Will I every stop being paranoid

[lisajones4]

Hi everyone. I am not sure if you remember but I wrote about a month ago about how my CT scan revealed some spots on my lungs. Had a PET scan and there was no metabolic activity (thinking it had to do with the pneumonia I had three weeks earlier.) I did to to see a Lung doctor soon after the PET. She told me she too thinks that they were from the pneumonia, however, they were so small they might not show up on the PET as being cancer.

Fastforward to the last two weeks. I have had a lot of phlem and tickles in my throat. I am a little paranoid that something is actually wrong. I say this because I woman that I know had this same exact thing and was diagnosed with lung cancer. She had what she thought was post nasal drip, tickle in her throat and a cough. I am not due for a CT scan until July. Should I call my doctor or chalk this up to allergies and paranoia? Just scared and paranoid ...

[Bill]

Hi Lisa! I'm getting over pneumonia, myself, and have the same type of symptoms you are describing, plus the pollen whipping through the air right now is enough to make you cry. Sometimes if I hear someone cough, I do it seconds later for some reason. I'm sure it will alleviate some of your concerns if you call your doc. and go in or at least talk a little more about it. You are not being paranoid, there's just a part of you pushing you to be pro-active. Here's a challenge for you- next time you hear someone cough, don't cough. (I can hear you now..."Dammit, Bill")

[lisajones4]

Thanks Bill ... Your post made me feel so much better ... and made me smile!

Lisa

[Jackie07]

Lisa,

If your doctor has scheduled a CT in July, I would wait till then. Because a CT right now will still be inconclusive - that things could still be too small to show, if there's any - and I doubt it's anything more than a common upper repiratory infection.

Doctors usually do a three months follow-up which is standard procedure. Also, different scans reveal different things. My last CT showed somthing and they did an ultrasound to confirm that it is not cancer in the liver but just liver hemangioma (some blood vessal clusters which did not show on ultrasound.)

My oncologist ignored my concerns about my liver, so I went to my family doctor who ordered CT scan and then ultrasound. Then the oncologist read the scan as well and his nurse practioner called me about the result. And everybody's relieved.

If you are really worried, I would suggest to get a second opinion and/or to have the test result re-evaluated. I know the feelings of being afraid to give people the 'hypocondriac' impression. But hey, I just had my gene test done and they did find some interesting stuff in me related to the BRCA stuff (a variant so rare that I was asked if my parents' blood sample can be collected for a free analysis.)

You are just over the shock of a cancer diagnosis and a mastectomy. I solute you for your 'coolness' and quick action to gather information before making your next decision. One round of chemo is not going to hurt anything. And if your heart is good, 1 year worth of Herceptin is your best defense against future recurrence.

[Sherryg683]

Must be the time of year for pneumonia, i'm dealing with it right now. I have always had some things show up on my ct scans but not light up (since my original diagnosis). This has been going on for 3-1/2 years. Always some small opacities or nodules. My oncologist is not worried and says they have always been there and they come and go. I seem to have a lot of respiratory problems, so they figure it's from that....hopefully. But paranoid, yes....I'm still paranoid. I just know that when I go get my scans again next month that this pnemonia thing will show up and if it lights up, then is it going to be from the pnemonia inflamation or cancer. Already worried about it...sherryg

[Shobha]

My prayers for you, Lisa! Praying that the CT scan will confirm that there is no cancer what so ever!

hugs,
shobha