[madubois63]

Pleural effusion is fluid build up in the lungs. The fluid (for me) is a byproduct of the cancer on the lung. I also had a build up of fluid on my heart, but that is gone now. Anyway. At first, it was thought that I had pneumonia so I was treated with antibiotics which of course didn't work. I then ended up in the ER and gained a pulmonary doctor. He drained my lung (thoracenticis). The fluid was sent to pathology and came back inconclusive. I went home thinking I had pneumonia - yeah. Before long, my lungs had filled up again (boo) and I set up VATs (video assisted) surgery with a thoracic surgeon which included a biopsy of my liver, throcenticis and Pleurodesis (sealing the lung with talc so that the lung and the chest wall stick together not allowing fluid to build up again). This surgery made my life livable. I could not even walk from my bed to the bathroom prior to the surgery - breathing was so difficult. That was 17 months ago and I am still going strong...