Scared of cancer

[jojo0328]

Hi all,

I kind of need some people to talk me down off the ledge I find myself standing on. I'm a 32 yo woman and was a heavy smoker for years. (19~30) and smoke still a bit now, but not as much. I'm sure you can see where this is going. First off, I want to say I am not usually prone to anxiety, this is the first and only health crisis I have ever experienced. I dont usually jump to conclusions when it comes to these things.

I have had shoulder pain going on 4 years. At first, it was a clavicle/sternum/shoulder pain that was quite mild. I saw a pulmonologist and orthopedist. The pulmonogist said things were fine. The orthopedist diagnosed me with calcific tendonitis. I completed the treatment, felt fine, and was sent on my way. However, the problem kept coming back. Over the years, it has been confined to my shoulder, but it has become worse and worse.

Recently, I began having swelling in the clavicle and shoulder, as well as pain in the same area. I have had an xray of the shoulder, but the doctor opened the xray and zoomed right to the shoulder bone area, not even looking at the lung area. I have had a cervical spine MRI that showed nothing. I feel a bit fatigued (im a new mom so it's to be expected), have hair loss (again, possibly a post partum thing), a bit of weight loss, night sweats, rib pain and the shoulder pain. I also have mucous, but I assumed that was just post nasal drip and that all of these problems werent related. The pain comes and goes. In my shoulder it may disappear completely for a few days or be mild, then it will be very severe and the pain can move to my elbow. I have visible swelling of my trapeizus muscle that comes and goes and lymph nodes under my armpit and neck sometimes feel uncomfortable.

I have no coughing, chest pain (the pain in my clavicle doesnt feel like it's lung related) or trouble breathing. When I breathe in deeply, I feel no pain. I have seen numerous doctors, and most are suggesting autoimmune disease (I also have painful hips, knees, lower back sometimes, and a hand rash), but nobody has tested for or even considered lung or breast cancer. Do I have a reason to be worried? I have a 5 month old son and I am terrified the doctors are missing something. Should I seek a second opinion from a pulmonogist or do you guys think this is just some medical anxiety? I have seen many doctors, surely one of them would have caught something by now, or said something about cancer? I am trying to avoid dr. google, as we all know how that goes, but I just need some people to tell me if I sound crazy, or if I am correct in wanting further testing. Thanks :)

[WiseMonkey]

Hi,

All the tests are good so no need to worry unless you get relevant symptoms. If you have autoimmune conditions, it would be best to stop smoking altogether (as should everyone).

With autoimmune activity going on, you may experience all sorts of body aches from time to time or in flares. have you actually been diagnosed with a specific autoimmune condition, if so who diagnosed you?

I have autoimmune conditions, since my 30's.

Take care

[jojo0328]

Hi,

All the tests are good so no need to worry unless you get relevant symptoms. If you have autoimmune conditions, it would be best to stop smoking altogether (as should everyone).

With autoimmune activity going on, you may experience all sorts of body aches from time to time or in flares. have you actually been diagnosed with a specific autoimmune condition, if so who diagnosed you?

I have autoimmune conditions, since my 30's.


Take care


Thanks. Yes, it would be a very wise idea to stop smoking. Im in the process now (again, I quit when I was pregnant as well.), but then I get worried about all the possible things this could be and I hit the cigs again. My bad for sure.

I have been to a lot of doctors (neurologists, pain management specialists, orthopedic doctors) and they are all now in agreement that I should go to a rheumatologist or an immunologist. The only test I did have was ANA which came back negative at 1:80 titre speckled and homogenous. The pain management doctor who did the test said in that case I can rule out Lupus, but there are many others. What are you diagnosed with?

Thank you for your positive words. I think having a young child brings my fear out quite a bit. Its nice to hear that I need to calm down haha.

[WiseMonkey]

Hi,

You can be sero-negative (ANA's and ENA's are negative) but still have an autoimmune condition/s or the bloodwork may show something in years to come. I've always been sero-negative.

I've got Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (which was diagnosed 1996) but had it maybe 10 years before that. I may have Sjogrens Syndrome (dryness issues, eyes and mouth) infrequently thank goodness.
I've had 2 flares of IC (interstitial cystitis) which is inflammation not infection,
IBS (sometimes).

Generally I'm pretty well and do relieving teaching and walk every day (when not raining). I did notice a big flare after the birth of my second daughter.

I have a daughter your age who has endometriosis which is also an autoimmune condition.

The big thing with these autoimmune conditions, is that they can mimic other illnesses that are more serious, therefore you have to get them checked out. This can lead to periods of stress!

ps. Autoimmune conditions also have a genetic component, my mother and grandmother both had Graves Thyroid (rapid thyroid) which is autoimmune. I don't have that.

[jojo0328]

Hi,

You can be sero-negative (ANA's and ENA's are negative) but still have an autoimmune condition/s or the bloodwork may show something in years to come. I've always been sero-negative.

I've got Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (which was diagnosed 1996) but had it maybe 10 years before that. I may have Sjogrens Syndrome (dryness issues, eyes and mouth) infrequently thank goodness.
I've had 2 flares of IC (interstitial cystitis) which is inflammation not infection,
IBS (sometimes).

Generally I'm pretty well and do relieving teaching and walk every day (when not raining). I did notice a big flare after the birth of my second daughter.

I have a daughter your age who has endometriosis which is also an autoimmune condition.

The big thing with these autoimmune conditions, is that they can mimic other illnesses that are more serious, therefore you have to get them checked out. This can lead to periods of stress!

ps. Autoimmune conditions also have a genetic component, my mother and grandmother both had Graves Thyroid (rapid thyroid) which is autoimmune. I don't have that.


