Health Anxiety - part three!!

[MrsWhites]

Hi ladies, back again for thread number 3!

@Skyliner001 if it makes you feel any better I was in a very similar position to you 5 years ago. I was completely obsessed with a lymph node, I had many scans and biopsies etc over the next 2 or 3 years and they could only ever seem to come to the conclusion that they slightly swollen, and that it could just be normal. I completely understand your anxiety as I felt no one could really tell me for sure whether they were actually swollen or not and whether they were a problem or not. I also don’t know whether they’d always been like that and I’d only just noticed. They’ve never gone back down but not grown either.

@getmeacupoftea I think the above is aimed at you!

This Fred moves so fast!

@polkadotpixie don't you apologise, of course you are worried, only two more sleeps and your worries will be alleviated I'm sure.

I haven't done too badly today, keep telling myself that breasts don't need to be symmetrical, and so long as I have the same type of feeling tissue throughout on both sides, it doesn't have to be in exactly the same place! Thank you to all those who reassured me 😊

Oops sorry @Skyliner001 I didn’t mean to tag you I meant to tag @getmeacupoftea on my last comment

No problem @katiemumma20 i'm sure that she will appreciate the comment!

Hope you are doing well 😊

@Skyliner001 you too! Managed to get over the lymphoma anxiety but have diagnosed myself with every other disease in the world in the years following it 🙈

@katiemumma20

Thank you so much for your reply. Really does help to know I'm not alone. Lympnodes really do cause some grief don't they? Do you think you've accepted now that they're just "there"? Wandering if I will ever get to that point. X

Good evening everyone.

I've always had anxiety but got out of control last year when I was waiting for a few tests. Everyday I think something is wrong and I am going to die and leave DH and DC. I feel like I can't live my life properly and that the drs have missed something. Today I have just had a bath and noticed my belly was pulsing, I had a google and it brought something about aneurysms up and now I am terrified.

to everyone else going through this.

@WasntItGood Mine pulses too!

I wonder if there are any YouTube videos or something similar of people who have recovered from health anxiety?
Will we always have this to some degree? It's a depressing thought if so.

@Skyliner001 thanks, I'm sure I've had it before but everything is triggering today.

@ofwarren I've always wondered if I'll ever be "normal" again. Health anxiety is awful and it's hard for people who don't have it, my husband - he doesn't understand it but suffers with me because of the way I am when I'm going through it

I’m just wondering, have any of you had Hypnosis for your anxiety?

After having breast cancer almost 5 years ago it’s fair to say I’m absolutely traumatised by the whole thing. I’ve had Anti Depressants, seen the clinical psychologist, seen a cancer counsellor, had reflexology and had CBT, but here I am, on these boards stressing that my bowel issues are cancer (clear blood tests, one clear stool sample, one abnormal stool sample and now waiting on results of a 3rd as the decider, I already have IBS) and getting more issues because I am stressed.

I’ve also, since having cancer, thought I had bone cancer (I didn’t), thought numerous times I had ovarian cancer (no idea if I have) and I have always thought I had bowel cancer anyway, despite a clear colonoscopy 3 years ago.

I can’t read about cancer straight away, otherwise I go down a rabbit hole, I have to think about reading the article then go back when I feel stronger, I panic first reading then calm down.

I have friends who now have breast cancer who look to me for support, which I do, but at quite a mental cost to me.

Those worrying about breast lumps, mine appeared in the shower one day, literally it wasn’t there the day before. It was the size of a pea, hard and did not move. I knew straight away what it was. Generally breast cancer lumps are quite easily distinguished, they don’t disappear, they don’t wobble and are usually quite small to feel.

If you get a lump your Dr should refer you on the 2 week wait. Most lumps are nothing, but all lumps in your breast should be looked at.

I’m always willing to help about breast cancer, but I’m still struggling myself xx

I meant to say, I want to try Hypnosis but I digressed there 😂

@Hatemyhusband sorry to hear of your struggles, I’m currently having hypnosis, it isn’t a quick fix and you do have to put a lot of work in yourself at home etc! It’s working for me! Other therapists may do it differently though so have a look around at some! Most do first hour free x

[quote tmh88]@Hatemyhusband sorry to hear of your struggles, I’m currently having hypnosis, it isn’t a quick fix and you do have to put a lot of work in yourself at home etc! It’s working for me! Other therapists may do it differently though so have a look around at some! Most do first hour free x[/quote]
What do you have to do? I imagined them suggesting I didn’t panic and me kind of not panicking anymore?

I take it that’s not the case then

@hatemyhusband I guess it just depends who you see as I imagine they all work different and you might find one who does it like you are wanting it, the therapist I see a friend used and said it worked for her, nothing strenuous just things like breathing exercises to do at home etc. It’s not like stage hypnosis where they can make you do something, your fully aware of what they’re saying and what you are saying yourself if that makes sense xx

@getmeacupoftea yes I’m completely over it now and never think of it despite it consuming my every waking thought for 2 years (that’s not an excaggeration!). However unfortunately it marked the beginning of having health anxiety for me and although I don’t think it’s as bad now as it was then I feel like I’m a completely different person constantly calling the doctors and worrying about something x

@Hatemyhusband www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypnotherapy/

Have a look at this above, I go private however I think at the bottom you can search for a hypnotherapist x

I hope it's ok to post here

I've been watching this thread and actually feel so anxious even posting on here. I've got an ultrasound on Monday due to all kinds of abdomen issues which have been present 3 weeks but probably longer. I've had blood tests. One marker was raised. I've already convinced myself it's the worst case possible. I was told

