Health Anxiety - Part 4

[polkadotpixie]

I hope no-one minds me starting a follow up thread. I know some people were waiting for me to update so I thought I would but happy to ask MNHQ to delete if one of the long term posters wanted to start it 😊

@Goolies I think skyliners advice is good. I’ve also been there so I really feel for you x

Ladies I’m really freaking out this morning, I’ve just had some blood streaked discharge after a bowel movement. Could it be related to my period? I’m on day 12 of my cycle, last little bits of my period finished on Tuesday. Had sex on Thursday night and had a tiny bit blood streak yesterday but today was more.

Thanks both I’m going to try that once I’ve had my cup of tea. Trying to get a bit grounded. I’m due on today so not sure if that’s contributing to this dark feeling.

@MrsWhites it could be due to straining during a bowel movement, it as you say last hit of period, completely innocent though I’m sure of it.

@MrsWhites This was my life early last week, it sounds like it will be to do with your period, too much information but I think a bowel movement pushes some of the cervical fluid further down, and so it's likely something to do with your period finishing. I had the same last Sunday, my period also finished the Tuesday before. But then I had another little bit of spotting in between.

It's amazing how much shared experience we have on this thread, it makes you realise that there are probably loads of people out there with similar symptoms! They just don't have the health anxiety!

@Skyliner001 I’m starting to think we are the same person 😂

@Goolies your period will definitely be adding to your mood, my anxiety is always heightened before my period.

Thank you for calming me down!

I had something like that for a year or so. I was convinced I had cervical cancer the whole time but one month it just stopped and hasn't returned since (8 years later).
I would get a bit of brown discharge in mucous at random times during my cycle. And sometimes it started about 5 days before my actual period started, sometimes it would be in the middle of the cycle which lasted anywhere between 26 and 42 days so it was really irregular and I was extremely stressed the whole time and couldn't focus on anything at all for months.

That was supposed to be in reply to @MrsWhites

@argueifnecessary thank you, that’s really helpful. I am around the same age as my mum was when she started having pre menopause symptoms too, she went through the change early as did my nan so it could be that I suppose. In the past year or so my periods have changed from 28 days guaranteed to 26 days most months but the odd month when it’s 29 days.

@MrsWhites I think we are, I wouldn't wish me on anyone but it does feel good to have someone who gets it all!

@MrsWhites I got this from the hospital last week if this helps at all x

@AJ297 thank you! I think it might have been you that said the doctor said that breasts are ‘sisters not twins’, I’ve been repeating that to myself this week!

Other than yesterday morning my no poke weekend has gone ok. Lots of thoughts and having to distract myself but I managed to not check them again. To be fair some of that is because I was distracted by the spotting I had this morning. Does that happen to anyone else - when another worry comes along it takes over from the previous one.

How has everyone else got on this weekend?

@MrsWhites yes! I went to the breast clinic Wednesday and got the all clear, so came home and started looking at a mole behind my ear! I've been taking photos of it and noticed some tiny dots around it and been worrying. Then realised just now I had to wipe off stains from my purple shampoo off and it will just be colouring in my pores 🤦🏼‍♀️ I made it scab by poking it and I'm still convinced there's something wrong with it because it can't simply be because I've scratched it! If it's not this it will be something else

@AJ297 it’s awful isn’t it. I’m sure it was the purple shampoo, it’s terrible for staining! That’s the thing with us health anxiety sufferers, we are probably creating more issues for ourselves by poking and prodding but it’s so hard to get out of the circle once the doubt has set in!

@MrsWhites I often get a bit of blood or brown cervical mucus just before ovulation. I think it's the last remnant of my period mixed in with EWCM. I had a colposcopy before Xmas because of it to check my cervix as I had found something lumpy on it but it turned out to be perfectly healthy, I just have a tiny benign cyst and a cervical ectropian (erosion)

Hope everyone else is doing okay?

