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I'm terrified of getting lung cancer

Elea
  • 17 replies
  • 108 subscribers
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Firstly, I want to say, I wish recovery for anyone who has lung cancer.

I have been seeing blood in my phlegm for 4 days, yesterday  I visited the doctor, 

I told him that I have nasal mucus, but usually every morning I spit out phlegm with blood. He examined me, told me something like “bronchitis,” and prescribed me medications.
I'm worried that something serious, like lung cancer; he gave me consent for an x-ray test, told me not to worry, nothing seemed serious but I was still afraid.

It seems strange to me that I have bronchitis without a cough!! I was so nervous when I visited the doctor, I forgot to ask him; Why do I have bronchitis without a cough!

I don't know what to think? I don't know if this is a health concern or not, but my mind keeps telling me that it could be lung.

I'm still 26 years old, I have a lot to do in life, I'm afraid lung cancer will come and end my world just like this. I tried to think positive, but the “what if” scenarios kill any positive thought in my mind. I hope someone here advises me. Helps me understand

  • in reply to Elea

    Of course it scares you, but you need to find out. You are not in the UK? 

    “Try to be a rainbow, in somebody else's cloud” ~ Maya Angelou
    Chelle 

    Community Champion badge
  • in reply to chellesimo

    No, I live in Israel.
    I don't know how to gather the courage to go!

  • in reply to Elea

    Ah ok, that is what confused me as this is a Uk forum which is why I mentioned the NHS. Good luck with the X-ray, I am sure it will show you have nothing to worry about. 

    “Try to be a rainbow, in somebody else's cloud” ~ Maya Angelou
    Chelle 

    Community Champion badge

  • I am sorry you are experiencing health anxiety and I encourage you to get it under control so that you don't have to deal with the stress it brings.

    I have had lung cancer and it was discovered incidentally in 2020 when I was having imaging for a different cancer.  I had none of the classic symptoms and would have been unaware of its presence if I didn't have another cancer.

    I had a lobectomy in April 2022 and needed no further treatment.  In March last year I did cough up small amounts of blood.  I have post-nasal drip from allergies, so I cough up phlegm a lot but I had never coughed up blood before.  I contacted my team and they were unconcerned.  The blood streaked phlegm ended as suddenly as it had begun and meant nothing.

  • in reply to Lolie

    I'm sorry you had to go through all this, I can't imagine the pain you must have felt.

    I've had weeks like hell, from one X-ray to another, I lived in constant anxiety until I lost my appetite for food. With all these thoughts, all I could think about was that I was receiving the result of my decisio; When I smoked in the past, I cried in intensity from everything, from guilt to anxiety to fear, everything exploded inside me. in a moment.

  • in reply to Lolie

    I haven't cried in five years. I'm not an emotional person, but I think something like this made me cry so hard. This was too serious for me.

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