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Fluid seen on echo, and I'm pregnant. Thoughts?

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sophia33307
sophia33307

Hi all,

I was hoping someone with more experience could pass on some information for me. There's a suspicion of a genetic syndrome in my family, so myself and my baby (17 weeks) are going through a period of testing. Baby has an echocardiogram in two weeks, I just left mine.

The tech running the echo was lovely, but the first thing he said was "definitely seeing fluid here" then clarified it was not in the pericardium, but rather surrounding my lungs. I said "I don't know if this is relevant, but I was hit with two bouts of pneumonia last winter". He said yes, that's probably where this came from. Afterwards he expressed that he had no concerns about my echo and everything was fine, barring the cardiology finding something he missed.

I just got home and my inner neurotic pregnant lady took over. How is fluid around my lungs not a concern? I'm only 26, no major health concerns, I don't smoke (I did in my teens and early twenties, but quit), and while the back to back pneumonia was suspicious it's been six months since symptoms resolved. So what's up with this fluid? Should I be pushing this and asking why we aren't treating fluid in the pleural space as pleural effusion? Or should I thank my lucky stars I feel no symptoms and write this off as part of recovery from my pneumonia nightmare?

Would so appreciate any thoughts, thank you all.

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • yvona66968
    yvona66968 sophia33307

    Posted

    I had a pleural effusion. They should drain the fluid and check it for bacteria and for cancer. If they drain the fluid you will find it is much easier to breathe. 

    Main causes are pneumonia or cancer, also can be caused by other microorganisms eg. TB, or viruses. 

    Mine was coming from an ovarian cyst in my abdomen, below the diaphragm.

    You chould definitely talk to your doctor, get them to 1. Drain and test the fjuid 2. Do an MRI or CAT scan to rule out other factors (like mine) - not just of the chest but of the entire thing 

     

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