I have what seems like a recurring Pleural effusion in my right lung. It is rather large, and affecting my ability to breath. It causes a cough, and I get short of breath with minimal activity. I just got treated for it along with a pericardial effusion, but the pleural effusion seems to have returned. I got a pericardial window for the pericardial effusion.
Has anyone here had a recurrent pleural effusion, and if so was there some way to treat it? I worry that it could be heart failure (I am taking Votrient, and that is a possible side affect), but I don't have several of the listed side effects of heart failure. Does anyone know if it is normal to just have an effusion in one lung with heart failure, or would it more likely be both lungs?
I'm really scared. It is sad because I had tumors shrink with Votrient, but fear now that I'm having heart failure, or something else is causing this effusion to return again and again. If the effusion is going to come back after every time I have it drained, my ability to breath will be pretty much nill.
I am sorry your feeling discomfort. My husband was on the Votrient and his tumors really grew and now he's on oxygen and coughing up blood all the time. He cant do anything cause he is totally out of breath. It's hard for him to even finish a sentence. They just told him last week that there is nothing else for him. He was suppose to do a trial in Maryland but he's too weak and bad now. Getting that kind of news felt like I was kick in the gut. I hope you get some relief cause just watching my husband is so sad. I pray for you all every day.
Thank you for you kind words. I'm sorry to hear about your husband, and will keep your family in my prayers.
Dora Oquendo said:
I am sorry your feeling discomfort. My husband was on the Votrient and his tumors really grew and now he's on oxygen and coughing up blood all the time. He cant do anything cause he is totally out of breath. It's hard for him to even finish a sentence. They just told him last week that there is nothing else for him. He was suppose to do a trial in Maryland but he's too weak and bad now. Getting that kind of news felt like I was kick in the gut. I hope you get some relief cause just watching my husband is so sad. I pray for you all every day.
Pleural effusions are common in people with metastatic sarcoma. It could be due to your treatment but also to the disease itself. What was used to treat you for the first occurrence of your pleural effusion? What is your oncologist saying about this? Here are some information about treatments when the pleural effusion is cancerous (I don't know if it applies to pleural effusions that are not malignant):
The first time I went in with the peracardial effusion and the pleural effusion they put a tube in for draining. I never felt like I totally got my breath back though so I wonder if it was just not fully drained when I left. The doctors aren't certain why I had either effusion, but the liquid was analyzed and it is not considered malignant.
Thank you for all the information you attached, hopefully, after my last thoracentesis (yesterday), I will not have a recurrence. It's good to see that there are options if it should though.
Elodie Espesset said:
Pleural effusions are common in people with metastatic sarcoma. It could be due to your treatment but also to the disease itself. What was used to treat you for the first occurrence of your pleural effusion? What is your oncologist saying about this? Here are some information about treatments when the pleural effusion is cancerous (I don't know if it applies to pleural effusions that are not malignant):