Fortuneteller Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Haven't been on here in awhile so Hello. I have a couple questions that I can't seem to find any answers to. I have been having on and off odd symptoms for the last 3 years. 2 years ago I had a CT and it was clean, last January I had a CT and a MRI and they were both clean. I have had a pulminary test and it was normal, actually both were. Have been on Prevacid for a Hiatil hernia, within the last two weeks I have been having Pain in my lower rib cage more toward the back right side. It feels like a tight muscle. So here is my question. When I look at symptoms to watch out for one of them is chest pain. So is that a prevalent symptom. I mean if I have chest pain but don't seem to have any of the other symptom is that something to worry about. Is the chest pain part of the other symptoms. Most everything states, cough, shortness of breath, coughing blood, and end with chest pain. Yes I am worried and that is why I ask. My mother died 30 years ago from skin cancer so I am kind of easily worried about this stuff, especially when I smoked for 10 years. Yes I have quit and I am going on 3 years without a cig. I know lots of times LC sneeks up on you so I want to be aware especially when I have been having right side and chest pain on that side. I guess What I'm looking for is the thought process, what symptoms should I really be looking for or aware of other than the text book symptoms. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick C Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 My mother never had a single "lung" related symptom. If you are or feel you are at risk, tell you Doctor. He will send you for a chest x-ray which is standard stuff and covered by insurance. A low dose spiral CT scan however will show more. 85% of the time x-rays do not detect the cancer if it is there.The spiral ct does 85+ percent of the time. CT scan will be out of pocket and there is more radiation than an x-ray and there is the chance because it is more sensative than an x-ray it could see something that may not be a problem, and then you have to watch it. What they call the "false positive." Discuss all this with your doc, see what he/she thinks. And any questions, keep coming here...we all have different experiences to share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanie55 Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 I tell everyone I know to run for a spiral cat scan if they have any questions or concerns. I would rather have had a false positive than nothing at all. My systom was a pain in my lower back. It would up being stage IV. Two of my friends who haven't smoked for 25 years or so have gone in for the spiral cat scan and are now being watched for nodules. OK. Believe me, they are happy. Joan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Lamb Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 I have been having lots of chest and back pain.Some is from a large tumor in chest but a lot of it is also from hiatal hernia as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharonjo Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 I would suggest getting a scan. I too had pain around my ribs, which I ignored because I thought it was a pulled muscle. Four months later I was short of breath, still had the rib pain and was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. Go get checked! Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlisle Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 It is said that people who are smokers or have stopped smoking are prior to have much acid produced by the stomach. When my uncle stopped smoking some years later, and after some months, he did suffer from quite some chest pain and was also given prevacid and he started then so suffer rom shortness of breath and his doctor gave him a treatment of medrol to help him with him lung muscles being tense. He is actually getting better and better. Hope GOD grants him quite good life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 To me, from your description of the lower right rib cage and towards the back, it sounds like you are having issues with your gall bladder. There are two tests for the gall bladder, an ultrasound to see if there are gall stones, and a function test to see if the darn thing is working. I had mine removed in 2003, same kind of symptoms. I think when you read "chest pain", it's more like the "cleavage area" of the body and areas closely surrounding it or radiating toward the arms. You know, the breast area and sites in between. Lower rib cage would probably be described more as "trunk". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.