Hi All,
I think I posted back in March after having a ct scan for a rib problem, and they found a 5mm nodule in my lung, instead! Well the 2nd ct scan is next week, and the closer it gets to that day the more nervous I get. This one is with a contrast dye, which is a big concern for me. I don't have much luck with meds, and have lots of bad reactions to them, so you see where I'm going here. I'm scared to death of having a truly bad reaction from the dye, and having a life-threatening allergic reaction. Isn't that silly? I should be worried about the nodule itself, but I just keep focusing on that contrast dye! Not that I'm not worried about that nodule, too. I am! And then of course there is the 5 hour wait for the dr. appoitment afterwards! I'll be going through this day alone, and I know I'm going to drive myself into a bad state of anxiety that day! (Right now, I feel like calling and cancelling the whole darn thing!)
So, could someone PLEASE tell me what it's like having that dye put into your body? And if any of you have had reactions to the dye?
Thank You in Advance!
Hellas

P.S. I'm a smoker too, so that doesn't help my anxiety level any! Quit 3 or 4 times since the last ct scan with no luck. It doesn't give me much hope for good results on the scan.

I had a 2nd CT this morning using the contrast. They used an omnipaque 240 IV contrast which I believe has iodine in it. I may be wrong - someone can correct me but I was very nervous at first also. I even cancelled it lasst month. But, it went ok. I am a very sensitive person who breaks out from drinking orange juice. One thing you will feel is a warmth throughout your body after they inject it but it was not bad at all. It goes into your bloodstream pretty quickly but before you know it it's over. No lasting effects for me or reactions - - suppose to drink more water to help it exit faster.
They should go over the particulars, at some point, before you get the CT and you could voice your concerns.
Hope your results are o.k.

Thanks Earlene
That helps to know a little more about it before I get there. So it's an IV? I wondered about that too. At least I'm not afraid of needles. LOL!
Hope your results are good also!
Hellas

:) Hi HellasRules,

I had my third ct scan June 1,06. I have 3 nodules two in the left lung and one in the right lung. My Pulmonary Dr. told me a nodule can stay the same for years and years. The Pulmonologist ;I go to is the head Doctor for critical care and disease at Shands.You can also ask your doctor for a print-out of your ct-scan. I have all three. Have no fear; please have faith in a higher being!

Conerning your smoking, I will now tell you a short story, I smoked for 49 yrs.
never hought I could stop by myself,and never took anything or wore anything ever. My daughter who is a school teacher, made me promise to stop smoking after the report of Aug.2005. My granddaughters date of birth is 09/11/91 by the way she is tall like me and a beauty!! The night of 09/10/05 I prayed and cried to the Lord about my smoking,I told him I can't do this on my own. I was healed,and never had any after systoms, I smoked a pk and a half aday for all those years. I don't miss smoking at all. I wish I would have prayed about this years ago . My doctor said this is a miracle.
both of them said this! Keep your chin up. I will pray for you.

Thanks Starr12! And Welcome to the Boards.
Thanks for the encouragement. And I do intend to get copies of the reports this time.
I just have a bad habit (another one) of expecting the worst! So I drive myself crazy!
Thank you for the prayers too. I do have great faith and that is the only thing that keeps me sane sometimes! I certainly hope that your nodules are nothing to worry about. I'm seeing a thoracic surgeon, so maybe I should go to a pulmonologist. Hadn't thought about that.
I will add you on to my prayer list too.
Thank you again for posting a reply, it does help more than you know.
Hellas :)

Thank you.... for prayer HellasRules :)

Concerning your thoracic surgeon, he probably is ok for you. Before you change I would consult first with your primary care doctor. Please let me know how you make out after ct scan.

Have a nice day tomorrow

Starr12

Thank you.... for prayer HellasRules :)

Concerning your thoracic surgeon, he probably is ok for you. Before you change I would consult first with your primary care doctor. Please let me know how you make out after ct scan.

Have a nice day tomorrow

Starr12
Hi Starr12
Finally home after a very long day at the hospital. 9;30 am ct scan (they didn't use the dye after all. and a 3:30 pm dr appt which ended up being at 4:30 PM! (I wasn't happy having to wait after waiting all day!)
The 5 mm nodule remain unchanged, so just another scan in 4 months, and scans after that for 2 years total to see if it stays the same. Great! 2 years of living on pins & needles.

