:confused: I posted earlier about "abnormal" chest x-rays. I have spent the entire day since crying my eyes out. I have read and re-read the posts in here for lung cancer, and not one post mentions anything about hilur vascularities? (sp?) or anything like that. As I posted earlier, my doc wants it repeated in 1 month. She said she doesn't know if its lung cancer, and I can make an appointment with the lung specialist if I wanted too. *Of course I did*!. There was no mention of lumps, bumbs, tumors, cysts, nodules, masses, nothing like that!. And.. If it was so bad, why didn't she contact me last week when I had the xray done?!! Apparently, it's in the upper left side by the clavical area where something doesn't look just quite "right". I had a chest xray in 2003 and my then Dr. said something about scarring. I will never touch anther cigarette again, even if this turns into nothing. She scared me. She scared the hell out of me. I also have panic/anxiety disorder. I can't function. I have had a chest cold for 3 days now. Just popped on me Friday, after taking care of my daughter, who had one. That is the only reason I went to see my Dr. today, otherwise, when would I have found out anything?! If there is anyone who is familiar with radiological terms for lungs, and things of that sort. I am a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I can't take this not knowing. My shoulders are hurting to bad, from coughing, and now crying. Please?? Anybody??

Please try to take a few deep breathes and calm down, hon :angel: My mother, uncle and a really good friend of mine went through similar worries only to find that everything was okay. A chest xray often shows things that are not necessarily indications of lung cancer but sometimes benign lesions, infiltrates, and scarring from past infections. Have you ever had pneumonia??? My mother did and her chest xray showed old scarring from that. My friend showed some nodules from a past infection as well. And the same with my uncle.

Most likely your lung specialist will have a Cat scan or MRI done to take a better look at things. Until you see the specialist...please try to not get too worried about things.....a Chest xray is fairly inconclusive, the radiologist has an obligation to recommend further testing in order to rule any abnormalities out. Good luck to you & please know that you are in my prayers....Goody :angel:

Thank you goody:). I really appreciate that. It's very hard to sit here by yourself, with no answers. Thinking the worst, and not knowing. I don't know If I can go the next 2 weeks waiting for a specialist. I think I'll have a nervious breakdown first.

:wave: I called the lung doctor, just in case they had a cancellation. There wasn't any. But, I was able to move my appointment up from Feb 10th to Feb 1st. Better than nothing. I cried for hours again last night, and again this morning. I am going to make myself sick, even if I am not sick!. I just cannot stop!. I have read everything I could get my hands on. Nothing, my bone scan in Oct came back negative. Doesn't that mean anything? I had a spinal fusion in SEpt. 2002. Many CT scans and xrays since then. You think they'd have seen something by now, if it were there. I'm not losing weight, I am not horse, I'm not short of breath (other than my norm for being a smoker). Nothing unusual or different at all. I haven't had a cigarette in almost 24 hours now. Don't ever want to see another one again. I hope my husband can do w/out as well. He is trying. I dunno........I just can't get over this despondant feeling..............It sucks............ :(

I understand what you're going through. One of the things you can do immediately to help yourself is to stop researching on the net. Too much information at this point is a bad thing for you. Especially with your panic dosorder. It sounds like you have enough positive results and information so far so you have to stop thinking the worst and focus on getting better from your cold. Try to focus on the appointment February 1st and promise yourself you won't expect the worst thing possible. A cat scan is much more defined than a chest xray and I assume will be the next step for you after the appointment. Take a deep breath and calm down. Play with your daughter and think good thoughts.

I know......Like my husband said, If there were anything there, my Dr. would have referred me to the specialist immediately herself. Instead, she wants to repeat the xray in one month, and told me I could go see the specialist if I wanted too. You know, maybe it wouldn't be so bad, If I felt comfortable in my life as far as who would take care of my children should something happen to me? I don't. That is part of my problem, and the fact that the only thing I ever asked god for on a regular basis was to let me raise my children, after that, whatever may be, may be. Pretty presumptuous of me, but that's all I ever truely asked for. I wish I knew someone in the radiology area, who could answer my question about that bone scan. If I had a bone scan with the nuclear dye, wouldn't they see something in the lungs if it were there while doing the bone scan? I thought that dye (like contrast) showed all "abnormalities"? Thanks for replying to me. I appreciate it more than I can possibly say to you. :angel:

Click on my name and read my original thread. I hope it gives you some perspective. I don't mean to sound harsh but I am a few steps ahead of you, in the beginning of something that every bone in my body is telling me is bad, and I am waiting for answers and getting nowhere fast.

There are many other threads in here so much more worrisome and tragic than ours. I have learned in 1 week that I cannot "horribilize" everything I read here and apply it to me. Assuming the worst can quickly destroy your health and happiness. I decided this morning to take what is going on with me 1 hour at a time then 1 day at a time. Just make a concentrated effort to breathe deep and relax yourself. Keep yourself busy and get away from the computer! ;)

HI

A cat scan will go a long way in giving the doctors more information. X-rays are basically only good for finding pneumonia and broken ribs. They aren't specific enough to find other problems.

My Ct showed 'hilar changes'. Irregularities in the vascular region doesn't mean cancer. Some people are just 'wired' a little differently.

To put your mind at ease, ask your general doc to order a ct. Tell him that you want that to take with you to the lung doctor. A CT scan is quick and painless.

Too many things can mess up a chest x-ray. Even breast tissue can look like an abnormality on an x-ray.

Good luck and try and calm down.