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My 83 year old dad has a persistent dry cough and a white ...

Sent to Health Experts November 25 08:51 PM

My 83 year old dad has a persistant dry cough and went to his pulmonoligist 5 weeks ago. He put him on a 9 day course of prednisone & ordered a lung xray. He has a totally none productive cough, mild case of pulmonary fibrosis and the dr ruled out bacterial pneumonia because when dad went in the first time for this condition, he was on an antibiotic for a problem with his toe & it didn't help the cough. He read the xray and showed it to us on the computer monitor. Dad has a large white cloudy area in the right lobe that the dr says covers 20% of the lung cavity. He doesn't know what it is but says "it's not related to the pulmonary fibrosis and that we need to keep an eye on that lung."
He scheduled him out 6 weeks for another xray...what could this large cloudy white area on the xray indicate? I might add his condition has not improved. He gets winded walking 10 feet! He says if anything he's getting worse. Could this be viral pneumonia w/o any productivity (phlegm) or more likely cancer? He smoked for 20 years but quit 40 yrs ago...my sister died of lung cancer 3 yrs ago. Thank you!

Edited by Customer (name blocked for privacy) on November 25 2005 at 9:07 PM

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $10
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November 25 9:07 PM (15 minutes and 45 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark

Usually build up of fluid or infection or pneumonia could appear as white area on chest x ray.

Hope this helps, If you need anything else please feel free to ask. If you found this helpful don’t forget to click the *accept* button

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Lindie -- Healthcare Expert -- 100% Positive Feedback on 4966 Health Accepts
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November 25 9:09 PM (2 minutes and 20 seconds later)
         
Reply to Lindie's Post: please read my updated edited version as I added more info - thanks! Would pneumonia produce an nonproductive cough of 8-10 weeks?? No phlegm whatsoever! Please read the update after reading this...thanks!
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November 25 9:22 PM (12 minutes and 17 seconds later)
         
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Lindie -- Healthcare Expert -- 100% Positive Feedback on 4966 Health Accepts
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November 25 9:30 PM (8 minutes and 18 seconds later)
         
We are talking to the pulmonoligist who seems to be quite laid back & unconcerned. It seems rather odd not to at least tell him things to do to be more comfortable such as cool air vaporizer, and why not a cat scan? Would cancer show as a cloudy white area - this showed to be 4" x 1&1/2 wide or so. Of course he was reading the xray taken prior to the prednisone which may have only suppressed the immunities to cause this to have spread worse...or am I overreacting?
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
November 25 9:44 PM (13 minutes and 42 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark

Are you over reacting.. That I can't say.. I don't know your dads full medical history. plus I have not listened to his lungs either.. cancerous growth can cause fluid in the lungs as well (which can show up as white as well). But I guess in reality we could talk about all the possible things it could be.. But to be honest, I do think and personally feel that 6 weeks is a bit long. I can understand maybe 2-3 weeks.. but not 6. So if it were my Dad, I would call up on Monday and make an appt with another Pulmonologist for him to be evaluated. (for one you will get a second opinion (which even if it were a worst case scenario--you should get one anyway) and they can order another x ray). His new doctor can get a copy of the chest x ray as well that you saw. (but if you are able to get a copy yourself.. (it would help-that way you have it the day he goes) but they can order it as well.

Hope this helps.

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Lindie -- Healthcare Expert -- 100% Positive Feedback on 4966 Health Accepts
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November 25 9:50 PM (5 minutes and 57 seconds later)
         
Reply to Lindie's Post: Thank you! One more thing and I'll accept, is pneumonia fatal if left unchecked like this for so long?!
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
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November 25 10:01 PM (11 minutes and 7 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark

It can because it increases after the age of 65. So if left untreated, it could cause further complications. But to what point with your Dad I can't say. Hope you decide a 2nd opinion though, if nothing else just to be on the safe side.

Best of luck to you all. And please keep me posted through PM here on the site as well.

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Lindie -- Healthcare Expert -- 100% Positive Feedback on 4966 Health Accepts
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