need help going crazy SCLC?

deceball · New User Joined: 30 Jan 2010 Posts: 5

I'm new but need some closure cause i can't take it anymore so pease just lay it on me , let me know what u think. tx.

It all started with shortness of breath after smoking (been a pack a day smoker for 10 years) and my throat felling tight like it was closing in on itself, then i got scared and cut down from 10 smokes to 2 a day (i was only smoking 1/2 a pack because i wanted to quit). The next couple of days i felt a burning in my lungs during smoking (it f***ing hurt bad) I felt i could not breath 2 hours later i had blood in sputum. Ever since its been a nightmare went to ER 4 times 2 chest x-rays and a ct scan from a lung specialist and they tell me it all looks normal (wtf). I keep on teling them i have a metalic taste in my mouth and its like dont want to hear it.
My simptoms are Shortness of breath (at times), trouble sleeping, feeling tired, had loss of appetite but got it back, metalic taste in mouth, dizzyness with exertion, throat hurts (feels like someone is choking me), mucus building in my mouth, pain behind brest bone and lung feel kind of weak on breathing in, breathing out is ok, blood when blowing nose after a good sleep not all the time.
Need advice cant wait till Mar 15 to find out if the specialist wants to do a bronchoscopy or not.
I think i'm done for and is not realy making me go crazy, I kinda accepted I'm gona die young (i'm only 29), its just pain is not my friend and want to enjoy what time i have left.
Tet me know what u all think.
TX.

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2854

Hi,

The good news is that you've had two x-rays and a CT scan that showed nothing in your lungs. Also that they are continuing to pursue the reason for your problem.

If you're in the U.S. and they didn't get a specialist appointment until March, that strikes me as something they aren't urgently concerned with for you. I am sorry you are in pain. Has the doc recommended anything for that?

I could play a guessing game, but we're not professionals here and that's not going to give you an answer. You are in the midst of the very stressful waiting game. Try not to let it overwhelm you -- easier said than done. Cutting down on the cigs is a good idea, as they obviously are irritating the situation. Easing back from the nicotine will also make you more stressed. Shocked

Keep us posted and we'll be here to try and give you support while you deal with the unknown. (Put away the shovel, you're not going anywhere! Wink

)

God bless,
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

deceball · New User Joined: 30 Jan 2010 Posts: 5

tx pbj11 , I wish more people wold reply to my post but O well.

I haven't had a smoke in almost a month and don't plan on ever again. By the way I'm in Canada and its so hard to get a good diagnosis here, when doctors don't know what is wrong they just say Its Viral (what ****** b.s.) load u up with some antibiotics and your on your way. I'm not on any kind of pain medication, my symptoms are metallic blood like taste in mouth, feels like i got hit with a hammer in the back, sharp stabbing pain in chest (not all the time but when it happens it is intense), i feel the need to clear my throat every now and then, my skin bruises easy and have liver pain and discomfort ( kinda like my liver is enlarged ) and feeling tired all the time ( i have a hard time staying awake for more the 8 hours).

I think this is SCLC. Just let me know what u guys think it could be, because I'm thinking of leaving the country as i cant wait till next month to find out if the specialist will want to do a bronchoscopy, and the price of a pet scan is $2500, when I can get it done in eastern europe at a private clinic for a tenth of that.

I just want to know what u guys think might be going on with me.
Give it to me strait as I am not depressed and it wont make me, life is to short to worry i just want to enjoy what time i have left.
Tx.

SusanH · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:12 am Post subject: Re: need help going crazy SCLC?

I think you may have catarrh my friend, a constant dripping from the nasal passages into the back of the throat, and if your nose bleeds - this explains the blood stained mucus. Catarrh leaves you with a metallic taste in the mouth and also makes you cough. You may have strained your back and shoulder muscles with coughing. (This has all happened to me)

Please don't worry, as you will soon be sorted.

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2854

I lean toward what Susan is saying -- but haven't heard it called catarrh in ages. Post nasal-drip is what we'd call it here. I wasn't aware of the metallic taste, but the rest goes along with it.

Are you coughing a lot? Some people actually can fracture a rib from coughing so much and that is VERY painful.

Have they told you that it has liver involvement? Again, that area could be muscular from coughing.

Let us know and many thanks for Susan's contribution! Very Happy

Hang tough.

PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

deceball · New User Joined: 30 Jan 2010 Posts: 5

I want to thank you for replies, pbj11 and SusanH.

The last 24 hr's was hell. I had a strong metallic taste coming up my throat (it was so strong that it was burning the top of my mouth). When i cleared my throat, the sputum looked light red kinda pussy in color. At the same time that this is going on breathing becomes tough, shortness of breath, throat feels like its closing in on itself and voice got weak.

