Lung Mets, could it be...

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westiesmom
westiesmom Member Posts: 62
edited June 2014 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Hello all. I don't post much but here is my delima. This past Feb 2012 while staying with my neice in PA I delveloped a bad case of Bronchitis. Took a Z-Pak. never really cleared it up. Had a chest x-ray. Pressure on chest, feeling breatless. Coughing up mucus clots, (sorry, gross I know), allthrough the summer, sometimes with blood. Saw ENT, he said use Saline Spray.  Early November, body aches fatigue, so went to the ER on a Saturday where I live in MA, actually Martha's Vineyard, ER Dr. Said why do a Chest x-Ray, if it is Pnemonia or Bronchitis Txis the same. Sent home with a Z-Pak and told to call my Dr. So I met with My Dr, Here on MV. No chest x-ray and put me on Cipro. 2 weeks later back to my Dr on MV, still no imptovement and coughing up more 'mucus plugs' with red streaks of blood. Still no chest X-ray. He said I should see A Pulmonary Dr. I have a Ferry off island to go back to NJ where I am from and had my TX. Some times when I am hacking one up, I feel it lodges in my airway and gets stuck. So with all my might, I hack as hard as I can and it comes flying out. I have saved many in ziplock bags to show my Dr. Could this mucus clots be coming from lung. Is this a symptom? I was origanally scheduled to go back to NJ before Christmas, but I just do not have the stamina. I am exhausted. Feels like I did right before I was dx with AML Leukemia, in 1981. Thoughts wou be greatly appreciated. Thank you much and Happy New Year. Sending out prayers to all.

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  • many
    many Member Posts: 254
    edited January 2013

    Normally lung mets present with dry cough but you may redo a X-ray to see what it is

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  • liv-
    liv- Member Posts: 521
    edited January 2013

    is there any pain when you cough?

    was having excruciating chest pain when coughing, was sent for chest xray, came back blood clots??

    xx

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Thank you both for your thoughts. I am seeing my Onc. first thing Friday morning. The bone down the middle of my chest, (inbetween the ribs), has been hurting, the past few days. Feels like I broke it. And I have pain from middle of my back bone up to my neck. No relief. Maybe it is just from hacking up theses so called mucus plugs. I drove back to NJ today and I dare not cough for fear it will cut off my air passge, which at times is what has happened. So I have to hack out with all my might or else. So sorry for the description. Will see what the Doctor says on Friday. I know my Dr. on island wants me to see a Pulomary Dr.

    Thank you again. Prayers to all.

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  • liv-
    liv- Member Posts: 521
    edited January 2013

    hope you get this sorted asap and get some relief.

    keep us posted.

    xx

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Will do. I see him tomorrow morning. I also have started urinating a light lime color since yesterday. Smells odd as well. I ave not eaten any asparagus either. 

    Thank you. Prayers to all.

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited January 2013

    Westiesmom, do you take Vitamin B?  It causes the light lime colored urine. 

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Hi sbelizabeth. I actually give myself B12 injections once every four weeks. I am due for one next week. I have never noticed my urine being lime green until the other day. Only a few times. Saw my Onc today. He thinks it is a Trachea thing and put me on Augmentin 500mg 2 x day. I asked about getting a PET Scan, (had one and only one, in Sept 2009), he said no. He sent me for X-ray. The tech said to me, 'we will fax the results right away to your Dr.' I found that odd. Did the Tech see something that indicated getting results to my Dr. asap. In anycase, I never heard back from him. Maybe next week. He did the usual blood work. Tumor marker, Comp Met Panel, B12, VitD etc. I showed him one of the 'mucus plugs' I had coughed up and he was like, I don't need to see them, you can throw them out. I asked him if I should see my Pulmonary Dr., like the Dr. on MV said I should do. He said no. I am thinking I will call her on Monday anyway.

    Prayers to all. 

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Well my Onc called today and said chest x ray clear. VitD is 10, take some supplements. I will call office tomorrow and have them fax me all the results. I went on to explain to him how this chest, coughing thing started last February, 2012. He called the z pak in back then. I Put up with it through the summer months, hacking up, fowl taste in mouth, back pain, feeling of fullness. Come the first week of November felt cold coming on. Chills, aches. Went to ER, gave me Z pak and told to call my Dr. No x ray. He did not want me to have the 'Exposure'. Said pnemonia or brohncitis would be sam tx. I was thinking, 'you don't want to expose me to more radiation', oh my goodness. In any case, I asked my Onc on the phone if an x ray would show any mets, cancer, he said no. I should see a Pulmonary. He just told me Friday no need to. In any case I will see pulmanry next Friday the 18th. I also was googleing about lung cancer symptoms. I have nueropathy feet and hands that started 2/ 2009, one year after my last chemo tx. Clubbing fingers, I never heard about, but I thing I have that as well. I am just so exhausted. I do hope the Pulmonary Dr. will do a PET Scan. Maybe then I will sleep better.

    Prayers to all.

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  • bevin
    bevin Member Posts: 1,902
    edited January 2013

    Hi Westie Mom- has anyone mentioned COPD or emphysemia- I believe those also can cause the same sysmptoms and the low oxygen saturation is what makes the clubbed fingers as I understand. If you've been symptomatic this long, I'd see the pulmonary too. It could be many things, asthma , COPD etc that are not cancerous but still could cause similar symptoms.  Good luck, I hope you find answers and relief from symptoms.

