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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Is It Due To Heavy Smoking There Is Slurred Speech And Nausea?

Hi, I actually have a question not about me but about my aunt who refuses to seek medical treatment. (actually, hasn't been to a doctor at all in over 30 years!) She is 57, about 5'5", I'm guessing somewhere around 180 lbs or so (hard to tell). She has been drinking rather heavily and smoking for the majority of her life. Recently, within about the past year or so, we have noticed that her feet (and probably her legs, although she's usually wearing long pants) have become extremely swollen, and purple, skin very tight. More recently, probably within about the last 6 months, her speech has become slurred (even when we know she hasn't been drinking that day.) It seems like her face and stomach have become swollen also, and I don't believe it's just normal weight gain since she hardly eats at all- says she has "stomach issues", which we've determined is either nausea or pain, or both. Now she has a lot of trouble walking, needs support and seems to be in a great deal of pain. We are working on convincing her to get some medical treatment, but in the meantime, I'm wondering if you might be able to tell me what you think this could be?
Fri, 27 Jun 2014
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Psychiatrist,  's  Response
HI THANKS FOR YOUR QUERY.FIRST OF LET ME CLARIFY TO YOU ONCE FOR ALL THAT SHE HIS SHOWING :"ALERT/WARNING SIGNS" OF SEVERE UNDERLYING DISEASE PROCESS NOTABLY A MALIGNANCY/CANCEROUS PROCESS OF CANCER LUNG WITH METASTATIC OR PARANEOPLASTIC PROCESS SECONDARY TO CHRONIC SMOKING.THE SLURRING OF SPEECH, SWELLING OF FEET AND ABDOMEN CAN BE A DIRECT EFFECT OF TUMOUR CALLED "SUPERIOR VENA CAVAL SYNDROME/HORNER'S SYNDROME/RECURRETNT LARYNGEAL NERVE COMPRESSION"
LUNG CANCER IS NOTORIUS FOR ITS PRESENTATION.IT CAN PRESENT IN LATE STAGES AS WELL.ALL YOU NEED TO DO NOW IS TO QUICKLY ASSES HER STATUS BY A HRCT SCAN OF THORAX WITH PLAIN CTSCAN OF ABDOMEN AND BIOPSY OF THE TUMOUR IF FOUND TO ASSES THE NATURE AND PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT.
ONE TYPE OF LUNG CA CALLED "SMALL/OAT CELL CANCER HAS GOT GOOD RESPONSE/TREATMENT OUTCOME TO BOTH CHEMO AND RADIOTHERAPY.HENCE I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU TO VISIT AN ONCOLOGIST ON URGENT BASIS TO ASSESS THE DIAGNOSIS AND CLINICAL STATUS OF THE PATIENT.THANK YOU.
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Is It Due To Heavy Smoking There Is Slurred Speech And Nausea?

HI THANKS FOR YOUR QUERY.FIRST OF LET ME CLARIFY TO YOU ONCE FOR ALL THAT SHE HIS SHOWING : ALERT/WARNING SIGNS OF SEVERE UNDERLYING DISEASE PROCESS NOTABLY A MALIGNANCY/CANCEROUS PROCESS OF CANCER LUNG WITH METASTATIC OR PARANEOPLASTIC PROCESS SECONDARY TO CHRONIC SMOKING.THE SLURRING OF SPEECH, SWELLING OF FEET AND ABDOMEN CAN BE A DIRECT EFFECT OF TUMOUR CALLED SUPERIOR VENA CAVAL SYNDROME/HORNER S SYNDROME/RECURRETNT LARYNGEAL NERVE COMPRESSION LUNG CANCER IS NOTORIUS FOR ITS PRESENTATION.IT CAN PRESENT IN LATE STAGES AS WELL.ALL YOU NEED TO DO NOW IS TO QUICKLY ASSES HER STATUS BY A HRCT SCAN OF THORAX WITH PLAIN CTSCAN OF ABDOMEN AND BIOPSY OF THE TUMOUR IF FOUND TO ASSES THE NATURE AND PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT. ONE TYPE OF LUNG CA CALLED SMALL/OAT CELL CANCER HAS GOT GOOD RESPONSE/TREATMENT OUTCOME TO BOTH CHEMO AND RADIOTHERAPY.HENCE I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU TO VISIT AN ONCOLOGIST ON URGENT BASIS TO ASSESS THE DIAGNOSIS AND CLINICAL STATUS OF THE PATIENT.THANK YOU.