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What were your first signs of lung cancer that took you to the Doctor?

Wanting to know what made you go to the doctor. What hurt or not hurt?

  1. Hi , the best way I can tell you how I was diagnosed is by posting a link to my story about my diagnosis. Please feel free to share what alerted you to go to the doctor, too. Wishing you the best! ~ Alisa, LungCancer Team Patient Leader
    https://lungcancer.net/living/delayed-diagnosis

    1. I believe for my mom, it may have been a lingering cough. She didn't give full details at the time, but I believe she may have also been coughing up some blood in the midst of everything.

      1. I had finished building our deck when I started to feel aches under my right shoulder. I am right handed, so I just thought I overused my right arm from using my cordless drill to drive 3 1/2” screws for the construction of the framing and 2” screws for the decking.


        After about four months with no improvement, I finally went to see my doctor. He said to continue using Aleve, and that was it. I felt after four months, I should have healed and was not satisfied with that visit. I went to the local minute clinic and was there that I was diagnosed with lung cancer. It was Christmas Eve, 2018.


        I was sent to Hershey Medical where a biopsy was taken of the mass and it was verified that I had stage three non small cell lung cancer.

        1. Hi . Thanks for sharing your story. First, I want to ask how you are currently doing? Second, one thing that frustrates me is GPs who who want to treat everything themself and do not refer patients to specialists. Even if some form of cancer was not what would leap to mind with your shoulder issue, it does not make sense that you were not referred to a orthopedist. Proper diagnostics of the shoulder may have found the cancer earlier. If there is anything I could stress to anyone out there it is if you have an issue that your GP is not resolving or seems to not take seriously, see a specialist. If a referral is necessary and the GP will not provide one, find another GP. I say this not to demean the role of the GP. It is simply that no one can be an expert in everything. Best, Richard (LungCancer.net Team)

        2. Hi Richard, thanks for asking. I am in pain, as usual. I am told it is from my ribs deteriorating.


          To top things off, I was sitting up on the bed last night getting ready to go to the bathroom, but I fell asleep, then fell out of bed into the dresser. I guess that was the third time it happened. The first time I broke my ankle.


          Yesterday was a very bad day from an anxiety attack. I am in the process of switching antidepressants, so I am thinking that may have had something to do with that.


          I am seriously considering finding another oncologist, maybe even a GP too. I am feeling that I am just a moneymaker for the oncologist. The last two treatments I filled out the questionnaire as if not a single thing was wrong with me and it wasn’t even questioned. Tells me they don’t read my replies, concerns, issues.
          Joe.

      2. So was the mass in the right lobe?

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