To go to the GP over a dream ?

[IknowIAM1985]

Hear me out.

I had a dream last night that I have breast cancer. In my dream I felt like a glow in the centre of my right breast. I knew in my dream it was cancer.

I know I can't tell my GP this that I saw cancer in my dream.

The reason I am taking it seriously and can't stop worrying is my mother had ovarian cancer.

My dreams previously prophesied the deaths of my grandparents.

Could I go and ask for my breast to be scanned? AIBU?

You could always go and say you have anxiety about breast cancer and that there is a history of cancer in your family. I wouldn't go mentioning dreams!

In the nicest possible way, no. Don't be a drain on NHS resources.

I hths.....

After my DDad was diagnosed with a nasty cancer, I knew I was about to die of a heart attack. My heart was pounding, pounding, pounding.... I could feel it in my chest. I was scared to be driving anyone in my car in case I had the heart attack I knew to be imminent. I couldn't tell anyone... my family were all worried about my dad. If I told DH he'd say "go to your GP" and i knew if I went to my GP, the GP would say "lose 2 stone"

So I couldn't tell ANYONE. Eventunally I told DSis, because I just wanted SOMEONE to pass on a message to my DD that if I died, I love her. DSis said "I know I've got lung cancer".

So I now think that diagnosing something terrible in yourself is a natural response to someone around you with a diagnosis. It's part of the grief and pain.

Recognise it for what it is. Keep living!

Could I go and ask for my breast to be scanned?

Well you could...as long as you aren't actually expecting it to happen based on a dream.

Your anxiety is the issue. If an all clear relieves that....or not. .. Then at least the problem is highlighted and can be addressed.

I take it 85 is the year you were born so not of the age when you would be considered higher risk and sent for a scan anyway?

I would maybe just go and talk your concerns over with the gp, definitely leaving out the dream part. They can do a quick check while you're there and maybe put your mind at rest.

I would suspect it is probably anxiety due to your mother's illness. I recently had horrific dreams about dying of cancer when I had other health concerns going on.

When my friend was dying I 'diagnosed' myself with ovarian cancer . I was convinced and paid for a scan
I didn't have it

But that's stress baby ! Ask for a routine appointment and say that you are anxious about it

Could you afford to pay for a mammogram to be done privately? You can do a self-referral and needn't involve your GP at all. Probably totally unnecessary, but if you can afford it and it would set your mind at rest, then why not?

I have a family history of breast cancer, but not strong enough to qualify for NHS screening before age 50. So I pay to have a mammogram at the Nuffield hospital every 2 years. It costs £200.

I have experienced similar except i felt the glow in my right ovary. I too wondered if I should get it checked but I haven't yet. I have no other symptoms but it was definitely ovarian cancer, strangest sensation and quite powerful. Hard to know what to do. Rational mind says ignore it but it felt so strong but hard to explain it to a GP.

YABU.

I would go private and put your mind at rest.

Sorry you are anxious but I think if you can't feel a lump the gp is unlikely to send you for a scan.

Have you actually checked your breasts? If you haven't, please start doing this every month.

And do visit your GP with your concerns. If there is a strong FH of breast and ovarian cancer in the family (think grandmother, aunts) then there may be some merit in testing for the BRCA gene.

Does your GPs do well women check ups? I think mine does - you could go and ask for a breast exam by a nurse. NHS wants you to catch these things early, and encourages women to learn how to examine their own breasts.

After a relative's diagnosis with cancer, it is very common to suffer health anxiety. It happened to me after my mother's diagnosis of breast cancer.

OP, I really think you should visit the GP for your mind to be put at rest.

Like you and your dreams regarding your grandparents, I too have had dreams over the health of relatives which sadly came true.

Whether there is some truth in your dream (I sincerely hope not) or the dream is a manifestation of your anxiety, then either are worthy of going to your GP. I wish you the very best of luck!

Ah OP I'm sorry you're feeling this way. It's completely understandable. My first cousin died of BC at 33 and was just a couple of years younger. I went to the GP about my anxieties and he was very kind and said I was right to have gone to see him, especially as I wasn't sure how to properly check myself each month.

As previous posters have said, go to your GP to request a check. If there is a family history you are definitely not being unreasonable! If the check throws nothing up & you still feel anxious then go for a private scan to put your mind at ease.

Living with health anxiety can have a very negative impact on life so do whatever you can for that peace of mind

Pay to have a private scan. It's not ridiculously expensive.

I went to my GP recently because I was concerned about my breasts. Even though the pain and lumpiness were consistent with my period each month, she still sent me to have a mammogram and ultrasound straight away "to put your mind at ease". I'd only gone to ask her to check them for me but she said it's best to get it all checked properly.
It didn't cost anything and now I have a set of scans to compare any changes with further down the track.

I'd go to your GP and just explain how you're feeling, you don't have to mention the dream, just that you're feeling worried :)

'It didn't cost anything'

Yes it did though. Just because you didn't pay anything doesn't mean it didn't cost anything.

Getting NHS treatment on the basis of a dream is a waste of resources when money doesn't go far enough as it is.

If you can afford to go private then go put your mind at ease if you want.

I wouldn't dismiss a dream if you had prophesying dreams before. I would pay for a private scan though, put your mind at rest.

As a kid, I dreamt about the Herald of Free Enterprise Zeebrugger disaster the night it was happening. I was in the water in the dream, thrashing around and there was a ferry. Nobody believed me. I've had other weird dreams and visions since, dreams of events and then they happened. Check it out, but yeah unless there is a lump there don't bother the NHS. Also take care of your health and diet, cancer prevention. It may be a warning, we also dream about what we fear, not all dreams manifest.

check your breast yourself - you should be doing it anyway.
I lost my sister to breast cancer (she was in her 40s) and I still check for lumps myself many many years on even though I have regular mammograms because of my family history.

I do check although don't know the correct way to do it. It could be health anxiety because of my mum but also an older mum at school has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer.

There is a long history in her family of breast cancer so she was having regular scans and that's how it was picked up so early. She is about to start radiotherapy. I also have another friend in her 40s who had it in her 20s. Both my friends are in their 40s

You can pay privately for a mammogram.

Go and see your GP and of course mention the dream. Op don't worry about telling your GP this it's completely understandable anxiety

Ask the practice nurse to demonstrate how to check your breasts. That's a very worthwhile appointment.

You could mention the dreams as part of the bigger picture of your anxiety, but don't try to convince them that you're seeing the future when you're asleep.