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Has anyone experienced recurrent pleural effusion with no clear cause
Lung Health | Last Active: Oct 7 8:27pm | Replies (10)Comment receiving replies
I've been going through this all summer with multiple thoracentises. All biopsies proved negative. They've decided that it's related to heart failure and offered me a PleurX catheter or to handle it medically. I opted for medical intervention and they now have me on lasix. Since I started the lasix at 80 mg/day I haven't had any more effusions.
What heart tests have they done on you?
Replies to "I've been going through this all summer with multiple thoracentises. All biopsies proved negative. They've decided..."
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@denzie
Mine isn’t due to heart failure. I’ve had an echo, a stress test, an EKG, and extensive blood work anything related to the heart and all of it was normal. I’ve seen three cardiologists, and heart failure has been completely ruled out.
At this point, there’s still no clear reason for the fluid. I did have a pleurodesis, which only was 70% successful but I still have pockets of fluid. For now, it’s just a matter of monitoring them, because even if I undergo another thoracentesis to have the fluid drained from the pockehs, it will just return.
Until I find the underlying cause, I plan to see another rheumatologist and ask about trying a treatment approach as if I had an autoimmune issue something like rheumatoid arthritis to see if that helps. But so far, no one is willing to start any treatment or prescribe medication.