Lump on shin bone

[californiadreamer]

Hi

I am a bit low at the moment because of certain symptoms. I also suffer from health anxiety - so please be gentle.

I have had pain in my shin bone for about 6 weeks now - this past weekend, a lump developed. It's not very defined, more of a mass but it feels hard. The pain is now pretty constant.

Because I suffer from health anxiety I am always reluctant to go to my GP because I am worried she thinks I am a hypochondriac. I finally went to see her yesterday and I was referred for an Xray which I had in the afternoon. I now need to wait 7 - 10 days for the results.

I do try not to Google but I have read awful stories where the x-ray didn't pick up anything but it turned out to be cancer. Cancer is the thing that triggers my health anxiety the most.

I've also had a cough for the past three months (but my husband has also had a cough) and earlier this year had an enlarged spleen - I had a blood test at the time and it was normal and my spleen reduced in size the next time I went for an ultrasound. I have been having tingling in my arms and legs as well.

My GP doesn't seem to want to listen to all my other symptoms but just wants to deal with one thing at a time. So I have to book another appointment for the tingling - I want her to look at the complete person not just individual symptoms because it feels like she is not putting the pieces of the jigsaw together. (Yes, I don't have a lot of faith in my doctor unfortunately.) The surgery was empty yesterday but it felt like she wanted to hurry me out of the door.

I guess I just need to hear some reassuring words right now. Even if it turns out to be something awful, I need to know how to get through the next few weeks waiting for the results and getting a proper diagnosis of what's wrong. And also how to stand up for myself to get a proper opinion. Feeling pretty terrified.

Has anyone had something similar and it turned out to be something simple that went away? Thx

Tingling and dizziness can be due to anxiety causing you to hyperventilate i.e. lots of shorter shallower breaths which don't take in enough oxygen and hence cause the dizziness and tingling. A friend was referred for exactly this (she also suffered from health anxiety) and the doctor reproduced the symptoms by getting her to breathe in a particular way. It stopped happening after that. So it is possible that the anxiety re your leg is causing other symptoms.
The cough - probably nothing.
Your leg - fantastic that you've had the xray as that's the sure fire way to tell if anything there needs treating. If they see anything on the xray they won't make you wait 7-10days.
Good luck and please try not to worry.

Thank you MrsEricBana - trying to stay calm. My leg is becoming more and more painful so it's hard to wait it out. I know I am catastrophising.... it could be something as simple as my horrible varicose veins!! Thanks again x

If the lump is on the front of the shin, look up erythema nodosum - DD17 is coming through a bout of that.

Started as strep throat - (so perhaps a link to the coughing) - it triggered something that felt like a bony lump on her shin - walking was painful for a few weeks before ... Took 5 weeks after the lump appeared, but has gone now

I did have terrible flu before and my throat was really painful with swollen glands in my throat. So maybe... but the lump isn't red and only on one shin.

Did your DD have it on both legs and was it red? Hope she starts to feel fully recovered soon. Thanks for your help x

Hi - no it was one shin only and it went red after about 2-3 weeks, before it started to go away...

Hope you get to the bottom of it soon!