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Thank you Bevin for that information. I went to the Pulmonary Dr. office today to see if she can see me sooner, if they have a cancellation. I feel just so beat up. as the saying goes, 'put a fork in me, I am so done'. So draining

    Prayers to all.

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  • bevin
    bevin Member Posts: 1,902
    edited January 2013

    Good luck, I hope they can see you sooner. :)

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Me too. Will post back as soon as something happens.

    Prayers to all.

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Ct Scan of Sinuses and Chest without contrast scheduled for Thursday, January 24th. Back to Doctor to go over results, etc., Monday February 4th. She said no PET Scan at this point.

    Prayers to all.

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    I had the CT  Scan yesterday. Sinuses and Chest high resolution. The Tech said they should have the results to the doctor by today, late afternoon. My appointment back to see her is not until Monday February 4th. If the results indicated something abnormal would the Dr. call me with results before my appointment on the 4th? So no need for me to worry? Things look okay on the Scan? Thank you.

    Prayers to all.

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  • liv-
    liv- Member Posts: 521
    edited January 2013

    dont know westiesmom - you could ring and ask for the results if you are stressing out, lots do, i dont.

    xx

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  • Lauriesh
    Lauriesh Member Posts: 692
    edited January 2013

    Not always. If I don't call and ask about results, my onc will wait for my next appt to give me the results.





    Laurie

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Liv-, I probably should call but afraid to.

    Laurie, the time or times when you waited for your appt to follow up on test results, how were the results? Good news or not so good news. Just curious. A large part of me wants to just wait, even though it is so very stressing.

    Prayers to all.

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  • liv-
    liv- Member Posts: 521
    edited January 2013

    then dont call and wait till next week, to take away some anxiety have a look at only positive posts you can find in regards to this.

    there are heaps.

    thoughts with you.

    xx

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  • Lauriesh
    Lauriesh Member Posts: 692
    edited January 2013

    the first time that i had a biopsy of my liver to see if I had mets,  I waited for the results. It was cancer  and I regretted getting the news in person.  I much rather get the bad news at home and deal with it privately. 

    If i were you, I would call.  I know some people can wait and block it out and continue with life until their appointment, but I can't. I always call now.  If you think you are the same way and you are going to be stressed until the appointment, I would call.

    good luck

    Laurie

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  • liv-
    liv- Member Posts: 521
    edited January 2013

    lauriesh -we all handle things differently. can relate to what your saying but im one that can forget about it until the appointment.  then its bad when you are called up and waiting for those first few words to come out of onc's mouth.  ...eek either is good and bad - bad and good.

    xx

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Laurie and Liv-, I am stressed if I do and sressed if I don't. If I do not hear from the office tomorrow, maybe I will toss a coin Tuesday morning. Heads, I will call. Tails, I will wait. Like Liv- mentioned, EEEEKKKK!

    Prayers to all.

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  • liv-
    liv- Member Posts: 521
    edited January 2013

    whatever you do ive got my fingers crossed for the best outcome.

    xx

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Laurie, how long did you wait for your liver biopsy results? Was it a week? I so cannot block it out and go on with day to day life. It is on my mind 24-7. Waiting for test results or not. I don't know if it just the BC or also combined with the 'late effects' from all the tx I had in 1981 for my Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant, chemo, total body radiation.

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  • LittleMelons
    LittleMelons Member Posts: 273
    edited January 2013

    Hi westiesmom - To call or not to call - that is a very personal decision.  I personally am a "caller". For me nothing is worse than not knowing either way.  I have had a couple of situations where I have had scans to check out suspicious indications (in my liver and spine).  They came back clear, thankfully.  But my experience is that bad news travels fast - if it looks like cancer you get called right away.  Good news travels very slowly - no call, they let you wait for your next appt. I couldn't wait, though, and bugged the doctor's office until I found out lol.

    Keeping my fingers crossed for good news for you!  This waiting for results has to be the pits!

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    Pits it is LittleMelon. Pits it is. My plan is to do the old coin toss Tuesday if I don't get a call from the Dr.

    Thank you all for your thoughts on this. So appreciate it. Will keep you posted.

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited January 2013

    I chickened out. No coin toss. I will wait until my appt on Monday the 4th.

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  • chasingzoe
    chasingzoe Member Posts: 28
    edited February 2013

    How did your appointment go? Prayers for good news :)

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  • westiesmom
    westiesmom Member Posts: 62
    edited February 2013

    Hello All. I  meet with the Pulmonary Dr. yesterday. My sinus scan, fine!! Lung Scan, shows Pulmonary Nodule, Calcified Granuloma on right lower lobe. This lung scan was compared to others I had Jan 2012, 2011, 2007. Dr. not concerned about at this point.

    Report also notes: Aorta and great vessels: Vacular Calcifications. This was not mentioned. I am going to google it.

    I also was dx with HEP C back in 2001, from Blood products I recieved in 1981 for my AML and BMT. I did tx in 2001 with Pegintron and Ribovirin for 6 months and cleaded the virus. The Dr. yesterday wants me to have another blood work up, PCR, for the HEP C to see if I relapsed. I didn't think that could happen. I see my Gastro Dr. tomorrow afternoon.

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