Did I make the right choice?

[whattodowithpoo]

Hi everyone,

Bit of background: I've suffered with health anxiety (still suffer!) and since having some cbt a while back I have tried to manage my anxieties rather than allowing myself to spiral in to seeking constant reassurance through medical tests etc

Anyway... in the last 6 weeks I have had 3 bouts of diarrhoea. On Friday morning I had some hard stools and on Saturday had a normal morning poo BUT when I wiped there was blood on paper. Nowhere else as far as I could tell and streaks not loads. Next day had a poo of two halves first was 2 hard lumps marbles with white stuff and the second motion was fine. All fine since then too.

Went the GP today (sensible not panic) and he had a look. Saw a 'sore' patch and said due to symptoms I could either have cream and watch/wait or be referred for camera up bum. I chose the cream.

Did I do the right thing?!

Dr says I can come back anytime and get a referral and definitely should it diarrhoea keeps happening or more blood.

Tbh, one of the diarrhoea days was 3 hours after a stressful job interview (but was like water ) and another was 2 days after a heavy day of drinking. Can't remember the other one being related to anything.

Thanks for reading so much about my bum!

And that's the velociraptor, testing a new bit of fence.

Think of it this way; if it's not evidence, it's speculation - which is a fancy word for guessing. Or magical thinking, if you want to put another label on it.

I think that's the thing I need to get in my head.

I know that in general the absence of symptoms doesn't mean I'm absolutely guaranteed to be 'well' (and that's part of the anxiety isn't, a lack of certainty) but in this specific example, an absence of symptoms when things settle down is.

This is interesting too in a weird way. The hard bit is how I deal with the wait, the lack of knowing either way, which is how I would be if I was waiting for a referral to come through. It's absolutes my mind craves and it can't have it

Yes, in general a lack of symptoms is a reassuring sign. Although I too know times when it isn't! In the situation you describe specifically, I think you'd be right to be reassured by a lack of symptoms.

And I'm totally with you on the certainty thing. I appreciate and seek certainty in other areas of my life, and I get very frustrated when it's not always possible. But for me, allowing myself to accept that sometimes there's no 100% answers has made the biggest difference, whilst also being the hardest-fought anxiety battle.

I'm sure you've read it but if you haven't, Willson & Veale's book Overcoming Health Anxiety is excellent and well worth a read or three.

That's definitely what I want to get away from - the idea that there are 100% answers, and whilst I know that people without anxiety issues might be thinking 'just go for the camera then you'll be certain' I know that this will reinforce the idea that I always have to have certainty.

Don't get me wrong, if I still have symptoms in 2 weeks or I get others I'll be back at the GP like a shot but jumping to that know in the context of a reasonable cause of symptoms seems like it won't help me long term.

Just need to not be paralysed while i 'wait'... that's also hard for me. I can get lost in my own head and not live my life until i have an answer to a worry

Going to go out with friends for tea tonight so that should help.

Thanks so much to everyone commenting, it's really helping and making me think about how I react to things

can I just jump in here to thank Sammy and you too poo for the discussion about health anxiety (I'm in the throes of it constantly - currently self diagnosed a variety of head/neck cancers but the velociraptor example is a really good one - I shall try to retain that.

Best wishes poo - I think you're handling this really well (thats not meant to sound as patronising as I think it probably does...)

Glad it's helping you too myrtle! I'm bloody determined not to let this one spiral out of control. I'm going to take control of it, be proactive about checking my health and tests where needed but not react and freak at everything- well, that's the plan!

In the last 5 years I have had moles removed, the back of my eyes assessed, a colposcopy, a referral to the dental hospital, 3 trips to the breast clinic, a zillion blood tests and probably more I can't remember. All have been fine. What hasn't been fine is my reaction to them and the impact I've let the anxiety have on my life

I'll see how my symptoms are after my next worried which is due any day now and take it from there. There'll be good days and bad but I think I'll take a lot from it

I hope yours settles. The book Sammy mentioned is excellent if you haven't read it

Period not worried!

Just checking in - nothing major to report! I started my period a couple of days ago so I can't really make any sensible assessment, but I do feel less sore where the 'pile' is.

Hasn't stopped me having minor panics and low level anxiety all this time but I do know I have to wait till I'm off my period and see what's happening then!

Hope you're all having a lovey weekend

Except I've just had some diarrhoea trying to keep calm and logical and not let the raptors in...