​Talk me off the ledge please!!

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itsmylifenj
itsmylifenj Member Posts: 8
edited September 2016 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Talk me off the ledge please!! I had a CT scan last week ordered by my cardiologist; for a reason unrelated to bc. On Thursday night I got an email that my results were in. Heart is fine ,but there were several nodules noted on my lungs. Here's an excerpt from that report:

"There is a left lower lobe nodule on image 68 measuring 3 mm in size which is not well-seen on the prior examination (which was two years ago during treatment). There is a small cluster of nodules in the left lower lobe on images 58 and 59 measuring up to 3 mm in size which is not well-seen on the prior examination. There is a left lower lobe nodule on image 39 measuring 5 mm in size which is unchanged. There is a subpleural 3 mm left lower lobe nodule on image 70. There is a right middle lobe nodule which is stable on image 59 measuring up to 4 mm in size......IMPRESSION: Multiple lung nodules some of which appear new. Recommend followup."

2.5 years ago I had a lung CT to rule out anything big bad and ugly as I was having trouble taking a deep breath. That CT was clear and I was told to up the ativan that it was nerves. Totally understandable. BUT - this new CT scan was compared to the one during treatment and apparently there were some nodules then but not mentioned to me - - that IS what that means, right? "that was not well-seen on the prior examination" Does that mean that this time they are bigger? clearer? CANCER? "measuring 5 mm in size which is unchanged." that MUST have been there before - since it's unchanged does that mean it's ok?

I called my onc office on Friday, she's out until Monday but they called her at home, she said to tell me not to panic until she looks at the scans. And she scheduled me for an appointment on Monday.

I'm living just this side of a panic attack this weekend.

my dx and tx: stage IIIA IDC er/pr 100%, 5 nodes, lvi, bmx, recon, chemo, rads, ooph, letrozole, almost three years out.

Does anyone have anything good and happy to share with me?? I'd love to play with unicorns and poop rainbows this weekend!!!!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited September 2016

    Lots of love heading your way, itsmylifenj -- we know it's a worrisome time, but try to remain calm and positive until you can sit down with your doctor and discuss. We're all sending our positive thoughts too!

    Keep us posted and try to keep yourself busy until Monday.

    --The Mods

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  • fredntan
    fredntan Member Posts: 1,821
    edited September 2016

    3mm is really small. It reads to me like they were there before just not well seen. Radiologist A can read a CT scan different than Radiologist B. Especially when your talking so small.

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited September 2016

    Stay calm. Really. People get lung nodules for any reason or no reason. I myself got one a few years ago, and even though I actually HAVE mets, that nodule isn't one of them.

    The wife of a friend went through an entire workup for lunlg nodules and took antibiotics for a couple of months. They eventually went away. This could be an infectious process.

    Or they could have been there before and dismissed as "blah". Radiologists differ in their readings of things.

    I realize this is totally frightening, but odds are it will turn out to be nothing. Please do not borrow trouble.

    Hugs to you and I assume this will turn out to be B9.

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited September 2016

    itsmylifenj,

    There are a number of women on this site whose scans have scared them out of their wits! Many times, scans do show benign nodules and the like. My left hip lit up on a PET scan -- turned out to be totally benign. I know it's hard to wait, but Monday is only a day away. Be kind to yourself and ((hugs)).

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  • YATCOMW
    YATCOMW Member Posts: 664
    edited September 2016

    All of your nodules are small.....the way CT are done is that it is cut into various slices across your body....so some nodules could have been between the slices so they didn't show up on previous scans....and they are unchanged.

    Someone told me that if they turned us all inside out.....they would find all kinds of bumps and lumps.....but because of cancer we get the chance to freak out....

    I am sure your oncologist will tell you not to worry and they will just scan and make sure there is no change in six months. Easier said, I know. I went through the same thing....and I am 12 years out and doing fine.

    Jacqueline

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  • itsmylifenj
    itsmylifenj Member Posts: 8
    edited September 2016

    thank you everyone, today might be a better day based on your insights. Please keep the responses coming, I still have 32 hours to get through before my appointment!

    Something else I didn't mention - and I keep forgetting to show my doc - is that I have something on my back that looks and feels like a bug bite that just won't go away. It's on my radiated side, so I called my RO. Over the phone she said it doesn't sound radiation related but she set me up with a dermatologist appointment on 10/4.

    You can see that I currently have a few things going on that keep bringing this to the forefront. Ugh, I hate that we had to have had cancer. I miss the days when a bug bite was just a bug bite and when every little ache or pain didn't send us running to a doctor.

