Paranoia

plsletitrain
plsletitrain Member Posts: 252 Member
edited September 2018 in Colorectal Cancer #1

Okay so I guess most, if not all of us, are quite paranoid whenever a single ache, pain, or any irregularity happens in a certain body part and we fear that the cancer has spread there.

Recently I sometimes experience shortness of breath which is I know a symptom of a lung met.  My last scan was May 31, around 4 months ago, and the only met seen was one solitary lung met which was already removed via VATS wedge surgery last July 4.  Since then I haven't had any scans and I'm now on chemo.  You don't think another one popped up, right? Could it be that fast? I'm praying this is just some effects from the operation (but it was last July and the shortness of breath came just this past few days).  Please pray for me that this is nothing and just some effects from folfox. (But I've had folfox last year and I didn't feel anything).  I'm a mess.

 

Edit: My next scan will be next week so the anxiety and fear is really high.

 

Comments

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #2
    Aches and Pains

    After a diagnosis we all are afraid of all those aches and pains and things that just "don't seem normal."  It's hard to not think about it.  I'd ask when your next scan is and let your doctor know about your shortness of breath.  It could be a side effect of the chemo as well. Chemo can just bring up so many symptoms your doctor never tells you about.  Call them this week and discuss this with them.  Praying that what you are feeling has a good explanation and nothing due to growth in lungs.  Get peace of mind by confronting the doctor, you will get better sleep as well.  Wishing you good luck.

    Kim

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
    #3
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Aches and Pains

    After a diagnosis we all are afraid of all those aches and pains and things that just "don't seem normal."  It's hard to not think about it.  I'd ask when your next scan is and let your doctor know about your shortness of breath.  It could be a side effect of the chemo as well. Chemo can just bring up so many symptoms your doctor never tells you about.  Call them this week and discuss this with them.  Praying that what you are feeling has a good explanation and nothing due to growth in lungs.  Get peace of mind by confronting the doctor, you will get better sleep as well.  Wishing you good luck.

    Kim

    They really don't like to

    They really don't like to talk about the side effects. 

  • mountainhiker
    mountainhiker Member Posts: 54
    #4
    It could be anything

    Only way to tell is to get a scan.  I had a spot show up on a CT back in October 2017, two months after starting chemo.  My oncologist knew it wasn't a cancer met and believed it was an infection.  After the initial round of antibiotics didn't work, a lung biopsy was done which showed that it indeed was an infection and had it not been caught when it was, it would have killed me within 6 months (it had already spread to my brain).

    Scans are a good thing.  They may just save your life.

    mountainhiker

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #5
    Shortness of breath

    To this day, I have a tape recording of myself, right after I'd gotten ready for bed. I could barely breath for the effort of getting undressed. 

    I was on the FOLFOX. It is wicked stuff, and the side effects are numerous. 

    So yes, I suffered severe shortness of breath while on chemo, but, be sure and mention it to your Doctor.

    As a side note. Once, my big toe started throbbing for no reason. The first thought that came into my head. Cancer!  I remember thinking, can you get Cancer in your toes?  So yes, any ache or pain and in any place, even the sillyest places, will have you thinking 'is it back?'. Its just one of those things you will learn to live with. 

    Good luck with your scan next week. 

    Tru

  • Kazenmax
    Kazenmax Member Posts: 463 Member
    #6
    Out of breath

    I get out of breath quite a bit. I had two small mets to my left lung and had VATS/Wedge surgery to remove them. At first I had no problems. But since I've been on the chemo, I get out of breath with everything I do. I also thought that OMG it's back. it's somewhere. I had a CT scan three weeks ago and everything is clear. 

    I really think its a side effect of chemo. Not just the chemicals but the fact that I get so fatigued and I get  little exercise because I have no strength. Every night I say tomorrow I will go for a walk and tomorrow comes and I'm just too damn tired. 

    My counts have been low but nothing that points to cancer. A good oncologist can read your bloodwork and get a hint as to whether or not the cancer is back. but the best is a scan.

    Call your doctor. Tell him about it and hang in there.

    k

  • plsletitrain
    plsletitrain Member Posts: 252 Member
    #7
    Thanks everyone for the

    Thanks everyone for the reassuring comments.  I pushed my scan for today or tomorrow because I really can't help it, I want peace of mind asap.  I'm afraid that because of me too much worrying, it has caused stress to me and thus, triggered something not good when supposedly there wouldn't have been any at all.  Please pray for clean scans.  Thank you very much again for taking the time to reply.

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,289 Member
    #8
    It's not really paranoia, it

    It's not really paranoia, it's the psychosomatic effect, a mental anti-placebo effect that a one time or another gets to all of us. I first felt it waiting for surgery on liver mets, feeling an ache, a crimp where the liver is. After surgery it showed back up, and I was really worried until in a moment of clarity I realized I cradled my laptop in my right arm so as to type with my left, making me lean a fair bit on my right side. I even switched sides that day to replicate the feeling on my left side before I was convinced. It happened with other things like fluid in my lung, but the point's made. I don't assert that your discomfort is a phantom, I wouldn't presume, but the anxiety we feel certainly heightens every nerve/feelimg. The fluid collected in my right lung after liver resection, could your surgery or chemo have caused some fluid collection? mine was there for several months, even after two needle aspirations. Anyway you'll know soon, and I hope you're able to get a positive result and some peace of mind to go with it..........................................Dave

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #9
    Prayers

    Prayers being said that you get a clean scan.  You will feel much better after having it done.  In the future, even after this scan, you will have the similar scares.  It can drive you crazy, but don't let it.  Come on the board here because there are a lot her that can help you get through your future. 

    Kim

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