New here with a question...

benni · Regular Joined: 08 Aug 2005 Posts: 10

About 2 months ago my hematologist ordered a CT scan to rule out a pulmonary embolism. I had been getting dizzy to the point of almost passing out and my blood pressure kept dropping (78/52, 80/48, etc.). Even though I had had no signs of a pulmonary embolism, they ordered the CT scan anyway. During this scan they found a nodule 5 mm in size on my right lung and an enlarged hilar lymph node on my left lung (2.5cm). They felt it was possibly infection due to the fact that I've been coughing since November of 2004. The nodule also appeared to be fluid filled. When compared with a previous CT scan (not sure when it was done but I know it was not longer than a year previously) they noticed the nodule had been there at that time but measured only 2mm in size then. They gave me a round of antibiotics to take (for 10 days) and it was 2 weeks before I went back to the doctor. At that time the doctor was concerned that I was still getting dizzy (they had written the dizziness off to an inner ear infection and that was what the antibiotics were for). He then put me on more antibiotics to take over the course of the next month. I went back to my hematologist last week (in a previous visit he said it was unlikely lung cancer and said not to worry about it). However, last week he informed me that lung cancer had not been ruled out and that since I was still coughing after all this time and still getting dizzy that he wants another CT scan done to check on the nodule to determine whether it has grown. He said if it has grown then it is definitely lung cancer and we will need to determine what needs to be done after the CT scan. My next CT scan is scheduled for this Friday. I am 39 years old and have smoked for over 20 years. I currently still smoke about 1 pack to a 1 and 1/2 packs daily. I have a history of pulmonary embolisms in my early 20s and have a vena cava filter in place, also have a history of dvts in my left leg and recently had 3 stints put in my iliac because that vein was totally blocked from all the old clots. Oh, I did remind my hematologist that the nodule had grown between the two previous ct scans and he said that is what is red flagging it for him. However, he also stated the only reason why he thinks it might be cancer is due to my smoking history. Based on the information given, what is the likelihood of it being cancer? I've researched so many websites over the past week that I think I could recognize lung cancer now if I went to an ER and looked at images of someone else's x-ray. Shocked

This is really scaring me as I have 3 children (a 19 year old, 4 year old, and an 18 month old). I do want to watch them grow up. I'm also currently trying to quit smoking for them and doing it by the cutting down method.

I can't talk with my husband about any of this as he doesn't think it's lung cancer and refuses to talk about it, in fact just ignores it. Right now I just need to talk all of this through, look at stats, etc. just to get me through this week. Irony of ironies, I am a graduate student going for my MSW and tomorrow I go into a cancer center to discuss my internship for this year with them. Sounds fated huh?

Thanks in advance.

Brenda

debbieNY · Regular Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 16

Hi Brenda,
Probably to early to tell. That's a pretty small nodule yet. That's whats great about early detection!!!!! Keep up with the ct scans. It sounds like your dr is right on top of things. Let me know what happens with your scan on friday and when you get the results. And most of all GOOD LUCK!!!
DebbieNY

benni · Regular Joined: 08 Aug 2005 Posts: 10

[quote="debbieNY"]Hi Brenda,
Probably to early to tell. That's a pretty small nodule yet. That's whats great about early detection!!!!! Keep up with the ct scans. It sounds like your dr is right on top of things. Let me know what happens with your scan on friday and when you get the results. And most of all GOOD LUCK!!!
DebbieNY[/quote]

Thanks for your reply Debbie. I really appreciate it. My docs are normally really great with me due to my clotting condition. (Been getting DVTs since I was 17.) This morning I noticed for the first time that I am starting to cough up some blood. Normally for me this would mean a probable new pulmonary embolism, but now with this nodule I'm not sure what to make of it. I haven't kept an eye on whether I've been coughing up blood recently but for some reason I looked this morning. However, this could also just mean my blood is too thin and with all the coughing I've been doing, I've irritated my lungs and thus the "blood". I've got a call into my doctor though and am waiting for him to call back and tell me what he wants me to do. And again, thank you for your reply and for wishing me good luck. It means a lot.

Brenda

benni · Regular Joined: 08 Aug 2005 Posts: 10

Well I had my ct scan done today, but don't have the results back yet. The tech that did the scan would only say that the nodule is still there but wouldn't tell me whether it had grown or not. Called my hemotologist as ordered, but his nurse said it might not be until Monday until he calls me back. *Sigh* I don't think I can go through this wait for a whole weekend.

tobie · Regular Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 22

Hi Brenda,
As a former smoker who has quit many times, I hope you succeed in quitting by cutting down. That never worked for me. I could never give up the last few cigarettes and before I knew it, I'd be back to a pack a day. I finally quit for good about 8 years ago and I'm sure glad that I did. I am currently trying to help my mom deal with recently diagnosed lung cancer stage 3B. I have 3 brothers who still smoke and I wish that they would quit. I've asked them point blank if they want to put their children through what we're dealing with right now. Of course they don't but it is too stressful to quit now. Think of your kids and throw the cigarettes away. Even if you don't have lung cancer right now, you seem to have enough other health issues that should propmt you to quit. I hope everything works out well for you.

debbieNY · Regular Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 16

Hi Brenda!!!
I hope it is all GOOD NEWS. Keep us posted
Good Luck
DebbieNY

benni · Regular Joined: 08 Aug 2005 Posts: 10

Hi Tobie,

I'm sorry to hear about your mom. I'll keep her in my prayers and in my thoughts. And congrats on quitting smoking!! I quit about 4 years ago and only recently started back up about a year ago. I was going through a lot of stress a year ago, and unfortunately fell back to one of my oldest coping mechanisms. (Lighting up.) The way I quit 4 years ago was through cutting down with the help of Zyban. I'm trying that this time as well. The only thing is the first prescription was generic and it just didn't seem to work the way the name brand did. I am going back to the name brand stuff, more expensive, but worth it in the long run. I've heard from doctors for years that I needed to quit due to my clotting disorder, but never really wanted to quit. I know this sounds stupid but I felt like it was a connection to my mom who died when I was 7. She smoked up until her death and I don't remember a lot about my mom except for her lighting up a cigarette and taking a long drag.

Quitting cold turkey never worked for me. I've tried so many times and always ended up running out to get a pack of cigarettes 3 hours later. Confused

I do know the Zyban works so that's the route I gotta go. I have to go with what I know does work for me.

I hope things become less stressful for you and that your mom does well with the treatments and that your brothers are finally able to give up the smokes too. God bless you and yours tobie.

Brenda

benni · Regular Joined: 08 Aug 2005 Posts: 10

Hi Debbie! Thanks again. I'm hoping it's good news too. The one thing I forgot to mention in my above post is that as I was leaving the ct tech said to me, "We'll see you the next time." Not a "hope you don't have to come back anymore" nor a "if you have to come back we'll see you", but a "We'll see you the next time." To me that speaks of a certainty that there will be a next time. Crying or Very sad

So that can mean one of two things, 1) the nodule has remained the same size and they will just have to keep an eye on it or 2) the nodule has grown. I much prefer option number 1, but am fearful it's option number 2. Monday can't get here fast enough! But thanks again. I'll post an update on Monday.

Brenda

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