Prediagnosis as a young adult kinda

hi @ejjebdjeoe - it sounds like you are going through a tough and scary time. it's good you are having a CT scan which will definitely show if there is any issue(s) with your lungs. if I can offer some reassurance (sort of), lung cancer most often doesn't have obvious symptoms (even at stage 4). so I think it's much more likely something else is causing your symptoms, but again, it's good you are having imaging done. have you heard of Long COVID? a post viral syndrome like that could cause the kind of issues you describe. (I'm not a dr, just a lung cancer patient.) when are you having your CT scan?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-long-term-effects/art-20490351

Mamajite is being totally honest there. Stage 4 lung cancer rarely has any symptoms until it spreads to another organ. I send hope you find the answer you need swiftly.

I too would like to add that we are people who have experience with this dreadful disease and that should offer you some relief, your symptoms are many and spitting out blood is very frightening, any lung cancer patient would probably get this symptom when they’re terminal and you wouldn’t be walking around. I’m sure that you will have your answers soon because you’re getting tested very thoroughly, a ct scan is your best option because it will provide conclusive results for whatever is going on with you, please keep us updated on how you’re doing, best wishes.

@mamajite yes I’ve heard of it and I did have Covid then another illness that had flu symptoms. They ordered the wrong ct it was a “high resolution interstitium” which is for lung diseases so I’m gonna discuss this with my doctor on the 10th that way they can change it to a standard ct with contrast it should be this month. What stage are you?

Welcome @ejjebdjeoe, Coughing up blood certainly needs to be investigated. It's good that you have additional screening scheduled and have an appointment with your doctor this week. Until then, try to take a deep breath. We don't know what is causing your symptoms and lab results, but I hope the doctors are able to help identify the source.
I can offer my own story of being diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. I did have a cough, that came with a spasm in my chest. I was feeling great otherwise and remained active. After a month or so of that cough, I had a chest Xray in an urgent care setting. They found a mass right away, sent me to pulmonology, and ordered more tests. It's good news that they didn't see anything on your initial xray! While I was waiting for results, I was told that if I started coughing up more than a couple of teaspoons of blood at a time, I should get to the emergency department. A little blood was possible and ok, but not a lot of blood, and I had a known lung cancer.
I am not a doctor, but I do agree with the others that have commented here, if you are coughing up blood from a lung cancer, you would likely have other symptoms. You are taking the right steps to determine what's causing this. Can you let us know what you find out at your appointments?

@ejjebdjeoe are you seeing a regular doctor or a pulmonologist? it sounds like they ordered the high res CT to check for fibrosis, which might be warranted. it's definitely worth discussing further with your doc.

I'm stage 1B technically - but I have a rare genetic mutation that makes it easy to develop lung cancer, so I have ~30 pulmonary nodules that have to be followed and treated as needed.

I know it's hard, but please don't FREAK OUT! . You still really don't have a diagnosis yet. Don't immediatedly go to the worst case scenario. You are very young for lung cancer, but see what tests show, in time.

I'm not a doctor but a lung cancer stage 4 patient. I had zero symptoms, but then I got pneumonia and x-rays of the chest showed a "mass". What you may have sounds more gastrointestinal. You are absolutely right about following up, because coughing or vomiting blood is not normal. What do your parents think? I'm praying that whatever you may be experiencing, there is a successful treatment. Once you get a diagnosis, then you can see what steps to take. You are in my thoughts and prayers, hon.

@mamajite I’ve seen a pulmologist, she referred me to an ent after seeing how red my throat was and said that none of her patients had iron deficiency, and definitely not a cause of the deficiency with the little amount of blood I was spitting, that the picture I showed her of my pink spit was not coming from my lungs, interesting because I was REFERRED to one after being denied a ct from my previous pcp only to get denied again by the lung dr of the ct lmao. So my gastroenterology appointment is coming up I’m gonna have to get scopes to see if there’s any ulcer or something else depleting my iron my mom has celiac disease anemia and asthma. With stage 1b how long is the chemo, immunotherapy? or do they remove some of the lung?

@medtech4 thank you so much for the prayers that’s something I wanted, right now I just live with my mom I haven’t been talking to her about this but she knows I’m worried about cancer, here I think I’m okay and then I have the red flag with of iron deficiency..I stayed at my sisters for a bit during my mental health crisis me and her husband talked, they tell me things like nothing should stop me from doing temporary stuff in my life like coming to their nail shop to help out. they just don’t want to see me like this and they are worried including my aunt. How do you hold up with the diagnosis, I think about the situation of telling my mom if I do have it but Ik you have to wait until a biopsy, I told her once “what happens if I have cancer then what?” my mom is in her 60’s I haven’t started counseling yet. Tried meds didn’t feel like they were working after a month but I was told it takes longer at that window, and a higher dosage.

@ejjebdjeoe Well, I struggled with the diagnosis. I kept picturing myself in agony, losing my sense of who I am, because of the brain metastases, and just quite depressed. It took a few months to accept it and a few months into treatment, I had a brain scan and the tumors there were shrinking and it gave me hope. I also tagrisso daily which is a targeted treatment for my specific type of lung cancer. I read, on here, as a matter of fact, how people have been on it for YEARS with the same diagnosis. I also asked the doc for names of counselors to talk to about my feelings. I never made an appointment, but my family and friends (the ones I told) have been suppportive. My husband keeps saying how "brave" I am. But I really don't feel like I'm brave. Try to do something else. I think that would help keep your mind off it. Seeing people at the nail shop will keep your mind occupied until you actually get the diagnosis. Also, watch some movies or stream some series. That form of escapism has really helped me a lot and gave me something to look forward to. I know it's hard, but do try and not think the worst. Even the worst will have a plan. Everyone wants to help you. (your doctors, friends, family, people here...but I stopped coming on on here every single day. I need a break from talking about it constantly. That's not good for your mental health either.