My cousin is going for a CT scan on Tuesday followed by an appointment with a respiratory specialist.
A chest infection showed she had a shadow/something on her lung but was hidden behind her aorta so the radiologist wouldn't commit. Dr. said it could be down to a lung infection or a polyp but that it was very small.
She has had a course of antibiotics which has helped the cough she has had for a while and her breathing. But she also has adhesions on her stomach and ulcers so the ozmaprole and lanzaprole she was given always seemed to make her breathing and wheezing worse. The antibiotics helped but she has now finished them the Dr said that one course, it if is an infection may not clear up with one lot of antibiotics and she may be resistant to the general amoxicillan now that she gives her.
She seems to go from the breathing and cough being OK to a bit worse - seems to kick off on a night - but then she does have acid reflux which also produces coughing and wheezing. Then that will settle and her stomach acts up - she is now on a tablet to stop the spasms in her tummy.
Although she hasn't been for the tests yet she is convinced she has cancer and I'm trying my hardest to keep her spirits up and positive but it is very very hard.
I think if it was cancer she'd be a lot more ill than she is at the moment and it would be there all the time - with her it seems to be intermittent - good spells then bad which perhaps could be "infection". She's not in pain (apart from the tummy) and she's not had a weight loss which I think would point to cancer.
I'm going to the hospital with her Tuesday but I'm dreading it - she's on her own 35 miles away from where I live and I can't uproot my life to be with her - my mum is 93 in a care home and I am her only visitor, my job is here as is my partner.
Any thoughts anyone - is this more serious than I want it to be - and what do I do, don't think she will move to where I live, but I also can't uproot to where she lives. she has no friends, no family and is literally on her own.
To say I'm passed myself over this is an understatement. I feel quite ill with the worry of it all. And the thing is I need to work for pension.
Please help.
If she has improved with the antibiotics then the infection will not be resistant. But a lot depends on what doses eh was given. A lot of infections are resistant to Amoxixillin but Doxyxycline or Clarithromycin should be effective.
A LOT of people get sent for CT scans or other tests that could pick up cancer 'just in case' and very few of them actually have cancer.
If the only concern is the shadow on her lung - which could well be due to infection- and she has no other symptoms the chances of it being cancer are very small.However it is alwasy better to be safe than sorry. early detection can save a life.
I hope all goes well on Tuesday
Apart from the cough and breathing no other problems - Dr said it could be a polyp.
Obviously her stomach issues are a separate issue but then I wonder did ozmaprole and lanzaprosole cause some of the problems with the wheeze and cough as a serious allergic reaction to both of them is breathing problems. And yet the Dr. kept her on them when she complained all the time.
She takes slow release Metforming, a blood pressure tablet and a statin and all three of these I gather can cause breathing problems.
Just wish Tuesday was all over and done with.
Thanks for replying
Apart from the cough and breathing no other problems - Dr said it could be a polyp.
Obviously her stomach issues are a separate issue but then I wonder did ozmaprole and lanzaprosole cause some of the problems with the wheeze and cough as a serious allergic reaction to both of them is breathing problems. And yet the Dr. kept her on them when she complained all the time.
She takes slow release Metforming, a blood pressure tablet and a statin and all three of these I gather can cause breathing problems.
Just wish Tuesday was all over and done with.
Thanks for replying
All I can say is none of the drugs you have mentioned have breathing problems as a regular well known side effects. If her blood pressure medicine is an ACE inhibitor (the drug name will end in 'il' Ramipril Captopril, Quinapril something like that) they are known to cause cough - but not breathing problems
The stomach drugs come up with wheezing and breathing as a serious allergic reaction
The stomach drugs come up with wheezing and breathing as a serious allergic reaction
An allergic reaction is a very specific reaction mediated by the immune. system. An allergic reaction to anything could trigger wheezing and breathlessness.. At its worse an allergic reaction is life threatening - called anaphylactic shock.
But I see a lot of people described as 'allergic' to a drug when in fact what they mean is they are sensitive to to one of the side effects. All drugs have unwanted effects - I've already mentioned the drug cough you can get with drugs like Ramipril - but that is NOT an allergy. I genuinely doubt your cousin is allergic to Omeprazole or Lansoprazole. If she is then the doctors are being highly negligent in keeping her on them. But this is the sort of thing that needs to be discussed with her doctor.
Cousin got the results - thank goodness her scan came back clear and whatever was on her lung has gone which was pointing to an infection. She does however have a bit fluid on her lung and after taking further blood they are more than convinced that it is from the infection. They have said the infection can take weeks to clear up but so far her cough and wheeze have greatly improved. They've also told her to keep off the Omazaprole and Lanzaprosole.
All she has to do now is get the stomach issue sorted by seeing a specialist and the results of the blood tests - (Consultant is 99.9% sure these will come back fine).
She goes back in 6 weeks for a follow up and a chest Xray before the appointment.
To say this is a weight off both her shoulders and mine is an understatement.
I seemed to be OK coping with all of the above whilst it was going on but now I seem to have gone to bits.
Best news of this year for me and for her.
That is good new Janet.
