Lung Cancer Fear

Hello all,

I had a serious chest infection 8 weeks ago... Really knocked the stuffing out of me... Completely lost my voice too.

Anyway, I'm all but over it except my voice which has been slow to come back but is just about near normal.

My GP said a few weeks ago if it hadn't returned to come back, so I did and yesterday I saw a respiratory consultant who had two comparison xrays, one from a few years ago and one that was taken whilst ill. There was some slight shadowing at the bottom of my lungs which she was confident was nothing to worry about and may just be smoke damage but she's sending me for a bronchoscopy next week and my mind is now in overdrive.

I've been a smoker on and off throughout my life... more off than on but since October last year I was hammering cigars every day.

Now I'm thinking I might have lung cancer.

I've got no other symptoms.

Am I just being stupid?

 

I wouldn't worry too much as your respiratory consultant (a professional) was confident there was nothing to worry about. I completely understand you worries, but I think, in this case, the best way to 'ease' your mind is to trust the respiratory consultant.

If it's any consolation, you said you've been an on and off smoker throughout life and more off than on. In reference to my Pathology textbook, I recall the risk on developing lung cancer steadily declines to baseline when one stops smoking. Besides, you claim you have no other symptoms, so that's good thing, right?

 

I guess so @Labyrinthine but you know how the imagination runs away with you.