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Pleural effusion
I had VATS surgery 12/9/25 for NSCLC stage 2B
I’m anxious because I’ve had a persistent cough since surgery dry, seems like when air flow passes when I breath it irritates me and I cough. I had a recent ER visit for a UTI and it showed large pleural effusion lower lobe because that’s all the scan caught. I’m scheduled for a thoracentesis Monday to see if it helps with cough and some shortness of breath. I’m afraid of the whole situation and now I’m thinking what if I have cancer cells in this fluid. It’s very scared. I start chemo this Thursday 1/15/26 x 4 doses followed by a pill. I’m EGFR with co mutations
I’m so discouraged and afraid. I’m a 49yr old mom. Any advice or what are the chances this fluid I developed 4 weeks post op is malignancy.
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I don’t think so because it’s been so recent and finding cancer cells at this point is highly unusual, my heart breaks for you because I too live with cancer in my lungs on two separate occasions and now a nodule is slightly changing, I live with the fear but you’re a young woman and a mother and I’m a senior woman, we all want to live for ourselves and others. I’m glad that you’re being checked out to see if it helps with your cough, the air we have to breathe isn’t so clear anymore and we are more sensitive than other people. I will pray for you and hope that your test results are negative and your cough goes away, please keep us posted on how you’re doing.
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4 Reactions@frouke thank you for responding and thank you for prayers. What type do you have if you don’t mind me asking and did you have surgery. Blessings
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1 Reaction@amareese I had NSCC first time was my upper left lobe and they did VATS removed the lobe and 1/12 years later they removed a wedge in the lower right lobe this was 2/12 years ago so I’m grateful for the little run of luck, 🙏🙏🤞👍
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3 Reactionshi @amareese - what kind of surgery did you have? a lobectomy or a wedge resection? I think it's more likely that the pleural effusion is related to your surgical recovery or even an infection, than the cancer. but it's good they can check the fluid just to be sure.
I'm a mom, too - and was just a little older than you when I was diagnosed. my kids are 14 and 12 now. have you heard of the Pickles program? it's a free resource for kids who have an immediate family member with cancer, or who have cancer themselves. my kids did it and I think it helped them to meet other kids in a similar situation.
https://www.picklesgroup.org/
let us know what you learn from the thoracentesis - and I hope it will help you feel better!
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2 Reactions@mamajite lobectomy, thank you for resource information.
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1 Reaction@frouke what type did you have? Did you have pleural effusion or a cough?
@amareese what stage and type did you have? Thanks
@amareese I had NSCLC and possibly again, I have a ct scan next month, third time for me and I’m still scared, I can’t have any more surgery.
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1 ReactionI was staged 1b because I had a 2nd nodule show up and it was a different cancer from the primary nodule.
@frouke I’m sorry, you did tell me in your first post the type. How long have you been fighting this? Are you also EGFR mutation? I will be praying for your scans to be good and clear.
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