Update on Chest Pain

Well, I just heard from my dr. Why do I always go blank when he is on the phone? Anyhow, they still don't know what was causing the chest pain but after 3 CT scans they have determined that I have a 1 cm nodule in my left lung that they just kind of stumbled across while doing the CT of my heart. They did another one yesterday just to double check. My dr. tells me that he is going to set me up with a pulmonologist. Man am I glad I have insurance!!

So, I thought that a lot of times they could tell by the CT scan if the nodule is benign. Does the fact that he wants to send me to a pulmonologist indicate he thinks otherwise?

A pulmonologist is not necessarily a "cancer doctor" - I wouldn't read anything into his referral in terms of whether he thinks you have cancer or not. If he thought he did, I expect he'd tell you.

I had to go to a pulmonologist for a bit after my PEs.

Let us know what he says.

At least you know that you are not imagining things, and you are off to get it sorted.

Keep us posted, li... we'll be thinking of you

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Originally Posted by li10up

So, I thought that a lot of times they could tell by the CT scan if the nodule is benign. Does the fact that he wants to send me to a pulmonologist indicate he thinks otherwise?

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No, it just means that lungs are not his specialty so he wants someone better qualified to access your lung issue.

I called back and spoke with my Dr.'s nurse. I asked her to read the report from the radiologist to me. I was hoping to hear "smooth, rounded edge" and "calcified" which indicates a benign lesion...instead I heard "irregular non-calcified nodule". Still this does not mean that it is not benign....but it isn't what I was hoping to hear.

The Internet is a wealth of information (maybe too much)...especially when your doc isn't very forthcoming. Perhaps he just doesn't want to worry me unnecessarily. But I like going into a consultation with at least a rudimentary understanding of what could be going on.

Did you find out what was up? I haven't had the stress test, but all the others. I replyed to your other thread, and have had the same symptoms (with them not really finding anything) since the end of May. My ER CT scan was also clear, but I'm still having pain.I'm thinking I may need to see a lung doctor as well.

I had sent a letter to the ER radiologist asking him to take another look at my CT scan there. On review he also saw the nodule...it's a good thing I had a CT scan at another hospital or I'd never know it was there! :mad: Anyhow, I saw the pulmonologist yesterday and the next step is to have a lung function test and a PET scan. Waiting on them to call me with an appt. time. All this waiting is hard.

Ok, I've had a horrible pain in the right side of my head, behind my eye. It almost feels like really bad sinus pressure in one little spot behind my eye. I've heard of trigeminal neuralgia before, but I don’t have any of the other symptoms like electric pain in the lower face. I get pain in my right face near my upper lip and nose area but it’s like an aching pain. What could this be?

Lancy: If this pain is consistent, I would see the doc... could be just sinus troubles / infection. But a good checkup, and possible radiographs or CT scan to see sinuses and areas in that general area may be a good way to get a close look and be sure. Even tooth problems can cause pain in some of those areas. Sometimes migraines can even mimic stuff like that. Hope you are feeling better soon!