Guest gaia23 Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Hello everyone I need some advice or comforting words. I am 28 years old and have smoked cigarettes and marijuana for 10 years. I have been coughing up yucky light brown stuff for a while and always thought it was my lungs clearing themselves out. About a little over a month ago I coughed up a little bit of blood mixed in with that stuff. It scared me so much that I quit smoking completely. I have had a lot of anxiety since. I also have a n occasional stabbing pain in one place of my upper back but when I lay down or massage it it goes away. I think its due to the severe stress I am having because I am pregnant. I dont have a bad cough and I get shortness of breath when I run around the block.I went to the emergency room and they listened to my lungs and sent me home. They said it would be extremely rare for someone my age to have lung cancer no matter how much I smoked. They told me to get back on antidepressants because I quit cold turkey after 5 years of being on them when I found out I was pregnant. I spoke with my physician and she told me nothing was wrong with me. How do they know? I am freaking out because I am still coughing up yucky brown and I think I noticed a tiny spot of blood again but I am not sure. Could something else be causing these symptoms? I have never had bronchitis or any other problems. I feel like I am going crazy. I have almost convinced myself that I truely have lung cancer but nobody will believe me. Somebody please respond I need to know that I am not crazy. thanks for listening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 I think you should probably get another opinion or two. If anything it will make you feel better, and at least ease some of your anxieties. Take care, David P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 ...as for someone your age not being a candidate for lung cancer, there's quite a few of us here that are in your age bracket or younger - and a lot of us are non-smokers! I would think a second opinion would be in order, as soon as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remembering Dave Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Go somewhere else, and go quickly. Even if you don't have cancer, you have lots of health issues that need addressed especially that you are pregnant. And like David said, lots of folks younger than you get lung cancer. You owe your good health to your child. Best of luck and God Bless you, Karen C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Please, please get another opinion. My husband was back and forth to his PCP for a year and he kept being diagnosed with asthma. The PCP would put him on prednisone each time and give him a new inhaler. We've been married 20 years and never did I see him have an asthma attack. But once they gave him that diagnois they stuck with it. He had a chronic cough, was becoming short of breath, and coughing up blood. Even that didn't set up a red flag. When he finally began getting sharp pains in his ribs he was sent for a spiral CT-scan which showed a partially collapsed lung and a mass. But even then he was told it's probably not cancer. Well, it was. I don't want to scare you but please get checked out further. Demand it if you have to. I will pray that you don't have cancer and that you will have a healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berisa Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 hi gaia, I strongly suggest you go to have the LUNG CT Scan if you are panick. Either for yourself and the baby, you should do some further checks. You know, uncertainty makes one nervous. There is a lot of room for yourself to imagine and think negatively. Take it easy and go ahead to be checked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 As a result of radiation exposure, I doubt if any doctor would prescribe a CT Lung Scan to a pregnant woman. Doctor would wait until after the baby is delivered. And this is probably what the patient was told. In the meantime the patient must practice a very healthy diet and lifestyle and it would be most helpful to see a Nutritionist. I doubt if going for a second opinion is the answer here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Hello, Welcome...I can "hear " the concern in your post...You definitely should seek a second opinion &/or see a pulmonary specialist. The odds are in your favor that this is not lung cancer but why play the odds when you can have this addressed! With special precautions pregnant patients can certainly have Ct scans, and other radiological proceedures safely. If need be the radiologist can confer with your Ob prior to the testing. You and your unborn baby need this concern checked out,waiting until after the baby is born is not ,in my opinion ,advisable. Good luck please let us know how everything goes. Best, Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 It's what you DON'T know that will hurt you! There are individuals on here that are much younger than you, 18 and 19 years old. Go and find out. Depending on how far along you are with your pregnancy they will be able to x-ray or scan if the baby is fully developed. Blood in your speutum is nothing to ignore. Let us know what happens, we will all be wondering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debaroo Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 I agree that you should look into getting another opinion. It is probably some type of infection (regarding the fact that you are actually coughing something up), the pain could be from the pregnancy itself-how far along are you? And, congratulations-by the way . It is very good that you quit smoking, not only for yourself, but for your future son or daughter. You probably know that smoking can cause severe problems for the baby, including premature birth, severe asthma, low birthweight, etc.. My sister in law never quit during her pregnancy and developed a bad cough that broke her water prematurely, her son was born THREE MONTHS premature!! The little fellow had to fight like hell to live, but he did it...he is actually a mischevious 9 year old now. But the affects of her smoking did their job. He is asthmatic and develops bronchitis quite often. Unfortuanatly she never made "the connection" between the smoking and his health problems...and if I say anything IT WILL BE TOO MUCH !!! The sister-in-law thing makes it even harder . Anyway, my point-and I do have one-is that you have done the right thing by quitting and taking care of yourself. Get a second opinion. I don't know what types of tests can be done, seeing as how you are pregnant, but it is well worth looking into. Knowledge is power, and when you find out officially that it is "nothing", knowledge is also comforting and way the He** less stressful!! Take care, and good luck. Keep us posted, Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hersheydaley Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 Please get another opinion Nobody knows your body like yourself. If you feel something is wrong get it checked out and don't wait. My dad was being treated for Bronchitis for seven monthes only to find out that Bronchitis wasn't bronchitis after all it was stage lV of lung cancer. How I wish I would have paid more attention to my fathers illness I knew in my heart that he didn't have bronchitis. I mean who has bronchitis for seven months. And another strange thing the doctor never ordered a chest x-ray on my dad knowing his former smoking habits (he quit smoking 15 years ago) my dad was a prostate cancer survivor also. Get checked. Donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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