Lung cancer fear , what else could this be ?

[Bramblesandbees]

First a couple of things about me
I'm 32, non smoker , asthmatic and have a history of chest issues including pneumonia and multiple chest infections every winter

However during august whilst on holiday after a day of diving , I could bubbling in my chest and my chest felt full of mucus
At first I was worried it was a result of our dive, also before diving we had been snorkeling and my mask had become lose causing me to inhale alot of water so I thought that could be the cause
However the next day I had a fever and felt flu like so I presumed it was a virus

Our youngest DC came down with similar symptoms
By the flight home both him and I had terrible productive coughs and congestion

I contacted the GP on return however as we have moved area it was a GP who didn't know my history with chest issues and despite me explaining usually I can't shift chest infections without help he said it was viral
He also wouldn't prescribe a repeat prescription of my fostair inhaler as he said the brown and blue should be fine
I was switched to the pink one the year before due to ongoing issues with my chest

Anyway fast forward a week he prescribed antibiotics , amoxicillin, my old GP never prescribed me amoxicillin as in the past I've not responded to them

However they did clear it up for the most part

I resumed normal activities which for me includes alot of swimming and within a week I developed a sinus infection and horrific mucus in my chest again
This time I seen a nurse at the GP who prescribed amoxicillin again however after two days I contacted GP again
Without seeing me she stated it was a sinus infection and congestion in chest was post nasal drip however she did prescribe more amoxicillin and steroids

For the most part this cleared it but I was still left with slight sinus congestion and occasional productive cough

By this point it was October and just as I thought I had cleared it my eldest DC came down with a terrible flu like illness which caused a productive cough
My husband then developed it and I caught it again

Since October all of us bar our middle DC have horrible productive coughs and constant congestion
The GP has said it's just a lingering virus

However for myself and my youngest son we have never fully cleared this since August

I did submit a sputum sample at one point which they lost

The fact most of my family have this illness to degree has made me query something like TB
However I'm the one who has had it the worst and longest and the only one who has tried antibiotics and steroids to shift it which makes me worry for me it's lung cancer
I can not see what else would cause me to cough up thick yellow phlegm almost daily

I realise lung cancer would be rare in my age group therefore I've convinced myself it's metastatic cancer spread from another area maybe breast , I do weekly breast checks but I'm breastfeeding my youngest two and they are large and full of milk so I presume I could of missed something which has now spread everywhere
This seems more likely than primary lung cancer of course it could just be primary lung cancer but given how long I've left it and the symptoms I presume it'd be late stage

Does anyone have any other ideas what it could be ?

In all honesty I almost don't even want it investigated now as I would rather not know I'm dying

Sorry for rambling but I'm terrified

why don’t you pay the £60 for an x day for peace of mind

you could probably get an appointment by tomorrow?

@Alwaysanotherwine we are abroad until the 7th so I can't do that

We have private health care but i am so scared getting a X ray might just confirm exactly what I think and I don't think I want to know

It's so easy to spiral into health anxiety. You're describing symptoms others in your family have had and im pretty sure viruses etc dont morph into lung cancer? Ask for a chest X-ray to put your mind at rest. Close family member of ours has stage 4 lung cancer- it didn't present in the way you're describing at all.

@tinmrn yes I've definitely spiralled into health anxiety
I think on return from our trip I will need to brave a chest x ray as much as I feel I'd rather not

I have had this since August after my last bout of covid. I have long term ongoing chest issues too and have been under investigation for a long time. I am asthmatic, viruses always go to my chest and generally full of gunk.

I have had CT scans on my chest and sinuses, blood tests, spirometry and even an endoscopy. Nothing apart from nasal polyps. It’s very irritating and I’m fed up with sounding a ninety year old smoker.

Try not to worry. Those of us prone to lung issues tend to get these lingering effects I think. Have the chest x-ray and put your mind at rest. I hope you feel better soon. And ask to see the asthma nurse regarding your inhalers, in my experience they are way better than GPs.

If your the only asthmatic in the family then it makes sense you'd be the worst affected by these virus/colds etc

It's badly controlled asthma more than likely.

You need your Fostair back and probably needed a course of steroids right at the beginning.

In our house I'm the asthmatic. If DH gets a cold he has to tell me otherwise I wouldn't notice. If I get a cold it's round the clock paracetamol, inhalers, a full box of tissues, at least 1 day in bed and more often than not, steroids.

So I think it very likely that in your house everyone else has a mild cold while the same virus makes you very ill.

Make an appointment with the asthma nurse.

Asthma is scary enough, I suppose.
Are you getting symptom relief when using your usual inhaler, OP?

Going by your symptons it sounds extremely similar to what my daughter had and she was diagnosed with bronchiestis in 2016. She had repeated chest infections, lots of mucus which was often bright green, it was diagnosed via a ct scan. I might be wrong but if it is then it's a manageable condition.

My mum has bronchiectasis too and her symptoms were also very similar.

No I think you’re fine. You have a chest infection - probably a series of chest infections one after the other. You are badly affected as you are asthmatic (and probably run down due to breastfeeding two small children).
Metastatic lung cancer is health anxiety talking.

