What's the average age for lung cancer?

I'm only 15 but think I have Lung Cancer?

• Despite what a lot of you are likely to say, I know for a fact that even though I am only 15 years of age, it's still very possible for me to have developed Lung Cancer as I have contacted the NHS. I started smoking originally when around the age of 7 and continued to smoke for just over a year. I then quit smoking quite easily and have never touched another Cigarette until about 2 months ago where I first starting to smoke when I was out with my friends drinking, and recently it's kind of fixed with me again. I first started thinking something was wrong when my breathing gradually became more and more harder to do. The sensation feels like someone is pressing down on my Lungs, and I am unable to easily get air in and out of them without them feeling squished and unable to open, if that makes sense? I didn't think anything of it besides that it was possibly the start of a Chest cold or something along those lines. As time has gone on, it has gotten far worse, and it hurts my throat just to breath or take a gulp of air. I now can't take in a big breath of air without coughing my insides up! (figure of speech). I think the longest I have gone coughing so far is a whole hour non-stop, and I've never experienced something so painful. It was a constant coughing and every two minutes I would gag like I needed to be sick? Or made the sound anyway. I wasn't sick, but It sure felt like I wanted too, my body just didn't. I also have an incredibly fast metabolism so i'm am very underweight for my age, and weigh around 7 stone? But physically I am very skinny. I have continued to lose weight over time even though I was put on a diet by my doctor to eat a lot of different foods to help me gain weight healthfully, it hasn't worked, and i'm still losing. I have not experienced coughing up blood or anything drastic like that! But I have every other symptom! I sleep as soon as I come home from school, because otherwise I feel ill, and this is more recent. I will sleep from 3.45 to 9.00pm at the earliest. When I wake up I do not feel refreshed and feel as if I was never asleep. So I normally in this time, have dinner while I am awake and go back to sleep. This doesn't help my weight loss, but I can't help it, over time it's become something I need to do! Because I am so skinny, I do not exercise! And when I say I DO NOT exercise, trust me, I mean it. Besides walking from class room to class room at school, that's the only form of exercise I do. I used to do Swimming, Gymnastics, Horse Riding, Dance, Jazz, Modern, Drama, the lot! But I had to quit every single thing because it became too much work on my Lungs, and I couldn't cope. Especially with Swimming, it became a huge problem for me. You might say it's because I am unhealthy that I couldn't cope with these simple activities, but I have always eaten very healthy as my mum refuses too cook anything but balanced meals! Everyone in my family is right in weight, body, and so on. I have developed a lot of problems like skin conditions, so problems appearing has become a usual pattern for me. I have tried committing suicide on various occasions (NO I AM NOT TRYING TO GET SYMPATHY OR LECTURES) and I don't plan on doing it again. I just seriously need help. I've thankfully started to realize that letting people hate will only build my character, and school is just the rough patch, it will get better. If I can solve whats going on with my body I hope to be much happier! I have had this cough, for 4 weeks tomorrow, and my mum has been keeping record! She has arranged me an emergency appointment with my doctor, which I am yet to attend. I just want to know what to expect or am I making myself look like a complete idiot? I know I am young but it's still possible, despite being so uneducated on this, I have done my research! Thank you x

• Answer:

  Chanelle, NO, you are NOT making yourself look like a complete idiot. You are concerned about your health, and that is a good thing. You are right in that it is possible that you do have lung cancer, but it is highly unlikely to be that. Having said that, it is still very important that you be checked by a doctor to find out what is causing your problems. I won't lie to you, it could me something major, or it could be something minor. The chances are, it is something easily correctable, and won't have any long-lasting affects. I had smoked before, and one year I got a coughing fit that would not stop. I coughed so much my whole body hurt. I went to the doctor, and he gave me some medicine. A few days later, the cough was gone. This happened a couple years in a row, and then never again. Since then, I quit smoking (best move I ever did I think). You should give up smoking for good. Don't do anything to impress your friends, or for peer pressure. It isn't worth it. This includes drinking and drugs. When yo go to the doctor, he will take your blood pressure, listen to your heart and lungs, maybe do a blood test, press here and there on your body. The family doctor won't be doing any major testing, but may send you for an MRI or x-rays. You might have to go into a hospital (outpatient) for these tests, you might just go to a medical center. Neither of these tests are hard. An MRI is usually done by sliding your body into a tube (just slightly bigger than an adult body) while you are laying on a narrow bed. You will hear all sorts of banging and thumping and humming and all, but you feel nothing. I fell asleep in one once, so it can't be that bad. The worse thing people say about the MRI's, is that if you are afraid of small spaces, you will feel too enclosed. Just close your eyes, and listen to the music they feed you through headphones. For the MRI test, your doctor MAY prescribe a special type, that requires them to give you a needle in the arm about half way though the test. It is just a pinch, you can handle that. Nothing bad at all. The best thing I can tell you, is to relax, and not worry about it too much. Worrying about it before hand won't solve anything, and will only make you feel worse. Be sure to go to the doctor though, as it is important to find the problem. In no time at all, you will be feeling great, and hopefully, you will be back doing swimming, gymnastics, horse riding, dance,,jazz, modern, and drama. You will feel like your old self again, and be much happier !!! I am not going to give you any sympathy or lectures on the suicide attempts, but if you want to talk, I would love to listen and talk with you. You can reach me through my profile. I hope you do realize that life is precious - and I think you do realize that. I will listen and not judge you, if you want to email me. Good Luck, and don't worry !!!