Donnajcooking Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Hi there, I am a 49 year old healthy female. A week ago I started having excruciating pleurisy pain. Couldn’t take a deep breath for hours at a time. Fast forward to today with CT results. I have a 6mm nodule in right upper lobe, a tiny “tag” near the same place and a 2cm-ish area of “likely consolidation not mass” in left lower lobe. They want to re-scan in 6 months. Is this reasonable? I am more concerned about the consolidation since I have not been sick. They said it’s either fluid, blood, or something solid. They seem unconcerned but WHY do I have consolidation there? Not a normal finding. Anyway, sorry for the rant. Waiting is the worst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Donna, Waiting indeed sucks! There is just no other word to describe the crawling diagnostic dance those with lung nodules undergo. First, Google Cleveland Clinic Pulmonary Nodules. I’d link the site but it is way too hard to do on a phone. That source will explain there are many reasons nodules form. And some nodules defy reason. Sadly, some are lung cancer. I wish I could accelerate time. I wish I could win the lottery. I have a far better chance of doing the latter. Many come here with nodules and they resolve to nothing to be concerned about. I truly hope you are one of these. Stay the course. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgetO Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Yep, waiting is a drag! I had 3 months waiting and rescan. I wonder if or how your consolidation is related to your pleurisy or whatever is causing your pleurisy. Have you seen a pulmonologist, or has your care so far been by your primary doctor? If you haven't seen a pulmonologist, I suggest seeing one. He or she should be able to understand what's going on and the recommendation to wait and rescan. Bridget O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexieCat Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Hi, and welcome. I agree with Bridget--pulmonologists are the best docs for figuring out what's going on with lung issues. The nodule is likely nothing to worry about. Most are harmless and yours is so small that even if it grows between now and the next scan, it will still be manageable in terms of treatment. I have no idea what a "consolidation" might be, but apparently the doctors don't consider it an alarming enough finding to do anything but wait and re-check in a few months. I agree that it's hard to wait, but it is a reasonable course of action in these situations. Hang in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnajcooking Posted October 17, 2018 Author Share Posted October 17, 2018 Thank you all! So 6 months seems reasonable? I did ask for a referral to pulmonologist. My GP emailed me that she was too busy to answer my questions in person. So do far I’ve read the CT reports and two messages from my GP but have not TALKED to an actual live person. Frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgetO Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 I'd keep pushing for the pulmonologist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIndy0121 Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Did they treat the “fluid” as potential infection to see if that clears it up at all? Seems like that would be a start at eliminating the possibilities? When the lung linings are inflamed and rub together, it causes more pain than one would imagine it would. How was the pleurisy diagnosed and was it being treated? But that irritation could be infection that had fluid show up in a lobe. Talk to a human person face-to-face, preferably a pulmonologist. He or she may want to do some lung function tests while you are “waiting”. 6 months may be completely reasonable for the 6 mm nodule, and one course of antibiotics and a chest X-ray might answer or provide more information about the consolidation question sooner. Be proactive. Cindy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielleJW Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Hi Donna, Im currently doing the nodule wait and see dance... had nodules found incidentally 3 months ago .. largest 8mm and some thickening of a fissure. Anyhow they recommended I wait 3-6 months then rescan so they can compare the 2 scans and see if there is any change. They don’t start anything invasive unless they can see there is reason to possibly do so. I opted for the 3 month wait and had my rescan today and now have to wait for results ... it’s anxiety provoking to say the least but hey it’s better to know and be having them checked so if anything changes you can start treatment pronto. Hold tight you are not alone. D x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexieCat Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Once more I agree with Bridget (I generally do). If you're not already seeing a Pulmonologist, I'd make an appointment with one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnajcooking Posted October 17, 2018 Author Share Posted October 17, 2018 18 hours ago, BridgetO said: Yep, waiting is a drag! I had 3 months waiting and rescan. I wonder if or how your consolidation is related to your pleurisy or whatever is causing your pleurisy. Have you seen a pulmonologist, or has your care so far been by your primary doctor? If you haven't seen a pulmonologist, I suggest seeing one. He or she should be able to understand what's going on and the recommendation to wait and rescan. Bridget O I have a referral to a pulmonologist so waiting on that. Yes... this seems logical to me that I had an infection as I went to the doctor with pleurisy, extreme fatigue and she found a high white count. I guess maybe because I was just tired and not coughing or feverish she thought it was not infection but since then both the fatigue and pleurisy have resolved. Hopefully the consolidation will too. the dreaded Dr Google has me nervous though as it says sometimes tumors can look like consolidation on CT and the report says that it’s “ likely” consolidation and not tumor. hopefully the pulmonologist will answer some of my questions, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnajcooking Posted October 17, 2018 Author Share Posted October 17, 2018 5 hours ago, CIndy0121 said: Did they treat the “fluid” as potential infection to see if that clears it up at all? Seems like that would be a start at eliminating the possibilities? When the lung linings are inflamed and rub together, it causes more pain than one would imagine it would. How was the pleurisy diagnosed and was it being treated? But that irritation could be infection that had fluid show up in a lobe. Talk to a human person face-to-face, preferably a pulmonologist. He or she may want to do some lung function tests while you are “waiting”. 6 months may be completely reasonable for the 6 mm nodule, and one course of antibiotics and a chest X-ray might answer or provide more information about the consolidation question sooner. Be proactive. Cindy I SO agree but my Dr is lame. I went to her with extreme fatigue, pleurisy, and CBC showed high white count. I too am wondering why she didn’t put me on antibiotics. Waiting for appt with pulmonologist hopefully he will help. I need a new GP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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