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 all hoping I can join. I’ve been struggling with what I can only assume is health anxiety for a number of years I think it was triggered from having my first child. I haven’t got an official diagnosis because I’m embarrassed about speaking to the doctor and also I’m worried that they’ll dismiss any future issues I have. How are others experience with their GP?

Lately it’s becoming worse and it seems to fixate on cancer for me and the kids. I’ve been having bruising like pain/hot pain in one breast which is making it sensitive against clothing. I’ve checked for lumps 1000 times a day aggravating it more, I do it constantly at the moment and can’t find any lumps or changes and just spend all day googling for breast cancer without lumps. I don’t know what to do, I want to call my GP but I’m pretty sure because I have no other symptoms they won’t do anything especially because I can’t pin point a place on my breast as it’s more of a moving pain and may be muscular. Any advice? I’m worried about just leaving it in case it’s serious but I know on the surface of it there is nothing to see and it’s been about 1 week. I hope you don’t mind me joining you. I’ve read through a number of pages and can really relate to it all.

Hi @Wonderwalk

The breast clinic absolutely will see you for pain if you’re concerned. It’s worth speaking to your GP if it will make you feel betteR.

My GP doesn’t know I have health anxiety, but it must be obvious by the fact I’ve been there at least once a month for the last year.

#wonderwalk .
I had breatnlain 2!years ago along with I can only describe as small scattering of lumps with pain . I was sent to the breast clinic my consultant was lovely he said all was ok and there are times that our breast will be painful . I was offered mammogram and ultrasound scan thankfully 😅 all was ok .
I told him I was taking evening primrose oil . He said to switch to starflower as this can help .
I hope this makes you feel slightly better .

Been there ... typo

#skyliner001Thanknyiubfor making me so welcome . Not too sure about the sanity 😃.

@Goolies always in my left! Sometimes in my nipple or around it, sometimes underneath but to my left if that makes sense, sometimes to the right... different places all the time. How strange we all seem to get them @MrsWhites
I’ve also made myself too sore to prod - it’s such a bad habit because the more we prod the more swollen we get which then makes us prod more!

@donerwillbehere hello and welcome to our thread - sorry to hear you’re here for reasons like all of us but we are a supportive bunch! Covid and teaching will be making you worry so much more which is so understandable. Are you in all the time or are you on a rota with key worker children? Is your setting allowing face coverings? I hope your appointment comes through soon to have it drained, have you any idea how long it will take?

@Skyliner001 sorry you had a rough night last night. I too wonder how it’s possible to go from nothing to worrying at 100mph, it’s exhausting

@Wonderwalk hello and welcome! This is a thread of lovely people so you’re more than welcome to join. The pain you seem to be experiencing, how often? Does it feel hot to touch or just inside? I’ve been getting a soreness in my left breast that seems to move from the breast itself to just the nipple. What I’ve realised though is that the soreness seems to be there more when I think about it. For example I mentioned in an older post I used to be fixated on a lymph node, so even when I thought about the node I would get sharp pains in it, but now I don’t think about it they aren’t there, and I’m thinking it might be the same with my nipple. My HA started after I had my first baby too. I’ve found my GP really supportive - he knew I went to Mind for counselling (I self-referred) and I asked him about medication to help me and he prescribed me 50mg sertraline which I started last week. It’s hard but stay away from Google because the results are never good, and remember, the more you poke around the more you will aggravate everything and make everything swollen which will worry you more

Saturday night I convinced myself I'd found another lump attached to my muscle and worried myself sick. Today I found it again and traced along and around it with my fingers and it's actually the muscle running underneath my breast. I can't exactly feel the exact same thing in the other side which I do worry so that'll be my next thing. Please tell me you can't all feel the exact same tissue in both breasts?

Going to try my hardest not to touch at all today. I've prodded and poked that much I've made myself so sore. Coincidentally, the nipple pain has gone since removing my bra and just having a pj top on. Really starting to wonder if I can only feel it when I'm thinking of it and worrying, just like I did with my lymph node.

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend

Hi everyone, lost track of a lot of the posts so just going to add a few bits on without tags, I get incredibly painful under arms/breasts around ovulation & time of the month too.

Also the people with pain in one breast which is the arm/side of your body you use more? I have been told before that you are more likely to get pain in the chest muscle of the side of your body you don’t use as much

Welcome all the new ones too

@dillydallydollydaydream7 I have a slightly lumpier under breast bit on the left. There is a lumpy ridge under both breasts but it is not the same. Same type of thing but different lumpyness. No my breasts are not identical. Left is lumpier and my under nippe lumpy bits are higher and harder. So definitely not the same.

@tmh88 I get more pain in the left. I'm right handed.

Sending positive vibes to all you ladies today 😊

@dillydallydollydaydream7 Mine are definitely not the same, left is generally lumpier, the right one does have some lumpy bits but not in the same place.

Most of my pains are in my left breast and I’m right handed so that’s weird.

