Am worried about a cough
Am worried about a cough Although I’ve dipped into this forum from time to time, have decided to post today as I’m worried & don’t want to keep worrying my husband.
I was diagnosed over 8 years ago - had mastectomy, chemo, tamoxifen etc. Lymph nodes were clear & all was fine at last annual check. Although I did worry that the NHS checkups were getting very brief & the last straw was when my original surgeon left & all our appts with consultants were changed to one with a nurse with the option to request a doctor if we were concerned. How many of us dare to do that? So I decided to use my BUPA (which I didn’t use for the original care which was excellent then) & saw the consultant I would have seen but privately. He aspirated some cysts on my good side, I had mammograms on both sides & ultrasound & I got the impression that I may not have had all this on the NHS.
Anyway I am now posting because I’ve had a cough for several weeks now which is rare for me. I’ve seen the GP (you’ll shake it off! she said), the practice nurse (who gave me antibiotics), & it’s still not gone. Yesterday I plucked up the courage to google symptoms of secondary cancer in the lung & was in tears especially after reading some of the posts here.
I now feel that I just have to see the consultant & get all the tests as soon as possible as, even worse, I’m going on hols in about 10 days. I don’t suppose I will manage all that in a few days but am intending to call on Monday & try & ask for appointment, X-ray, scan (CT or MRI?) & see where I get. I know the they have all the machines at the hospital but am not so sure about the staff. I find it very difficult to make such demands for myself & I don’t want to tell my family (apart from my husband) or they all get upset & that makes it worse for me.
Anyway, I’m glad to get all this off my chest (no pun intended) & see if anyone has any similar experiences.
Thanks for listening…
Helpline Dear Zennor
Welcome to the forums.
Please feel free to contact Breast Cancer Care’s confidential freephone helpline. The helpline number is 0808 800 6000 and it is open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-2pm. The helpliners are either breast care nurses or have had experience of breast cancer and can offer you information, support and a listening ear during this difficult time.
Kind regards
Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
be assertive Dear Zennor,
I’m sorry that you are finding it hard to get the follow up you need. Your cough may be completely unrelated to breast cancer but obviously needs investigating , even just to put your mind at rest.
Is there a breast care nurse you can contact, or your G.P could request a chest Xray. I work in the health service and know that sometimes as a pateint you have to be assertive to make sure your needs are met, so don’t be afraid of doing everything you need to do. If you find you are not getting very far, your hopsital should also have a PALs (Patient Advice and Liason Service) who should be able to support you.
Let us know how you get on.
Best wishes,
India
Do you still have Bupa? I have had all my treatment on Bupa and it has been very thorough. I have a chest Xray, mammogram and liver ultrasound every year. Last October I was diagnosed with lung mets following my routine chest X ray. I had a CT scan 2 days later followed by a bone scan and MRI and saw my consultants immediatly after the CT and chemo started immediatly.
It was the most shocking time of my life, even worse than the original diagnosis but I am so grateful that everything moved so quickly.
I was breathless but put it down to my upper back having gone into spasm, and was having physio!!
I hpoe very much in your case that it is only a cough but if you can use your health insurance, do.
Chemo has been successful and I am now just on Arimidex and the situation with my chest is stable. I have CT scans every 3 months and the tumour markers in my blood are also checked.
Very Best Wishes
Kathryn
A persistent cough should always be investigated. It can be an indication of lung problems. However, there are other possible causes - for instance, if you have acid reflux, that can produce coughing.
I agree that you should press for deeper examination. Better to be sure than worried.
Story so far… Thanks for the support & responses.
Yes I am on BUPA but only started using it for the breast cancer this year when I wasn’t happy with the level of follow-up checks at our hospital as we now only see a nurse after 5 years. I was quite happy with the intial treatment but I haven’t had any scans apart from a Chest X-ray prior to the mastectomy.
Anyway, since posting I managed to see the surgeon Tuesday night. He examined me & said lung mets were unlikely after 8 years & my chested sounded hollow (I think that’s OK!) but I still had an X-ray yesterday afternoon. He says he will have the report tomorrow so am just hanging on till then…
Manuka Honey If that cough is still persistant why not try some manuka honey…I had catharr and a cough for over a month.I tried the honey in desperation and it really helped- I could feel the difference from day one! Apparently manuka honey is also very good for the imune system…Good Luck with your results tomorrow.
lung/trachea poss liver mets. Hello, I have been reading the mail on here and there are a lot of brave people on this site. Im not feeling so brave this time.
I was diagnosed with breast Cancer nearly 12 years ago , I had mastectomy , Chemo, Radiotherapy, then I had my ovaries removed as part of my treatment then, went through second mastectomy , and 2 years after had reconstruction,
I was finally discharged this Feb but a blood test taken then later gave cause for concern, following a trip back to the Oncologist he requested various scans as a precaution. I had not been feeling to good but had been diagnosed with Hypthyroidism and fatique.
To our utter disbelief we were told cancer had returned to both Lungs (all over) bottom of wind pipe and an undiagnosed yet! lump in the Liver. I have been put on Arimedex but await futher scans to see if chemo is required, I do not have my head round this yet and although I have lived with Cancer for 12 years I feel a little lost and alone.
I have a very suportive family and the best hubby I could ever wish for but I find all this is doing my head in, I am normally a very positive person but I feel deflated and my self esteem and packed its bags and disapeared ( hopefully just gone away on a break)
If any one else is in the same or simular boat can you please tell me how you are getting through as this is the first time in my life (im 49) I feel completely soul numb and I dont like it.
I have asked for counselling from my Gp and that is being put in place
but a few kind words from one of you lovely ladies may help me back on the path again.
many thanks Georgia
All OK Everything is OK.
I thought I should post back to at least give hope to some of you who are worried - it isn’t always bad news - but I do feel very bad as so many of you here have had bad news or struggling with yuour treatments etc.
I had my X-ray on Weds & spoke to the hospital on Friday & all is OK. Funnily I didn’t feel as elated as I thought I would. Having spent a week worrying it isn’t that easy to get rid of the worries.
I’ve since done loads of ‘surfing’ & I now think my cough may be related to my blood pressure pills, Ramipril, which seem to be prone to goving people coughs so am back to the GP on Monday.
So for the moment I am clear. I wish all the rest of you the very best of luck & thank you for the support - it really did help.
Zx
So glad that it is not what you feared! These drug side-effects are such a BORE. Hope it all gets resolved soon.