View Full Version : Lung symptoms
Hi. I'm new here. Been having occasional chest, back and rib pain and have coughed up what could have been a tiny bit of blood. I had an xray done at A & E on Monday, together with bloods and an ECG and all was clear. Saw a GP (not my usual one) on Tuesday who said he's not at all concerned due to xray and bloods and I would be experiencing further symptoms. Because he is unconcerned he would not do me a referral for a self funded CT scan. I Google everything and have found people saying xrays don't always show tumours (my doctor agreed that if a tumour were large enough to cause pain it would be clearly visible on an xray). I know nothing is 100% but I can't make myself believe the doctor. I havespoken to my own GP on the phone and she agrees with other doctor. She does not think I have lung cancer. She is upping my anti-depressants and anxiety meds from today. She says I would be coughing, losing weight, short of breath etc and the pain would be worse on breathing in and out.
I am unable to work like this so I am not being paid which will cause problems. I can't look after my kids properly and my partner has threatened to leave if I don't start listening to the doctors.
Does anyone have any thoughts or advice. Please don't tell me xrays aren't very good at detecting tumours as this will cause me to fly into a blind panic and I may not recover, seriously.
I am 42 and a smoker (I know I shouldn't and will be quitting once this is over. I can't quit when I have this anxiety.
Thanks
nomorepanic
10-01-13, 13:33
Hi andrea15
We just wanted to welcome you aboard to NMP. We hope you enjoy your stay here and get all the support and advice you need.
Please take some time to read the website articles on the left as well for loads of advice and tips.
Welcome to the site. I hope you find as much help as I have. I wish you all the best.
Baggs
Hi Andrea,
Welcome from a fellow newbie!
I've literally just gone through this fear myself but for my husband instead of me (see my previous threads if you like) and I know how scary it is.
I hope you don't mind me asking but why would pointing out that x-rays would pick up tumors send you in to a panic? Yours was clear wasn't it? In addition to the blood work?
Is it just lung cancer you are afraid of or something else?
It was meant so say 'arent' very good at picking them up! I've editted it now. So you know where Im coming from? Convinced myself tonight that my fingers are clubbing! Rang Dr who said she'd be very surprised if they were. Its a very advanced symptom and Id be coughing my guts up by now and barely able to breathe I guess. Will have a look at your posts, thanks
Just read them and you must have been worried sick with a baby on the way. You obviously didn't doubt the X-ray results and I know I shouldn't either but I still do. This is so awful.
Thanks for replying xx
Bless your heart, it's scary as hell isn't it?
As well as this recent thing with my husband, I've also had fears about having it myself in the past - don't take this as nagging, but my fear of lung cancer in particular was terrible when I was a smoker and had the smokers cough. Since quitting I'm no longer as scared although I strangely got all worried about the hubby last week.
Now with regards to X-rays - I don't doubt them anymore because I understand a little more how lung cancer works than I did back then. In 99.9999% of cases, the symptoms of lung cancer only start being evident once it is pretty advanced - this is why the survival rate is so poor. If the cancer is advanced, then SOMETHING would show up on x-ray. Maybe once in a blue moon the tumor itself wouldn't be clearly visible but there would be shadows or pleurisy or SOMETHING that would make a half competent radiologist look further in to it.
There are always horror stories on the net honey but there is no way that they are relevant to whats happening with you because
1) If your symptoms were due to lung cancer there would be SOMETHING on the x-ray to require follow up and
2) Your blood tests would have shown something a little off - they can't diagnose cancer by blood tests but there would be markers.
The chances of all those tests missing such a deadly and quickly progressing disease are literally zero honey x
Thank you so much for that. Its pretty much what my Dr said and the other 8 healthcare workers I spoke to...yes 8! Tonight I convinced myself my fingers were clubbing. The doctor returned my urgent call and said she'd be very surprised if that was true but she'll look when I see her Monday. I cut off all my long nails to examine them better. Oh the joys of Health Anxiety. My partner said I was being ridiculous and even I laughed at myself. Im determined to stay off google tomorrow as its just feeding my anxiety. I know I really need to believe the doctors when they say I have nothing to be concerned about. I just want the pain to go away so I can get some help with my anxiety. I have an appointment on Thursday next week.
