Health Anxiety - Part two

[MrsWhites]

Hi everyone, it seems we have reached 1000 posts on our original thread which is amazing, just shows how much support we have been able to give each other.

I thought we would benefit from part two!

Hi everyone, how is your day going?

I seen a post on social media today about a woman I went to college with who has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and it’s just sent me spiraling, then I feel awful for her of course and feel so selfish for thinking about myself, I mean imagine what she is going through.

Home schooling is not going well today either. Bit of a shit day all around!

My day is going okay actually, I'm really sorry to hear about the person you went to school with. I think that kind of thing always makes you feel really weird, it always feels like a fine line between who has the Badluck healthwise and who doesn't, and it makes you feel appreciative it's not you, but then you also feel guilty. It's a really weird one, and then I think you are into it all of the health anxiety, and starting to worry again about that kind of thing happening to you. It's strange thing.

@Skyliner001 yes that’s it, it’s hard when it’s someone you know and especially the same sort of age, hammers home that it can and does happen to relatively young people which is like a red rag to a health anxiety sufferer like me.

Glad you are having a good day!

@MrsWhites those kinds of things really upset me and send me spiralling and then I feel bad for the person its actually happening to. It terrifies me that these things can happen to people so young. what cancer is it?

I'm having a bad day today, don't know if its anxiety about the impending birth thats doing it but I'm obsessing about lymph nodes and been frantically googling if other people can feel theres. A lot of people say they can which should make me feel better but isn't!

Can anyone humour me and see if you can feel yours if you dig deep enough under your arms. So if I put one arm behind my back and then palpate about in the crease I can feel them under each arm, if my arm is up in the air then I can't. I realise how ridiculous I'm being but can't stop!

@Lib3rtine I think skin cancer which has spread throughout her body.

I can’t feel them under my arm although I have tenderness in that area if I poke around so perhaps I am feeling them, but I can feel them in my neck so I’m sure it’s normal what you can feel. I’ve still got the one in my face bothering me, trying to only feel it once a day.

I’m sure it is birth anxiety that is prompting your poking today. When I had my son I read a hypnobirth book which recommended focusing on the end goal and considering every contraction a step closer to that, I remember asking the midwife how long she thought it would take and focusing on the clock getting closer to that time. It helped me to sort of remind myself every minute is getting me closer to getting the baby and for the pains to end.

Have you had any signs since your sweep?

@MrsWhites that’s terrible, so sad and unfair that these things happen, it just doesn’t seem right. I hope you’re ok, it really does shake you up when you read these things and it’s close to home.

I’ve officially lost the plot! Just had my husband take his top off and I’m poking about and can feel his in the exact same place as mine! He was like what are you doing, that hurts, why are you poking about under your arm anyway?! Anyway it’s made me feel better!
Weird isn’t it, can’t feel them in my neck but groin and underarm I can.

That sounds like a good way to look at things, I should have looked into hypnobirthing I think.
No signs really, lots of braxton hicks so I think I’m going the right way but not there yet!

Sorry love, I don’t want to start digging to give myself more stress.

However I do have enlarged lymph nodes in my neck and normal ones that if I push hard enough I can feel all the time.

Some people are just ‘glandy’. If you’re slim they’re easier to feel too x

@Scaredykittycat ah, yes I should have thought before I posted! Everyone ignore me, I’m fine now after prodding DH! I am really slim and I don’t know why it’s only just bothering me! x

I am having another bad day today worrying about the small lump inside my bottom (tmi). The piles seem to be better but I have this lump that I can pinch and move with two fingers. I am so glad I have found you lovely people we all seem to understand each other x

@MrsWhites so sorry to hear about the person you went to school with, how awful. It really does hit home and cause so much worry but how awful for them

@anotherdoghere have you had it long? I sometimes get blind lumps inside at the front that can be painful and last for 3 or 4 days

I was doing SO well until earlier. I felt a bit of a pain so decided to have a feel and again I came across the 'lump' I found at the weekend and had another meltdown, even though you all calmed me down! It feels like a solid lump but when I feel the other side standing up I can't feel it in the right breast, but when I lie down I think I can feel something similar in the right one, it's like it's all the muscle and the way it's just attached if that makes sense.

I've taken my first sertraline today so hoping they start to kick in

I have had it for about four weeks. It feel just like a skin tag. I cannot stop checking it. The logic side of my brain says it is a pile and this is the skin tag that is left x

@Lib3rtine yes it’s very cruel for something so quick spreading to happen to someone so young. I laughed at your post because I’ve done similar with my husband too!

@dillydallydollydaydream7 sorry to hear you haven’t had a good day, so annoying when you have left something alone but then randomly start feeling it again! It doesn’t sound like anything prominently different to me if you can feel similar in the other one.

@anotherdoghere did you use the internal piles cream? Is it a soft lump?

@Lib3rtine I have had a poke under my arms I can’t feel any but I do have 4 in my neck, 1 behind my ear and 1 in my groin, I’m not that slim either size 10/12 (mainly a 12) suppose my neck is fairly slim though ha! Hope you’re feeling a bit better

@MrsWhites things like that always scare me, I’m not on social media anymore it makes a massive difference! I can’t watch anything about health though!

I did use the cream. It is a soft lump that hangs on a stalk and wobbles x

When I was at the breast clinic the doctor told me to check my breasts once a month after my period and to note down anything unusual. So no checking at any other times. I've found this really helpful. I also draw a picture and mark what I can feel e.g. in one area it feels like ridges and in another area I can feel lumps. As I have been checked out fully I know that this is normal for me so I feel this every month and no longer panic and I have it noted down from last time. Just thought this might help some of you who are regularly prodding boobs!

@anotherdoghere sounds like internal piles?

I've had a skin tag since I had piles when I was pregnant with DD, who is now 10!

@Catsneezies can I ask you was it inside and could move around! Please feel free not to answer if it is too personal x

I’m fine now, I keep laughing to myself about my husbands reaction and now I’ve calmed down I can see ridiculous I can be! Thank you everyone, you all keep me sane and I really appreciate having you all to talk to! Xx

No mine is external but the principle is exactly the same, just happens to be outside rather than inside.

@MrsWhites it was the look on his face as well, he was so confused as to why I’d ever be digging in my armpit! He also didn’t know what lymph nodes were or where you found them! I wish I could be more like that! x

@anotherdoghere sounds like a skin tag from piles to me. I have one from when I was pregnant too. Not very attractive but hey ho.

@Scaredykittycat thank you I must admit I didn't know you could get them inside your bottom! x