Pulmonary edema

OK, I’m posting this a) to  moan about my GP and b) to raise awareness as I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I have in the last week.

 So…on the last week of January I had terrible pain in my left shoulder blade (cancer side). felt like I was being stabbed.   Rang doctor who said that as I was due to see my cardiologist in feb, tell her about it then.  Wasn’t happy so a few days later I rang again under guise of something else and asked her again.  She said the same thing. No offer face to face appointment .   If there had been, the edama  may  have been identified.  Spoke to one of  the specialist nurses at the hospital and she said I had to insist for an emergency appointment .  So on 10 Feb I called.  No luck. But they would call me on 13 Feb.  11 Feb came and I was worse so rang 111 who were fab.  There was fluid on the lung, was was given antibiotics and told to see my GP on Monday. Luckily I had my appointment already booked, my doctor called me on Monday she said ‘ I suppose you want face-to-face appointment?’ so I got in to see her and she just got me into ED to have emergency scans and blood tests at the hospital I was admitted immediately I could hardly even walk or breath or speak by that time. On respiratory  ward I got well looked well after.  Had a drain put it once I was stable and 2 litres fluid removed and then discharged on 17. I now have to get seen by district nurse for foreseeable future to  be drained every 3 days unless she feels I need it more often.

The consultant asked why I hadn’t seen my GP and he was gobsmaked when I explained.  He told me the way the body is wired pain from edema presents in the shoulder .  I truly hope the info helps someone.  If you have lung cancer, have a vicious pain in shoulder call 111 or go straight to ED.  There may be other symptoms but I didn’t have anything else.  I now have to wait for results of tests to fluid.  So my anxiety is through the door again.