Lung involvement

[searcher24]

I have Mixed Connective Tissue Disease and have been having shortness of breath when I exercise. My chest becomes tight and it feels like i need to inhale more air, but i can’t. I can’t seem to make a complete breath. At first my doctor thought I had asthma but inhalers don’t help my symptoms. I had a CT scan which showed nodules and ground glass opacities. Is this what shows up with lung involvement? I have always feared my organs being involved and don’t want to believe it’s possible, but i also want to make sure I get the right treatment so it doesn’t progress. If you have lung involvement, what is the treatment? Does it get better or is it what’s done is done? I attached the results from my CT scan. Thanks so much!

[helixhelix]

You do need to discuss this with your doctors, as they can explain the significance of these findings in relation to your specific medical history.

All I can say is that lung nodules can be a result of all sorts of different things. I have quite a few but basically due to past history (ex-smoker, TB, many bouts of pneumonia etc) not the RA or the drugs. But like your nodules they are stable and didn’t change from one CT scan to another, so nobody is bothered about them.

Similar with the ground glass opacity - it can be due to lots of things like temporary infections or permanent lung conditions. So you do need to follow this up with your doctors. Take comfort in the fact that they refer to “small” amount.

[wishbone]

As helix says, you need to discuss this with your doctors.

When ground glass opacity was found in my lungs by x-ray it was followed up with a CT scan and a lung function test. I thought you would have been reffered for an LFT, but perhaps your doctors feel it's not necessary as you only have a small amount of opacity and don't need monitoring. Still, think I'd be querying it with my doctors if I was you.

[Agoodlife]

What medication are you on? Are you on Mtx?

[searcher24 in reply to Agoodlife]

I am on Rituxan, Methotrexate, Plaquenil, Prednisone, Evoxac,and Amlodipine.

[searcher24 in reply to searcher24]

I am switching from methotrexate and Rituxan to possibly CellCept

[crashdoll]

Unfortunately CT scans are not always black and white. You’re on a lot of medication to suppress the immune system and they can result in infections and/or lung involvement. Sounds like you need follow up from a specialist respiratory doctor. My rheum is ok at monitoring my lung stuff but defers mainly to respiratory which is how it should be really. Best of luck.