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Stressed out!!!! Clear CT Scan, Good Blood work, Still Pleural Effusion after 4 months

Posted , 4 users are following.

kerry37178
kerry37178

Anyone have pleural effusion after 4 months, already been on antibiotics (three rounds), steriods and inhaler.  Also had a clear CT Scan (no lesions or scarring or anything detected).  Blood tests all normal.  But still this fluid persists and mild chest pain from the effusion.  Going Tuesday to have the fluid drained and sent to pathology......terrified from reading that most of these pleural effusions are Exudative and 60% of those are malignant (cancers).  Just wondering if anyone has been through this for this long and already had the fluid drained?  Was your pathology normal or ?????  UGH.  So stressful.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • yvona66968
    yvona66968 kerry37178

    Posted

    CT scan of WHAT? Just your chest? Have them do a complete scan of your belly...  An ovarian cyst filling my abdomen caused my pleural effusion. It wasn't cancer or an infection. 

    • kerry37178
      kerry37178 yvona66968

      Posted

      Chest CT scan down to upper abdomen, but don't have ovaries :-) 45yo man. Its super scary that without steroids I could sleep 18 hrs per day. But all tests come back normal even Complete Blood Count testing is all normal... just all this fluid that got a little better with various antibiotics but never went away so having the fluid drained tomorrow

    • yvona66968
      yvona66968 kerry37178

      Posted

      My blood counts were normal too... in my case the cyst was producing the fluid, not an infection or cancer. Have them keep looking for the CAUSE and not just treat the symptom (by removal of fluid)
  • ped36958
    ped36958 kerry37178

    Posted

    Hi, I have since 4 months pleural effusion on my right side too.

    Thy did 37 different blood tests and they were all negative, they drained the fluid twice and tests came negative on everything too.

    I had 3 CT, one from abdominal and chest, second one from Lund and the last one from chest again.

    I also had a cystoscopy ( was painfull) and upper endoscopy with both of them were fine.

    The doctors send me to Thoracic Surger and go inside with camera to take a biopsy and I hear that this will be very painful after the surgery/biopsy.

    Does anybody has any idea?

    Thank you

  • yvona66968
    yvona66968 kerry37178

    Posted

    I had this before they discovered the ten lb. ovarian cyst in my abdomen that was creating the fluid. The surgery thoracoscopy - they went in with a camera and to take biopsy, which came back negative - and left me with a tube draining from my right side which I had to empty a couple times a day and keep track of how much fluid was produced.... yes it was painful, i had the tube for more than 2 weeks, and i still have pain on my right side from it 2 months later... 

     

    • mary27278
      mary27278 yvona66968

      Posted

      Hi Yvonne

      Did you have any type of symptons from your abdomen or pelvic area?

      Also is plurisy snd pleural effusion the same thing?

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