I am new and need advice and info and have lots of question

[Haylee_38]

I hope it is ok with everyone that I am here. I have lost both my parents

my dad in 1983 and my mom in 2003 to lung cancer. I am here now

because of fear of my husband having lung cancer. I will run down what

is going on with my husband { Dave } and maybe someone can help

me. :-} Hubby is 39 and a smoker for 26 years . He has had some

problems with a lymph node in his neck for a year now. It began after

having a filling { his first one ever} so we assumed the node swelling

was due to the dental work because the tooth would hurt at the same

time the node would flare up. About 8 weeks ago it flared up after my

entire family had a flu bug. The node was the size of a baseball and

very tender and he began getting headaces and fevers several nights

a week and had a seizure one night. He had enough at went to the ER

about 4 weeks ago and all they did was check his blood normal results

and put him on antibiotics and called this a submandibular mass. He went

to are clinic { waiting on are insurance} and at first thought this may

just be a case of mono he wanted to wait a week to see if it would

shrink in size. Actualy it did begin to shrink but the night before his

appt. with the doctor it flared back up. The doctor wanted him to get a

cat scan. We went in for the results of the cat scan and this visit the

doctor could see for himself how much the node had went down in size.

He said never the less at the time of cat scan the mass/node was 6cm

and pressing against his jugular vein and it needed out. He said the

good news is the neck mass is more likely to be infection not cancer

due to it going up and down in size. The bad news was when they did

the cat scan to his neck it got the upper parts of his lungs and they seen

a small nodule. The doc said they have to do a full cat scan now to

see the bottom of lungs. He said he does not think its cancer but yes

it could be. We are on a wait now because we will not have are ins. for

3 weeks or so and everything with this clinic is very slow paced.

This is so different from the symptoms my mom and dad had when

they had lung cancer. Can anyone relate to his symptoms? Anyone

ever had a lung nodule? I search the internet and get conflicting info

on lung nodules. One will say if you are a smoker 70% chance this is

cancer another says a 40% chance another even said in his age bracket

a 15 % chance. The doctor tested him for TB it came back neg. What

other types of infections can cause lung nodules? Any info would be

greatly appreciated. Haylee

[Guest Phyllis]

Hi, It could be nothing to worry about. My nephew is about the same age and he went to see my Ear, Nose, Throat Surgeon to have him look at a lump on his throat. The doc did a biopsy of the lump. The lump did turn out to be an inflamed salivatory gland, but the doc did see some other suspicious looking areas around it.

However, with me my tumors in the lung were from origianally throat cancer. Throat cancer if caught early is supposed to be pretty curable. If it has spread to the lungs then you would want ct scans and biopsies, etc. to find out quickly and start treatment. You might want to consider a ENT specialist. I love my throat surgeon. He saved my life after I spent so much time on general practioners telling me I was fine. Good luck.

[Guest KellyB]

Haylee, I know you are very anxious to find out what is wrong with Dave, sometimes web surfing does more damage than good. You tend to pick and choose information that we do not completely understand. I did the same thing. My Dad had a "nodule" discovered during an xray for surgery on his knee. A website called Pulmonarychannel.com is very helpful in general information about the respiratory system. There is a whole section called "solitary nodules" that will probably be helpful. My Dad was diagnosed in 01/03 and you are at the very begining, don't fret it may be nothing. This is a wonderful place for support, prayers or just answers to questions.. please write anytime, you are in my prayers...Kel

[Remembering Dave]

My husband, also named Dave, and also 39 years old, got SCLC lung cancer, which, the oncologist said, was directly caused by his 20+ year smoking. Others on this board much younger than Dave have gotten lung cancer and never smoked. So age should not disqualify a suspicion of lung cancer. Especially from a smoker (in our personal experience, anyway, not meaning to offend those victims who are non-smokers).

Get all the tests you need - especially full chest CT scans - and then take it from there. Worrying will get you nothing, but thoroughly checking everything out will get you a diagnoses and a game plan or hopefully peace of mind.