I'm 6 days into starting sertraline again for my health anxiety. I'm feeling slightly calmer but did go on a bit of a poking binge earlier in my pelvic and kidney areas and also my neck checking for lymph nodes. Annoyed with myself 😩

Side effects of the sertraline aren't too bad so far. Feeling jittery, slightly nauseous and having some night sweats (not ideal as it fuels my lymphoma fears) but I'm determined to persevere

Evening all
I'm still alive too, just been catching up with you all. I have been awol not because am not prodding and poking obvs but because really mad busy at work, lots of the kids now suffering anxiety over Covid and school and just the fact that this whole thing has gone on for so long, and one of them is my DD. Sigh.

Anyway, apologies if I miss anyone or anything important but:

@polkadotpixie, excellent news about your results, hope you are feeling better now
@StooriMelon, at your new name. Great about your results, and have added "sisters not twins" to my "breasts are built like cauliflowers" saying. My DH had prostatitis a few years ago and we were concerned for a while. Symptoms were kind of ache in lower groin and backache.
@GentlyGentlyOhDear I am FULL of those little red things, used to think I'd got some sort of parasite eating me up from inside.

Welcome to all newbies. I'm another breast worrier, mainly because it's the last thing to be scanned this year after a gynae one and a full abdo one because of digestive issues. The area around my right hip still aches sometimes and I alternate between thinking calmly it's an age related thing and iliac crest wotsit related, thinking it's gallbladder related as apparently gallbladder issues can go right down into your groin (who knew) and then usually when lying in bed prodding thinking it's obviously bone mets from some as yet undiagnosed cancer. Sigh.

I had a sick migraine on Thursday so added brain tumour to the list, especially as realised when poking my head that my skull down the side of my eye is really sticky outy on one side and not the other. That'll be the brain tumour pushing my bones outwards. Or possibly like boobs, we've just got lop-sided heads.

@polkadotpixie watch out for needing to pee all the time or just generally feeling like you do. It was one of my side effects and I convinced myself it was some terminal illness!

@MrsWhites I'm not anxious about spotting and bleeding any more as I had a scan due to a 2/3 month long period. All was fine and I still bleed irregularly and spot all the time. Usually brown or pink spotting and quite (gross) mucousy but all normal, hope this puts your mind at rest.

Evening all I hope you are all doing ok sounds as if the poking strike has kind of been working

Terrified as previously no ps

Whoops sorry

Pains, just bloating. Now aware of sharp pains in right side, back, Grindy type pains above belly button.

All seem to have come on after having ultrasound. Feel like I'm going mad.

Worried about CT and don't know whether to have or not

Polka and stoori

Fantastic news

Hi everyone I’ll catch up on all you’ve posted now!

I’m having a really bad day I’ve swung between about 5 illnesses and secretly cried in the bathroom more times than I can count today.. I’m in there now

I’m even worried about my breasts which I never usually do! I’m just so drained from everything and can’t see a way out of these worries! My jaw pain has eased today which is why I’ve left heart attack behind.. I’m so tired of being in a constant state of worry!

Think I’m going to pack in the therapy as it’s clearly not working and I only have a couple of sessions left and speak to the gp about going on meds! I just feel too ashamed to talk to my gp! It’s a vicious cycle health anxiety x

@MarthasGinYard

Whoops sorry

Pains, just bloating. Now aware of sharp pains in right side, back, Grindy type pains above belly button.

All seem to have come on after having ultrasound. Feel like I'm going mad.

Worried about CT and don't know whether to have or not

Can't remember Martha, but have you had your Gallbladder checked? The more I read about it, the more I realize Gallbladder issues can cause so much abdominal trouble. (I have sludge/minuscule stones)

@Earlgreyandcake stay positive I’m sure your doc is just being vigilant

@MrsWhites yes it has been really hard today! Struggled all day and I’ve joined you and @Skyliner001 on breasts! Really came out from nowhere and not sure what to do! Dp is putting DS to bed as I didn’t go to sleep till about 2am today and was up on and off Friday night with dreams so hoping for an early night! Think tiredness and so much crying hasn’t helped my anxiety this weekend!

@Goolies I have quite a few stretch marks on my breasts you can’t see them in all lights etc x