Max50 Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Background: 50 yr old male, smoker for 15 yrs, rarely needed to visit the Dr. and rarely sick, uncle recently died from esophageal cancer but no other family cancer history. Current: working in Mideast for almost 2 yrs (no not with armed forces but G bless those men). This past week (wk 25/09) woke up with pain in my leftside back near 5th rib right below my scapula. At first, I thought it was muscle pain and just needed to strech it out and that worked for the day. Then as the week progressed, I would wake up with the same pain. BTW, when I cough, it causes discomfort in the left frontal chest area and now have a constant dull pain in the same area. Seems like the dull pain is migrating rather fast to the front of my leftside chest area. Not coughing up blood, I'm not the medical type and just wanted to bounce my question off some of members that may have experienced the same. Thanks for your time to read my post and look forward to from more experienced members. When my time comes, I've lived a pretty exciting life. Isn't that what they say don't get mad get glad! But I have to honestly admit, it has me very concerned since I have 5 and 2 yr children (first timer). Thanks in advance Max Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Best advice I can give ya is to see a doctor and get a scan or an xray !!! That's my best advice for now Max! May be nothin but only a doc can tell ya for sure!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max50 Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 Randy, Thank you for your concern and I will take your advice but I'm the Middle-East not in US. But I do appreciate your concern, just looking for others that may have experienced something like my symptoms until I can travel to a nearby facility for an xray. Thanks and goodnight, its late and have to work in the morning. Max Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Nite nite MAx !! Hope ya feel better! Sorry thought maybe you were neara facility !!! Good Luck though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Hey, Max, there's no telling what it might be based on symptoms alone. Many of us were diagnosed with advanced lung cancer quite by accident, with no chest discomfort at all. Perhaps there's some sort of infection or inflammation going on. When you're able to get checked out, push for a CT scan if at all possible. Standard lung x-rays are quite imprecise, and some people are initially diagnosed with something like pneumonia based on an x-ray and spend several months on antibiotics with no effect. Of course an x-ray is better than nothing. Good luck and Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sistersue2 Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Hi Max, I would say better to be safe than sorry. I had a somewhat similar symptom, when I would cough hard or sneeze I had a dull pain just to the right of center of my chest. Now I know that it was cancer in my lymph nodes beginning to block my bronchial tubes. In hindsight of course I wish I had pursued it at that moment instead of trying to explain it away. I did have an ultrasound but it didn't show anything, so I know now I should have insisted on a CT scan. That being said, the odds are your situation is likely something totally benign, but it might be reassuring just to know one way or the other. Wishing you the best, Joyce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carleen Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Hi Max, I understand that medical testing is probably scarce where you are at. But I would take the opportunity to have your pain checked out as soon as it is possible. My husband's first symptom was a sharp pain in his back, mid rib cage. We went to the emergency room and they mis-diagnosed him as having pnuemonia. From there he started having a constant burning ache in the collar bone area of his neck/chest and a sharp pain in the same spot when he'd sneeze or cough. That turned out to be a tumor in his lymph node. And with mets outside the lung at that point it was already considered stage 4 terminal cancer. I wish we would have gotten better scans or more tests when we just thought he had a sudden bad chest cold and pnuemonia. It's better to be safe and err on the side of caution, then to regret and not be able to go back in time and correct an error of ommission. Good Luck, I'll send some prayers your way. Carleen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbvh Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Max, I would try to do whatever it takes to get at least an x-ray or better yet a CT as soon as you can. It may be nothing big, but you will not know until you have an x-ray or scan. Can your employer help you expedite this? Good Luck! Prayers being said that it is nothing of concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb73 Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Max, Of course, my wish is that you are fine, but as others have advised, getting that pain checked out is important. My husband simply had a dry cough, no pain, and two digital Xrays found nothing. He went for months - the better part of a year without knowing that he had lung cancer. It was finally found through a CT scan. It was the suggestion from an Israeli (woman) student doctor who our GP had in his office temporarily It is far better to check it out with CT scan (if possible) but, if the only road is by way of an Xray, so be it. May it all be fine for you. Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 It's good to follow up on everything Max. Just part of our new world. I had back pain that I didn't follow up on right away. That ended up being back mets. Best wishes Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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