Scared to Death and Needing Reassurance

[lamentinglaura]

First off, I'm 43 and have been a smoker since my teens. For the last year I've been having problems with my right lung ... wheezing, tightness, breathlessness, and pain in one spot. I had a chest x-ray in the summer which came back clear. I went back to my doctor recently because the symptoms are still there. She decided to order a CT scan to see what's going on. Now I'm terrified! I'm scared that they'll find lung cancer. Has anyone had a similar experience or does anyone have any reassurance to give me ... I could sure use it, thanks.

[playman44]

hiya dont know what use i will be but i do know how you feel i have smoked for years and i am 44 now . i have pains in my chest and all sorts i have had chaest xrays and blood tests and has always come up ok . I think we do tend to over react to some of these things and work ourselves up into a right state , i know i do , try not to worry to much i dont think it is the big c at all . oh and happy new year to you martin

[willtheconk1998]

Hi Laura,

The fact you had a clear xray is good and means there was nothing major there only a few months ago and if the symptoms are the same then the chances are nothing has changed.

The fact your GP has ordered the scan is also good cos it means they want to help you get to the root of your problem because you are still having symptoms and are worried about it.
It could turn out to be a deep rooted chest infection which my wife had a few years ago and cleared up with anti biotics.
Try not to stress too much about it (I know that is easier said than done) but worrying will only make you feel worse.

Once you have had the scan your doctor can then help you to get rid of the symptoms that are bothering you and then the anxiety will be reduced too.

[lamentinglaura]

Thanks so much for your words. Any encouragement helps a lot.

[countrygirl]

A friend of mine who had smoked for 50 yrs started to cough up blood!!! you can imagine the panic . chest x ray showed something as did CT scan and seh was told it was probably lung cancer. At this point she was planning her funeral. Dr's said it was small enough to operate on so they removed the whole of her left lung. At this point they were still saying it was probably cancer. 3 weeks later the histology came back with result of severe infection of lung tissue!!!!!!!!!!!! She did not and never had cancer but she didn't mind losing half her lungs to find she did not have cancer.

She did of course stop smoking at once and 10 years later still not a smoker.

So if your chest x ray was clear then cannot imagine there is anything to see at all. You are much more likely to be suffering from the damage smoking does to your lungs that is not cancerous but dibilitating. Maybe it will give you the will power to stop smoking??????

[lamentinglaura]

Thanks for the story. That really helped.

[lauren6]

Laura, having health anxiety and smoking can really make life harder for you because there is such a big chance of something really happening. I have to tell you that when they saw a spot on a scan, the dr. went beserk on me, he was not very nice, started yelling at me for smoking but as nasty as he was, I went home, agitated, smoked the three cigarettes I had left and that was it. So I credit him for making me stop. It turned out to be nothing but all the way home I was so regretful that I ever started smoking and thought. "Why I should be different than most people who eventually get cancer?" Then I realized I got away with it, when I got my results redone. I am not saying this to lecture but think about quitting. It is so much harder for us to handle REAL diagnoses and if you're fine now, think what could have been and know that you can control your future if you quit now, to some degree anyway.

[Henry1234]

Good advice from Lauren but I find the more anxious I am the more I smoke?
I am though going to see Dox on Tues re stopping

Laura - try not to worry - I had a hacking cough and went to Causalty(just for a change) last week to get it checked out when I became breathless - they did an x ray which was clear - I was convinced I had Pneumonia or worse!! If there was anything it would show on the x ray - they are doing the CT for your peace of mind - I of course need to take my own advice as I went to my Dox and also to a cardiologist privately last week just to make sure and got the same all clear re the lungs each time -I still have the cough but it is improving

Take Care

Mark x

[lamentinglaura]

Thanks for your response Mark. I know I need to quit smoking but like you say, when you're anxious you tend to smoke more. It becomes a vicious circle. I just have to try to keep myself calm until I get this CT scan done. I can live with a diagnosis like COPD and not freak out too much. I'm just terrified they'll find something worse that didn't show up on the x-ray.

[Henry1234]

Hey Laura

I know what you mean - I went back to Casualty and demanded my chest x ray to take to the Cardio man in case they had missed anything - I am having breath tests done tomorrow and seeing a Lupus specialist so I know what you mean about trying to keep calm - not easy is it?
Agree re smoking - a real vicious circle - I have been in Hospital before now convinced of this or that yet able to go out for a cig every half hour but then it seems all smokers can do that
Please let me know how the CT scan goes

MARK X

[lamentinglaura]

Mark,

I hope all goes well with your tests as I'm sure it will. You're right, staying calm is a difficult thing to do. Here it is New Year's Day and I should be feeling a renewed sense of hope and have positive expectations for 2009, yet here I am envisioning my own death. Living like this is hell. I'll keep you updated as to how my scan goes. Thanks so much for your support.

[Henry1234]

Anytime - I know support is VITAL and I have found this site invaluable for that

I feel very guilty on NY's Day coming on here and to be honest feeling no different from how I felt yesterday!!!

Mark x