Terrified I have lung cancer, PLEASE help me.

[ronniexo]

Hi everyone. I really need some help and reassurance right now as I am petrified and I just want my life back. First off, I am a 27 year old female. About a month ago, I came down with the flu which then turned into what I think was bronchitis (I've had it in the past and it felt pretty much the same). That last for about a week until it started to diminish. However, about 2 weeks ago, I started noticing a pain in my chest that comes and goes with a lingering cough. I usually feel it in the center of my chest (by my sternum) and sometimes it moves to the left or right, and even close to my shoulder. At first I thought it was my heart, but I put that aside quickly.

However, I just HAD to google the symptoms for lung cancer, and I have been a complete mess for about 4 days now. I haven't left my bed, I have had numerous panic/anxiety attacks to the point of convulsing, I've barely had anything to eat and I am constantly nauseous. I went to the doctor because of this, and I told him what I was afraid of. He said that it's rare and unusual for someone my age to have lung cancer, that's it's just bronchitis and he gave me antibiotics and BuSpar for my anxiety. What really triggered this is that I used to smoke. I quit 2 1/2 years ago and smoked for 4-5 years, about half a pack a day. I keep trying to tell myself that I'm okay, but I just cannot kick this and it is killing me. I'm almost to the point of going to the ER for an xray because I NEED that proof. Someone please help me. I cannot live this way anymore

[Slangevar]

My father died of lung cancer... he never had any pain nor did he have a lingering cough.

Your symptoms sound more like my cousin... he was recently diagnosed with a secondary infection in his lungs after a long cold. It's going around this season... I'm surprised your doc didn't mention it. But he was totally right to give you antibiotics... that, and some rest and water are what you need.

As for your smoking, you quit in plenty of time for your lungs to heal back to their normal, non-smoking state. They say anyone who quits before about age 35 is good to go. (My dad, on the other hand, was a life-long smoker.) 

[london23]

hey, im pretty sure its not hard to get an xray and its nothing major either, even though im certain its just anxiety it would be good if you got an xray just so that you can relax..no cause for worry though, trust your doctor

[Slangevar]

Rather than getting a scan, why don't you finish the course of antibiotics, rest and give yourself a couple of weeks to heal first. Make a note in your calendar to check in in two weeks. If you're still feeling the pain and coughing, I'm sure even your doc will give you the X-ray. 

If I'm right, the pain and cough will be gone by then and you will have saved yourself needless radiation. If I'm wrong, you can get the peace of mind. (And don't worry - lung cancer takes a while to grow... 2 weeks won't make a difference.) 

[ronniexo]

Hi Slangevar and thanks for replying to my post. I am terribly sorry to hear about your father. My father passed away from liver cancer less than 2 years ago, so I send you my condolences.

The reason I ruled out an infection like your cousin's is because I have no other symptoms, like a fever for example. I otherwise feel healthy overall. I also felt a slight discomfort in my chest before I was actually sick, but my hubby keeps telling me it's from anxiety.

This is so hard because I want to believe the facts, and the rational side of me knows that I'm most likely okay, but that other part of me keeps creeping up and scaring me to the point of having anxiety attacks.

[Slangevar]

I am terribly sorry to hear about your father. My father passed away from liver cancer less than 2 years ago, so I send you my condolences.

Thanks... I miss him, but it gets a lot easier over time. (By the way, it's no surprise you're having HA... some of my worst flare ups came a couple of years after my dad died.)

The reason I ruled out an infection like your cousin's is because I have no other symptoms, like a fever for example.

I love it when we talk like doctors. Remember: You can't rule out anything benign because you're not a doctor. Also, my cousin didn't have any other symptoms either. His cold seemed long gone, but all of a sudden, he got weird pains in his chest. He thought he was having heart pains, so he went to the ER.

[Angelofworry]

My mom also passed away from lung cancer 2 years ago. She died at 60 and had smoked heavily for 45 of those years. She had no lung pain. She did however have a wicked cough, it was not just a lingering cough it was a harsh, wicked, smokers cough. You mention in your post that aside from this you feel well. My mom did not feel well, at all. She had no appetite, she was short of breathe, she was lethargic. She felt so bad that she was unable to go wedding dress shopping with me. For a mom, that's a big deal. I think you are just still getting over your respiratory crud, which takes time. Sometimes those coughs just linger for a while even after the acute illness is gone. I'm sorry your going through this but please try to relax, the odds of you having lung cancer are so incredibly minute it shouldn't even be a concern. Try to work on your anxiety and enjoying life :-) (((hugs)))

[threnners]

I have had bronchitis since Christmas.  I've done two rounds of antibiotics and two courses of prednisone.     I was MUCH better after the last batch of meds, until I went to a wake this past Sunday for an old clubbing friend of mine and was around gazillionty million smokers, and then Monday the temps dropped 30 degrees and it started raining, and voila, the chest pain came back.  However, one dose of hycodan knocked out the pain, and my cough has been clear and productive, so I guess I am finally getting rid of all the gunk that's built up in there.    I think though that the nasty Flu I had at Christmas just tanked my immune system (along with the prednisone) and it is just going to take time to get over.

