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Question about pleural effusion
by strummed_out, Jun 13, 2008 05:53PM
So I here is a little background on me:
I am 25, a mother of two and started having panic attacks in last November. Well, my symptoms were classic PA symptoms and I was diagnosed with panic disorder. One of the more frightening symptoms was feeling like I couldn't breathe. Naturally, I panicked more and this made it worse. I went to the ER, had a ct scan and x-ray and they found a tiny spot on my lung. The doc said that it was most likely a scar from a previous infection due to my age and relatively short smoking history (ten yrs minus 2 pregnancies). They said it was so tiny that it wouldn't be causing breathing problems.
Now I have this sensation more often than not. I went to a cardiologist, because I couldn't accept that anxiety was producing all these awful symptoms. Echo came back "normal." I was relieved and even quit smoking and drinking because I was so grateful to be okay. I knew the smoking would eventually catch up to me anyway.
Fast forward to two days ago-- I was returning my 24 hr holter (which also was normal) and I told the doc about the breathing thing. He then decides to tell me that there "was a question about fluid surrounding the lungs." Whah??? Why didn't he tell me last time when everything appeared "normal?" So now he is waiting for the hospital to send over that abnormal ct scan so he can decide if I need a repeat or not. He said I'm young and probably totally fine. But when I googled pleural effusion CHF came up over and over. I'm totally freaking out right now.
My question is--What does a "question" of fluid around the lungs mean exactly? Is that definite? What is the prognosis for this sort of thing. HELP!!!
I am 25, a mother of two and started having panic attacks in last November. Well, my symptoms were classic PA symptoms and I was diagnosed with panic disorder. One of the more frightening symptoms was feeling like I couldn't breathe. Naturally, I panicked more and this made it worse. I went to the ER, had a ct scan and x-ray and they found a tiny spot on my lung. The doc said that it was most likely a scar from a previous infection due to my age and relatively short smoking history (ten yrs minus 2 pregnancies). They said it was so tiny that it wouldn't be causing breathing problems.
Now I have this sensation more often than not. I went to a cardiologist, because I couldn't accept that anxiety was producing all these awful symptoms. Echo came back "normal." I was relieved and even quit smoking and drinking because I was so grateful to be okay. I knew the smoking would eventually catch up to me anyway.
Fast forward to two days ago-- I was returning my 24 hr holter (which also was normal) and I told the doc about the breathing thing. He then decides to tell me that there "was a question about fluid surrounding the lungs." Whah??? Why didn't he tell me last time when everything appeared "normal?" So now he is waiting for the hospital to send over that abnormal ct scan so he can decide if I need a repeat or not. He said I'm young and probably totally fine. But when I googled pleural effusion CHF came up over and over. I'm totally freaking out right now.
My question is--What does a "question" of fluid around the lungs mean exactly? Is that definite? What is the prognosis for this sort of thing. HELP!!!
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