Worried about lung nodules

Blondie,

I'm going through something similar.  Had a CT b/c of elevated liver enzymes and they found a 2.2 cm nodule in one of my lungs.  Now I'm scheduled for a PET scan and have an appt with a thoracic surgeon.  Trying not to freak out.

Hi....So glad I stopped by here tonite as I think I can offer some help and hope to you all...I had the very same thing happen to me shortly after treatment about 8-years ago...A routine chest x-ray showed diffuse sub-centimeter nodules on both lungs...Dr. was not encouraging re outcome...I was so disappointed-defeated-sad....Came here and was encouraged by many of our wonderful members to keep the faith...that it is so very common for chest x-rays to pick up all sorts of nonsense..In my case lungs were a mess from recent bout of pneumonia...I have to think that in many cases here it is the result of brutal chemo and radiation (strictly personal theory)...The standard treatment for these things I believe is to do a Pet Scan and then every 6-months for the next 2-years to have cat scans done...It is a watch and wait thing...they are looking for changes in the size of these things in between scans...It gets real easy after the pet and first cat scan...Wait and see...Other women who have gone through this will find this post and tell you the same thing I have...I am wishing you all the best of luck.....p 

G-cat, I am thinking of you. Thanks for your note. I'm going for a chest CT tomorrow to see if there's anything to know on the upper portions of my lungs. (The first CT was one of my abdomen, which was clear, except for the lower long opacities.)

I've been very frustrated by Kaiser and am feeling like an annoying cog in their big wheel. I actually sat down with my old plastic surgeon (from private insurance) on Friday and he was so kind to explain many things and answer all of my questions. At Kaiser, I can't talk to an oncologist unless I have a new diagnosis and my primary care doctor has been quite patronizing. (I look healthy, so it means I 'm healthy?!?) As many of you know, it's exhausting to advocate for yourself through bureaucracy while you're terrified. I am so thankful for the plastic surgeon's honesty -- spots on lungs could be of consequence or nothing at all, so follow-up will be needed. With straightforward information, I can relax more. 

Thanks pennylane and Maggs09 for your stories. How are you doing, blondie45?

I am so glad to find you all-- I have nodules on my thyroid (found on a lung ct done for a cough that was persistent) and a small (6-7mm) nodule on my left lung.  I am having the thyroid biopsied next week and I am heartened by the data on this-- 90% are benign... so I am going to assume good things here.  And if not, the surgery sounds doable.

I am getting a second opinion on the lung as to whether to have PET.  I have a good friend who is a pulmonary doc and her feeling is that these things are very common and the general protocol after  a CT scan is to re-scan in 3-4 months to see if there are any changes-- if so, then do a PET. If not, keep checking for 2 years.  this is the general protocol but the fact that we have had breast cancer often has the docs taking a more aggressive stance, which I appreciate, but I would rather not have a PET and just see what it looks like in 3 months-- if there are any changes at all, I would have a PET or, if they were significant, have the surgery.  

All that said, I am still pretty freaked out and trying to get a grip on myself. It is so reassuring to come here and find so many people who have had lung nodules.  I had chemo, radiation, I have had pneumonia twice and a nasty case of shingles on the left side this winter as well as a hacking cough that took months to resolve..... 

I am hoping for the best... keep me in your prayers!
xo