Mister Whiskers Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 My name is Eric. I'm 44, quit smoking about 16-months ago right about the same time I started having chest pains from GERD. I calculate I have about 30-pack-years. I get my healthcare from the VA. This last week I've had the flu with a post nasal drip and coughing. I also have panic disorder and often overreact to the smallest of symptoms and go to the ER to check out my heart and get an EKG. I'm always Okay. Yesterday, I went to get myself checked. My heart is all good. They did a chest x-ray to look for other causes of the chest pain, which I'm certain was sore muscles from all the coughing and sneezing. The doctor told me that they found multiple items in my lungs that could be scar tissue from a previous infection. He also said that a previous X-Ray taken in August showed nothing. My brain went straight to lung cancer. He said it's usually nothing, but to have my primary doctor follow up with an X-Ray in a few months just to make sure it's nothing bad. I pressed him for chances asking "better than 90% I've got nothing to worry about?". He readily agreed with that percentage. When I left I read the paperwork and it said "Solitary Pulmonary Node" and nothing else. So I've been Googling all of that, going from one terrifying piece of information to the next, looking for hope that maybe the X-Ray just picked up phlegm. It's like everything I read tells me I have a 50% chance of being dead in 5-years. I know that's not true, but still, I hate WebMD and all of its cousins. I looked at some of the other threads before introducing myself. I know a lot of people here are in far worse places than I am. I think the problem I have is that I'm so afraid to die of something like cancer or heart disease because it would mean leaving my wife behind. She was disabled when we were newly-weds and hasn't worked in 20-years. I've always taken care of her. We have no kids or other family to help, just some friends who would give it the old college try. I don't even know if she could collect my social security benefits. I'll hit up my VA team on Monday and see what happens. I'll update with what I find out. If it all does turn out to be nothing, I'll stick around anyways. Mel the Caretaker, Meloni and Mally 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel the Caretaker Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Good luck! I'll bet it's nothing!! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Erik, You are right to further consult with your VA team if the x-ray report said "solitary pulmonary node." I'd want to know, especially if an August x-ray reported nothing. I'm confused a bit from what your doctor said and the report. He said a number of items and the report said solitary. That discrepancy alone is worth running down. Welcome here and. Stay the course. Tom LaurenH 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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