PDA

View Full Version : Worried about radon :(



am123
01-22-2014, 03:54 PM
Hello - I've posted this on another anxiety forum but thought I'd shoot it out to another one, too...in general, I have severe health anxieties. I wasn't sure where to first post this but thought I'd start here. I have had many, many instances of health worries over the years, which range from irrational to slightly rational; all were mitigated by the doc doing tests and assuring me I'm fine, etc. Recently I've had a chronic cough/phlegm, which NORMALLY would probably be nothing to worry about (I'm 32, healthy). But I recently found out my parents' home has highly elevated radon. 40 pCi/L in the basement (EPA levels to mitigate are 4 pCi/L!!!!). They are testing the upstairs (we never spent much time in the basement, but typically levels are only about half upstairs than what they are in the basement - so maybe 20 pCi/L). Unfortunately, I grew up in that house for ~20 yrs. They have lived there for 42 years and are pretty healthy - at least, they have never been diagnosed with lung cancer. But now I am soooooooo scared at having lived with levels like that for so long. Luckily, I have been out of the house for 10 years or so (sometimes visiting, but not spending overly huge amounts of time there) and I take pretty good care of myself (no smoking, eat pretty well, exercise, etc.). I had an uncle die of lung cancer at age 59 (he was a smoker), so I know how horrible a disease it is, and now I am just terrified I could get it!!!! My doc thinks what I have is sinus-related.

Does anyone know if they grew up in a high-radon house, and are OK??? If so, what were your levels? I realize I can't worry about "what-if" my whole life, but it's so hard to forget about this. I'm afraid this is one anxiety that will never be remedied. :( I feel like if I'm in a high-radon area (Pennsylvania) loads of people have to have grown up in situations like this.