Update. Dr thinks I have sarcoidosis....

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Update. Dr thinks I have sarcoidosis....
3
Mon, 01-31-2005 - 2:14pm

Hi everyone :-)

Just wanted to give everyone an update. My new pcm has been reviewing my records, x-rays, cts, etc over the last week or so. She called me Friday afternoon to go over her findings. She noticed that I have granulomas on one of my lungs. To make a very long story short, she thinks the cysts that I keep getting, severe upper right abdominal pain, shortness of breath, fever, etc is most likely being caused by a disease called sarcoidosis & has referred me a pulmonologist. Since I have an appt at UNC Chapel Hill on the 21st of Feb with the GI surgeon, they are trying to get me in there on the same day to see the pulmonologist. If it is this disease, everything now falls into place & now makes sense from what I have researched on the internet. Please keep me in your thoughts & prayers. Right night, I am overwhelmed & very scared. Thank you for being here for me.

Love, HUGS, & God Bless,
Tara S.
tswilley@ec.rr.com

          

CellPhonePics3387-1.jpg picture by taranallan

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Mon, 01-31-2005 - 2:25pm


Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that starts in your lungs but that in time can affect virtually any organ in your body, including your liver, skin, heart, nervous system and eyes. Some people have signs and symptoms related to a specific organ, such as shortness of breath, but others may have only a vague feeling of illness or no symptoms at all.


Although anyone can develop sarcoidosis, the disease mainly affects adults between the ages of 20 and 40. People of Scandinavian descent and black Americans are particularly at risk. Blacks are also more likely to have severe, chronic symptoms than whites are.


**Sarcoidosis remains something of a medical mystery, but it's believed to result from an abnormal immune response. Just what triggers this response isn't known.** Doctors do know that the disease often goes away on its own without treatment — usually within 2 to 3 years. Some people may have symptoms for a lifetime, however. And in rare cases sarcoidosis can be fatal.


If you have no signs or symptoms of sarcoidosis or only minor ones, your doctor may choose to take a wait-and-see approach. Treatment for severe cases is usually with the corticosteroid drug prednisone.


thflowers-hahd23222.gif picture by Wren53B

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-20-2004
Mon, 01-31-2005 - 6:08pm

Hi Tara,

Wren obviously gave you all the info on this. I just wanted to say I'm sorry you have this going on. Try not to worry. I hope they can get you into both docs on the same day. I keep you in my prayers.

Love,

Jamie

Love,

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Wed, 02-02-2005 - 10:18pm

Hey Tara,


I am so sorry to hear that you may have this.