Once again, thanks for your helpful, positive reply
Andrea x
---------- Post added at 22:13 ---------- Previous post was at 22:11 ----------
Just realised I repeated myself about the clubbing. Oops xx
Anxious_gal
10-01-13, 22:19
Your symptoms would be rapidly getting worse if you were truly ill.
How much blood did you cough up? It may just be due to a cold or maybe you tore a wee blood vessel, it's good it only happened the once.
You can't predict when and how you might get sick.
I know you perhaps fear you will get ill or your "illness" will get worse and then it will be too late because no doctor listened to you.
While we can Google, it's doctors who have all the experience, they see the symptoms and no how it progresses.
It's good your doctor explained to what would happen if you were actually sick.
I'm not saying your symptoms aren't real, they just aren't bad enough to warrant a CT scan. It seems you are more upset by the thought of something being wrong than you are about not feeling particularly well.
If you had a CT scan, and it was clear, I'm sure you would feel relief.
BUT you have health anxiety, in a few weeks there will be some thing else, and then you'll be desperate for more tests.
X rays will show up nearly all tumors, yes as always tests can miss things but very rarely do they miss the big things.
Your blood work was all clear and you aren't very unwell or anything.
Basically your tests showed up nothing, you want a CT scan based on the fact it may have missed something?
You need help with the anxiety, perhaps CBT?
You are in a permanent state of arousal/stress which is because of how you misinterpret body symptoms/sensations, then your imagine the worst out come and you google!
If you can control how you view things and learn ways of calm yourself and accepting you are ok, it would help a lot :)
The thing is every feeling/symptom is a symptom of something! So there's a never ending supply of scary things you can think you have.
All you can do is try to work on the anxiety and relaxation and letting go and trusting the doctors and trust yourself to know the difference between a minor illness and being very ill.
Thank you so much for that. Its pretty much what my Dr said and the other 8 healthcare workers I spoke to...yes 8! Tonight I convinced myself my fingers were clubbing. The doctor returned my urgent call and said she'd be very surprised if that was true but she'll look when I see her Monday. I cut off all my long nails to examine them better. Oh the joys of Health Anxiety. My partner said I was being ridiculous and even I laughed at myself. Im determined to stay off google tomorrow as its just feeding my anxiety. I know I really need to believe the doctors when they say I have nothing to be concerned about. I just want the pain to go away so I can get some help with my anxiety. I have an appointment on Thursday next week.
Once again, thanks for your helpful, positive reply
Andrea x
---------- Post added at 22:13 ---------- Previous post was at 22:11 ----------
Just realised I repeated myself about the clubbing. Oops xx
You're so welcome chick! Well, I hope you hadn't had a manicure recently :D
If you had lung cancer to the stage where your fingers were clubbing, not only would it have shown up on x-ray but it would have been so clear that the tech would have known straight away so put that from your mind.
You're doing the exact right thing by avoiding google. I think Anxious_girl is spot on with her advice and possible causes of your pain and blood loss.
Heck, back in my lung cancer panic days, I once had a full on panic attack when I coughed up "blood" - until my then partner pointed out that I'd just eaten toast with strawberry jam -as it never happened again, I was clearly mistaken,but at the time I was convinced my symptoms all tied in to the big C and I'd be that one person in 100,0000 that everyone reads about in the news.
You'll be fine love and good for you for taking such positive steps!
It's not lung cancer. I nursed my grandfather through lung cancer and trust me, both docs would have found it by now.
Thank you for your comments everyone. I had read that tumours could be missed on xrays - horror stories, predominantly American (they always seem to be) and that's why I wanted to pay for a CT scan. It wouldn't be easy finding the money but that's how scared I am.
I have got an appointment with my GP on Mondayto see how I am doing and will get her to look at my fingers. My partner's response to the finger clubbing was 'can you hear yourself, how ridiculous do you sound?' and he was right.I actually ended up laughing at myself for being so daft. I'm pretty sure, as you say, that to get to the stage where my fingers clubbed, I would be feeling pretty ill by now and coughing my guts up and not breathing properly, which I'm not.
