I’m 26 and I’m scared I have lung cancer

I’m 26 and I’m really scared I have lung cancer. I went to my GP last week because I had a cough for about 3 weeks and coughing up nasty phlegm so he sent me for a chest x Ray. The x ray showed a shadow at the top of my left lung. I’ve now been for a CT scan and again it shows the thing at the top of the ling but no one is saying anything. I am now on strong antibiotics but have a bronchoscopy booked for next Tuesday. I’m really worried that they are looking for cancer and just not saying it yet because I would just not cope with it. 

Does anyone know of a similar experience that turned out to not be cancer or should I prep for the worst? 

  • Thanks crazy cat lady I'm so trying not to get worked up. I just dont feel like I have a cough or have many other signs of an infection. I'm on antibiotics anyway. Did you have many other symptoms? X 

  • No nothing! I went for my annual asthma review and my GP sent me for an x ray because my lung sounded odd. 
    They found a shadow on my lung and sent me for a broncoscopy which showed infection but nothing bad. 
    They put me on antibiotics and did another x ray 2 weeks later and the shadow was gone. 
    Other than back pain which I thought was just muscular I had no symptoms. 
    I'm absolutely no where near a doctor, but there are books full of possible infections you could have but we always fear the worst. Changes are you have an infection of some sort. I have my fingers crossed for you, the waiting to know is the worst. Anxiety at an all time high!

    xx  

  • I really hope mine is the same as yours. I literally went in for a bit of back pain and they did a chest X-ray and found a small shaodow so now I'm going thinking the worst. Can you remember how big the shadow was or what part of your lung and was your back pain near shoulder blades and did it go once your infection went? X

  • I would say the shadow was about the size of a golf ball towards the bottom of my left lung. The worst thing I did was google what lung cancer looks like on x rays... because I thought mine looked similar, bare in mind I have no medical knowledge at all. All self diagnosed but I think it's totally natural for your mind to go to the scariest place first. 
    Yes the pain was near my shoulder blades and it hurt when I pulled them back. I guess since it turns out my lung was filled with fluid that's where the pain was coming from and why I was in pain with deep breaths. 
    What are the next steps for you? Are you going to take the course of antibiotics then have another x ray to see if the shadow is gone? x

  • I'm sure mine was at the top but they said it was small which I guess is good? It's just because I've not had any symptoms at all except some mild pain in my back for a few months which subsequently feels worse now I'm on antibiotics? They said they would rescan in 6 weeks but I don't know if I can hold out that long as I'm going crazy with worry and anxiety. Might call docs Monday and see what my options are. 

  • I think if they suspected it was anything sinister they wouldn't wait for 6 weeks to act but if you are really concerned I would ring your doctor and let them know that pain has started and you don't think you can wait 6 weeks for the next scan. I don't know if they will do anything sooner but maybe they will be able to calm your thoughts with what they think it is. Maybe ask for what the radiologist report said. When I had my x ray the radiologist made some notes about what they suspected it to be. The list was long and had things on like tuberculosis, and at the end it said possible malignant which made me panic the most. 
    Thank God it turned out not to be that but it may help elimate some of the worries you have if you know what they are thinking it is. 
    I really hope everything is okay. In the mean time try and stay busy and keep your mind occupied. xx