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DiscussionFirst timer question about Patchy areas of air consolidation
Lung Health | Last Active: 3 days ago | Replies (9)Comment receiving replies
Hi Sue
Thank you !!
I agree I need to talk to a pulmonologist before any type.of next step, which I havent done. My ENT basically said this is out of his realm. He can speculate and said an infection would make sense because of inflammations, chronic sinusitis, paranasal disease etc
but of course I understand that's not how medicine works. Doctors go off of proof w imaging and labs and especially in their specialty area.
My Sputum was off colored as recent as Dec 10 and Sinus CT Dec 8 confirmed chronic sinusitis and paranasal disease. Sputum is still very thick. Maybe that's the definition of sputnum???
I had larynx scoped in Oct and maxillary was full of pus especially on right but not sure if that is my right or hers? But sinuses were a mess and it went to upper resp infection. I was wheezing pretty bad.f
for a solid month at minimum. Even though my wbcs run on lower end I don't get sick often to be honest. That's weird?
My PCP said he will put me on a strong antibiotic starting tomorrow, the name starts with an L. The last time I was on an antibiotics, twice for the chronic sinusitis and URI, in October, I drank pretty heavily the whole time during both. The ENT gave me an initial rd of antibiotics that didnt touch it. Then the next rd was something stronger, a macroglide, a few weeks later and it seemed to quell it to where the wheezing stopped. I may have missed a day taking them too that 2nd rd.
Anyway, they'll do a scan after this rd of antibiotics. PCP will.refer me to a Pulm. Prob end up w the bronchscope which scares me. I have to get the Chest ct.images to Pulm too.
I am anxious to see what a pulm will say.
This started w a mediastinal node ("pre tracheal para region"that measured 1.6 on Neck Scan. ENT viewed that image of that node and said the shape and hilum? looked normal.as well as two.cervicals that were 1.5. ENT said Chest Scan referall was not urgent or STAT but should do it per radiologist.
Chest.CT references a pretracheal node 1.0 that looked "reactive"
My cbc w differential was all in normal range except absolute lymphocytes were just below normal range (.94). Neutrophils were high (72) and barely.within normal.range. NRBC were zero. I checked old labs from few yrs ago and absolute Lcytes were low then but just a little higher (1.20) My pcp.said my wbc has tended to run on lower side. Maybe alcohol induced? I had a hematologist look at me few yrs back when wbc went to 2.8. He said alcohol and vitamin B12 deficiency?
Most recent WBC were back in normal range just on lower end.
I was a daily heavy drinker for years until this all started. I am using this to make a serious change. I just pray it is something I can get through to really enjoy max benefits.
I.dont know if any of this indirectly can be associated with alcohol. I am seeing inflammation as a recurring problem.
I Drank r wine and beer daily, usually in a short pd of time before bed to wind down. Bad habit I know.
Another bit of info is I have severe OSA. I didn't do a good job of cleaning cpap either. Bad habit I know.
I had an upper GI as well mid Oct and had gastritis and candidas (Dr said from antibiotics)
Your reply meant the world. I tend to.go.worst case scenario and can't see things in actuality.
I have done enough Looking to know nodules can be common, especially with lung infections. The last thing my ENT said was perhaps my upper respiratory infection settled into lower respiratory and has just been festering even though my wheezing is gone?? I am just speculating again, so I will stop. I just try to convince myself there's hope. I have already started researching cancer facilities, etc ..I know bad habit.
I have rambled on. I thank you for this forum and being able to get things out.
Thank you again.
Replies to "Hi Sue Thank you !! I agree I need to talk to a pulmonologist before any..."
You're doing a great job of figuring out how all of this is interconnected!
I wish you well on reducing or ending your alcohol consumption - heavy use surely doesn't help ones body to fight infection.
Many of us find all of these sinus, trachea and lung issues are interconnected - you have the ball rolling by treating your sinuses now - by the way the need for repeated rounds of antibiotics is not unusual, most are not prescribed for long enough to get rid of the entire problem. Did the ENT take a nasal swab and culture it to see what is infecting your sinuses?
I'm not a doctor, but I think your ENT was on the right track when he said the sinus infection might have also moved into your lungs. Clearing that up might clear up the lungs too.
Once you see the pulmonologist, be sure they access to all the records for this long episode. They may want a sputum sample from you to see what infection is in your lungs, and make sure the antibiotics you are taking will cure it. If you produce sputum, it might be premature to do a bronchoscopy at this point - but they may go for another CT or PET scan to give them better pictures, and to see whether things are improving with all the antibiotics.
And ooh, a dirty CPAP can cause a host of infections! I had a friend who had repeated pneumonia until I figured out he wasn't cleaning it. Can you look up the sanitizing instructions for your machine? Try to get one of your docs to order new hoses, mask, etc and throw the old ones away. Then sanitize the machine, get some new distilled water, and start over - vowing to clean the mask and dry the hose EVERY day until all of you infections are
gone.
Finally, as you have learned, antibiotics can wreak havoc with your gut - it might help to take a daily probiotic to reintroduce good bacteria to your intestines.
It sounds like you are getting on a good path - do you have anyone to support you on this journey?