KenHorse Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 Today is week #7 after my RLL lobectomy for Stage 1a NSCLC. As I posted previously, margins and 13 lymph nodes were clear. About 3 weeks ago, I developed a cough (sometimes productive, other times dry) but a definite feeling of a lump/scratchiness in the back of my throat when I breathe in deeply. Sometimes it's worse than other times and I've been in repeated contact with my medical team about it. They didn't seem overly concerned. This past Saturday, I mowed my lawn (which I have done the previous week as well) and I seemed more out of breath than that previous time (I was out of breath then but "not as badly"), noticed my heart rate as running around 88 (as opposed to my usual resting rate of around 60 - 70) and my lung capacity was around around 1750 (according to my incentive spirometer) instead of my usual 2000 or more. Something was off. So off to my local ER (I'm with Kaiser) and after a chest x-ray and CT scan, they determine there's a fluid build up in my right chest (If anyone really wants, I do have the x-ray and could post it 😁). So they drain it (the procedure was totally pain free by the way) and end up taking out 2 liters (yes LITERS) of milky white fluid. The surgeon who performed it called it "chyle" (no idea what that was at the time but I've obviously been researching it and now do). I'm still waiting on the final pathology report but the liquid did come back loaded with triglycerides, which seems to confirm that it is chyle. I did mention to the surgeon who performed the procedure that my capacity was 1750 ml and he seemed a little surprised. As it seemed to take a long time to build up, they sent me home and I'm to hear from my pulmonologist within the next few days. Needless to say, I am breathing much easier now and, after reading up on what a chylothorax is, I've been watching my diet and staying on a low fat diet until we see what needs to be done about this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 Well, I spent a couple of hours nosing around articles about chylothorax. While I'm acquainted with pleural effusions, I didn't know details about the fluid that causes them. My research was both interesting and ghoulish. I'd didn't know there was a connection between the lymphatic system and the blood system in such a direct manner. Let's hope your chyle problem stops pronto. Your post highlights one of the benefits of a low-fat diet. Stay the course. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgetO Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 I've heard of chyle, but I've never heard of chylothorax ! Like Tom, I went on line to see what I could learn about it. You're a rare bird, Ken Horse! I wish you all the best in getting to the bottom of this and back to normal. Keep us posted. Tom Galli 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenHorse Posted May 24 Author Share Posted May 24 Met with my pulmonologist this morning and dietician this afternoon and I'm now officially on a low fat diet for the next 3 - 6 weeks. Chest x-ray to be done on Monday. Pulmonologist also reports the CT scan and chest x-ray I had show nothing new with my lungs Pathology report came back on the chyle removed from my chest - "negative on malignancy" Hoping for continued good news Tom Galli 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 Ken, Negative for malignancy is the best of good news! Stay the course. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgetO Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Yep, great news! Now hoping for that chyle to get back where it belongs. Tom Galli 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenHorse Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 I've been on a low fat diet for a week now (< 20g of fat - actually been averaging around 12g to 14g) and hoping for good results with my chest x-ray on Tuesday. Would be nice not to have to use surgery to correct it! Tom Galli 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenHorse Posted Monday at 08:59 PM Author Share Posted Monday at 08:59 PM Ended up in the ER again late yesterday afternoon for the same symptoms and left them after donating another 2 liters of chyle. This time, we were in the ER for damn near 12 hours and got home around 4 AM. That makes 2000 ml in 8 days or 250 ml per day, still well within the guidelines of what is considered a "low output". Anyway, they want me to move forward with the x ray tomorrow to assist with determination of the flow and I plan on telling my pulmonologist that it seems to me we need to establish a schedule of draining things every 5 to 6 days until this is brought under control (and to avoid the fun of the ER experience) In the meantime, I'm continuing my very low fat diet BridgetO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted Monday at 09:10 PM Share Posted Monday at 09:10 PM KenHorse, When it rains it pours buckets, especially in Oregon! A scheduled chyle drain is a good approach. Stay the course. Tom BridgetO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgetO Posted Tuesday at 01:40 AM Share Posted Tuesday at 01:40 AM Tom, It doesn't usually rain buckets of chyle, though! Ken, this sounds like a big drag! Do they know why this chyle is leaking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenHorse Posted Tuesday at 01:47 AM Author Share Posted Tuesday at 01:47 AM The assumption, which really hasn't been made "crystal clear" (if you know what I mean) is trauma from my surgery. Think I'll ask for concrete explaination. By the way, Sunnyside Kaiser is no longer my favorite ER 🤣 Tom Galli 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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