Just dont know what to do

[pat3003]

Hi sorry to post again as i havent been diognosed with lung cancer at the moment even tho as you can see from my previouse post wat tests ive already had. But because i am petrifeid of having a lung biopsy which tbe lung team advised i have done but i told them i dont think i cant go thro with having it done as i suffer severe anxiety as it is so they said that because i said i dont think i can go thro with it they will do another ct scan in 6mnths even tho the prefer me to have the biopsy i know deep down i know i should have it done i am just so petried. Even just talking about having it done or even thinking of it my anxiety goes thro the roof. And now because the past 5 days ive been haveing upper back and frontal rib pain im worring myself sick that its tbe lung cancer thats causeing tbe pain and tbat it has grew or spead from the last ct scan i had done on tbe 7th of april even tho it has stayed tbe same from the very first scan in october i had done. I think wat im trying to ask is can it grow or spead in 7wks. Ive spoke to my gp and she said its just all muscular.. So sorry to post again i just thought maybe post on here to see if someone can give me some advise or reasurance xxx

[Bevvy]

It’s really difficult to know what to say. I would be surprised if something not grown in 6 months would suddenly grow in 7 weeks. But I am not a doctor. Your gp has tried to reassure you but you are not convinced. Anxiety can produce all sorts of physical effects as you know and this is highly likely to be the case here.

Nothing has changed in 6 months so they are going to do another scan in a further 6 months. There is no way you would be left that length of time if doctors were really concerned.

I don’t have health anxiety so can’t say can totally understand but really think you need to reconsider biopsy. I know thought is scary but having had unpleasant procedures myself the thought is often worse than reality. They will have dealt with nervous patients before and can give all sorts medications to help.

Is the thought of procedure really worse than worrying for next 6 months and possibly beyond? If doesn’t change in another 6 months they highly likely to want to scan again because can’t treat without knowing what it is. Hence another time to worry. I believe you need biopsy for sake of mental health.

[CDPO16]

I agree with Bevvy and your GP. Anxiety too can result in all kinds of aches and pains due to constant muscle tension.I don't know if it's too late now to accept having a biopsy but I do know that the fear of a procedure is often far worse than the event.

[2greys]

It is extremely unlikely that cancer would have grown that fast to cause upper back and frontal rib pain in such a short time period, but anxiety can.

My lung cancer did not cause any pain at all, the only physical sign of cancer that I had was the coughing up of blood, nothing else and to be honest that went away after a week. Had it not been diagnosed via a PET scan, I might have ignored that I had coughed up some blood for a week and been totally ignorant of it until it was too late to treat.

[r0yalalbert]

Dear pat 303. Try to be brave and I am sure the worrying about not having it done, is worse than Having it done,I am a real coward at going to hospital and having test but as you and I know you are still more worried you have not done it.Go on its probably no where near as frightening as you think. Rose x

[Hidden]

What is it about having the biopsy that is scaring you? I have had several in the past. While I can't say they were pleasant, they weren't terrible either. Certainly better than living with the worry about whether or not it is growing. Take care and good luck.

[Aingeful]

I so understand where you are coming from! I was told last year that I needed a kidney biopsy to prove that I had anca vasculitis which was causing my lung problems. I got so worked up that my consultant said he would leave it as there was enough evidence without it. He is treating me for it with immune suppressant drugs! In hindsight I wish I had just gone for it,it couldn't have been worse!

[BreatheasyBe]

Hi I understand your fear of the biopsy - have they said how they were going to do it. I’ve had bronchoscopies done to clear a blockage and they tried to clear it three times. Over the course of 4 months I had 3 bronchoscopies. The third time they were successful and removed a little sample at that time. I had sleepless nights worrying about the first bronchoscopy but it was relatively worry free for the other two. They gave me something to relax and a spray at the back of my tongue (that was the worst part by far) . I was awake and calm throughout the procedure and they stop at any time if you feel discomfort.

