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Doc wants to "wait & see"????!!!!!
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An_240990 posted:
Bronchitis in January, severe coughing resulted in what I thought was a broken rib. Went to ER in March, Xray showed something "funny" and they weren't sure, told me to double up on the vicodins I take for back pain. Still in severe pain in June, more Xrays at family doc, discovered "bent" rib and two little lung "anomalies" in lower left lobe. MRI confirmed this; one's 5 mm & the other is smaller. Doc says what matters is if they grow, and I should have another MRI in January. I'm not in as much pain, it's just "discomfort" and I can feel something "pop" at times. My doc doesn't seem to really know much, since he said different things about the Xray & MRI at different times. After some thought, I think I should have a bronchoscopy NOW!!!! I've been a heavy smoker for 40 years, have tried to quit but failed, but today when I finish my last pack, that's it - I'm switching to e-cigs which aren't bad and have already helped me to cut down. I've had cancer before - cervical cancer in 1985, had a hysterectomy; colorectal cancer in 2001, a rather large & painful external growth for several years, thought it was a hemorrhoid, it wasn't - the cancer had spread inside the anus a bit, too. Had chemo & radiation, and I'm still fine today. I'm just not comfortable with waiting several months to see if those "anamolies" grow!! I'm already imagining symptoms of metastasis to my bones and brain!! Any comments would be appreciated. Thank you!!
2 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Doc wants to "wait & see"????!!!!!Bronchitis in January, severe coughing resulted in what I thought was a broken rib. Went to ER in March, Xray showed something "funny" and they weren't sure, told me to double up on the vicodins I take for back pain. Still in severe pain in June, more Xrays at family doc, discovered "bent" rib and two little lung "anomalies" in lower left lobe. MRI confirmed this; one's 5 mm & the other is smaller. Doc says what matters is if they grow, and I should have another MRI in January. I'm not in as much pain, it's just "discomfort" and I can feel something "pop" at times. My doc doesn't seem to really know much, since he said different things about the Xray & MRI at different times. After some thought, I think I should have a bronchoscopy NOW!!!! I've been a heavy smoker for 40 years, have tried to quit but failed, but today when I finish my last pack, that's it - I'm switching to e-cigs which aren't bad and have already helped me to cut down. I've had cancer before - cervical cancer in 1985, had a hysterectomy; colorectal cancer in 2001, a rather large & painful external growth for several years, thought it was a hemorrhoid, it wasn't - the cancer had spread inside the anus a bit, too. Had chemo & radiation, and I'm still fine today. I'm just not comfortable with waiting several months to see if those "anamolies" grow!! I'm already imagining symptoms of metastasis to my bones and brain!! Any comments would be appreciated. Thank you!!
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T_Omg responded:
Hi An_240990,i have no information. in june 2009 i was diagnosis with colon cancer, my doctor promise me after my surgery i was cancer free. july 21st 2011 ,i couldn't walk 5 steps without holding on to something. so i went to ER ,they diagnosis me with lung cancer. never smoke in my life. i just completed 20 radiation treatments. 4 chemo treatments and i have 5 more treatments to go.i would like to talk to someone who have or has experince some of my sysptoms.ttyl(:
Report This| Share this:Doc wants to "wait & see"????!!!!!Hi An_240990,i have no information. in june 2009 i was diagnosis with colon cancer, my doctor promise me after my surgery i was cancer free. july 21st 2011 ,i couldn't walk 5 steps without holding on to something. so i went to ER ,they diagnosis me with lung cancer. never smoke in my life. i just completed 20 radiation treatments. 4 chemo treatments and i have 5 more treatments to go.i would like to talk to someone who have or has experince some of my sysptoms.ttyl(:
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An_240990 replied to T_Omg's response:
No doctor can promise you're cancer-free about anywhere in the body other than the place they just cut out. Was your difficulty walking caused by not being able to breathe? Good luck with your chemo & radiation, and I hope they work!! You know, it's possible that many people are walking around with cancer cells in their bodies, but unless they're growing and causing trouble, I think maybe our immune systems can keep them under control. And quite often there are no symptoms and the cancer isn't discovered until it's too late. Doctors aren't all-knowing. After your colon cancer, or after anyone's cancer anywhere, they can't really do full-body MRIs or CT scans every six months "just in case". It's possible your lung cancer metastasized from your colon, or it could be an entirely separate thing. Sorry I'm not really familiar enough with what you've got, but I really hope your treatments are successful and that you're feeling okay and recover quickly! Chemo & radiation can be nastier than cancer!
Report This| Share this:Doc wants to "wait & see"????!!!!!No doctor can promise you're cancer-free about anywhere in the body other than the place they just cut out. Was your difficulty walking caused by not being able to breathe? Good luck with your chemo & radiation, and I hope they work!! You know, it's possible that many people are walking around with cancer cells in their bodies, but unless they're growing and causing trouble, I think maybe our immune systems can keep them under control. And quite often there are no symptoms and the cancer isn't discovered until it's too late. Doctors aren't all-knowing. After your colon cancer, or after anyone's cancer anywhere, they can't really do full-body MRIs or CT scans every six months "just in case". It's possible your lung cancer metastasized from your colon, or it could be an entirely separate thing. Sorry I'm not really familiar enough with what you've got, but I really hope your treatments are successful and that you're feeling okay and recover quickly! Chemo & radiation can be nastier than cancer!
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