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It will be two years this June since I had the top lobe of my right lung removed because of cancer. It's been a long and painful recovery. I developed COPD and kept having breathing problems. I was getting bronchitis several times and hospitalized twice with pneumonia since surgery. My weight loss was tremendous due to my lack of appetite and having to force myself to eat. I have been below 100 lbs. until recently. I'm now up to 107 thanks to lots of malts and smoothies. I cannot sing the praises of TRELEGY loud enough. Amazing drug!

Since I was put on TRELEGY for the breathing/COPD issues. It's been almost a month with that now and it's amazing that my breathing issues are just gone. Oxygen levels stay high and no more coughing. I'm so relieved.

However ... A knot the size of an egg formed under my right rib cage and if I bend or turn a certain way, the pain almost knocks me out. The doc thinks it could be as hernia but isn't sure. So this morning he sent me for a cats scan with dye contrast, I should know by Wednesday just what the heck is going on, The lung doc thinks if it's a hernia, it was caused by the long-term deep coughing I had.

I think all cancer survivors develop a fear cancer will return in other parts of the body so I'm going to be vigilant in getting checked for anything out of the ordinary.

So good vibes needed that the cat scan will not show anything BAD. I understand if it's an intestinal hernia, it's an easy fix.

[This message edited by Jeaniegirl at 6:01 PM, Monday, April 3rd]

Sending you good vibes Jeanie. Hopefully it is something easily dealt with. Glad to hear your new medicine is helping and you have been able to put some weight back on.

Thank you! It's hard to realize how much one misses breathing normally until that ability is lost. Scary too !

I can't even imagine how awful and scary that must have been. I admire your strength.

It must feel so good to get the big fresh breath of air. Fingers crossed for your test results on Wednesday. (And you are smart to get it checked out- i do the same, also a cancer survivor although not as difficult a cancer as you experienced).

Breathing issues were a huge problem. And I could barely do anything, even walking around, as I was so weak from lack of breathing right and lack of oxygen. Now I can take deep breaths without any problem. I had a cat scan on my lungs in December and got the wonderful news that my lungs look good and healthy. And I am much stronger too, able to do things. I had an issue in January with choking on food when I tried to eat. I'd even get strangled on water! So I had a scope, which served to stretch my esophagus, making eating and drinking back to normal. Food and water were actually going down into my windpipe, bypassing the esophagus. Now that is fixed too. I was getting lung infections from that. I would wake up in the middle of the night, strangled and trying to cough and breathe and would have to get up and take a breathing treatment to breathe.

I haven't been back to ER or admitted to the hospital since early December and I hope I don't have to go back!

I've always been healthy and active so this is all a new ballgame for me and makes me appreciate doctors and medical staff all the more. The only medication I'm on is TRELEGY and I don't even have to use the nebulizer to help me breath anymore. So while I've had some bad problems after the surgery, including horrible nerve pain in my back, I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel now since I'm feeling good and energetic -- except for this mystery knot under my ribs. I've tried to keep away from google about it because google will scare you to death if you look for symptoms.

Good vibes for you for continual healing and good, clean tests.

Jeanie I am glad that you are recovering and have found a med that works for you. That's wonderful news. Since you were having some aspiration pneumonias, there's probably some scarring, and inflammation from it.
Hope you get good news.
On the other hand if you had an esophageal ring, and had to have it stretched, you definitely need to be taking a PPI to prevent reflux, and it from happening again, unless they have contributed it to the coughing. If not though that reflux being bad enough to cause a ring means it will come back, and can also lead to developing a condition called Barretts esophagus. So if no if not on one talk to the Dr's about it.

Sending good vibes your way! You have been through so much lately.

Tushnurse, thank you. I'm to see the doctor next week and his PA said I will be put on medication for the esophageal issues. I asked how long I will need to take it and she said for the rest of my life. I'm guessing that is what you are talking about.

Walkingoneggshells, thank you. It's been a journey for sure.

Update to the Update

Cat scan with dye contrast report is not so good.

I have an aorta aneurysm and report has been sent to the cardio doctor

I have cysts on my right kidney so report has been sent to Urologist.

Waiting to hear from both doctors about appointments.

So there is that ...........

Keeping you in my thoughts Jeanie.

Well, SHIT!!!

I was so thrilled to hear about the breathing improvement. And now this other mess!

These new things sound impactful and time sensitive. I sure hope they are putting a rush on those follow-up tests.

Tons of prayers coming your way.

❤️❤️❤️

I am hoping that you learn that neither of those issues are any big deal.
Often people develop small aortic aneurysms and have to be monitored. They are so common it's a quality metric from MCR to be evaluated for one when you come of age. This is also something that can be fixed with a stent placed in the aorta and done as an outpatient procedure.
The kidney cysts can be an inflammatory response, or nothing at all, or something. So fingers crossed its a no big deal finding.

(((((Jeanie))))

What tushnurse said.

I hate that you're going through all this. I want to give you a hug and hold your hand and just sit around feeding you chocolate.

Keep us posted, dear one. You're very special to a lot of us here!

Thank you! Right now, just waiting on doctor's appointments make it all an 'unknown' -

I have found out the aneurysm did show up previously in an ultrasound and my primary care doctor says the size has not changed. But the fact I can feel something there and have pain when I move or bend a certain way - worries me and that is what made me go get checked. Since they said they have sent the catscan pictures to my heart doctor makes me wonder if it's a heart issue or an intestinal issue. I am probably the least 'medical person' here. The bulge and pain area is right below my right rib cage and a little to the center. I don't even know what body part reside there. As for the cysts on the kidney, I did google and see that it's a relatively easy fix unless they turn out to be tumors or cancer. I guess I'm just fearful of any type of surgery now since it has taken me forever to get over the lung surgery.

They sent the CT to your cardiologist because if the AAA needs to be fixed it will be an interventional cardiologist that puts a stent in.

I hope you get your appt's soon so you get some answers.

I suspect you tore a muscle w/ all the coughing and have a minor hernia and that is what is causing the pain. Usually aortic aneurysms are painless, and often if they are serious they will kill you before you know what is happening. I hope you are doing ok keeping this calm, and not driving yourself crazy over it.

Tushnurse, I sure wish it to be just a hernia!

Just saw the catscan report on my online medical portal. I received an email telling me report was ready for my viewing.

It says

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)

It also says I have cysts on my right kidney.

Portal had me confirm an appointment with the cardiologist for April 19th. I confirmed. I guess if it was life-threatening they would have me coming in sooner. At least I'd hope so.

I've looked up the AAA and there are two different procedures to fix it. I hope IF I have to have a stent, they can do it with the less invasive procedure of going through the groin.

Oh Happy Days. Wish I had waited until tomorrow to open the email as now I'm probably up for the rest of the night.

Jeanie, so sorry you are going through another health issue.

My doctor discovered cysts on my kidney in 2005. She monitored for years with a yearly ultrasound. One year grew ever so slightly. She continued with the ultrasounds until about two years ago, and since nothing had changed, the ultrasound is no longer necessary.

I hope you have positive news at your upcoming appointments, and sending prayers your way.