Hope you get to the bottom of this sooner rather than later. B x

[gillianTS]

Hi pat3003

I too suffer from anxiety as well as claustrophobia, both very hard to manage. My GP advised me years ago that I must face my issues and not run away because if I wanted to get to the bottom of my health issues then it was the only way. He prescribed diazepan to use as and when required, but his underlying advice was to try to approach each issue first without using the diazepan. He advised it starts to work very quickly and I should get calm in around 30 minutes to an hours.

My GP advised me to speak to the hospital consultants about my issues and they will be able to talk me through the various help I can get before any procedure. A couple of the consultants had an issue with my taking diazepan beforehand but were able to offer alternatives suggestions.

I took the diazepan everywhere with me, it gave me huge amounts of comfort just knowing if I felt desperately anxious I could take a tablet and feel so much less anxious pretty quickly. After a while I began to test myself, the words of my GP are never far away and live within me. And so I started to face my anxieties and claustrophobia more and more, not taking the diazepan until the very last minute, reducing the dose to half a tablet, and then finally not taking them at all when I attended hospitals, flying, going into shopping malls, small and even darker places (CT, MRI, cafe, restaurants, seating etc) simply keeping the diazepan in my handbag gave me the courage to move forward. I talked to myself a lot and told myself with each new victory that I was taking control. With each hospital appointment I told myself I had done this before and survived and can do it again, the benefits outweighed everything.

A technician in an MRI department advised me to wear an eye mask, I do this in any of these types of machines, and I do the same when I have to have a procedure at hospital, including wearing ear plugs, it puts me in a much better place. I make sure everyone around me in a hospital situation knows what I suffer with and allow me those few extra necessary minutes to settle down.

Since facing my demons I had a occult inguinal hernia removed performed without general anesthesia under local anesthesia, I was shocked at myself. A muscle biopsy in my upper arm performed without general anesthesia or any local anesthesia, no pain relief whatsoever or diazepan, it was painful but amazed at myself. As well as so many MRI's and CT type scans etc. I face so much more than I ever dreamed I would.

Facing up to many issues has helped me hugely move on in my life, I do things differently and now I never allow my personal anxiety and claustrophobia to get in the way of my heath and finding the answers to my problems, everything I face up to now provides me with an answer, not having an answer chews away at my mind making me more anxious.

I would be telling lies if I said I was cured, I have moved on massively and try to no longer to let major problems become even bigger problems. I still have the diazepan which I know if I ever needed it that it's right there for me. I do things differently, avoid a few petty situations but nothing major.

Try talking to your doctor about how they can help you in these situations.

Sorry for the long post...

Good luck

[Thinkhealthy in reply to gillianTS]

You are inspirational!!!

[HighGables in reply to gillianTS]

You are a very brave and strong lady, well done. Jax 🐶

[gillianTS in reply to HighGables]

Hi Jax, I think my life was utterly consumed and something had to change, I had been a very positive person for many many years and something seemed to happen, the older I got the more anxious I became. The last straw came when I had to get off an aircraft and a short time later I had to come back of an MRI, the staff were really brilliant but I was not able to get back in. My GP was brilliant and I am very grateful for his forthright attitude towards me, it helped in so many ways.

Anxiety is a huge underestimated problem with people thinking you just need to give yourself a good shake and talking too, it consumes your life and makes your troubles so much bigger.

X

[Alberta56]

I'm sorry you're going through all this. Have you ever asked some medical person to talk you through what a biopsy involves? It might not be as awful as you think. I've never had one, but I was asked to take a bronchoscopy 2 years ago and I was TERRIFIED. Got myself into a real state at the thought of someone pushing a tube down into my lungs. It turned out to be nothing to worry about. The staff were very kind and gentle; I was anaesthetised and knew nothing about it till I woke up. I didn't even have a sore throat afterwards. I don't know how much longer a biopsy would take, but it can't take that much longer. Best wishes and good luck. Let us know how you're doing.