View Full Version : Chest Infection Afraid its Lung Cancer
Hi guys, I went to the Doctor last week over a cough that had been getting worse for about a week. The doctor took one listen to my chest and said I had a chest infection. He put me on a week course of antibiotics. Although after the week my breathing feels stronger and the cough has gotten completely dry, I'm still freaked out I have this lingering cough and sensitivity when i breathe. It doesent help that I work in a really stuffy environment.
Anyway my doctor done a blood test last week because i asked for a HIV test. He said he would also test for a few other things. He got back to me yesterday and said my bloodwork was completely normal. Surely this is a good sign since apparently by the time you start coughing the lung cancer had spread and surely your bloods woulden't be normal. I'm also 23 and a non smoker.
Anyway the fact the antibiotics haven't completely gotten rid of this has really freaked me out can anyone help reassure me at all? I don't want to go back to the doctor and have to get a test for lung cancer.
(years ago I was convinced I had a brain tumour and had a CT scan only for everything to come back normal)
Hi guys, I went to the Doctor last week over a cough that had been getting worse for about a week. The doctor took one listen to my chest and said I had a chest infection. He put me on a week course of antibiotics. Although after the week my breathing feels stronger and the cough has gotten completely dry, I'm still freaked out I have this lingering cough and sensitivity when i breathe. It doesent help that I work in a really stuffy environment.
Anyway my doctor done a blood test last week because i asked for a HIV test. He said he would also test for a few other things. He got back to me yesterday and said my bloodwork was completely normal. Surely this is a good sign since apparently by the time you start coughing the lung cancer had spread and surely your bloods woulden't be normal. I'm also 23 and a non smoker.
Anyway the fact the antibiotics haven't completely gotten rid of this has really freaked me out can anyone help reassure me at all? I don't want to go back to the doctor and have to get a test for lung cancer.
(years ago I was convinced I had a brain tumour and had a CT scan only for everything to come back normal)
The answer is in your post ;) Feel better soon!
Positive thoughts
Thanks for the reply. I know I sound stupid but the fact its not completely gone after the antibiotics has me worried
You realize it can take a week or so AFTER you're done a course of meds for it to completely go away right?
Anyway... sorry you're still worried. Feel better soon!
Positive thoughts
No never heard that genuinely. I got worried because someone at work said it should have been gone 24 hours after taking the first antibiotic
No never heard that genuinely. I got worried because someone at work said it should have been gone 24 hours after taking the first antibiotic
"Although after the week my breathing feels stronger and the cough has gotten completely dry"
C'mon now... You're getting better. Patience grasshopper... patience.
Positive thoughts
Thanks for taking the time to post
ankietyjoe
10-01-18, 22:33
You realize it can take a week or so AFTER you're done a course of meds for it to completely go away right?
Or in the case of the current round of infections, a month or two.
Well you said things have improved since you started the antibiotics and well if you had lung cancer there would be no improvement.... and a 23 year old with lung cancer? This is most certainly the anxiety talking...
Give it some time, you are improving and when we get sick, the cough is always the last thing to go, it tends to linger for a bit...
Or in the case of the current round of infections, a month or two.
Yeah right? There are several threads about this cold and flu season . I came down with whatever I have Saturday Morning. I thought, "this isn't too bad. I'll be better within a week".... sheesh! It's kickin' my hiney! I can only imagine if it were the full blown flu.
Positive thoughts
countrygirl
11-01-18, 08:21
The cough can last months!! I was told that some viruses really annoy your cough reflex which stays long past when you have got over tge actual virus. I have had proper flu this winter and 25 days after i still have a cough.
Worriedwellornot
11-01-18, 10:39
I can testament to the fact that this chest infection/virus can last weeks as I'm now on week 5 and still not well. I got myself worked up about lung cancer but my X-ray was normal. I think it's just a case of waiting it out. Don't worry
Hi, here,s my story on a chest infection .