But they want to do a brochoscopy now because of lung inflammation that is there (and wasn't at the last scan). It looks like it might be MAC or Respriratory brochio-something interstital(?)lung disease or RBILD for short!
Sheesh! Not happy at all, have a tension headache, and just worn out from a very long day. Guess I need to find out what MAC & RBILD are to see what I might be in for! HAvent made an appt for the brochoscopy yet,as really hard to find someone to drive me home after, and my copays are ridiculously expensive! I don't think I can afford that right now.
And I just feel like crying.
Hope you're doing well.
Hellas

Hellas, Glad your nodule has'nt changed! I get my results tomorrow, Sorry you got something else to worry about, if it isnt one thing its another!!! I hope everything comes out ok for you! Think possitive and I do know how hard that is to do!! I think i better get some nerve pills cause i can barly stand it! just wanted to let you know ive been thinking of you all day, hoping everything is ok ! hang in there and keep us informed, ill let you know what i find out tomorrow murph

Glad the nodule is the same size , thats good news..google the stuff you mentioned but I am sure none of them can be worse then a cancerous growing nodule so If I am you today I am quite happy.

Thanks Murph,
I'll be thinking of you all day today. Hope you get better results than I did.
I know what you mean. All this stuff gives you even more anxiety. I'm still trying to decide what to do about that test they want to do. And reading on those two lung diseases he mentioned.
I did get the written report from the first scan. So I'm looking up things on that too. He said nothing to me about the very mild emphysema that was on the report. Or the evidence of old granulomatous infection. Need to look up those too.
He said he'd mail me a copy of the second scan. It wasn't ready yesterday for a print out yet!
Well, Good Luck today and everyone here is in my prayers. I sure understand what you all are going through.
Hellas

Glad the nodule is the same size , thats good news..google the stuff you mentioned but I am sure none of them can be worse then a cancerous growing nodule so If I am you today I am quite happy.
Hi LUtheran!
Oh I'm thrilled the nodule hasn't changed, believe me! That was a huge relief!
Just wasn't expecting that they'd want to do some other thing to me! Then I'll have to worry about those results! BUt in any case I'm in for a 2 year haul at least it looks, just to keep an eye on the nodule!
Hope you're doing ok today.
Hellas

Hi LUtheran!
Oh I'm thrilled the nodule hasn't changed, believe me! That was a huge relief!
Just wasn't expecting that they'd want to do some other thing to me! Then I'll have to worry about those results! BUt in any case I'm in for a 2 year haul at least it looks, just to keep an eye on the nodule!
Hope you're doing ok today.
Hellas
hi kat here ive been odered to go for a chest exray and i used to smoke im 36 now but i had loads of chest infections mild ashma etc, i know there is something there on my left bottom lung all my chest infections went mto this area, what are all your symptoms and what promted all this testing for you in the first lots of love and prayers to alll on this board katxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

I had a 2nd CT this morning using the contrast. They used an omnipaque 240 IV contrast which I believe has iodine in it. I may be wrong - someone can correct me but I was very nervous at first also. I even cancelled it lasst month. But, it went ok. I am a very sensitive person who breaks out from drinking orange juice. One thing you will feel is a warmth throughout your body after they inject it but it was not bad at all. It goes into your bloodstream pretty quickly but before you know it it's over. No lasting effects for me or reactions - - suppose to drink more water to help it exit faster.
They should go over the particulars, at some point, before you get the CT and you could voice your concerns.
Hope your results are o.k.

Do you mean you break out in a rash or with acne when you drink orange juice? How did your test come out?

hi kat here ive been odered to go for a chest exray and i used to smoke im 36 now but i had loads of chest infections mild ashma etc, i know there is something there on my left bottom lung all my chest infections went mto this area, what are all your symptoms and what promted all this testing for you in the first lots of love and prayers to alll on this board katxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
Hi Kat! Sorry for delay in answering you. Thought this post was on page 4 by now!! I didn't have any symptoms, per se. No coughing up phlegm or blood, no problems breathing...I just had an excrutiatingly painful rib, after a cold, and it happened two years in a row, so my GP sent me to a thoricic surgeon to see if he could figure out what was causing the rib pain. The nodule itself is too small to cause symptoms, and wasn't the cause of my pain. Just one of those "Oh the rib is nothing, but look what else we found" kind of things. LOL!
Did you get your tests done yet? If so, how did they come out? Wishing you
good results.
Hellas