very short term. The source of the problem was still there. I am hoping this isn't the case for him but please keep it in mind over the weekend. Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caren Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 I'm glad to hear that Tom is starting to feel better! I hope they call with the results of the x-ray soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyn Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Glad to hear Tom is doing better!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shineladysue Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 Glad to hear that Tom is better. Sure hope he continues to improve. Hugs, Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb73 Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Hi Denise, I just caught sight of your posting this morning. We have been caught up in plumbing problems around here. What I wanted to say is thankfully Tom is feeling better. That is really good news. Sunday morning at about 2 a.m., Bill began coughing (seemingly, out of the blue) and I found him in the bathroom coughing up blood. I told him we were going to the ER. He put up resistance, but blood is blood and it sunk in that it was not a good sign. After CT scans and X-ray, the ER doctor said that Bill had no blood clots, nothing outstanding BUT did have a lot of scar tissue. She prescribed antibiotics, Tessalon Pearls [Pharmacy gave a substitute - Benzonatate. The doctor had not checked off "no substitutions," but these are OK.] and an inhaler. Last night, when he went to bed, we propped up two pillows with a support (It's like a beach prop to lean against) in back to keep pillows in place. He slept the entire night without one cough. I don't think he can sleep in a flat position. He needs to be more upright. He coughed some more this morning, with blood, but took the cough pill - so far, so good. Sorry to relate all of this personal detail, Denise, but I thought Tom and Bill might be having similar reactions to lung problems. This was the first time Bill has coughed so intensely in 4 years. Four years ago, he had pneumonitis and also had the coughing with some blood. Hope both Bill and Tom find an improvement. Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyman35 Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 Well guys. Tom got worse again over the weekend. The new meds do not seem to be working during the day. They only seem to help him sleep at night. He is exhausted and has a gray pallor to his skin. I called the pulmonologist and we see him today at 4 p.m. I will post later as to what the pulm says. Barb - I hope that Bill also gets some relief soon. Thanks Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb73 Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Thank you, Denise. I hope so, as well. Love, Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 With a gray pallor, I would be concerned about oxygen saturation. Do you have any way to test for that at home (I know some people on the board do, I don't)? Also, when my father had a gray tone, he was having heart issues - my dad doesn't haven't LC, though, only needed bypass surgery. (Ha! "only") Maybe you should start pushing the ER idea - if needed, they'll take him for tests and x-rays from there, he doesn't even have to get dressed! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Barb and Denise, Much positive energy sent your way. I'm hoping both your men are feeling better very soon. Judy in Key West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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