@Spudlover sorry to hear you are also having issues

And I'm also fed up of sounding like a smoke twenty a day, quite embarrassing at this point

The asthma nurse at my old GP was amazing at helping me sort out repeat chest infections previously so hopefully the one at this GP is just as good

I hope you get better soon too

@AnnaMagnani my asthma has been terrible in the past
When I taking fostair daily for a while my chest was great
Unfortunately a house move and another new baby has meant I may be to blame for some of my problems as I stopped taking my inhaler , misplaced it and have ended up in this state

@lljkk for any of what reels like my usual asthma symptoms yes but sometimes it just feels like I have tons of mucus sitting around and nothing seems to help that

@BluebellShmoobell @LittleRedRidingBoots I have read up on bronchiectasis and it sounds similar

I have had severe pneumonia in the past and was told there was scarring to my lungs so from reading that could be a risk factor for developing it

My husband has pointed out from his memory most winters I seem to not be able to manage 4 weeks without a chest infection so maybe it is that or just very badly controlled asthma

Much better than what I've been thinking although not ideal

My daughter has to do daily physio to clear her chest of mucus, she is also asthmatic but due to repeated chest infections it caused bronchiestis, by the end of the day her chest feels clogged.

@BluebellShmoobell

Well for years I've had chest infection after chest infection all of the chest infections have resulted in copious amounts of mucus
And now this just won't shift
I wonder if like your daughter it could of caused bronchiectasis

I hope with the physio etc she is doing ok ? And now getting less infections

I have a relative with cystic fibrous and honestly I seem to produce the amount of mucus they did before they trialled a new medication that controls it

I would set your mind at rest about the lung cancer, that would be unusual at your age and history . However with your chest history I would def be chasing up your surgery…repeated infections causing scarring are very likely to be contributing to your poor lung health. Repeated infections and certain types of infections can pre- dispose to Bronchiectasis as previously mentioned. Anyone with recurrent chest infections and a tendency to produce a lot of sputum will benefit from daily breathing/chest clearance exercises but ideally you need a review with someone good better respiratory knowledge . I would also ask them to re check your sputum if they lost the last sample!! I have no idea why they’d be prescribing you antibiotics if they think it’s viral. Do you monitor your own peak flows? If you have private health care then I would use it as having that many chest infections every winter is no good for anyone never mind an asthmatic.

Unless you're bringing up blood it's unlikely to be lung cancer.

But your lungs don't sound healthy with so many infections etc.

Just get an X-ray and a diagnosis.

@wudubelieveit one of the times they prescribed antibiotics it was actually for the supposed sinus infection as doctor seemed to think sinuses were contributing to post nasal drip

And the other time they gave me antibiotics it was very much it's most likely viral but you can take these incase , this was only after I said I can't usually shift anything that goes to my chest without help however usually I've needed steroids sometimes longer courses

I do have private healthcare so when I get home I will either try to speak with the asthma nurse or ask for a referral to have it looked into

In 2021 my previous GP did want to refer me for more testing due to frequency of chest infections and asthma difficult to control however the asthma nurse then switched me to fostair which did dramatically improve things however I have been very lax with taking it this year so I may be to blame

You've said yourself you've caught infections so how do you go from there to lung cancer? I'd bet my house that it's not.

Bronchiectasis

Hello @Bramblesandbees

I understand how frightened you are, now the idea of lung cancer is in your head, along with the idea of it being metastatic breast cancer

So listen to me

I had BC in 2021 which was successfully treated
Unfortunately the cancer came back last October. I have stage 3c lung cancer

IT PRESENTS NOTHING LIKE YOUR SYMPTOMS. NOTHING.

One of the most irritating aspects of lung cancer, is the non-productive cough. The fact that you are coughing something up means there is an infection in your lungs, almost certainly viral.

Only a chest x-ray and a CT scan will conclusively say you do not have lung cancer, but as somebody with lung cancer, I am telling you, you do not have lung cancer. Please, please do not spoil your holiday time with your family worrying about this.

You need to get the repeated infections sorted out, use your private healthcare if you need to, but do not escalate this in your mind any further. It isn't anything more serious than an infection

@RedHelenB because apparently repeat chest infections can be lung cancer and yes I've always had terrible issues with my chest but this has just felt more persistent I don't feel like I've had a break

Most winters I usually get a few weeks reprieve between infections
Of course the rational part of my brain tells me I have young DC in my house who are now also catching and sharing their viruses but yeah I've just spiraled to the what if worst case scenario

Many years ago I got a chest infection (viral) in February that set off repeated chest and throat bacterial infections - after four or five courses of antibiotics my GP took an armful of blood for various tests and sent me for a chest x-ray. Result was that I didn't have pleurisy, flu, brucellosis, TB, glandular fever, HIV, but did have 'an infection'. Gee thanks, I'd never have guessed. GP suggested a good multi vitamin and mineral tonic and to hope summer weather would help.

It did help, but I didn't actually recover until I caught a perfectly ordinary cold in the following December. Once it cleared up after a week, the original virus had gone too.

So don't give up hope.

The only other thing I've since wondered about is that I've found in recent years that I have a wheat allergy that caused a chronic cough (for a decade or so) and mild asthma - you could try eliminating wheat from your diet for a week, just in case you have something similar.

But also, talk to your GP again, you need reassurance.