just diagnosed

Hi MrsDoings welcome to the group but sorry you find yourself here. If like me, you were diagnosed by your gp after a chest X-ray ? Not the best way to find out, mine was in a telephone call, he didn’t even call me into the surgery to tell me!

The next few weeks are going to be very hard for you, with lots of waiting for appointments and feeling like you are in limbo. First you will need to see a respiratory doctor, who will carry out your lung function tests. This seems to involve blowing into lots of tubes. He will arrange for a CT scan, and it is usually after this that you get to see your oncologist. From there you may need a biopsy which again takes time, before you find out what type of lung cancer you have, and which treatment will best treat it. 

All of this takes time, and it does feel like torture while you wait, but hang in there, because once they know which treatment option is best for you it will be full steam ahead. 

I twas a single mum to 3 teenage girls when I was diagnosed. My eldest was in her last year at uni, my middle daughter was just starting uni, and my youngest was just starting secondary school. Her school was really good and she knew she could leave class at anytime if she felt overwhelmed. She also had some counselling sessions which my Macmillan’s lung nurse arranged for me at the macmillan centre at the hospital. 
I found that being honest with my girls about what was happening was the best way for them, they didn’t want me to hide anything from them, they felt that they coped better knowing than second guessing. My youngest is now 23, and yes it was tough, and I feel guilty that her teenage years were shrouded by cancer, but all of my girls are strong independent women and I’m so very proud of them all. 

Do come here and chat as much as you want. We do understand how you are feeling as we have all walked your path. Sometimes it is just good to have a little rant about how you are feeling, it makes you feel better to get your thoughts down in writing. 

I am sure you will start to get appointments soon, please let us know how you get on. 

All I can say is after my x ray which seem to take ages I was sent to respiratory at the hospital for all the  tests and Ct and then a biopsy Once it starts it’s all go and you might not know if youare coming or going but you know it’s good because it’s all proactive to getting you better Try and make yourself as strong as possible with all the right foods even if you have to force yourself beause when you worry too much it’s all a strain on your body and your part in this is to make yourself as strong as possible if that makes sense It’s amazing how quick everything goes when it starts lso if this helps try and keep a diary as after so many appointments you can t remember when they were later on ️‍♀️

Thank you for this. Really helpful. It's a hard moment not knowing what is to come. So appreciate hearing from someone who has been through this.

Hi Chelle, Thank you so much for this. I was in shock the other day and its taken me a few days to think things through. Your message gave me a lot of hope and strength. Ill keep you posted and hope very much that things are good for you now xxx