AIBU? Worrying about lung cancer

[CaffeineChaosandCuddles]

Hi everyone.

I am new to mums net, but as my name says. Chaos and cuddles, but with a lot of caffeine.

I am a mummy of 2, a chaotic kind little girl that is 5 and a cuddly cute 18 month old boy who doesn’t sleep, hence the caffeine 😉.

Background: I’ve struggled with post natal depression and extreme health anxiety since my little boy was born extremely prematurely and we nearly lost him, we’ve had a bit of a journey with his health since. I’m happy to say therapy has started to help and I’m going to be starting some medication.

recently: Trigger Warning: Lung Cancer

I’m so scared I’ve got lung cancer. I got what I thought was a cold 11 days ago, it was snotty, body aches, cough which felt like snot going back to the throat, sore throat.. I was well enough to carry on with normal activities. As the days went on, I started to feel better but I got upper back pain… but I assumed it was because of coughing so much..

Today: 11 days on I’m still coughing, but my snot seems to have got thinner and now my nose is running.

Side Story: I’ve had pain behind my shoulder blade on and off since 2022, it seems postural and it hurts when I press on it, it went away after a massage once. - but this is now playing on my mind.
I’ve also got two collarbone lymph nodes which have been there for 5 years, teeny, mobile and soft and are mirrored.. I’ve had 4 ultrasound scans on them and no one is concerned and they’ve not changed.

these are probably completely not linked. Somehow, my brain is linking them.

I’m just so scared this all links to lung cancer, and seeing young people with it online scares me, scares me that I’ll leave my babies.

I’m 29, female, non smoker & drinker and otherwise healthy, but I’m hopeful it’s just my health anxiety that’s making me think to the extreme / think catastrophically and I’ll start to feel better after more therapy / the medications from the doctors kick in.

has anyone else had symptoms like this recently though? Might give me peace of mind without running to the GP all the time.

thank you!

Recent cold/ flu left me and partner with a cough for about 5-6 weeks.

See your GP about your health anxiety.

cough- I had one last year that lasted about 4 weeks. It’s quite normal for them to last a long time.

ache in my shoulder blade I’ve had since about 2022 too, and I am pretty sure it’s related to picking up my kids. Are you breastfeeding the smaller one? I think it’s hormone related for me - relaxin? I think it it went last time I stopped BF. Seemed to reemerge in pregnancy.

I have an inflamed lymph node on the back of my neck, different place but since around 2010 ish and three doctors have all told me it’s normal.

so quite similar symptoms.

you obviously had cold symptoms so it’s more than likely a cold!

when my dad had lung cancer, he had a cough and no cold symptoms. The cough on its own lasted months before he went to a doctor. He put it down to smoking.

nothing you can do tonight. You’ve panicked yourself because you’re scared of leaving your small children. I’ve been there. Everyone is safe right now, you’re safe right now. Park the worry. If the cough hasn’t gone in another two-three weeks, think about talking to a GP as that’d be sensible.

Coughs post cold can go on for weeks. Your health anxiety is the issue.

You have a virus, and health anxiety.

As human beings, it is good from a survival perspective to notice patterns and to notice problems in our body. In this case though, you are spotting issues, but lacking the ability to assess this and dismiss it. Hopefully the medication and therapy will help you respond more appropriately to the things you notice. Good luck.