You're not dying.  Just avoid the cold as much as possible (and bundle up if you're going out in it), drink warm drinks, and get some rest.  That's about all that can be done.

[pb]

My mom had lung cancer five years ago, she had a terrible cough and when I say terrible I mean a cough for years. She had pneumonia constantly and was finally diagnosed with cancer. She smoked for35 years. She was 54 when diagnosed and she has been cancer free for five years and she is doing well. The chances of a 27 year old who doesnt smoke to have lung cancer is miniscule. Go to dr you probably have a chest infection, get anti biotics you will be fine. Dont get scans,

[Slangevar]

pb - great news about your mom!  I know two people who survived lung cancer, as well... seems like they're doing a better job of treating it these days.

ronniexo - they're right... my dad had an ugly smoker's cough his whole life.  A persistent, small dry cough is very different.

[ronniexo]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. PB, that's great news.

I was starting to feel a bit better yesterday but I broke down again with a panic and went to the ER for an xray. I just needed that proof. 10 hours later, I get my results and the nurse practioner said everything is good and that there is nothing present. I felt ecstatic. However, today I woke up and I am STILL terrified. I keep thinking "what if the missed something" or "what if the tumor is too small for the xray". I really need some help. I don't know how I can live like this. I just want to feel normal again. I feel scared and hopeless and not only am I suffering but so are my friends and family.

[Slangevar]

If your symptoms were from lung cancer, the tumor would be very large - definitely large enough to show up on an X-ray. Trust the diagnosis.

[ceh1354]

Ronnie, I'm so sorry you are feeling this terrible. You say you don't know how you can live like this. You can't- and you shouldn't! Your next appointment should be with a therapist or counselor since what you are suffering from is the worst degree of HA- where Dr.s have given you the all-OK and you don't believe them!!
Therapy can teach you the skills to cope with these thoughts and deal with them.
Are you or did you take the BuSpar? Did it help any? If not, and you are OK with going the meds route, at least until you get this somewhat under control, there are other meds out there to try that may work better for you.
I wish you the best!!
C

[seychelles311]

Hi there, just wanted to let you know you're not alone, and I'm having really similar symptoms.  About 2 weeks ago I got a cold that got better and then worse again, and on Tuesday I woke up with sharp pains in my chest where my lungs are. On Tuesday, the pain was only on the right side, and happened whether or not I took a deep breath.  I went to the doctor, they took a chest x-ray, and said it looked good and I probably pulled a muscle from coughing, but they said I would have to wait for results from the radiologist to be sure the x-rays were ok. Well, its 2 days later and now my chest pain is not only on the right side, its in the middle and on the left, in front and in back, when I breathe in. Needless to say I've been a wreck (I'm an ex-smoker too, and also 27 years old) worrying about lung cancer or some deadly strain of pneuomonia. I have another appointment tomorrow for follow up, but still no results from the radiologist. However, the doc told me they think it's either just a pulled muscle from coughing or pleurisy, which is just an inflammation of the lining of the lungs that can happen after a viral infection. I just wanted you to know I'm the same age, have the same history of smoking, and am having the same symptoms, so you're totally not alone, and I feel just as scared. I wish we knew eachother in person so we could sit and talk about it. I'm all alone just waiting for my appointment tomorrow, and waiting for these stupid test results. It sucks!  I hope you feel better and I'm pretty sure it's not lung cancer (my grandpa died from lung cancer and his chest didn't hurt at all).

[Jaydee]

I am new here and needed to reply to your post just so you know you are not alone.  I just posted something remarkably similar.  Different symptoms (cough and shoulder and arm pain) but I, too, am terrified I have lung cancer.  I have had a clear X-ray and CT scan and my dr. does not think that I have lung cancer, but I cannot stop thinking about it.  My dr. mentioned the same thing as the other posters (even though I cannot convince myself of this),  that a tumor would show up on an X-ray if it was causing your symptoms.  I know it is hard to shake this feeling (I have been having this anxiety for four months).   I was feeling really great last week (anxiety wise), but this week the anxiety has come back with a vengeance.  I am hopeful that we will both feel anxiety free soon.