Hi Clare

• During a scan 7 years ago for my current cancer a 2mm nodule was found in my lung. I was told that this is fairly common in the general population and that at 2mm and the shape of it did not raise any concerns. A recent scan shows it is now 3mm and again is not considered to be a problem but will have another scan in 6 months to make sure.
• You can probably relax a bit. I know easier said than done given that these nodules mostly benign are very slow growing. Your next scan will show the doctors if it has changed in any way and if not you can start to sleep easy again.
• I too have extreme anxiety and find keeping busy, contact with friends and family, plenty of excercise, fresh air, good diet and a regular bedtime and getting up early reduce anxiety levels. I do not sleep well either this wrecks the next day. I have not gone down the route of medication but a mild sleeping pill may help. If you are feeling self destructive tell those close to you and possibly your doctor. Hope this is of help.
• Ed

Hi Clareabelle and thank you for your post.

I can appreciate it is a stressful and worrying time not knowing the cause of the undeterminate spot on your lung. It is very natural to become worried about any symptoms being a sign of a recurrence following a cancer diagnosis, but thankfully most won't be. Most of these are caused by infections (current or old), dust exposure or old scars. This is why your hospital team are waiting another 4 months to repeat a scan because they do not want to treat what could be a benign condition.

People often experience a whole range of emotions when they are on their cancer journey. It is only natural to worry and be scared when you receive inconclusive scan reports. Have you thought about receiving some counselling. Many people do benefit from counselling. 

We have information on how to find a counsellor on our website.

Anyone can obtain counselling free on the NHS , but how long the waiting list is will vary from area to area. The NHS website has information about accessing NHS counselling.

The British Association For Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) can provide private counselling. Their telephone number is 01455 883300. Email bacp@bacp.co.uk.

 There are Maggie's Centres that provide emotional support to people affected by cancer. Many of their centres have trained psychologists who can provide one-to-one or group counselling. You don't need to visit a Maggie's Centre; they can provide advice and support over the phone.

Some hospitals provide a counselling service for patients, and sometimes their families. It may be possible for the cancer nurse specialist to refer to their hospital service if they have one.

Maybe you could speak to your GP who may be able to prescribe something to help you sleep in the short term.

I really hope you know more soon and that everything will be okay for you.

Please get back to us if you need any more information or support. You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

Kind regards

Tina