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  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited September 2016

    Hi

    I am so sorry that you are dealing with this. Like the other ladies have mentioned , lung nodules are very common. I had one that was followed for over two years with no change. It was considered benign. The other thing to know is that sometimes they will see things on a scan and not mention it. I have a thyroid nodule that was seen on two scans and not mentioned to me until the third one. It was biopsied and was benign. Now it is hyper and I have to have treatment for it. I know it is hard not to panic as I had very difficult time when it was me. I guess the take away from this is that especially as we age different things crop up and it isn't always cancer.

    Hugs to you.

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  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited September 2016

    Most of us are one scan away from being on the ledge! You are three years out. I'm almost five. I can tell you that it does get better. I pretty much stopped thinking about cancer on a daily basis about two years ago. That may have been due to a horrible hip condition, which went undiagnosed for two years, that caused me terrible pain, and kept my mind off anything else. Thank God, it was finally diagnosed, and two hip replacements later, I am fine! Still don't worry much about cancer, BUT, I have an upcoming colonoscopy, and the "thought" is rearing its ugly head, just a bit. Best wishes!

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  • itsmylifenj
    itsmylifenj Member Posts: 8
    edited September 2016

    thanks again everyone. Yorkiemom, I was there. Had this firmly in the rear view mirror. And then.... Ugh. I'm hating today.

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  • itsmylifenj
    itsmylifenj Member Posts: 8
    edited September 2016

    thanks again everyone. Yorkiemom, I was there. Had this firmly in the rear view mirror. And then.... Ugh. I'm hating today.

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  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited September 2016

    I'm so sorry, itsmylifeny, but I think you'll be back to the good state of mind soon!

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited September 2016

    My DH had a scan for abdominal pain (turned out to be diverticular - just had to quit eating nuts and seeds) which happened to catch the lower lobe of both lungs at the top of the scan field. Nodules too numerous to count in both lungs. He was seen by a pulmonary specialist who indicated that, generally, nodules equal to or less than 5mm are not likely to be cancerous, and rounded and smooth shape (not spiculated, or spiky and irregularly shaped) is also benign indication. That you had previously imaged nodule(s) that are unchanged from the previous scan is encouraging. The wait is tough, wishing you the best

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  • Imkopy2
    Imkopy2 Member Posts: 265
    edited September 2016

    I am sorry you are dealing with this and am praying for you...that's the one negative thing about getting the digital report of our info. While it's much easier said than done...hang I there and know you are surrounded by all of for support


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  • itsmylifenj
    itsmylifenj Member Posts: 8
    edited September 2016

    So I've convinced myself that I'm fine. The report read that these nodules were "not easily seen" on the prior report. That means they were THERE on the prior report. The prior report was at the outset of my treatment. If they are still there that must mean they didn't respond to chemo. Hence - NOT cancer. Gosh I hope I'm right. I'll report back tomorrow night.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited September 2016

    Keep us posted. Hoping all looks good and they'll just follow up in a few month

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  • itsmylifenj
    itsmylifenj Member Posts: 8
    edited September 2016

    Update: my doc said that her gut feeling is that these nodules are nothing to be worried about. She said they are so small that they can't even be biopsied and might not even be picked up on a PET scan. She did however order a pet/ct just in case (I'm not sure how I feel about that). She said we'd follow up with another CT scan in 3-6 months regardless of what the pet scan shows.

    And she gave me another scrip for Ativan.

    She also said not to read the email until she talks to me about the results! LOL!

    Wishing I felt a little better... but I suppose I'm better than I was this am.

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  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited September 2016

    It's so hard with the lung nodules as there's so much uncertainty with the 'watch and wait' that is required. Take comfort in the fact that is she thought it was a big deal, she would of told you.

    Hugs

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited September 2016

    Soundd like good news and it sounds like she is being thorough

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  • cive
    cive Member Posts: 709
    edited September 2016

    5mm = .5cm/2.54cm/in= a little less than .02 inch. That's how small.

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  • itsmylifenj
    itsmylifenj Member Posts: 8
    edited September 2016

    Another update; I am no longer on the ledge!

    As promised, my oncologist reviewed the films with the radiologist - the first thing he said to her is "this is not metastatic disease" PHEW. She even said I can cancel the PET scan!!!

    We will follow protocol and I'll have another CT scan at 3, 6 and 12 months to look for any change.

    I am so relieved!!!

    Thank you so much, everyone, for your kind and calming words.

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  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited September 2016

    This is the best news ever! 🎉🎉

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