Hi,
I am looking for some help / advice once again.
My mum has been breathless on and off (mostly when walking) since before April this year. She had a chest x-ray in April which was clear, had another x-ray last month which showed a small amount of fluid at the bottom of the lung. She now has to go for a CT scan on 12 August and see the Oncologist on 15th. She is worried it is lung cancer.
She mentioned the breathlessness at a routine breast clinic appointment. The nurse who rang her with the result told her that both the radiologist and oncologist have looked at the x-ray and don’t think it is anything. So if they really did think there is a chance it could be cancer would they have told her that? Why is she not having treatment now to remove the fluid? My Mum is so worried. She is anaemic and has had urine infections and possible kidney stones this year so i dont know if that is connected to the fluid and they said to her it could be due to an infection.
She had a lumpectomy in September 2009, chemo, rads and a year of Herceptin.
Sorry if this is a rambled message but is there anyone who in a similar position? Is it normal to wait over 2 weeks for a CT scan? Thanks
It must be a really worrying time for you and your Mum, have you thought about speaking to her GP or trying to contact the nurse who spoke to your Mum re her appointment, either may be able to give your some further information or possibly reassurance
Hope all goes well for you both
cb1
Hi
I’m not sure this will help, but I finished my rads in March. One of the more long term possible risks I was told about was if rads were on the left side like mine it is possible there may be damage to your lung which can if you are affected lead to breathlessness/dry cough.
The good thing here is your mum’s team are not too worried even though your mum & you are. 2 weeks will seem like a very long time just as waiting for results can be.
Would it be possible for you to contact BCN & say your mum could take a cancellation if 1 comes up before her scheduled scan?
I wish your mum well & hope scan can allay her fears.
Take care
Lynne
hi london am sorry you are going through this worry, yes it is normal to wait 2 weeks for a scan, the fact that your moms x rays were clear is good they prob just want a ct to be really clear on the breathlessness but the fluid can cause that, of course you will worry but just wait and see and i really hope everything comes out good xxx
hi,
must be very worrying for you all. but I do not think they would keep things from you. If they say the xray does not show anything then I would take reassurance from that. Doctors nowadays do come clean.
I am not a medic, but I believe that infections, especially urine infections can cause breathlessness and fluid on the lung, as can a weak heart. so I would think they are trying to get to the bottom of it. And they cannot treat the fluid till they know what it is.
It is only natural once you have had cancer to worry that new symptoms are a sign of reoccurance but as we get older our bodies let us down in other ways too.
I would think that her GP would be the best person to talk to. He can pull all her recent medical conditions together and tell you the significance of the fluid and what they are hoping to find from the CT scan.
Again, this is pure conjecture putting together the little medical knowledge I have. But I hope your doctor can reassure you that her breathlessness is not a sign of lung cancer.
Hi London, sorry to hear that your mum and yourself are in this rotten position of uncertainty and hope that all is made clear soon and the anxiety is unfounded. Please don’t really read anything into this in relation to your mum but I can tell you what I have experienced.
I had wle + radio in 2006 and am on 5th year of arimidex.
Been feeling not quite right probably most of this year, went back to gp a month ago and he wanted to run general tests. ECG done and found to be a little abnormal.Found myself in a&e that day! Heart lungs etc checked -found to have fluid on lung- what referred to as plural effusion,also pheumonia.Had chest xray and a ct scan within a few days since was an in patient I was told if out patient it could well be a few weeks before CT could be done.Was told both appeared clear apart from pheumonia and fluid.Old and lumpy is right, it can be caused by heart problems,bacterial infections as well as we know what and to be certain they have to test the fluid,which is drawn off to be checked.That is the only way to be certain. Because of my bc history,I asked and was told that fluid will be checked also with a view to breast cancer cells.That was done a month ago and I have as yet no feedback on result but have also since then(but before fluid was analized) had an appointment made for breast mammo and ct scan.
sorry london ran out of space. what I wanted to say really is your mums could well be infection but they WILL want to check it out to be sure it nothing more.Hopefully by the time ct is done on chest her problem will be over anyway-and you can all relax again.
Thanks so much for your replies. My mum went to the GP this morning as she was breathless on going up the stairs at home. Just spoke to her and the GP read the report to my mum. The fluid is next to the lung. The GP mention pleural effusion and could be infection but that they are looking for cancer. She asked about getting an earlier CT scan and luckily when she rang the dept they offered her a slot this afternoon. My mum is convinced she has caner. The fluid is next to the lung - i just hope it is not cancer.
Thanks again to those who replied. My mum was told over the phone that her CT scan was clear apart from a hiatus hernia! When she questioned the fluid they basically said they don’t know whats causing it, but to be sure shouldnt they test the fluid? Anyone know? Thank you