Constant small fluids in the left lung

• By BetsyT
• Posted October 5, 2009 at 12:44 pm
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Brigitte,
Can you ask your Onc. about doing a Thoracentesis ?(not sure of spelling).
They insert a long needle into area & suction out fluid-I had it done once & it was V. easy.Good Luck,Betsy

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• By cards7up
• Posted October 5, 2009 at 1:02 pm
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I would also see about the talc procedure.
Good luck and take care, JC

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• By cuddles53
• Posted October 5, 2009 at 3:26 pm
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I have had a small amount of fluid in my lung since I had cancer as a diagnosis, all through radiation, and chemo it stayed. I am uncomfortable to breathe many days, and some days worse than others. It does cause pain. I was asked about this talc procedure from the Nurse practioner in my oncologists office, but then when the oncologist came into the office he said "No" he would not do a drain, or a talc procedure because it was more of a chance for me for infection or injury. So I live with this constant feeling of heaviness, and difficulty breathing. I have no way of knowing if this was drained if I would breathe better, I have a new oncologist, so I am going to ask his opinion on draining my fluid and also the talc procedure. I did see that this talc in the lung is almost considered a cure in the lung anyway, it can still spread to another organ but in the lung this talc has cured some people. I read this on this site anyway from someone who sent in an article about it. My friend the long term survivor, also has had this talc procedure done. I wondered if this was what has kept her going all of these years. She still has to go every so often now and have a drain put in again, so evidently the talc does not last forever. You have to remember they were not used to dealing with lung cancer patients who had lived so long before. Now we are living longer than was ever expected. So this is even more reason for the procedure. The only problem is the risk to collapse the lung. Ask your doctor and see what they tell you.
God bless Sandy

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• By Brigitte08
• Posted October 6, 2009 at 5:46 am
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Thank u for ur advice, what is talc procedures?
My Oncol said that it is too small that they can't drain,
so it will end slowly slowly. But i was dx when i have 2Ls of fluids in my lung, i think that is why it is still there.
bless u Brigitte

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• By casepres
• Posted October 6, 2009 at 10:45 am
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When the lining of the lung is drained--and that is my understanding of where the fluid is located--a small amount of fluid may remain. This was true even after the talc procedure for my husband. If it is not growing/increasing--and my husband has scans every three months--then nothing needs to be done for the fluid. Chemo continues, scans continue, etc. If the fluid is signifantly impacting breathing, your doctor suggest a drain--not sure of the medical term--that has been described by some people on this forum.

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