I thought the same about ANA, but I didnt really question what he said. He isnt a Rhuematologist. Do you know if levels can go up and down based on flare activity? I had an ultrasound today and of course, last night the swelling in my shoulder disappeared and I only have mild tendonitis. So frustrating!

My mom and 4 of her sisters have hypothyroid, my mom also has endo, and my aunt has RA. My dad has Raynauds and there are a lot of herniated disc issues in his family, I dont know if there is some underlying autoimmune disorder, but 5 of them have had it without cause. Im being tested for CRP and HLA B27 now.

The people I know who had lung cancer often didnt have symptoms, or had mild shoulder pain. It scares me so much. If this is autoimmune youre right, its very frustrating and hard to get a diagnosis.

Sounds like you have a lot going on. I hope youre doing well these days with your conditions.

[WiseMonkey]

I thought the same about ANA, but I didnt really question what he said. He isnt a Rhuematologist. Do you know if levels can go up and down based on flare activity? I had an ultrasound today and of course, last night the swelling in my shoulder disappeared and I only have mild tendonitis. So frustrating!

My mom and 4 of her sisters have hypothyroid, my mom also has endo, and my aunt has RA. My dad has Raynauds and there are a lot of herniated disc issues in his family, I dont know if there is some underlying autoimmune disorder, but 5 of them have had it without cause. Im being tested for CRP and HLA B27 now.

The people I know who had lung cancer often didnt have symptoms, or had mild shoulder pain. It scares me so much. If this is autoimmune you're right, its very frustrating and hard to get a diagnosis.

Yes your levels can go up and down according to flares. My Dr and I were hopeful that something would turn up in the bloods, but nothing ever did so I've given up testing to find out. When I saw the rhumatologist, I took a list of all the things that had happened over the years and he said it certainly looked like autoimmune activity, then he asked about my family history.

If your dad has Raynauds, this is an autoimmune condition, so you've got it on both sides of the family! Glad your ultrasound was fine.

Don't worry about lung cancer, you haven't got it :)

[jojo0328]

Yes your levels can go up and down according to flares. My Dr and I were hopeful that something would turn up in the bloods, but nothing ever did so I've given up testing to find out. When I saw the rhumatologist, I took a list of all the things that had happened over the years and he said it certainly looked like autoimmune activity, then he asked about my family history.

If your dad has Raynauds, this is an autoimmune condition, so you've got it on both sides of the family! Glad your ultrasound was fine.

Don't worry about lung cancer, you haven't got it :)

Thank you so much for your replies WiseMonkey, they do mean a lot.

It is such a chicken and egg situation. I have been lead to feel like this is nothing for so long, and I havent seeked the advice of doctors until recently, except for when the pain started. Its such a difficult situation, because i've been made to feel its all in my head, so I just keep thinking I must have some medical anxiety issues. I live in a foreign country and you don't need to see a GP here to be referred, so I have seen many doctors. I've been passed around to different departments continuously. Doctors here only like to focus on their specialties. If your problem doesnt fall within their scope, they tell you it's nothing and to move on. Thus I really feel that I have some sort of anxiety as I keep getting moved along over and over again and finding new doctors. At one hospital, I was passed between orthopedics and neurology 6 times.

I woke up this morning covered in sweat again, gross! I am always extremely cold during the day, so I dont think this is anxiety, but I have vowed to let this problem rest and not worry about it anymore until my appointment with my Rheumatologist.

Thank you for making me feel somewhat human, and not just some crazy woman riddled with anxiety. I know that it does take a lot of time to diagnose autoimmune and immune diseases, so i'm sure it is just all the stress of trying to get through this. Before the additional pains started, I was told several times that I likely had tumors (possibly cancerous), so that certainly adds to the worry. I just need to take a deep breath! Your words have been very comforting. Thank you so much.

[WiseMonkey]

Hi jojo,

That's what we're here for to support each other and going down the autoimmune trail can be so lonely, especially when you're made to feel it's all in your head!

I get night sweats occasionally, but a friend of mine gets them a lot. It can really mess up your hormones, not to mention your internal thermometer (as you're finding out).

I had heaps of hormonal issues once I got to my mid thirties, so was at the gynecologists a lot. My cycles were all over the place.

One of the things that helped me was I joined a Lupus Support Group and met lots of others who had various autoimmune conditions, not just Lupus. I met a lady in my home town which was very helpful :)

[jojo0328]

Hi jojo,

That's what we're here for to support each other and going down the autoimmune trail can be so lonely, especially when you're made to feel it's all in your head!

I get night sweats occasionally, but a friend of mine gets them a lot. It can really mess up your hormones, not to mention your internal thermometer (as you're finding out).

I had heaps of hormonal issues once I got to my mid thirties, so was at the gynecologists a lot. My cycles were all over the place.

One of the things that helped me was I joined a Lupus Support Group and met lots of others who had various autoimmune conditions, not just Lupus. I met a lady in my home town which was very helpful :)

Yes, the night sweats are quite bad. I imagine they cause all sorts of issues. Once again thank you so much for your reassurances.

I need to apolgize (i'm Canadian, what would a post be without an apology haha), I shouldnt have said "crazy lady with anxiety" this is an anxiety forum were on, nobody is crazy. I know those feelings can be all too real!

I will have to look into some support groups. I dont know if I have an autoimmune disease quite yet. I feel all the symptoms point that way, but I dont want to insert myself when I very well could have nothing wrong at all. I hope i'm able to find a diagnosis, and I will certainly look into that.

Thanks again for your messages, you have certainly talked me down from my fears, I feel much better.