I'm so worried about my boyfriend

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My boyfriend had the flu a few weeks ago and was off sick for 2 weeks. He said he hadn't felt that sick in a long, long time. Then as soon as he recovered, he suddenly came down with a cold, but didn't feel ill with it. It's over a week later and the cold seems to be lingering on, as his nose is constantly blocked. But what's worrying me is this cough he's had for over a week too. It seems to be getting worse and worse. He's put it down to just being part of the cold virus, but it's starting to worry me. I told him to see the doctor, but he's afraid to take any more time off work, as he had 2 weeks off with the flu and also he needs the money.

He has smoked most of his life but has given it up early this year. But he has still stupidly damaged his lungs. Now I'm so worried he might have lung cancer. I looked up about persistent coughs online to reassure myself, but I'm not completely convinced. What if he doesn't go to the doctor, and it is lung cancer, and it carries on growing until I lose him?

This isn't my only worry in my life, and I'm tired of worrying. No wonder I can't cope at work at the moment, with all this going round and round in my head, which is affecting my concentration and resulting in me getting shouted at frequently. What am I going to DO??? Help!

How old is your boyfriend? If he's around your age I seriously doubt he would have lung cancer. It's very rare in people under 45.

A lingering cough is very common, stop looking up webMd, every symptom is cancer.

Its probably just a lingering cough brought on by that cold....if he's been smoking regularly and only stopped earlier this year that could certainly contribute to it lasting so long after he's recovered from actually being sick. I smoke and I know it makes coughs last longer....I try not to smoke while I have a cold though.

I just got over one lasted at least a couple weeks where I was coughing up a lot of mucus globs...I know part of it was smoke from forest fires in the air, but also didn't help that I smoke. But yeah for that kind of gross cough its best to focus on breaking up the mucus and stimulating coughing to spit it out....however avoid cough suppressants since those just allow for it to keep building up.

If its a dry irritated or painful cough then cough suppressants and soothing the throat. I am assuming he has the first sort though since you mentioned his nose being blocked. If it continues to get worse or not get any better at all he probably should see a doctor....perhaps he could schedule it for a time he wouldn't have to take off work for.

But yeah if its a mucusy cough and he doesn't have a virus or illness they'll probably just tell him to take the over the counter drug guaifenesin and recommend he get some that does not contain a cough suppressant... What I took for my last cough like that was some generic cold medicine that contained only gauifenesin and pseudoephedrine it did certainly help. I also made a chest rub of coconut oil and various essential oils like tea tree, eucalyptus, clove, peppermint and maybe a couple others. Don't know if any of this will be helpful...but I know I have had multiple lingering coughs and they weren't cancer.

Nasty colds/flus can trigger asthma. Unpleasant and exhausting, but hardly life-threatening. Vitamin D deficiency can cause asthma-like symptoms. People who have been smoking a lot are more prone to asthma. Either way, he needs to see a doctor.

It's probably nothing, but a visit to the doctor wouldn't hurt. When I get colds, they usually descends into my chest and I'll have a cough that lasts quite some time. Nothing to worry about.... except that time it got worse and worse and my wife finally made me get checked out. I'd developed pneumonia as a secondary infection. A course of antibiotics cleared it up, but it could have really become serious if I continued to ignore it.

I'd give 90+% odds that they'll tell him it's viral and to ride it out. There's a small chance it something more serious(asthma, pneumonia), but odds are once they've caught it, they can deal with it pretty easily. Lung cancer is way down on the list to worry about right now.

Lung cancer is very doubtful. He should see a doctor. Maybe he has a bacterial infection which could be treated with antibiotics.

Doesn't sound like asthma to me....since i thought that was more like fits of coughing, shortness of breath....not so much a consistent stuffy nose accompanied by a cough. But I am certainly no expert so cannot really say for certain.

Probably nothing to get too worried about, it can take weeks to get over certain bugs. There was like a whole month some years back where I was the sickest I ever been with stomach flu. Months then I would be worried.

The nose and the cough can have completely different causes. Shortness of breath can creep up on you and just feel like lack of energy. Either way, he needs to see a doctor to find out what is the problem. My main point is not that it sounds like asthma, but that there are a lot of possible reasons that are a lot more likely than lung cancer. However, when a cough persists this long, it's smart to try to do something about it....even if the end result is that the doctor tells him to take it easy and drink more water

Thank you for your helpful replies. I do tend to worry about these things, because ever since I read somewhere that 1 in 3 people get some form of cancer at some point in their lives, it's made me more worried, and also my awareness that smoking increases the risk of lung cancer.

I know I'm 25 but my boyfriend was actually born in the 70's, so he's almost 20 years older than me. I know a lot of people are going to criticize, but I'm happy with him and we love each other too much to worry about age.
He said that he will give it another week or so and if he still has the cough by then he will see the doctor. But he says he feels it is getting better, which I've noticed too, so that's a good thing.

I haven't caught his cough, by the way. I never caught his flu either, and I spent time with him when he had the flu. I even drank out of the same milk carton as he did, and slept in the same bed, etc.

Glad to hear he seems to be doing better. That's the best sign of all.

You found someone you're compatible with. Those who criticize are just jealous.

Good for you.