CT and Lung Nodules
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Sandy, My inhaler is a corticosteroid not for asthma but for radiation induced pulmonary fibrosis. It is prescribed to stop the horrible cough caused by nerves exposed to air by the reticular remodeling of the interstitium. There's also the chance that it might prevent the fibrosis from advancing. Two different clinical trials were proposed (China and Mexico) but never ran due to lack of enrollment, not surprising since RIPF is so rare. The top two lobes of my right lung are shot; I'm hoping the current consolidation throughout the lung isn't a progression. Unfortunately this ILD gives me a 58% chance of getting lung cancer so my nodules are monitored.
Currently my inhaler is covered by part D but Anthem and three other insurance companies have pulled out of the state for next year and none of the seven plans left have it on the formulary. My pulmo will request an exemption but is also proactive. When I was hospitalized for several days at the end of July I ended up with inhalers for three months even though my other meds were given to me pill by pill. I really feel sorry for the many people on Advantage plans who will be kicked out of nursing homes if they can't find another plan to take them. Since NH is a state with an older population leaving is how health insurance companies can control their costs.
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Hi Ladies! I have been MIA the last couple of months, but I hope you all are doing well and had a good Thanksgiving with family if possible. Looking forward to a nice Christmas as well.
Maggie15,
The changes of the insurance this year is unreal! The Medicare advantage plans in my area are also very limited, and they have once again cancelled the type of plan I am on so I have to evaluate the options. It is a big old mess right now.
I wish everyone a blessed holiday season with as much love, laughter, and family as possible.
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Bookworm, It’s good to hear from you. Yesterday I signed up for the least bad Medicare prescription drug plan. At least my medigap plan is being continued next year. I hope you can find an Advantage plan that will work for you.
I’m glad you had a good Thanksgiving and have plans for Christmas with your family. We went to NYC to visit my son, daughter and their families at the end of September. They are all planning to come visit in January. I cooked a turkey for two of us on Thanksgiving and will do the same for Christmas since I like the leftovers.
Thank you for your well wishes. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season.
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Hi there! I haven't posted in a while, and never on this thread. Unfortunately, I'm here with a solitary lung nodule that showed up on my CT scan. I requested the scan due to an occasional dry cough over the past couple months.
I just got the results on my portal today so I haven't heard from my MO yet. But it's a 12mm slightly lobulated soft tissue density nodule in my upper right lobe. I've been on verzenio for 9 months. I know it can cause lung issues. But of course my first concern is a met, especially with the size, location and not being well-defined.
A lot of what I've read show people with benign nodules. But not at the size of mine. I guess I'm just looking for support in general. And I'm hoping to hear about someone with a larger nodule like mine that turned out to be benign.
I feel like it's really bad news to get a lung met this fast (it apparently wasn't on my CT a year ago) when I'm on verzenio and lupron and anastrazole. But I'm trying not to go there. The report recommended short term follow-up, PET scan or biopsy. I'm going to push for biopsy if possible and just focus on not worrying until I need to. Thanks for "listening"!
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Hi @cmre00, I'm sorry that you have a lung nodule which is a concerning size. It could be a granuloma which is a benign clump of cells caused by inflammation of some sort (possibly from Verzenio.) Mets usually appear in groups but a singleton is possible. The other possibility would be a new lung cancer primary.
Lung biopsies can be very difficult which is why they are suggesting short term follow-up (usually 3 months) to look for growth first. I don't know how useful a PET scan would be since any kind of inflammation would light up with FDG contrast. Even FES which looks for E+ lights up my pulmonary fibrosis which is not cancer but has estrogen receptors. Also, it wouldn't identify lung cancer.
If you need a biopsy it might be worth getting a pulmonologist involved. Occasionally an IR can do a needle biopsy but more often bronchoscopy is needed to reach the tumor. Sometimes the nodule is impossible to get to that way and VATS (open surgical biopsy requiring hospitalization) is required. A specialist pulmonary radiologist or lung cancer pulmonologist might have useful input about whether it appears the nodule should be biopsied immediately or followed short term. In the grand scheme of things three months doesn't make a huge difference.
Most of the time a lone nodule under 3 cm is benign but any nodule over 1 cm should be closely monitored. Keep us posted. You are wise not to worry unless you have to.
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