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Lung health anxiety

Dogedw profile image
12 Replies

Hi I'm a 31 year old female. In 2016 I had a p.e on my right lung.

Recovered well for a few months then the anxiety set in. I spend a year in and other of a and e thinking there was something wrong with my heart. Noting ever found had heart scan plus numerous blood tests and x rays. Was diagnosedwith health anxiety and referred for cbt which did help I couldn't take anti depressants as I havery a fear of medication side effect. Anyway last December I had awfull flu and nasty cough I am still coughing now nearly a year on its a productive cough I saw a doctor who said it was posted nasal drip so given steroid nasal spray which has done nothing I know for the past 4 months am hearing strange noises from my throat and chest I constantly throat clearing and have done for a year. It feels like something is popping in my right lung when I breath in which then panics me so I stop breathing properly has anyone else had anything like this I convinced I have throat or lung cancer!

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Dogedw
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12 Replies
newlands profile image
newlands

Yes have this in my throat always trying to clear it and not getting any better after 6 weeks and I am really struggling now but I am a lot older than you ,so will be interesting to see what answers you get

Take care

Dorothy

Dogedw profile image
Dogedw in reply to newlands

I keep putting off going back to see my GP as I don't want to know if it is something really bad like cancer. I lose my voice all the time and am sometimes hoarse. I know I'm young but my sister is only 35 and has had horrendous health issues sInce a young age.

What's worrying me most is this funny wheezy type croak in my right lung. I know I have health anxiety but surely it's not in my head if I can hear it.

Hi Dogedw. I am not a doctor but it sounds very much like an untreated chest infection to me, left over from the flu that you had last winter. What on earth is your doctor playing at! He should at least have given you a good course of antibiotics and sent some of the mucus off to find out which bacteria is giving you the problem. Cancer is very rare and unlikely but a chest infection left to fester can lead to lung damage. The fact that you are fixated on cancer is preventing you from getting the treatment that you need.

Get back in there and don’t be put off until you get some proper and thorough treatment.

Dogedw profile image
Dogedw in reply to

I had a course of antibiotics last December and in the January I went for an x ray it was clear but I was still coughing and still am to this day.

I know I had some lung damage from my bloideas clot but I don't no what to do.

Scared to go doctors incase it is something bad but can't go on like this its all I think about all day and night my head is fixated on cancer.

ChaOliver profile image
ChaOliver in reply to Dogedw

As a lung cancer surviver, one lives with some creative parnoria about lungs and cancer but always check out you coughs and mucus accumulation. I never felt any effect of the lung cancer except fatigue. Post nasal drip is a problem which gives me strange noises and crackles. I have found that hay fever nasal spray and eye drops often takes care of the accumulation from the night sleep. Perhaps the nasal drip is an allergy? Oh well, please have a check out on the noises and fears. I am living over 20 years after having lung cancer surgery.

Dogedw profile image
Dogedw in reply to ChaOliver

Thank you for the advice. It is my only thought all day I spend the day googling cancer I'm 31 have 2 little girls I'm terrified they soon have me around. I tried the steroid nasal spray and salt nasal bath for over 2 months with no improvement and take antihistamines daily. Cough is always at its worst in the morning. It's embarrassing it's can't go out incase people think I have something wrong with me for coughing all the time. I saw a respiratory doctor at hospital last year he didn't do any test but checked me over looked for visable body changes e.g clubbing of fingers he told me I was fine ( this was even after coughing up blood) he said it can be causedone by my xarelto (blood thinners)

Im gonna book to see my GP this week and at least if I know it's not anything serious maybe I can live my life again and re book in with my therapy lady from cbt.

Roessner541 profile image
Roessner541

I had a terrible case of anxiety after having surgery on my lung I was on lorasapham a small dosage for a year and I was terrifed when my go took me off. My lung doctor put me on something else but didn't seem to work. I thought I had forgotten how to breathe which seemed odd to me. Anyway I started meditating and it has helped a lot. I still have to work at it but at least I am not going hospital every two weeks. I have not been to a hospital in three years. I still feel like I am recovering. I just go day by day. Good luck.

Dogedw profile image
Dogedw

Where u going to hospital because of the anxiety?

I did many times I rang ambulances convinced I was having heart attacks

Janzo54 profile image
Janzo54

Thats so hard and all the worrying too. Yes you are young with whole life ahead to enjoy your children. If all tests negative then try to hang into to this that as anxiety feeds on anxiety. Try to not go onto google etc i dont think it helps to think about all that can be wrong-until proven otherwise concentrate on whats actually going on?

If you have noises its probably untreated infection and ask for rescue pack? Like an antibiotic?

Do you have COPD or lung disease? I often have noises after an infection or heavy cold.

Everyday try to do something nice for yourself? Like can you visit or phone a friend for a chat or go for a short walk?

We can be so distracted by worry and anxiety we forget to just stop and stare, look at the trees changing colours, the sky and the flowers, look at your children and listen to them laughing, try playing and letting go as much as you can.

I look after two young puppies twice a week and they keep me focused on nature not myself.

Its easy to get into that spiral of anxiety of what ifs.. enjoy life now, each day each hour.

If we dont then life takes on a face like a worry monster and we start to loose control of our thoughts. So stop and Breath and stare! You will be ok! 💐

Love Janzo

Badbessie profile image
Badbessie

You should ask your GP to send a sputum specimen. Please keep away from Dr Google as the only result is increased anxiety. At your age I would not worry about some of the conditions you have researched. It is only human to fear the worst. In your case it my be as simple as a mild upper respiratory tract infection. Go to your GP it is the only way that you will be able to put your mind at rest.

Dogedw profile image
Dogedw

So as usual no doctors appointments available for today!

No asthma or copd although I've not been tested

I've had the weird lung noise again this morning it's like a pop sensation in my right lung.

hypercat54 profile image
hypercat54

Hi I think if you had cancer you would know it by now. Have you googled the symptoms of lung cancer? Off the top of my head some of them are coughing up dark red blood, losing weight and repeated chest infections.

You say you are scared of not being around for your little ones - well you are not there for them now whilst you are consumed with these fears are you? I would go back to the doctor and tell her/him how you are feeling and if it is health anxiety then get some help for it ie meds and/or counselling. There are several good sites on here specifically for anxiety so maybe joining one of them would be a good idea. x

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