Multiple Lung Nodules elevated D-Dimer: How do I stay calm?

I'd like to add I had a CT scan in 2020 and the lungs were clear at that time.

Hi Kathy, I just wanted to give you some help if I can..each situation is different but what does remain the same for all of us is the tremendous fear we share. In 2017 they found a suspicious nodule in my upper left lobe and though it had some concerning characteristics they couldn’t say definitely that it was cancer…a biopsy was not considered because they felt that the nodule was too small and biopsies are risky with the lungs. I then went under observation for 3 years and only then in 2020 it started to grow. We were just months into the pandemic so it took several months before they could bring me in for surgery.. they removed the whole lobe and I didn’t need chemo so I could go home.. I basically just go for ct scans every six months or so for observation. It’s a different journey for everyone depending on your age or how your general health is. I think that the worst thing I did was to worry constantly and it hurt my health greatly, I feel my obsessive fear was doing me more harm than dealing with cancer..I feel you are in a good place, the doctor has done some tests and you’re getting more help so that’s really good..nothing is definite with your nodule and no one is calling it cancer and it doesn’t necessarily have to be cancer.. most people have many nodules in their lungs that never become malignant. I wish for you a easy journey and try not to worry about it, this advice I should take myself lol.. good luck and please let me know how you are doing.

Thank you so much for your kind words. I will keep them with me and keep updates on my path. I have an amazing husband and he says the same thing. The more worry about something out of my control the worse off I will be regardless of the outcome. Thank you again

Good morning Kathy!
I understand your fear and anxiety about the lung nodules. As others have said, everyone is different but wanted to share my story.
I was diagnosed with emphysema last year and with several CT scans, PET scans, and x-rays. 3 nodules were also discovered. One is a ground glass nodule.
My doctor (whom I have total confidence in) and I had a lengthy conversation and I had a robotic bronchoscopy (for biopsies on the nodules and lymph nodes) last month. All came back no cancer!
Unfortunately, I developed a severe case of multi focal pneumonia and am now almost back to normal. I have a CT scan and pulmonary function test scheduled for June with an appointment with my doctor. If all goes as planned, this will become my baseline and will then retest once a year.
I'm not on O2, walk 2 miles a day and work out in the gym 3 days a week. I also play golf at least one day a week.
Bottom line, I know this is not easy physically or mentally. What I have learned through all of this is that you need to be your own best healthcare advocate, ask questions, mindset is EVERYTHING and keep moving everyday!

Hi Kathy, @kathyt2023. Welcome to Mayo Connect! The waiting is so difficult especially when we tend to jump to the worse case scenarios. While I was waiting for tests and biopsy results, I would always try to ask myself 'what do I know today?', and 'what can I do about it today?'. That helped me focus on the present and stopped some of the speculation that was spinning around my mind. If there was nothing that I could take action on, then I knew I had to get on with the things that fill a normal day. It's hard to stay grounded and positive, but it will help you in the long run. When is your appointment with the pulmonologist?

Kathy,
This is so bizarre and I am so relieved to have seen and read your post.
I too was in the ER last Thursday with chest pain. EKG normal but D Dimer was elevated. (1.00 mg/L FEU). CT scan shows no clots but a 7mm cavitary nodule in lower left lobe and a 4mm solid nodule in the left lower lobe. Was told the cavitary one was nothing and the solid one might be nothing, might be cancer... WITH MY 12 YEAR OLD IN THE ROOM! WTH?
I have follow up scheduled with primary this Thursday and waiting to hear from pulmonary referral. I was given antibiotics for bacterial or fungal infection, which is what he figured the chest pain was... but it felt like he was guessing. Case in point- the chest pain has not subsided.
So now I am waiting, and googling, and panicking.
I hope you get answers soon- and know you are not alone in symptoms and waiting.

Not to minimize the chest pain, but don't rule out anxiety playing a big part now. Xanax has helped me.

For fungal infection need antifungals:) i had fungal pneumonia. No chest pain, very high (103.7 fever) and bad cough. Mine noduoe was even missed in ED, but whwn fever didnt come down after 5 days, then xray, CT and needle biopsy as it was in lower left lobe 18 mm nodule. Per pulm md, infectious nodules, have a small tail on CT, but i agree waiting to get results was not easy. That was mid of 2019 and 3 months of antifungals. I was ok after, even spend 2 weeks in Paris my 3rd month on meds and walking 15k-20,000 steps eveey day 🙂
I developed asthma after this thought. My ed visit for PNA in November 2021 had high d dimer, CT was clean for PE, only my old nodule plus PNA. Then with covid last May 2022 my both lower lobes had ground glass - my o2 was dropping, needed two rounds of 2 different steroids and two rounds of 2 different abx. I needed o2 fot couple months, was rough functionally, could barely walk, shortness of breath was crazy, spent lots of time not moving, didnt work for 3 months, then went back half days for a month before going back full time. Had high resolution CT at 3 months, ground glass opacities cleared up. Back to my baseline being active.

I know its hard to wait. With regards to cancer/non cancer - there are other symptoms to rule in/out ie weight loss, night sweats, appetite, cough, sputum type, etc.
Someone mentiined above, staying calm, working with your mds, advocate for your health

Sorry if any typos, typing without glasses
Lena

Hi @dederamers, That's wide range; nothing vs cancer. I know you likely already know this but remember that 4 mm is a very small nodule, and nodules can come and go sometimes all on their own. Your doctors may want to monitor the size with future scans, and you may be in a wait and see mode for a few months. How was your visit with your primary doc? Were they able to give you any additional information or reassurance? Have you been scheduled with a pulmonologist yet?

Hi fellow lung nodule worriers/warriors! I had a PET scan in Nov because I learned I had SDHB mutation. (rare genetic thing, my mom had a rare tumor in her skull, led me to get tested). Basically, I am predisposed to getting neuroendocrine tumors from skull to mid thigh region, (and some can be metastatic) and have an estimated 14% life time chance of Renal cell (kidney) cancer age 37 average onset for the kidney cancer (I am 46). I feel fine, just anxious! My PET scan was done with Cu-64 tracer, which is not great to see the kidneys... and it showed no neuroendocrine tumors, yay! What it did show was "multiple sub-centimeter lung nodules". My Doctor suggested I get a CT for my pelvis and abdomen and chest, my insurance did not authorize anything but the chest (I am new to this game) So I opted just to get the scan for the chest as recommended by radiologist 3 months later. So this second scan said my 2 largest nodules 6-7mm are "stable" and "solid". I went from having those 2 + 1 smaller nodule to now 9 more small nodules, they are being called "patchy nodular opacities". Radiologist says to get a scan again in 6-9 months. I am going to see a pulmonologist in a few weeks to ask many questions. I am afraid they will just say its common and not to worry. Hoping they can look closer and see the pattern and location and borders and all that to tell me if I should get more testing. My mom has sarcoidosis and my sister has RA, neither one of them has nodules though. Never had covid, not a cold for 9 years, never smoked, no birds, bats, coal mines, TB. Any one have a similar case of mystery nodules and what have you found out? How long did you follow them before they said all was ok? This is getting expensive! My PET cost me over 10k out of pocket uuuhhhggg.