I don't think its Post nasal-drip cause I don't feel anything dripping behind the nose. I do not have a cough, just the need to clear my throat.

I think it could be lung abscess. I have been like this for 5 weeks now, and shoulder pain for 6 weeks.

Once again tx and God bless.

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2854

Hi again,

I just don't understand why the doctor's aren't looking into this faster. You've been on antibiotics, right?

What about heartburn and acid reflux?

Can you just walk into an ER and get help? I don't understand this health care system, but I hate sitting out here knowing that you are hurting and have no way to get some answers.

PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

SusanH · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 5:31 am Post subject: Re: need help going crazy SCLC?

Acid reflux - does it hurt like hell (burn) down the centre of your body when you have a hot drink?

worrywort · New User Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 5

deceball, all I can say is if your doctor isn't finding out anything and you aren't improving - get another opinion. My mother was diagnosed in November with lung cancer and it isn't very promising at this point - kicker is - her doctor knew about a suspicious area in her lungs 4 1/2 years ago and did not even bother to inform her - they decided to just keep an eye on it and when it decided to rear it's ugly head - her health had deteriorated and they can do very little right now - 4 years ago the outcome may have been very different. Pray to God that you do not have lung cancer - but get a second, third, fourth opinion if you have to but some doctor somewhere has to be able to find out what is wrong.

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2854

I don't think Canadian's have the ability to get other opinions like we in the States do. That is the crux of the problem -- he can't get in to see the specialist for awhile.

PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

worrywort · New User Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 5

I live in Canada and second opinions are not as difficult to obtain as people think. It may not be as easy as the states but it can be done - go to another hospital emergency can make all the difference in the world - sometimes all it takes is different staff on duty at your regular hospital.

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2854

Thanks Worry! I wish he'd try doing that. Glad the encouragement came from someone who knows the system. Smile

PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

deceball · New User Joined: 30 Jan 2010 Posts: 5

Thanks to all the replies.

I will be going on tuesday to see my GP and let her know what I'm going through.

Just to let u all know what i have done so far is, I went to one hospital 3 times in the first week, first and second day i saw the same doctor and she put me on antacid medication, antibiotic (clarithromycin 500mg), hfa inhaler.
Then she said take this and see how u do. And if it dose not get any better come back as she will need to more tests ( ct-scan and bronchoscopy ). 5 days later i was back cause the medication did not help and because i could not breath i only slept about 4 to 5 hours (not per day, all together) in those 5 days , I was struggling just to take a breath and my breaths ware really shallow (only way I can describe it is BIG TIME shortness of breath). But this time the doctor that seen me before was not their. This is when they kept me in a examination roon for 4 hours just to be seen by a student (that didnt know what the f**k he was doing) after about 1/2 hour he came back with this other young doctor (looked like she just finished university), and this b***h was not wanting to hear me out at all (mabe because I'm white and they both ware asian , I'm not racist or anything but thats the feeling i got from her, the guy was ok) I asked her to do the tests the other doctor offers and she refused, then she said If i wanted her to take a look at my chest x-rays. By this time I felt as if i was in The Twilight Zone, so I just walked out. The next day I went to a walk in clink that knows me and a doctor their called another hospital and sent me their. Then from the hospital i got referred to a specialist that took over a week to get in to see, Then I had a ct-scan the next day and he says it all looks normal. I can't really do much now as he said i can go to emergency only when i produce 4 table spoons of bloody sputum (seems kind of alot) when i he said that i wanted to smash his head of his shoulders ( i don't want to wait till i'm a goner if i can do something about it before). In my opinion Canadian medical system is only for the old and far to gone to do anything about because anything else costs to much money.

Just to let u know how bad it is a Pet scan is $2500 for a person, but when they get an empty spot they research on animals for free just so that the machine doesn't wear out. Why not get a person in when that empty space comes up that can save a life.

As for me maybe my Gp will send me to another specialist if this one doesn't work out. I will know on Tuesday.

Tx and god bless.

deceball · New User Joined: 30 Jan 2010 Posts: 5

Now I'm lost. I was told by my GP that a ct-scan wold have caught the cancer, is this true for all types of lung cancer ? I'm a bit worried cause she wants to send me to a throat and sinus specialist.
Now when i clear my throat the spit is a rusty color all the time and some mornings about a table spoon of bright red streaked sputum.
tx.

worrywort · New User Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 5

in a perfect world a CT scan would catch the cancer but unfortunately doctors are only human and can miss things - however, on the other side of that - you may not have lung cancer - god willing. Go see the throat specialist - I know seeing more doctors frustrating when you aren't getting answers and who knows - it could just be something very minor and your worries were for nothing but not knowing, the worries will continue.

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