Update On My Friend Is Fluid On The Lung Not An Emergency?

[gordiescotland1]

Hi there I went to see my friend this afternoon and he was very breathless I only stayed 30 minutes, they took him off the drip last night but has had to put him on it again because he cant eat without being sick. He has a wc in his room but he cant get up and walk to it because he is so breathless they have put a catheter in. He told me that a doctor this morning said he had fluid on his lungs and he is going to drain it on monday. I would have thought fluid on the lung would have been an emergency? I found the whole situation so sad, my minister is his next of kin but noone in the church has been in to see him today or tonight a few people are going in tomorrow. None of the doctors or nurses has phoned the next of kin yet. He lives 20 minutes drive away and I dont want him to die on his own. He has asked the minister, his wife and me to be there when he dies. I can get there in 5 minutes in a taxi. I have sent my minister numerous texts and he has never replied to them. im bloody angry at him.

[Sqad]

It usually is urgent, but not an emergency.

[gordiescotland1]

Thanks

[pastafreak]

That's very sad gordie. Is it possible for you to speak to your minister in person? Texts seem a bit impersonal. I do hope your friend is given some relief and is a bit more comfortable.

[gordiescotland1]

I phoned them and they didnt seem that concerned I mean what the heck can they be doing that is so important that they cant go and visit him tonight. The hospital havent phoned them yet and the ministers wife thinks it is because its the weekend and not a lot happens in hospitals at the weekend. I think it is ridicolus that most people in church go on holiday at the same time. Its so bloody middle class and family orientated it makes me want to vomit

[Caran]

OH had lung cancer two years ago. He was diagnosed as having fluid on the lung at his last checkup a month ago. The consultancy said they would be in touch.
We heard nothing so he emailed them the other day. They replied saying they had looked at his case that day and nothing needed to be done until his next scan in one years time. This seems very tardy to me.

[Sqad]

Clearly,it was a mis-diagnosis.
Not unusual.

[dannyk13]

Reading these posts makes me think that ,by comparison, my GP is heroic. I can't believe that a minister of the church could be so cold and impersonal.

[rowanwitch]

Fluid on the lungs can be an emergency but only if the breathing is compromised to the point where a person can hardly breathe at all. If your friend is well positioned in bed, with oxygen and his oxygen figures are in the 90s he will be ok for a while.

[Sqad]

rowan.....I think that you are getting confused with a pleural effusion and acute pulmonary oedema......completely different pathological processes.
From the history of the original post and knowledge of the case history, we are dealing with a pleural effusion, hardly likely to be an emergency.

[rowanwitch]

No Sqad I assumed Pleural effusion, most of the teams I worked with preferred to put drains in when more people are about, means the junior doctors get a chance with the reg working alongside. Sitting up because gravity helps If it was pleural oedema it would be frusemide and possibly haemofiltration to negative balance

[Sqad]

rowan.....right.
The question was if the condition of the OPers friend was an emergency and from your answer, you intimated that "fluid on the lung" could be and that would be confusing for geordie.

This, I feel the problem with much of AB where a general answer or even a link is given to a very personal and individual question, made worse by terms (medical) that are confusing to the lay person.