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Living with lung cancer - Introduce yourself & come say hi
Lung Cancer | Last Active: Sep 25 12:58pm | Replies (1044)Comment receiving replies
Hi Colleen; I am new to this forum. I have some questions I hope can be answered. I have had tumors in my lungs for many years, slow growing and they have never posed a big problem, they were always stable until Oct 2021. Now I have pleural effusion. The main tumor is on my left lower lobe and quiet large. I was getting a fair bit of fluid build up in my lungs which was being drained every so often; now I have a tenckhoff catheter inserted so now the fluid gets drained daily. I have already had 5 rounds of chemo which didn't really do much. Just had another CT done in July and it shows a slight growth from my May CT, now the concern is that it is growing close to my spine and they are thinking of radiation to try and shrink it. My big question is I think I want a second opinion from the doctors at the Mayo clinic, but not sure how to go about it. I'm Canadian and I have no issues getting there, I just do not know what needs to happen. It is not that I do not trust my doctors, I just feel they are not taking more of a proactive approach. I am feeling much better since the catheter was inserted, and my oxygen sat's have increased from 80's to 90's. I am 52 yrs old and scared to death. I believe surgery to remove entire lung will be inevitable. Has anyone had this done?? I am heavy set, trying to lose weight, but menopause is not helping, so frustrated. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Tanja (Canadian)
Replies to "Hi Colleen; I am new to this forum. I have some questions I hope can be..."
I would call the Mayo. I did and told them I wanted a second opinion. I had surgery in Sept. had part of my lung removed. I had a really good outcome. I’m not going to lie the surgery hurt like hell. The recovery wasn’t bad. After my hospital stay I came home. I live alone and am 70 years old. The drain was the biggest part I didn’t like. Have a positive attitude. You would be surprised how much better you feel.
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Hi Tanja, welcome!
I can imagine you are scared. This is frightening.
As you know Canada has some premier cancer centres like the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre ON, Tom Baker Cancer Centre AB, Cross Cancer Institute (AB), BC Cancer Agency (BC) to name a few. If you're not at a top cancer center, you may wish to get a referral within Canada.
Naturally, if you're able, I also advocate for getting a second opinion at Mayo Clinic. Here's more information:
- Mayo Clinic Information Service for Canadians https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/international/locations/canada
You can self-refer or ask your lead oncologist to submit a referral. The online form for international patients will walk you through the process of submitting your info and records if applicable. Then an appointment coordinator will schedule a phone call with you to discuss appointment options.
Here are a few related discussions where members have shared their experiences and tips about lung surgery (lobectomy):
- My husband had lobectomy surgery: Mayo was wonderful! https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-was-wonderful/
- Robotic Lobectomy: What can I expect? What is recovery like? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/hello-from-the-bluegrass-state/
- Lobectomy scheduled—What kind of home help will I need? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lobectomy-scheduled-what-kind-of-home-help-will-i-need/
Tanja, what type of lung cancer do you have?