Hand holding required - chest x-ray results

[rednellie]

I know none of you can really do or say anything, but I need to get this out of my head onto a page.

Have had a cough for ages, eventually has developed into a 'chest infection'. I go to the docs and get anti b's and also to talk about the fact I keep getting coughs. When we were in another country they started investigating asthma but never got anywhere as we moves back.

I broke down a little when she asked me if I smoked as I used to and am very paranoid about what I've done to my lungs. She sends me for an x-ray to reassure me. Week later, get call from doc. I need to go in tomorrow to.talk about the x-ray. She won't tell me what's up, told me not to worry but did say it was not normal.

So now I'm sitting here imaging I've got lung cancer at 33 or something else horrible and I don't know what to do. As I said, until I go tomorrow there isn't any point speculating but...I just feel so scared.

Why did I ever start smoking? Why didn't I stop earlier? Argh

Try not to think about it until tomorrow (easier said than done)
Could you get into a book or film to distract you?

Good luck for tomorrow

My DF smoked 50 a day for 30 odd years.

Had a persistent cough, xray showed up something very suspicious and he had to have a biopsy.

Came back completely clear, just had some scarring from pleurisy when he was a kid.

It is incredibly unlikely you have lung cancer - but I would be worrying in exactly the same way.

Lots and lots of luck for tomorrow

Definitely agree with distracting yourself (I would probably have a glass of wine or something and watch something really interesting on tv). There's no point 'borrowing trouble from tomorrow' (I know its cheesy but it's helped me wait for results!). There are also a million other things it coukd be rather than cancer. Good luck.

Thank you so much all of you. I like the borrowing from tomorrow quote. I've not heard that before and could use it for lots of other scenarios!

I've got wine, a chocolate brownie and master chef...sort of helping. Still feel a bit weepy.

I think you are confusing your guilt and anxiety about smoking with your current health issue so it's making it harder for you to cope. Don't torture yourself.
33 is very young and you would be incredibly unlucky to get lung cancer at your age, smoker or not.
Hold onto that thought as well as remembering there are a zillion things that can be seen on a CXR
Tell us tomorrow what is on the report and we can help:)

Thank you. I will. I'm seeing the gp in the afternoon so I'll post then. It'll probably be nothing then you can all laugh at me for being an idiot.

Good luck OP

It's horrible and scary when you get a call like that and most of us would worry to but most of the time these things turn out ok.

Good luck tomorrow

Another country?
TB?

(Lol, I know that's not helpful. But it's usually the first thing they check for in these parts)

A friend of mine was told he had COPD from smoking. Was sat down by the doc, had the whole talk.

A month later he was completely clear, and it was just a chest infection after all.

Am sure it will be fine x

Will hold your hand. Hope all goes ok.

fingers xd

Oh you're all so lovely. Except you madwoman . It was Canada so I'm pretty sure it won't be tb,but who knows.

I stopped smoking 4 years ago but have the occasional puff. If nothing else this has been a real wake up call. Will update later with the results.

How did it go red?

Hope it was ok today.

Hey, sorry, been putting the kids to bed.

Not entirely reassuring: the GP said there was a 'shadow' on the x-ray. Could be lots of different things, but they're sending me for a CT scan within the next two weeks. She said a malignancy would be low down on the list due to my age, but they can't rule anything out. They also noted that when I breath out my lungs don't totally empty which could be a sign of asthma or something else.

The GP is concerned that my cough hasn't gone since taking the anti b's she prescribed and that this has been such a long term and re-current problem. She was lovely though and let me have a bit of a weep, I'm just so tired at the moment I think hearing all that made it all come to the surface. I guess I'm not well, even if it's not a big scary illness, there's still something wrong and it needs sorting out.

Anyway, I feel a bit calmer, but still scared. But I can't do anything until I've had the CT scan so I will be studiously avoiding google and will update when I hear more...

It's been lovely being able to vent though. I didn't tell my DM last night as I didn't want her worrying all night before the appointment, so I told you lot instead!

I got diagnosed with asthma 3 years ago, never had it before.

I did have a mark on my lung - an opacity which was possibly a scar from some infection or something.

It sounds like it's actually quite common...

My mum had similar, long-standing cough (2 yrs in her car) already had asthma. She had a shadow and poor scores on lung function tests. Also an ex smoker. She was diagnosed with something called bronchiectasis, which means her tubes produce a lot of mucus. She's been given chest physio she can do on herself at home and needs antibiotics more often than most but it's not a problem. Here's hoping yours is something like this.

My DB smoked 40 a day for 45 years and has a good lung function. An uncle smoked 60 a day and had the strength and energy of a young man.
I had a "lesion" show up on an x-ray which is indicative of a chest infection when I had the flu. After 6 weeks I was checked again and it had gone.
Highly unlikely you have lung cancer at your age.
An elderly lady I know is having a camera put down into her bronchial tubes to investigate her cough she has had for years as nothing showed up on her x-ray.
Good luck with the CT.

My df's was a shadow but actually was scarring from a chest infection. Hope you are feeling a little happier.

I am. Just want to have the CT scan over and done with. I guess part of my paranoia is I know someone personally who got lung cancer in his 30's which is probably why I've been breaking out. Also the fact I've been feeling unwell for so long...ah well. I'll find out soon enough. In the meantime the weather is lovely so I'm taking the kids out. Thanks again everyone

Just wanted to say that my gran smoked from the age of 14 (in Poland, start of WW2, no food so they smoked to stop hunger) and carried on smoking, 60 a day, untipped Woodbines until she was 84. Never had cancer.

Hope that reassures you a little.

I can imagine how worried you are and I would be exactly the same. But chances are it's nothing sinister. Will keep everything crossed for you