› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Nerves or concern?
- This topic has 12 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 7 months ago by
Erinmay22.
- Post
-
- September 1, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Hello all
I had VAT lung surgery in July to remove a nodule and a wide excision in August. I feel healthy except I have a tickle in my throat and a cough which brings up minor mucus, and once or twice a day I feel a dull pain in my abdomen which goes away in a second.
My doctor told me that if I have a future problem it will not manifest in something I can feel, but I would prefer to hear from those in my shoes.
Am I just nervous, or are these problem symptoms?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello all
I had VAT lung surgery in July to remove a nodule and a wide excision in August. I feel healthy except I have a tickle in my throat and a cough which brings up minor mucus, and once or twice a day I feel a dull pain in my abdomen which goes away in a second.
My doctor told me that if I have a future problem it will not manifest in something I can feel, but I would prefer to hear from those in my shoes.
Am I just nervous, or are these problem symptoms?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
- Replies
-
-
- September 1, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Hi –
Sorry to have to 'meet' you here. I see you are seen at Sloan? I am also. I had a VAT's done (by Dr Rizk) in March which also showed melanoma in the lungs.
I've experienced what you're talking about a few times. I think for me some of the cough has really been more from allergies (although let's be honest – everything makes us nervous, right?). I do get a pain in my abdomen every now and then but more along where my chest tube was…
When are you due for your next scans? Did you do any drug treatments? I had a dozen spots on my lungs. They removed 2 and then my next several sets of scans showed nothing! So I haven't done anything.
Hang in there!
Erin
-
- September 1, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Hi Erin – thank you for responding to my post. I have seen Dr. Chapman at MSKCC. I had a melanoma on my back 17 years ago. In July I had a mole removed that was melanoma, and a PET showed a nodule on my lung that was removed and was a MET (also Dr. Rizk). That make me stage 4. Chapman says wait and watch.
I am due for my next scan in October, which is 3 months – I see yours was after only 2 months, which makes me wonder if I should go sooner.
I have done no treatments since Chapman said wait and watch, but he also said 80% chance it will return, so I am looking for other alternatives. There are few for stage 4 resected NED.
Steven
-
- September 2, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Steven –
I see Dr Dickson at MSKCC. Sounds like you've had a long history with the black beast! Mine was a mole removed from my upper right back last October. It's been a rollercoaster ride since!
When I moved to NYC area I was trying to get in the Ipi trial as a stage 3 person when they found 12+ nodules on my lungs in Jan. I had the VAT's procedure Mar when Dr Rizk took out 2 small nodules. Part of the reason for the short amount of time between surgery and scans was because we thought there were still 10+ nodules in my lungs. I am now back to scans every 3 months.
Yeah there aren't many treatments we can do. Dr D said I could do Ipi but he doesn't want to mess with my system if things are ok. I can't believe he said there was an 80% chance of it returning… I never asked my doctor. I think we all know once it gets to stage 4 we won't be done with this ride for awhile…
Hang in there and try to enjoy your long holiday weekend!
Erin
-
- September 2, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Steven –
I see Dr Dickson at MSKCC. Sounds like you've had a long history with the black beast! Mine was a mole removed from my upper right back last October. It's been a rollercoaster ride since!
When I moved to NYC area I was trying to get in the Ipi trial as a stage 3 person when they found 12+ nodules on my lungs in Jan. I had the VAT's procedure Mar when Dr Rizk took out 2 small nodules. Part of the reason for the short amount of time between surgery and scans was because we thought there were still 10+ nodules in my lungs. I am now back to scans every 3 months.
Yeah there aren't many treatments we can do. Dr D said I could do Ipi but he doesn't want to mess with my system if things are ok. I can't believe he said there was an 80% chance of it returning… I never asked my doctor. I think we all know once it gets to stage 4 we won't be done with this ride for awhile…
Hang in there and try to enjoy your long holiday weekend!
Erin
-
- September 1, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Hi Erin – thank you for responding to my post. I have seen Dr. Chapman at MSKCC. I had a melanoma on my back 17 years ago. In July I had a mole removed that was melanoma, and a PET showed a nodule on my lung that was removed and was a MET (also Dr. Rizk). That make me stage 4. Chapman says wait and watch.
I am due for my next scan in October, which is 3 months – I see yours was after only 2 months, which makes me wonder if I should go sooner.
I have done no treatments since Chapman said wait and watch, but he also said 80% chance it will return, so I am looking for other alternatives. There are few for stage 4 resected NED.
Steven
-
- September 1, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Hi –
Sorry to have to 'meet' you here. I see you are seen at Sloan? I am also. I had a VAT's done (by Dr Rizk) in March which also showed melanoma in the lungs.
I've experienced what you're talking about a few times. I think for me some of the cough has really been more from allergies (although let's be honest – everything makes us nervous, right?). I do get a pain in my abdomen every now and then but more along where my chest tube was…
When are you due for your next scans? Did you do any drug treatments? I had a dozen spots on my lungs. They removed 2 and then my next several sets of scans showed nothing! So I haven't done anything.
Hang in there!
Erin
-
- September 1, 2011 at 10:53 pm
Hi –
I too had a VATs done, mine up at NY Presbyterian, but I'm at Sloan now as well. I've had a number of phantom symptoms that I honestly believe emerge due to stress and paranoia. I remember early on (2007-2008) when I was on interferon I convinced myself there was a tumor in my liver as I was having a stitch for a number of weeks. When a clean scan came back, the stitch miraculously went away within days.
