Did you have any abnormal blood test results?

Never had anything turn up in tests before  diagnosis. Lung tumour showed up in an upper GI scan in June (unfortunately no one took note of it until October and didn’t tell me until late November). I was (and am) asymptomatic despite  my diagnosis of extensive sclc with liver and bone mets, I’m still asymptomatic and if it hadn’t shown up as part of other investigations, I still wouldn’t have gone to the doc. No breathlessness, no pain nothing.  Immediately before my diagnosis I was on holiday in Prague, Kraków and Warsaw, walking 10km a day at least and swimming every night.  I only feel unwell for a few days after chemo. After four rounds of chemo and immunotherapy I feel fine and still can’t believe where I’ve found myself. 

I'm so sorry. I'm glad you are feeling ok despite the treatment. They tell people the signs to look out for yet a lot of the time symptoms don't show up til it's too late or not at all. And of course you can't rely on blood tests that's for sure! 

Blood tests? Where do i start, i was told in Sep last year and before that i was in hospital 5 times each time 4-5 days from Jan, every time i had an chest Xray and loads and loads of blood tests, all this was due to me having low sodium, they got the sodium up and sent me home and told to only drink max 1LT of water per day.

Hi Groovykelly

Nice to read a new voice here (though not good that another person needs to join).

I had slight anaemia show up on blood tests a few months before and it was dealt with by giving iron tablets. Whether it was related or not, I do not know. 

Usually lung cancer gives no signs until quite often it is quite advanced.

In November 2018 I posted this to raise awareness of it.... please note these are my own words and opinion on it and I am not at all medically trained. But my message was this...

I got diagnosed as was getting pain on right side when sleeping on that side. went doctors she was sending me for x ray, in mean time I used to get breathless when walking, then one morning on way to work hadn't walked far when felt like had no air going in my body, friend was picking me up in taxi, when she came she calmed me down. While in work kept getting breathless (I worked in care home) one of senior care wanted to get ambulance for me, I said would call at walk in on way home. When they examined me couldn't hear anything on right side so sent me to hospital, kept in over night next morning had x ray that's when they said there was something there

Thought I’d put my penny worth in! 55, female, non smoker, slim etc, everything that should say - you won’t get lung cancer!  I was really tired when getting home from work, finding the walk with the dog a little more tiring than normal and suffering from night sweats (all I put down to my age!) Also was getting quite low blood pressure which I put down to my betablocker (had an aortic valve replacement back in 2016) mentioned this to cardiologist who just took me off the betablocker! .  Finally I had started to wheeze at night again still put it down to heart! And I have always coughed but went to doc thinking she’d refer me back to cardiologist but sent for x day at local cottage hospital who told me to go straight to A&E! So, a lot of it down to me putting symptoms down to the menopause and other medical conditions!   Perhaps the lung cancer PR department need to speak to people who have got this bloody awful disease! 

Like Gina, I showed slight anemia, put on iron tablets, back to docs after a month and I told him it wasn't just anaemia, I was weak as water, everything ached, my back (top between shoulder blades) one of the first signs... constantly ached, I had zero energy and I kid you not, if he had told me that day 5th Dec 19 I wouldn't see the morning I would have believed him. They did full blood tests and infection markers were high so this prompted all sorts of investigation. GP at this time thought it was more likely to be rheumatology related. For the 2 and a half years previous to this I had been in and out of hospital for various tests and treatments and on cocktail of different meds for gynaecology related issues so any ailments I had were always put down to that. 13th Dec sent for chest x-ray and that's when all this snow balled.. Just had 2nd lot of immunotherapy treatment on Monday past and new pain meds for back. Starting to feel more like me again. Xx

Hi Gina 

You have wise words and I'm sure you have helped many people. Maybe they went to the drs sooner based on what you said. I'm sick of drs saying oh you're too young or you've never smoked or its anxiety. My dads niece didn't have any symptoms and was diagnosed while having a scan for something else. My 2 aunts however did have symptoms. Some people have them while others don't. I think it's bad for drs to dismiss people for being under a certain age or not fitting the standard criteria. I've suffered with severe anxiety all my life and years ago developed a breathing pattern disorder. I put all my shortness of breath and shoulder/chest pain symptoms down to that for the past 2 years. When I noticed my usual breathing exercises were not helping at all I knew something was wrong. I've also had a wheeze/cough/sore throat mostly when I lie down and in mornings for the past few years and that again was put down to my allergies (I'm allergic to dust, my dogs fur and pollen and I have deviated septum/nasal drip issues) I'm always having to clear throat but again thought it was nasal drip or reflux. Then the neurological symptoms creeped in and now I fear it's all too late. I feel so scared and hopeless. Mine is a case of one illness masking another. 

Hi doubtful

I'm sorry you find yourself in this situation. I have similar symptoms. I have left shoulder pain and chest pain that is worse when I lie on that side. I thought it was muscular. I'm also constantly short of breath. When were you diagnosed? 

Hi Dance in the rain

I'm sorry you are dealing with this awful disease. The one thing I've noticed is that a lot of people have pre existing conditions that have symptoms that are similar to LC symptoms. The same thing happened to me and it's only the fact that I'm now gasping for air 24/7 and have neurological issues that I realised actually its not my pre existing illnesses it's my lungs!! It's awful. How are you getting on with treatment? I hope you are doing ok x