Just to give you more information
I Intially went to the doctors as I was finding it hard to breathe. They sent me to the hospital for an xray. I had an appointment with my consultant by coincidence that week. He took me off dasatinib for about two weeks. I had another xray and it appeared to be better on the xray (not gone) so he put me on a lower dose of dasatinib. Went back two weeks later but the effusion was getting bigger. Took me off dasatinib as he thought that there was no point in contining as even taking a lower dose the pleural effusion came back. I came off all drugs for about a month. Had another xray and it had gone down again. He then put me on imatinib for a month - went back had another xray but the pleural effusion was back. This carried on for a while. He then decided to look at other possibilities. I was sent to see the Respiratory Physician who arranged ultra sound and a CT Scan. In the meantime my consultant did a Pleural Tap which was very milky looking. I had ultrasounds and further blood tests.
As i said before they found that the pleural effusion was caused by a Chyle leak from my lymphatic system which was definately caused by SIDE EFFECT FROM THE DRUGS.
I CAME ALL DRUGS UNTIL THE EFFUSION HAD TOTALLY GONE.
I started Nilotinib two months ago and have had an xray and all seems fine.
My Consultant did not go down the steriods or water tablets route luckily for me, as he felt he was just giving me further drugs to treat a side effect of the drugs that I was on. Perhaps because I had been on dasatinib for 2.5 years without any problems previously
Hope you get sorted, but I wouldnt leave it till 29th Jan. Are you not able to see him sooner
best wishes
Jacqui
