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Pleural Effusion Symptoms


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#1 dede5

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Posted 09 June 2015 - 10:31 AM

Can anyone who's had first-hand experience with Pleural Effusion describe it for me. I know it can be a side effect of Sprycel, which I've been taking for 4 years. I'm now having some issues but don't want to seek medical attention unless I'm pretty sure. Does it hit fast and hard, leaving no room for question, or does it build over a period of time? 


Dx: 01 March 2011

Sprycel 100 mg per day since dx 

MMR: July 2013

numerous side effects 

Thankful for the gift of each new day, and try to live it to the fullest  :D


#2 pammartin

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Posted 09 June 2015 - 12:57 PM

Please, if you think you have a problem, do not hesitate to go to your doctor. It is worth the trip, even if it is nothing and will ease your mind.

 

Mine came with shortness of breath, a heavy feeling in my chest, difficulty in breathing, and because I was also developing PH my oxygen was low and I passed out several times. 

 

https://www.clevelan...al_Effusion.htm



#3 tinman1939

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Posted 09 June 2015 - 01:06 PM

I was on Sprycel for only a few days when every symptom Pam described hit me like a brick. I didn't wait for a diagnosis, but just told my oncologist I was stopping that treatment immediately. She readily agreed and switched me to another TKI without hesitation.



#4 Marnie

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Posted 09 June 2015 - 01:53 PM

If you are having symptoms of PE, you should have a chest x-ray (have it read by a radiologist, not your g.p).  The pleural effusion will probably not go away on its own, but you'll need a thoracentesis to remove the fluid. 

 

My pleural effusions (2 of them, quite severe) developed over time and got pretty bad because I didn't know what it was and waited until I pretty much couldn't breathe any more. 

 

I could feel a difference in my lungs when I was laying down, especially when I laid on my side with the affected lung down.  I also could feel a huge difference when I bent over and had my head lower than my waist.  Mine got to the point where when I breathed, I could hear and feel the whistling/wheezing. 

 

They drained almost 2 liters of fluid and I had a partially collapsed lung the first time.  The x-ray showed the pleural effusion clearly (even though my g.p. didn't identify the problem correctly). 

 

A small pleural effusion might clear up on its own if you stay off of Sprycel long enough, but a more severe one will need to be drained.  I'm not sure if you should stay off of all TKIs until it is cleared or not.  Good luck,

 

Marnie



#5 dede5

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Posted 09 June 2015 - 06:59 PM

Thank you for your input. I have some of the symptoms, but not all of them. I also have unexplained swelling in my feet and ankles. Didn't know if that might be a symptom. I think it is with CHF, but didn't know about PE. Anyway, if it continues much longer or gets worse, I will be paying my doctor a visit very soon. Thanks again!


Dx: 01 March 2011

Sprycel 100 mg per day since dx 

MMR: July 2013

numerous side effects 

Thankful for the gift of each new day, and try to live it to the fullest  :D


#6 Marnie

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Posted 09 June 2015 - 07:38 PM

Side note. . .after my 2 PEs, I again developed breathing problems. . .not so much problems, but it felt wrong.  I assumed a 3rd PE.   My doc sent me to the hospital for a complete lung workup.  Nothing.  Waited a bit longer and it seemed to get worse.  Finally went in for another x-ray. . .but it was clear.  Still don't know what it was, but after some careful monitoring, I realized that it seemed to be stress-related.  When I got stressed about work, my breathing got weird.  I started to wonder if I had developed some sort of adult-onset asthma.  Today I mentioned it to my onc's nurse and she suggested that it might be some sort of acid reflux or stress-related "panic attacks."  Weird.

 

The good news is that I am very recently retired. . .so if it is job-stress related, I won't have to worry about that any more.

 

I still recommend a chest x-ray. . .that will rule out a P.E. if it's something else.  Or it will tell you that it IS a P.E. (if that's what it is).  No sense waiting and wondering.

 

Good luck!

Marnie



#7 DebDoodah22

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Posted 10 June 2015 - 06:04 AM

I have had two small ones that require time out from Sprycel and dose reduction to 70mg. Followed by another X-ray to confirm they had resolved.
Mine presented as an unrelenting pain in the back of my lungs, without shortness of breath or perceived difficulty breathing, but the pain was fairly strong, like a 7 and was especially noticeable when lying down...it would not respond to massage, or heat or cold or Tylenol. The dr. Thought it was nothing....finally consented to orders.....X-rays confirmed it, short time out resolved it, without draining....if it is a pleural effusion....waiting for diagnosis could make the resolution more troublesome and put you at further risk. You know when something's wrong....I encourage you to follow up. Hope you get some answers and feel better soon.

#8 winespritzer

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Posted 10 June 2015 - 08:40 AM

Now that I've been on Sprycel for 17 months I have begun to anticipate PE. I have more shortness of breath but attributed it to lack of exercise. However I know it also happens when I am laying down and subsides when I sit up. I saw some slight ankle swelling, eyelid swelling and all my rings became tighter.  I think that happened from overdosing on salty foods. I had been watching my salt intake for a year at the advice of my onc. BUT recently, I went a little crazy with eating out and consuming huge bags of chips from Costco's.

I am back on my restricted salt intake but the breathing part is a little worrisome.

 

Thanks for all of your sharing. It really helps.

Winespritzer  


CML History....

DX-1/14....wbc....55....100mg Sprycel-1 wk after DX....periorbital edema, fatigue,

.385-4/14

.365-7/14

.13-10/14

.11-1/15

.045-4/15

.07-7/15

.06-10/15

.04-1/16

0.00- 4/16-10/17

 

70mg Sprycel...11/4/17....40 mg prednisone (7 days)....thoracentisis...10/26/17

tremendous reduction w periorbital edema and fatigue


#9 alexamay09

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Posted 12 June 2015 - 08:37 AM

I had a PE - fairly minor - and got out of breath when climing stairs, walking up a slope. I also felt it more when I was lying down and had some pain at times in my upper back on the side of the PE.  I was on 140mg sprycel at the time and was reduced to 100mg but had to come off because of concern after an abnormal echo.  I am on imatinib and the PE has slowly improved.

 

Alex



#10 survenant

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Posted 14 June 2015 - 07:03 PM

Symptoms of Pleural Effusions

Pleural effusions often cause no symptoms. Symptoms are more likely when a pleural effusion is moderate or large-sized, or if inflammation is present. Symptoms of pleural effusions may include:

Extract of http://www.webmd.com...uses-treatments

 

 

See also

            Pleural effusion

            Sprycel (dasatinib)






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