Please keep in touch and keep us informed and let us know whenever you have questions, concerns, or worries (because even if I advise you not to worry it's only natural to worry!)

God Bless and good luck,

Karen C.

(David C's better half)

p.s. One year after Dave's diagnoses he is in remission. The year was tough, no doubt about it, but this monster can be beat.

[Haylee_38]

I wanted to thank you for the replys. I am just so nervous and afraid.

I try to keep telling myself not to worry yet because it still may be

nothing serious. The surgeon called today and we go to see him on the

13th and he has another cat scan scheduled for the 15th to see his

bottom lungs. I do have a few questions when you have a cat scan of

the neck does it view your head as well? Curious because 5 weeks ago

hubby had a seizure and has had alot of headaches and this is abnormal

for him. Are night fevers common in people with cancer? He has been

having night fevers several nights a week. I guess each person may

have different symptoms my dad had no symptoms and my mom only

had upset stomach and was tired alot. His doctor said he feels its not

cancer but can not rule out cancer. How do doctors make such a guess

when he has not even had a biopsy? Does cancer look different than

other types of masses? I want to feel better by the doctors saying this

but yet I wonder what he is basing his guess on. Thank you all again

for your replys. Haylee

[Guest Karen C]

Haylee, I'm trying to follow what you're saying - not sure I caught and absorbed it all - but if he's having seizures, etc. I'd ask for a CT scan of his brain. I don't think a CT scan of the neck will do the brain. Ask the doctor for it. Have you guys told the doctors everything that is going on with him? Be sure you do, and be forthright about asking for all of these tests. You just can't guess what is going on until you get some concrete evidence.

Keep us posted.

Karen C.

[natalie]

Haylee,

In addition to Karen C's comment, my advice is to tell you to remember that you and your husband are your own advocates. Ask questions, research and demand the tests you need. I had doctor's not willing to answer questions...nothing is more frustrating to me than to be treated as if my questions are not worthy of answers. It sounds like your husband has a positive doctor though, so you are probably on the right track. I'm so sorry that you have to go through this again. I will pray hard for you and your husband and hope that the tests come out that there is no cancer anywhere in his body.

[kimblanchard]

My husband had night sweats and chills before his diagnosis. They stopped a while after he started treatment, not sure how that all works. But a fever seems to me more indicative of an infection?

Just get all the tests you can right now, don't wait, either way you will be better off, letting your fears go or getting what help you need. Right now, it seems like you don't have enough information to really know, this could be something much less serious.

Best of luck, Margaret

[Guest]

Thanks again to all who replyed to my post. It has helped me alot to

talk about and get support. I think after losing both my parents to

lung cancer I am just over paranoid before I even know for sure what

is going on with my husband. When the doctor said this could be cancer

I think in my mind I felt it already was. I just lost my mom 1 year ago

and was her caregiver and its still fresh and seems everytime a doctor

says it may be cancer { it is cancer}. He did not mention the seizure to

the doctors because at the time he had the seizure my entire family had

a really bad virus with high fevers. We assumed the seizure was do to

the virus/ fever. Neither of us had ever had a cat scan before and he

thought because his head was in the tube that it would of pictured his

head it did get his upper lungs is how they found the nodule. Hoping his

surgeon can help answer some questions on Tues. This has went on

for 8 weeks now to hear it may be his tooth to mono maybe TB to

cancer. I am just ready for an answer if its not it will be the best day of

my life but if it is ready to fight the beast. Its the not knowing that is

so hard. thanks again Haylee

[mhutch1366]

Haylee,

I understand your concerns.

By all means mention the seizures!

Mention everything, and let the doctor determine what is significant.

That's what they get trained for.

They can't help if they don't hear about a particular problem.

If the doctor doesn't feel it's cancer, then please don't let your fears run away with you. "Don't borrow trouble"... it'll still be there tomorrow if the evidence starts to lean that way, and I'm sure they'll tell you.

Ask for the brain CT -- actually for brain they usually do MRI, as I don't expect the seizures should be entirely discounted.

Good luck to you, and please, don't scare yourself silly. Wait and see.

XOXOX

MaryAnn