[quote ofwarren]@skyliner001
Mine are totally asymmetric. Huge difference between them.
My left is really lumpy, large and ridgy and my right is more "normal", soft and just the odd ridgy bit.[/quote]
Mine is the other way round, but I'm obsessed with comparing and contrasting and am often to be found madly stroking and poking both at the same time in the same places to prove to myself I'm normal

Welcome to @3boyshere, @MarthasGinYard and anyone else new.
What abdomen troubles are you having Martha? I had an abdo scan in January and a full gynae check up including trans-vag scan in December as I was convinced the general dodgy guts was ovarian cancer, bowel cancer, uterine cancer and liver cancer all at once. I have gallbladder sludge/tiny stones apparently, so have moved onto breast obsessing.

Though did prod this morning and found lumpy bits in side.

I do wonder if some of my troubles are Gallbladder. What kind of symptoms does it give you?
I’ve spent so much time lying on the floor pressing my bowel looking for stuff that I think I’ve probably done a damage. @MarthasGinYard what kind of problems do you have? Are you saying you had a marker on your recent bloods?

Evening everyone! Welcome to the newbies - so sorry you're suffering! @MarthasGinYard, sorry for your worries. @Hatemyhusband sorry you went through cancer - very glad you've come through the other side! @polkadotpixie focus on things being over by Monday - I too would focus on what the sonographer said. Sonographers are seeing these things all the time and they're very good at their jobs! Given you've had a cyst before it's much more likely to be a cyst again xx

Thanks to those who asked how my head was getting on. It's much better this evening. I just feel a bit more tired than usual and my eyes ache (if that makes sense). Hopefully that be it for a few weeks!

@tmh88 for vertigo they can prescribe medication and I think in some instances give you a list of food and drink to avoid as it can make them worse. Vertigo is awful; I've got family members who get it and it literally wipes them out. It does sound like your ears are blocked if they feel better once they've popped - my mum had hers syringed regularly for years but she isn't able to have it done anymore incase they perforate the ear drum. A wax build up can cause so many problems!

@Skyliner001 oh it's great that you didn't have to isolate, my heart really goes out to anyone who had to do that. Just keep looking after yourself with all of this going on

Thanks all, sorry I posted before I'd finished.

I initially had a really painful and bloated stomach 3 weeks ago. It hurt in every position when I sat down it hurt in pelvic area. Hurt to walk, sit up it, was awful. I can only describe it as feeling as if my entire abdomen from top to pelvic area felt black and blue inside. I called 111 as it was a Saturday and they suggested A&E if it didn't subside. I kept taking Buscopan and paracetamol and it took the edge off and next day o felt slightly better. I'd eaten a huge meal the night before I had it, and wasn't too concerned. I went to Dr on the Monday who examined me and told me to take omeprazole and thought it to be some form of gastritis. Bloods were taken on the Wednesday. Including the one for ovarian cancer as I told her I'd googled and was worried.

It subsided pain wise just a general feeling of being uncomfortable and no appetite and a knot feeling top of abdo and bloated at top too.

Bloods were all normal except a raised marker Crp I think which was 25. She said she wasn't concerned as I was so bloated when she examined me and had been in pain so said the inflammation marker could be due to that. Of course I googled and worried myself silly. I spoke to Dr as I recalled a 'simple liver cyst being found on an ultrasound about 2 years ago and also some gallstones which she said were quite large and suspected they may cause problem at some point. She said she didn't feel this was was connected to the gallstones. She said the liver cyst was nothing to worry about. She also said she thought the bloods indicated it was something acute such as an infection, virus or bacteria rather than anything sinister. She indicated she would have expected the other 'marker' E I believe to also be raised if there was an indication of anything

I feel the top right quadrant of my abdo isn't symmetrical it looks slightly bigger. Another Dr examined me on Thursday and reassured me everything felt 'soft' and my fears of having

Sorry posted too soon again

I'm hopeless this eve

I'd worried it was my liver, but he reassured me he didn't think it was as blood LFT was all fine and I didn't have any other symptoms related. He also said he saw no signs of fluid despite my bloating.

I felt like I was coming down with achy arms and hips on Thursday eve and took paracetamol and had awful shivers all night which I'd never had before. I felt slightly better by midday Friday but Still worried I saw my lady Dr again and told her I was worried about the right side looking larger, and this shivery, achy episode. She pressed around and said all felt soft and she felt no lumps. It was slightly painful when she pressed one area at top. I asked her what was there she said 'Pancreas' then spent 10 mins reassuring me she didn't think it was due to pancreatic cancer and did indeed still believe it to be related to some gastro type thing. She commented that the initial episode gave discomfort in pelvis too and that could be due to gastro/intestinal infection or virus,

I'm terrified. I've read about Gall bladder cancer now, and am so worried about that and feel like whatever I have has spread.

My stomach is so sore I've convinced myself I can feel tiny lumps all under my skin when I press with my fingertips. To be honest is probably just adipose fat as I'm a good 2 stone overweight. I feels similar on inner thighs too.

I'm having a pelvic and abdo ultrasound on Monday. I can't sleep, appetite completely gone and feel terrified. I just think if it was just some virus/infection I'd have been feeling better by now.

I can honestly say that in the many years I've been on MN I have Never ever written such a huge post.

If anyone has actually managed to read it massive thanks and thoughts to all fellow Anxiety sufferers.