Hello forumites,
It took six months to go from a persistent dry cough, to a CT scan that showed "lots of big lymph nodes and some nodules". Not what I wanted to hear!
Along the way, I had blood tests with odd results, but when repeated six weeks later the blood had returned to "normal". I was on an anti-reflux drug for a month, in case reflux was causing my cough. I had a chest Xray, which showed a vague oval shape, so I was given follow-up Xray six weeks later, but the vague shape was still there, so I was booked in for a CT scan. The worst part is the waiting for an appointments, then waiting for the results. Waiting at every stage, and never knowing how long the wait will be.
The doctor phoned with the CT scan results, and said "It's not good news, unfortunately". Lots of big lymph nodes and some nodules. Possibly lymphoma. Possibly sarcoidosis, which can still be very nasty but would definitely be the better outcome of the two.
So tomorrow I'm having an EBUS procedure. Endoscopic Bronchial Ultrasound. The EBUS device is a tube that it poked into the lungs, and it's a truly remarkable piece of technology. Although it's only 7mm diameter, it contains a light, a camera, an ultrasound scanner, an inflatable water-balloon to get better ultrasound pictures, a tube that can spray local anaesthetic, a tube that can suction blood, some wires that can steer the tip to various parts of the lungs, and a retractable needle that can pierce through to a lymph node to suck up some of its contents for analysis.
It's an amazing device, and I'm fortunate that it has been recently invented, as it can provide a much better diagnosis than older bronchioscopes.
Nevertheless, it's going to be an uncomfortable procedure and I'm not looking forward to the discomfort, but I'm quite positive about the overall process.
I'm 62 and still very active, hiking in the hills 20 miles a day, so I'm not quite ready to be going downhill yet. We'll see what happens.
Roger.
