I had a really bad nightmare. It was just a bad dream!

[BrassMagnet]

A little over a month ago I posted a thread on the disturbing news I got at the VA. This is a link to that thread:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?284186-Disturbing-news-at-the-VA-I-could-use-your-prayers&highlight=

In this thread I didn't include the really scary phrases like "or metastatic liver lesion."

I cough a lot and I can't quit coughing. Sometimes it gets better, but it never stops. I finally went to the VA to figure out why. I have a history of sinus trouble and acid reflux. I have had two sinus surgeries and one of them caused never ending post nasal drip. So they did a CAT scan of my chest and found lumps (nodules) in my left lung, thyroid, and liver. I have seen a lot of doctors since then for a whole lot of diagnostic tests.
The testing by specialists at the VA and at the local hospital could not find the reported nodules in the left lung. They found the thyroid nodule to be benign. The liver nodule is also benign. They checked out my digestive track from top to bottom and found it all normal.
No cancer. No need for end of life planning. That is the good news!
Now the bad news. Sinus inflammation and sinus infection. Ten days of antibiotics at the start of this did not touch the infection. So I took an anti-inflammatory (Prednisone) for nine days and I am taking a strong antibiotic (Azithromycin) for 30 days. Actually the bad news is good news! Nothing major!
I'll still be seeing doctors over the next year to check on those lumps/nodules but life is good.
Thank you for all your prayers. I am sure they helped. Knowing people cared helped to keep the nightmare at bay until the good news started coming in.

[s mac]

Praise God, Prayers work.

[Clay M]

My guess is something you may have been exposed to..
I had Sarcoidosis: (http://www.webmd.com/lung/understanding-sarcoidosis-basics) I worked in metal shop for several years doing wielding and casting..
I had a big inflamed lymph node on my lungs..
The doctors said it may be cancer.They wanted to do a thoracotomy.
I would not let them do it.

I watched it with x-rays and it went away after several years..



I will continue to pray for you that you may be healed..

[DCP]

On Prednisone for poison ivy, They just tore me up. Down to 1 pill a day for 2 more days. Had to take 4 for 3 days,then 3,2, and 1
I have to pee all the time and right now, and they also put me to sleep. They also made me very nervous

I take them now about 5 pm or I just have a very bad day!

[douglasskid]

Scary stuff!! Hope everything remains benign. You are in our prayers.
Come see me, we miss you.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I've been through the same experience... I have a lot of back problems and 6-7yrs ago I had an MRI done on my back and they also found I had a couple of lipomas near my spine (I have a lot of them elsewhere, they are almost always benign) but they thought they were a different & possibly malignant. I had to live with that and stew over it for about a 1-1/2 months. Fortunately when they were removed, they were found to be benign but that was a scary and tough thing to live through. I also have a strong family history of colon cancer that claimed my grandfather and had my uncle passed away from it when he was 26. I share strong genetic similarities with both my grandfather & uncle so I had a colonoscopy done after fears some of my back pain could be colon cancer but luckily not the case but I had 2 polyps removed, I was 26 at the time, pretty young for polyps I guess. Be careful guys, don't be stubborn about seeing the doc.

Anyone that goes through the same thing or even worse, is told the hard truth, has my heartfelt sympathy. I have changed my outlook on life ever since...

BrassMagnet, glad your all clear!

[jakharath]

BrassMagnet - Glad to hear it!

[Beagle333]

Glad it's all benign!! I love hearing that word from my doctor. :-D

[Clay M]

I am careful what Doctors I choose..
I went back to my Urologist Friday..He said I was OK with my Free and total PSA..
Many Doctors from my home town would have done a biopsy on my prostate, (to get the money)

I let no one slice and dice me,without a lot of reason,and my consent ..which is hard to get..

So I am good for now..

I pray you will be OK with time..

When I had my lung problem

They wanted to split my chest open like a grape..I said no way you are going to do this to me..and I was right..

[Plate plinker]

BM. I guess you have tried nasal steroids? They really help me when I get the sinus infection, also I use a salt water nasal rinse. Hope you get relief from the drip. Glad you received good news.

[Hickory]

Prednisone will lower you immunity and make you susceptible to lots of diseases, even being around children who have recently had live vaccine shots, you could pick up the disease from them.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I have also been treated with Prednisone in the past along with other steroids and I didn't care for the side effects myself. Again, they were for treating my back. I'll stick with the occasional cortisone injection, those don't bother me, just relief!

[retread]

Happy to hear your good news. Keep positive and things will continue to get better. Still praying for you.

[lightman]

Thats good news! Now to beat that infection. Still praying for you.

[fast ronnie]

glad to hear the good news!!!!

[daniel lawecki]

Prednisone this my 3rd script over the last month or over 100 taken.

[obssd1958]

Brass,
Just in case your doctor neglected to inform you - any time you are on antibiotics, especially heavy duty ones, you should supplement your good bacteria count with a probiotic. The antibiotics will kill all but the most robust bacteria, leaving you somewhat defenseless to the bad ones - like c-diff.
Our family has experience with this, and the outcome was not good.
Praying for your continued recovery, and a good outcome!!

Don

[osteodoc08]

Ah. Clostridium difficile has a smell all its own. I can usually tell when walking in the room. Same with DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) and GI bleeding.

Glad to hear everything is well BrassMagnet!

[RKJ]

That is very good news!

[Wayne Smith]

Good to hear, Ron. Will still be praying for your stubborn infection.

[Freightman]

Prayer works worked for me most powerful thing we have. I been on antibiotics IV and mouth since March 30, 2015 that much makes you weak and tire easy but alternative is worse. good news is great , God is good!

[GaryN]

Great news Brassmagnet!!!!

[MtGun44]

Glad to hear it, sir.

Bill

[pretzelxx]

Better watch out. The VA has a higher probability to kill you than deployments.

[twc1964]

Great news brass, besides, who would be inspiring all the folks on s-s forum to jump on good deals at lightning speed, lol. No really, glad to hear that all is well.

[bullet maker 57]

Glad to hear you are okay.

[JWFilips]

He works in mysterious ways!... Live life! You are Blessed!
Very good news for you and us ( your friends)
Wishing you the best!
Jim

[smokeywolf]

Very glad that things are turning positive for you. Eat yogurt or drink kefir every morning. Think of it as a dose of medicine to counter the side effects of the Azithromycin.