Pneumonia Question - Infiltrate in lung

[Justinsmom]

Hi,
My 7 year old has been going through the diagnostic process for the past year. He became pancreatic insufficent from January of last year to June of this year with fecal elastase levels going from 148 to 25. He did not have a positive sweat test. Last Friday night he complained of nausea and tummy pain as well as pain in the back. During the night he spiked a fever of 103.5. Taking the advice of "Bill" who posts here about pancreatitis, I took him to the ER. They did a CT scan looking for pancreatitis or appendix issues. They found an "infiltrate in his postular intererior left lung base. We were told he has pneumonia and he was kept about 36 hours and given 2 iv doses of antibiotic and sent home on 875 of amoxicilin 2x day. We were strongly advised to seek a second opinion and were given a copy of the scan on disc. Meeting with the new CF doctor, she said this was somthing that is not a run of the mill pneumonia but is linked or common to CF. I appologize, it was a lot of information to get a one time. She will be repeating the scan (or x-ray I am not sure yet) next week for to make sure it has gone away. Otherwise, she will be doing a broncoscopy to make sure he does not get bronciectasis.
Could anyone please tell me their experience with infiltrate in the lungs? What does this mean and is it more common/specific to CF? Again, I received so much information at once and am not sure I have kept it straingt.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Justinsmom]

Hi,
My 7 year old has been going through the diagnostic process for the past year. He became pancreatic insufficent from January of last year to June of this year with fecal elastase levels going from 148 to 25. He did not have a positive sweat test. Last Friday night he complained of nausea and tummy pain as well as pain in the back. During the night he spiked a fever of 103.5. Taking the advice of "Bill" who posts here about pancreatitis, I took him to the ER. They did a CT scan looking for pancreatitis or appendix issues. They found an "infiltrate in his postular intererior left lung base. We were told he has pneumonia and he was kept about 36 hours and given 2 iv doses of antibiotic and sent home on 875 of amoxicilin 2x day. We were strongly advised to seek a second opinion and were given a copy of the scan on disc. Meeting with the new CF doctor, she said this was somthing that is not a run of the mill pneumonia but is linked or common to CF. I appologize, it was a lot of information to get a one time. She will be repeating the scan (or x-ray I am not sure yet) next week for to make sure it has gone away. Otherwise, she will be doing a broncoscopy to make sure he does not get bronciectasis.
Could anyone please tell me their experience with infiltrate in the lungs? What does this mean and is it more common/specific to CF? Again, I received so much information at once and am not sure I have kept it straingt.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Printer]

Josette:

First let me tell you that you are doing great. EVERYONE gets overwelmed, one time or another, speaking with the Doctors. Don't be afraid to call the Doctor (or her nurse) and simply say, I'm not clear about what uou said about__________ or you said this, what does it mean.

Believe me when I tell you that it happens to all of us. She has gotten these type of questions before.

You are doing great.

Bill

 

[Printer]

Josette:

First let me tell you that you are doing great. EVERYONE gets overwelmed, one time or another, speaking with the Doctors. Don't be afraid to call the Doctor (or her nurse) and simply say, I'm not clear about what uou said about__________ or you said this, what does it mean.

Believe me when I tell you that it happens to all of us. She has gotten these type of questions before.

You are doing great.

Bill

 

[Printer]

Another thing, the CF Doctor scheduled a X-ray CAT scan or MRI for next week, not for today. The emergency is over. You are in the right place being seen by the right people. I know that it is difficult but you can relax a bit until next week.

If another "situation" occurs, go to the ER where the CF Clinic is.

I'm sorry that I was not able to get back to you during our last conversation. One of the moderators, in his wisdom, permanently banned me from this site.


Bill

 

[Printer]

Another thing, the CF Doctor scheduled a X-ray CAT scan or MRI for next week, not for today. The emergency is over. You are in the right place being seen by the right people. I know that it is difficult but you can relax a bit until next week.

If another "situation" occurs, go to the ER where the CF Clinic is.

I'm sorry that I was not able to get back to you during our last conversation. One of the moderators, in his wisdom, permanently banned me from this site.


Bill

 

[Ratatosk]

Did he have a cough or symptoms of an upper respiratory infection? The reason I ask is our local clinic was forever finding infiltrates on ds' X-ray, though no symptoms, so we'd take him to the city for lung and or ct scans and his lungs were normal. Near we can tell is the local radiologists just weren't all that familiar with ct, whereas the cf hospital in the city was because they treat more coffers

 

[Ratatosk]

Did he have a cough or symptoms of an upper respiratory infection? The reason I ask is our local clinic was forever finding infiltrates on ds' X-ray, though no symptoms, so we'd take him to the city for lung and or ct scans and his lungs were normal. Near we can tell is the local radiologists just weren't all that familiar with ct, whereas the cf hospital in the city was because they treat more coffers

 

[Justinsmom]

Yesand no. He did not have any cough the day he was hospitalized. Has had cough and shortness of breath on and off for over a month. He did get a fever that night. We took a copy of the CT and x-ray and Big City CF clinic is who talked to us about it. Local hospital insisted we take the disc though. Only seen on the CT not on the x-ray.
Thanks!

 

[Justinsmom]

Yesand no. He did not have any cough the day he was hospitalized. Has had cough and shortness of breath on and off for over a month. He did get a fever that night. We took a copy of the CT and x-ray and Big City CF clinic is who talked to us about it. Local hospital insisted we take the disc though. Only seen on the CT not on the x-ray.
Thanks!