Glad the results came back ok.
🙂
All Love and Reiki Hugs
That's a relief for you Janet - and for your cousin too. Try and get some good food into her and remember to look after yourself too.
yes it is good news - just need to get her stomach sorted now - it's a weight off my shoulders and now the pressure is off I sort of feel "not myself" but to be expected after the last 14 days.
She has a stomach ultrasound next week so will see what that brings but she does seem a lot better with hardly any coughing now and no wheezing.
So pleased to hear that Janet 🙂
Thanks everyone for all the comments and support - feel somedays I'm fighting this on my own and then with a sick mum to also contend with I do wonder how I am still standing
Thanks everyone for all the comments and support - feel somedays I'm fighting this on my own and then with a sick mum to also contend with I do wonder how I am still standing
Prayers are i believe always answered even if not in the way we expect!
Peace and Light
Peter
Perhaps they are in a way and that is why I have such a strength and fight in me that makes me able to cope with it all
I sadly lost my mum on 26 October after being ill for two weeks - such a big void in my life now - it is still so very very raw and still so very very painful - pain like I've never known and there is not a day or minute goes by when I'm not thinking of her and missing her. Never a day goes by without tears.
From visiting her 3-4 times per day before I went to work, after I finished then back on an evening I've gone from no time to too much time on my hands - my whole life has changed as has returning to work which I have had to change my journey to get there because I always stopped off for a 45 minute visit before I went - just can't go the same way now without it hurting.
One day at a time - one step forward and three steps back.
Dear Janet
I'm sorry to hear your sad news and offer you my condolences. It is always difficult losing parents as it leaves one all at sea without an anchor, so to speak. But you are strong and have shown your commitment to her in your care of her during her illness and I'm sure she really appreciated all you did for her. She is in a much more peaceful and pain-free place now, I'm sure.
Thinking of you at this difficult time, just remember that as time goes on the pain does ease. If you are really finding it difficult to cope then some guided EFT can make a big difference, as it did for me when my Mum passed away.
Love and Light
Thank you Caroline it is difficult as I am an only child and even though I have a partner I still feel like I am alone now.
I've just read today about death - really curious to know some of the facts about dying but I'm not afraid or spooked by it and reading what I did today about how close death is I realise now that when mum wasn't reacting to antibiotics this was the start of the process - two days later I was told to prepare for the worst on the Wednesday and she died 10 days later. It was all about being so frail that the body couldn't respond to even antibiotics.
Tell me about guided EFT - and how it could help as I am finding it difficult even though I've returned to work and trying to get life back on track she's with me all the time.
By guided EFT, I meant with a therapist who can help you through the process of word choice and techniques to help you cope with bereavement. I found it excellent.
You can choose a practitioner near you - see the directory here on HP or ), . Doing it on your own is less likely to help because the practitioner is trained to help a person deal with acute problems by various tactics that the basic use will not help with.
It's awful feeling so alone and yet you are not, you know. There are lots of others going through the same process, but the EFT can help enormously.
Thanks Caroline I will take a look and see if I can find someone in my area
I have not been in this conversation but just wanted to add my warm thoughts to you Janet, I wish you well and some peace of mind.
Thank you - I am struggling badly today - four weeks down the line it doesn't get any easier and with her dying on a Saturday I have more time to think - easier when I am at work Monday to Friday.
Wondering if a homeopath could perhaps help me as I am so very very depressed at the moment. Today I am so weepy and I feel on edge and stressed.
Hi Jeannie
I see you live in Durham and do voluntary work - my cousin lives by the Angel near Team Valley and is keen to get involved in voluntary work to try and meet people. Can you suggest anything or introduce her to some good ones.
Hello Janet, people do say time eases grief but I have found that hard to accept, I also think that because your grief does not ease after some weeks/months you then start feeling you are abnormal, you are not.
I did live in Durham but now in Washington, Tyne & Wear which is only about 5 mile from Angel of the North. How old is your cousin? I found my last voluntary job via the 'Do-it All web site. However I have not found them very good recently, I applied for 10 and did not get one reply :confused:
Yes I have had a bad Sunday and a bad day today too -ok when at work but the last two days I'm feeling stressed and on edge but I think that is more to do with my cousin who chucks curve balls my way all the time!
If she was sorted I am sure that would make me feel a bit better but she lived with my mum and she is feeling very lonely as you can imagine and she's had a load of health issues as I've wrote about on here. So it does worry me but at the same time I feel at the moment I cannot cope with any more of the phone calls when she rings me in a panic with a crisis when if she was more in control she could rationalise and see it isn't such a problem. I've had so many of them now I can't take any more. I wasn't feeling brilliant today and she rang me tonight with another one so it's stressed me and put me on edge and on top of how I was feeling I've had tears tonight again. I feel because of worrying about her and always "her" problems she's not letting me grieve which I need to do.
She is 58 - she's not a million miles from you so if you could point her in some directions to get her out of the house - that would be great.
Sent you a pm Janet.
Dear One
Look come and sort it out here with Dr Goiz sessions for magnetism with me, its sourcing new information on all these problems and I will work with you to balance the ph