I have got an appointment on Thursday with a guy who does CBT and hypnotherapy tosee if he thinks he can help me. This is ruining my life. I had the same lung cancer fears last October about a pain in my shoulder which Idiagnosed as a pancoast tumour which only cause shoulder pain and no other symptoms as they are in the apex of the lung. In 2011 I had bowel problems and again the doctors said nothing to worry about but I insisted on going to talk to a private doctor who arranged a CT scan and they found nothing but diverticular disease which isn't serious. Over the past 15 years or so I have, in my head, had breast cancer twice, ovarian or bladder cancer, stomach cancer, a brain tumour at least twice, a heart problem (which was ectopic beats, also harmless) and the issues I have detailed above. My doctor has been very patient with me although she gets sick of telling me the same thing over and over again.
Anxiousgirl, with regards to the blood, there were a couple of tiny spots of pink in some phlegm, that's all. I had made myself cough the previous dayto see if there WAS any blood (I know that's not at all good forme to do that). The doctor was still unconcerned.
I am not coughing at all really and my GP said if there was a tumour the lungs would be trying to get it out by making me cough.
I really do have to believe that they know what they're doing and what they're looking for but I'm so terrified of dying and leaving my kids, 12 and 7. My ex left 6 years ago and they have been through enough. Unfortunately, when I am anxious like this they pick up on something going on and they wory to which is terrible for them. I hate myself for putting them through that.
I have promised my partner I won't google anything today and I am determined to stick to it. He actually got to the point on Wednesday where he was going to phone BT and get our internet switched off!
Anyway, thanks you all again for your replies. Do you really think there's any possibility lung cancer could be missed in xray and bloods and the doctors are just fobbing me off?
Best wishes to all
Andrea x
No chance of you having lung cancer. If your only symptom is sore chest and ribs, and your x-ray and bloods are all fine, then please don't worry. Trust me, it's not lung cancer. You've got a bit of living to do yet.:)
Thanks hun. So glad I found this place. Everyone understands where you're coming from. Feel much less alone with this now. By the way, your post brought a lump to my throat (which I will not Google lol). It's so lovely to know people who don't even know you will take time to try and reassure you
x
Do you really think there's any possibility lung cancer could be missed in xray and bloods and the doctors are just fobbing me off?
Not even a tiny chance chick. You are fine I promise and your symptoms will have a normal, none-scary cause - possibly anxiety.
Thank you katesa. So you'd believe the doctor then? I just wish I could get it into my head that they are not concerned so I shouldn't be either.
This is destroying me. I'm desperate to believe its nothing serious. Even hugged my ex tonight! His mum has lung cancer but was regularly coughing up blood and couldn't walk far without losing her breath so that reassured me for about 3 minutes!
I said I wouldn't google today but I did and let myself do:mad:wn. I was looking for ways to check for finger clubbing, some reassured, some didn't so no better off. I shouldn't have looked again. Im angry with myself :mad:
Haven't googled today. Slept well. Managed to eat which was a relief as I was worried Id ilost my appetite ( another symptom). Had a few pains today but only when I laid on the sofa, muscular then? Trying to keep a level head. Upped my meds last night, not sure if thats kicked in already and why I feel calmer.
Hope you're all having a good Saturday
Xx
Didn't have much pain yesterday and felt pretty normal until I noticed an excess of phlegm in my throat which I know is another symptom of lung cancer. Almost back to square one again. I just want this to end now
Back to gp today. Pain went last week but has returned, much less though. Gp said he's said all he's going to say and I should accept that xray and bloods are fine so its not lung cancer. Can't give me any further suggestions what it is though. Felt angry that he dismissed me but he says discussing it is fuelling my anxiety. I just need constant reassurance that its nothing major.
Can anyone tell me what they'd do? Should I accept its nothing, just some odd muscular thing? Feel really well other than occasional pains about a dozen times a day. Surely lung tumour causing that would be more constant and wouldn't have gone for a week?
Regards to all
Andrea
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