Like @tmh88 lots of my pain seem to come from under my arm or into the side of my breasts.

Does anyone else have more breast pain in the morning when they wake up, not so much pain but sort of sensitive?

Yes! I do!

Also I get underarm pain, I didn't realise there was breast tissue up into the under arms until this last breast scare!

This thread is amazing! Thought I just had weird boobs!

My right breast is lumpier than the left and the ridge that runs under them both feels lumpier in the right! I also wake up with underarm aches and rib ache sometimes and I think it’s because I lay on my right side most of the night!

Thanks for your kind comments. I think you are right when I think about it it makes it’s seem worse. I just can’t relax, all I think about is dying and leaving my kids. I can’t enjoy myself in case I’ve missed some health issue. When it doesn’t hurt I prod around looking for stuff until it does hurt then convince myself the pain is serious It feels like a cycle I can’t get out of.

@Wonderwalk it is a horrible cycle, you are right. This thread does help though, having people to talk to who understand and who feel the same!

@Skyliner001 I did too! Obviously I’m not wishing breast pain on you but it’s made me feel better that you get morning pains too! 😂

@Wonderwalk hello, what you have just said really resonated with me, that idea of not being able to rest in case we have missed something is common with health anxiety sufferers. It's a horrible cycle, and I completely get it. It's like when I have a happy moment or a happy thought I quickly think gosh but I need to check this for lumps… I am getting better, and it's a massive help to know there are people out there who feel the same, although I wouldn't wish this on anybody.

We are all in the same boat, and the way we all feel the same shows that this is something to do with the way our brain is wired, rather than a genuine danger that we have missed something.

We know we are being diligent looking after our health, and checking when we need to. But we have to find a way not to let it control is.

I agree @Skyliner001 I’ve got a bit better since I’ve been talking to you ladies because it’s helped me to see that it’s anxiety talking not some warning sign.

My burning pain in my left breast is bothering me today, I think I know it’s heartburn really because I also feel it in underarm and middle of my chest. I decided to take some gaviscon even though it makes me want to vomit to show myself that it’s just acid reflux but the gaviscon doesn’t seem to have worked particularly well so that’s actually made my anxiety worse 😢
I’m trying not to think about it because I think I feel it more when it’s on my mind.

How is everyone else’s day going? How is that baby coming along @Lib3rtine?

@MrsWhites I’m getting a bit freaked out with my relflux too now I’m constantly needing to clear my throat and convinced myself it’s lung cancer I don’t actually get any heartburn or pain with it just the acid it’s thick/bubbly and clear.. sorry tmi

@Skyliner001 I’m the same! Set myself a task of not poking at myself till Friday at earliest and it’s almost like my brain hates me because now I’m thinking but what if it gets to Friday and I can’t tell if my lumps have grown because I’m not up to date on how they feel! Having a really bad day today to be honest it’s been 3 weeks since my mum passed now and I would love to just ring and tell her how I feel and just get reassurance from her voice

@tmh88 I have to clear my throat a lot especially after I’ve eaten and have had bad reflux since being pregnant. Spent a while worrying thinking I’d got esophageal cancer but found out it’s very common so I really wouldn’t worry. I don’t think it’s a symptom of lung cancer either as I’ve also researched that loads as well! I’m not surprised you’re having a hard time with it being 3 weeks since your mum passed but you’re doing really well. I know what you mean when you try not to check, I always think the same thing that I might miss something x

@MrsWhites no baby yet! Thought things were starting to happen last night as was getting lots of tightenings but it never amounted to anything.
Definitely relate to feeling things more when you’re thinking about them, I think there’s a big signal that it’s anxiety related and not anything else x

@tmh88 sorry to hear you've recently lost your Mum - remember that she's always going to be with you 

@Lib3rtine I hope things happen quickly for you! We need some lovely baby news on this thread!

I had no idea about the side of your body aching that you don't use! I'm right handed and it's on my left I get the pains! So today I'm really proud of myself! I haven't prodded half as much, maybe twice and very quickly. Tomorrow is payday so I would usually do my monthly checks but because I've checked constantly the last few weeks I'm going to wait until next month to do it again (obviously I'm hoping not to cave in the meantime but). The soreness hasn't been anywhere near as prominent today - this morning I briefly thought about it and I felt sore so I forced myself to think of something else and the soreness went! I'm hoping it's all psychological. I've had some soreness in my other boob too today so I'm wondering if that's hormonal.

@dillydallydollydaydream7 @Lib3rtine thank you for that! It’s still feeling strange that I’ll never pick the phone up to her again or a hug even but it’s hearing her voice I want! However I’m still not strong enough yet to watch videos or listen to voicemails! Strange how your mind works x

@dillydallydollydaydream7 yes apparently the side you use more the breast is usually a bit larger too as the chest muscle is larger/stronger behind it x

@Lib3rtine hopefully not long until baby is here! Can’t wait to know if he’s a boy or a girl!

@tmh88 I know, I’m hoping it’s soon! I’m constantly looking for any little sign!! X