Any medical people on here? Worried sick! Handhold please!

[TinkyWinky55]

Hi all,

I've posted before about some unexplained spotting I’m experiencing before my period. That has been an issue for a few months. I’ve seen a nurse who has done swabs and I’m now awaiting a GP appointment on Monday.

Also, I’ve been feeling really achey for around a week or two. It seems to come in waves. Today has been better, but it reminds me of the body aches I felt the first time I had Covid. Unfortunately I’ve got no lateral flows so unsure if I could be positive. I’ve also had a few evenings of feeling quite shakey, when I’ve been lying down in bed at night. Almost like an internal trembling feeling.

Anyway, I’ve been feeling really worried about my Heath for all of the reasons above. I’ve just gone to the toilet and seen this bruising which has just appeared on my thigh. It definitely wasn’t there when I went to the toilet earlier today so it’s completely new. They don’t look as obvious in the photos as they do in real life but hopefully I can see what I mean. (The thread veins are always been there, it’s the purple bruising on top that I’m worried about).

I should add that about 5 years ago, I suffered terribly with health anxiety. I’m much, much better now. But this is obviously tricky to deal with. I’m early 30’s with two small kids. I’m so worried. :(

Sorry for the typos!

Anyone?

As far as the spotting goes, it's very likely they'll find nothing wrong. I've been told by doctors that spotting is rarely a serious problem unless it's after menopause. I have spotting between periods every month without fail, have seen multiple doctors and had swabs etc. They just offer me the pill, and tell me it's nothing to worry about. It's been 3 years since it started and I'm still here, so can't be that serious.

I also understand health anxiety, I have suffered with it very badly too. Have you been stressed recently? That could explain the aches/trembling. But definitely discuss it all with the GP when you see them. I'm sure you'll be fine.

OP, that bruise is barely even a bruise. You can get a bruise like that just from slight pressure, like leaning an elbow on your lap or something, or a bump you wouldn't even remember. If you have two small kids, it could easily have been a tap from one of them when you lifted them or they bumped into you or anything like that, and you wouldn't even have noticed it or a felt it. It's nothing to worry about.

Your other symptoms sound like physical manifestations of your anxiety to me. Also do you eat regularly and drink lots of water? Feeling a bit shaky is a classic thing of low blood sugar from not eating, and aching can be caused by dehydration. You could ask for a blood test to check all's well, but my money's on it the shakiness and trembly feeling being mental health related.

You say that you suffered with health anxiety about five years ago. I think you are still suffering from health anxiety and in denial about that, which is something that seems apparent in your posts about your periods etc too. I think perhaps you might need to talk to someone to get it back under control.

that’s hardly a bruise at all. Speak to your gp about your (continuing) health anxiety

It sounds like you are very anxious, OP.

Health anxiety is awful, but you can get in under control. Speak to your GP and I hope you'll feel better soon

The leg thing looks like spider veins show up more when hot? And come on with aging I’ve just noticed some on my legs that had never noticed before
you sound anxious
the spotting can be common I had similar and medical investigations found nothing wrong
it’s good your getting checked out but maybe look into the anxiety more and health ocd perhaps cognitive therapy or something else may help once you get the all clear.

Explain to your doctor on Monday how your health anxiety is affecting your day-to-day life.

Looks like thread veins, I have loads like that especially on my thighs and even after a slight knock.

I know the feeling with health anxiety. It’s so debilitating. But look at it this way…

Youre hugely anxious already about the unexplained spotting and pains.

Health anxiety makes you hyper vigilant to any changes and sensitive to any sensations. Chances are, if you weren’t already running at a high frequency from your existing stress, you’d like not have noticed the red marks. Same goes for the pains and bloating.

The red marks could be from an absent minded scratch of your leg while you pondered the spotting on the loo. Would I be right in thinking that weeing/going to the loo is an anxiety trigger in case you see more blood? That would explain you noticing something ‘new’ while in there and panicking.

The best thing you can do is pursue the doctors about your spotting (could be something innocuous like mine, which was an ectropian. Really common, quite stealthy things, totally harmless) and try to separate yourself from the need to constantly check your body.

Checking is what we do when health anxious because of the belief that vigilance is the key to surviving some stealthy killer disease that’s tent to take us down. But actually, that’s not a rational thought. Stop checking, it feeds the cycle of anxiety. You’ll find you need to do it constantly to try to reassure yourself. Stop doing it and it’ll all ease.

Worrying changes nothing. Chances are, there’s something super mundane at the heart of it. And lnce you know that, you’ll find you don’t notice little red marks anywhere anymore.

However, please do seek help for the anxiety as it is cyclical and you will find yourself, in time, casting about for something else to be anxious about.