No cold or flu symptoms in early November but breathing was wheezy and coughing horrible mucus , given 7 days amoxicillin + prednisolone steroids . still not clear after all of this so given arithromycin for 7 days which still didn,t clear it . sent for chest xray which showed infection so giver a further course of arithromycin . by this time were into mid december , chest infection improving and houghing up lots of mucky stuff ( sorry )
3 days before Christmas got the worst cold ive ever had , ached from head to toe for days then this landed in my chest and I was quite ill so went to bed for 2 days after I struggled through Christmas . Visited doc who put me on a 4th course of amoxicillin + steroids and I am happy to say my chest infection has all cleared up but even after all this I still feel a bit weak and drained .
I know were all different but this strain of infection took the best part of 8 weeks to shift . And like you I was worried about something more sinister which is what we HA people do .
My anxiety is pretty bad right now as I still feel weak in my muscles and a strange itchiness inside which I think could be high anxiety symptoms .
Worriedwellornot
11-01-18, 12:33
Hi Tamo my story reads pretty much like yours. I think it's one of those lingering things that may take months to go. For me the worst part is the strange muscle ache in my upper back but only on the left side which is worrying me. I can cope with the tiredness. I can't really describe the pain as it is like a burning, gnawing sensation under my left shoulder (trapezius muscle I think) which is constant. However it doesn't stop me from sleeping. The Dr doesn't seem overly concerned despite my 4 visits over the last month. I'm trying to keep the anxiety at bay by thinking back to previous illnesses which always resulted in something benign despite my conviction that it was serious.
Hi Tamo my story reads pretty much like yours. I think it's one of those lingering things that may take months to go. For me the worst part is the strange muscle ache in my upper back but only on the left side which is worrying me. I can cope with the tiredness. I can't really describe the pain as it is like a burning, gnawing sensation under my left shoulder (trapezius muscle I think) which is constant. However it doesn't stop me from sleeping. The Dr doesn't seem overly concerned despite my 4 visits over the last month. I'm trying to keep the anxiety at bay by thinking back to previous illnesses which always resulted in something benign despite my conviction that it was serious.
I am on day 4 of this flu and also have weird isolated pain. I have the same thing you describe under my right shoulder! I'm also getting a sharp stab on the right side of my head. This is after the first day of pretty much all over aches and a killer headache.
IDK. I think it's all just related to this flu and lying down more than usual certainly doesn't help.
Worriedwellornot
11-01-18, 16:12
Just been back to Drs and been signed off for another week with Post Viral infection. Also booked me in for blood tests to rule out 'anything serious '. That's has really made me anxious now....any support out there?
Catherine S
11-01-18, 17:22
Like Tamo my 84 year old mum had a really bad cough, very much a productive cough bringing up really horrible gunk which started in October last year. She had 2 courses of antibiotics which didn't touch it so was referred to the local hospital for tests, chest x-rays etc.
The specialist took some bloods as well as a sample of what she was coughing up and she was told it was a lung infection. She was given super strength antibiotics and within days it was clearing up. By then it was early December so it'd been going on for 3 months until they figured out the right meds to treat it.
She was exhausted by the cough though, it really took it out of her and at one point we thought it was something really serious and that it was possibly the end for her. My point is that even she, at 84, was able to recover eventually, but chest/lung infections/viruses do take some fair amount of time to clear whatever your age.
Cath S ☺
Mindprison
11-01-18, 17:28
The infections and viruses that have been going around in 2017 have been particularly nasty. My mum had a chest infection for 12 weeks, the docs sent her for a chest x-ray and everything incase it was her lungs. Nothing was found. Eventually after 4 lots of antibiotics and a lot of rest, it went away.
Her doctor wasn't concerned in the slightest as the infection had already been and gone, they think it was just the aftermath took a bit of time to get over.
I have a confession re health anxiety . I was instructed 3 times during the duration of my chest infection to go in for an xray but was so scared I didn't go but after the third instruction form the GP weeks later and her being quite annoyed at me for not turning up for the prior 2 requests ( we must aggravate our doctors no end with health anxiety ) I decided I must get the xray . I'm glad I did as it confirmed the infection and ONLY the infection and in turn this lowers the anxiety and helps us heal .
I heard a long discussion on NPR this morning about the flu and flu vaccines. They spoke specifically about a pair of viruses going around right now that are particularly long lived, causing a cough that can last a few weeks.
Hoping the flu shot and the fact that I work at home saves me the hassle this year. ;-)
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