While not all symptoms are "phantom", I believe that many are given our stress levels. And when a tumor does manifest itself to be large enough to be felt, there should be some obvious signs. I had a walnut sized tumor in my intestine discovered this year and had significant pain when I ate too much. Subsequent blood tests revealed that I was anemic, and a scan was ordered right away which ultimately showed in fact i was bleeding internally due to this tumor. It was a very different pain than what I experienced in 2008.
Additionally, I do currently have a small lesion in my liver, I'm getting treated right now with Ipi for it, and I have not felt anything to date since it was diagnosed back in May. Granted, it is small at sub 1 cm as of July 1.
Also know that your lungs are probably still healing from surgery. Time and a clean scan should hopefully cure your symptoms.
Wetterhorn
-
- September 1, 2011 at 10:53 pm
Hi –
I too had a VATs done, mine up at NY Presbyterian, but I'm at Sloan now as well. I've had a number of phantom symptoms that I honestly believe emerge due to stress and paranoia. I remember early on (2007-2008) when I was on interferon I convinced myself there was a tumor in my liver as I was having a stitch for a number of weeks. When a clean scan came back, the stitch miraculously went away within days.
While not all symptoms are "phantom", I believe that many are given our stress levels. And when a tumor does manifest itself to be large enough to be felt, there should be some obvious signs. I had a walnut sized tumor in my intestine discovered this year and had significant pain when I ate too much. Subsequent blood tests revealed that I was anemic, and a scan was ordered right away which ultimately showed in fact i was bleeding internally due to this tumor. It was a very different pain than what I experienced in 2008.
Additionally, I do currently have a small lesion in my liver, I'm getting treated right now with Ipi for it, and I have not felt anything to date since it was diagnosed back in May. Granted, it is small at sub 1 cm as of July 1.
Also know that your lungs are probably still healing from surgery. Time and a clean scan should hopefully cure your symptoms.
Wetterhorn
-
- September 2, 2011 at 1:02 am
Wetterhorn:
Your okay, you can and have every right to be paranoid. You have been given horrible news you have a terrible disease and anything and everything can mean its coming back.
I felt like you when I had my recurrence in 2005. Its perfectly normal behavior. You you need to do is get your mind of it. If you can go anywhere, go everywhere on the internet.
Have a mets diagnosis of melanoma is serious and very scarey. Heck, be angry and kick its butt.
Prayers to you.
C
-
- September 2, 2011 at 1:02 am
Wetterhorn:
Your okay, you can and have every right to be paranoid. You have been given horrible news you have a terrible disease and anything and everything can mean its coming back.
I felt like you when I had my recurrence in 2005. Its perfectly normal behavior. You you need to do is get your mind of it. If you can go anywhere, go everywhere on the internet.
Have a mets diagnosis of melanoma is serious and very scarey. Heck, be angry and kick its butt.
Prayers to you.
C
-
- September 2, 2011 at 5:25 am
We have to wonder about a cough and mucous. Just our nature and if it continuse you will want it checked. I had a trach put in my throat August 2011. I have had a caugh and at times a heavy mucous (very thick) since. When I had a caugh problem before the accident and trach, my Oncologist had the EENT run a scope down and check my throat and lungs. I've got so many other reasons for pains that I have reduced my thinking that everything relates to melanoma. Takes time though. Having concerns checked out by my great Onc sure helps my nerves and concern levels.
It is likely both nerves and concern and is completly normal to want to know the answer for sure. The short time since your VAT could also be a factor. Hopefully others can comment of what they experienced after a VATs. Of course it can also relate to the season and what is in the air.
Do you have any other nodules in youor lungs or elsewhere that you know of? I had innumerable lung tumors in Feb 2007 and without getting rid of them, had innumerable new lung tumors develop between Dec2008 and March 2009. My Oncologist had my throat and lungs looked at with a scope and biopsies taken. They found nothing of concern.
Are they problem symptoms? We cannot say for sure, but until they are cheked out it will be hard to lower your concern level!
-
- September 2, 2011 at 5:25 am
We have to wonder about a cough and mucous. Just our nature and if it continuse you will want it checked. I had a trach put in my throat August 2011. I have had a caugh and at times a heavy mucous (very thick) since. When I had a caugh problem before the accident and trach, my Oncologist had the EENT run a scope down and check my throat and lungs. I've got so many other reasons for pains that I have reduced my thinking that everything relates to melanoma. Takes time though. Having concerns checked out by my great Onc sure helps my nerves and concern levels.
It is likely both nerves and concern and is completly normal to want to know the answer for sure. The short time since your VAT could also be a factor. Hopefully others can comment of what they experienced after a VATs. Of course it can also relate to the season and what is in the air.
Do you have any other nodules in youor lungs or elsewhere that you know of? I had innumerable lung tumors in Feb 2007 and without getting rid of them, had innumerable new lung tumors develop between Dec2008 and March 2009. My Oncologist had my throat and lungs looked at with a scope and biopsies taken. They found nothing of concern.
Are they problem symptoms? We cannot say for sure, but until they are cheked out it will be hard to lower your concern level!
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.