Health anxiety #4

[BBC1HD]

Yeah she has also written that on my notes which I guess is reassuring.

Ah mine is the opposite (which I think is why I’m more worried as I know it’s a common place for cancerous lumps). It’s on the outside towards my arm pit.

It's also the most common place for a fibroadenoma (benign boob lump) in the under 35's!

 

[Suzesnooze]

Having an absolute breakdown. Just scrolled through Tik Tok and one came up about a woman who had been complaining about all these different symptoms but doctors put it down to anxiety. She had stomach cancer and died.

im now spiralling as these are the symptoms I’ve been having for a year or so but just put it down to having had a baby and not being very healthy. I’m so upset now and feel like I need to ring the doctors in the morning. I was panicking about the symptoms but I’d kind of actually ruled this one out of being something serious but now I feel like I’ve wasted time not getting checked out.

I think if you had stomach cancer symptoms for a year you would know about it by now!

What are your symptoms?

 

[toffeejelly]

I am seriously spiraling right now. I have suffered from health anxiety for years now after seeing more and more young people diagnosed with cancer on social media etc. Since January I have been having bad headaches, almost daily. I have an appointment at a neurologist in June but I have convinced myself it's a brain tumour. I'd like to think if it was that then I'd be having a lot more symptoms by now given it's been 5 months but then my brain is convinced that it's something sinister Then I think to myself I'm probably encouraging my headaches by constantly thinking about it and focusing on them which in turn is making them worse. Anxiety is such a vicious circle isn't it. I've also had a sore throat since last weekend and I've somehow convinced myself that it's throat cancer. It's exhausting

 

[comment on life]

It could be contact dermatitis or a reaction to a tiny bug bite. I get stuff like that all the time with dust.

Those would make sense also. I need to stop jumping to the worst possible conclusion.

I read something the other day that said "If you hear hooves, think horses not zebras". One very relevant to all HA sufferers

 

[Suzesnooze]

Oh my goodness I've stumbled across this page and truely feel like I've found my people.
Some days I think I'm going insane. I honestly think my marriage is at risk if I don't find a way to get this health anxiety under control.
I can resonate with so many of these posts, the absolutely convincing yourself you have something wrong with you and then googling symptoms and literally manifesting them. I've been more tested, checked and investigated than the average 48 year old which should give me reassurance but doesn't.

Currently I'm in a terrible spiral and are literally counting down the seconds for a neurologist appointment next week.
Basically like you I have had some ongoing tingling in hands, feet, legs and face for over 10 years and have been checked twice by a neurologist who also did an MRI of my brain 4 years ago and put it down to anxiety.
Fast forward to a month ago and now living in a new country (which has been the hardest year of my life!) and I've got the tingles back again and saw a neurologist last week. She did a thorough exam and ruled out anything sinister like MS, Motor Nurone etc but wants me back for some nerve testing next week. Since then I've been out of my mind worrying what it is and the tingling is now gone and replaced with burning up and down my calves and sometimes arms. It's uncomfortable rather than painful.
I am sick with worry what's going on and can barely function. It some ways it's crazy as the neurologist really didn't think it was anything life changing or sinister and assured me not to worry...yeah right!
I've been rested for b12 etc but that's all fine.

Any reassuring words?!

Tingling is a well known anxiety symptom. You’ve said you’ve moved to another country and it’s been the hardest year of your life, so no wonder the tingling is back. Because you’re anxious.

A good idea is to keep a diary of your symptoms and how you were feeling at the time you experience them eg. Stressed. You may then notice a pattern. I noticed my tingling was worse just before my period but it was definitely worse when my anxiety was bad.

Rest assured you’ve had the MRI etc. Nerve tests are normally done for tingling, numbness. It can be from trapped nerves etc. I get a lot of tingling in my ulnar nerve. Too much time on my phone I think!

Also, you’re 48. Look up the symptoms of peri menopause and you’ll be surprised how many you have ! Tingling is one. Burning is another.

My health anxiety actually improved when I was able to put a lot of my symptoms down to peri as I knew then it was nothing life threatening.

Hope this helps you feel more reassured.

 

[Honeystar]

Posted here a couple of weeks back about having a breast lump, just to update and maybe reassure anyone who comes across this in future - it was just a bit of harder breast tissue.

Had my appointment within 2 weeks and the ladies at the clinic were just so lovely and reassuring. Quick physical exam and then an ultrasound and all sorted within the hour. Feel so relieved

Fantastic news I had exactly the same a couple of months ago, and for anyone else worrying they told me that 90% of the people they see in the breast clinic are discharged on the day with nothing to worry about

 

[Suzesnooze]

My left eyelid has been jumping all day. It's annoying and it's making me jumpy in turn. I haven't spiraled (yet haha) but I'm like what could possibly make an eyelid jump?!

Nothing to worry about. It’s caused by tiredness and stress. I’ve had it loads of times. It’s annoying though.

 

[comment on life]

Oh my goodness I've stumbled across this page and truely feel like I've found my people.
Some days I think I'm going insane. I honestly think my marriage is at risk if I don't find a way to get this health anxiety under control.
I can resonate with so many of these posts, the absolutely convincing yourself you have something wrong with you and then googling symptoms and literally manifesting them. I've been more tested, checked and investigated than the average 48 year old which should give me reassurance but doesn't.

Currently I'm in a terrible spiral and are literally counting down the seconds for a neurologist appointment next week.
Basically like you I have had some ongoing tingling in hands, feet, legs and face for over 10 years and have been checked twice by a neurologist who also did an MRI of my brain 4 years ago and put it down to anxiety.
Fast forward to a month ago and now living in a new country (which has been the hardest year of my life!) and I've got the tingles back again and saw a neurologist last week. She did a thorough exam and ruled out anything sinister like MS, Motor Nurone etc but wants me back for some nerve testing next week. Since then I've been out of my mind worrying what it is and the tingling is now gone and replaced with burning up and down my calves and sometimes arms. It's uncomfortable rather than painful.
I am sick with worry what's going on and can barely function. It some ways it's crazy as the neurologist really didn't think it was anything life changing or sinister and assured me not to worry...yeah right!
I've been rested for b12 etc but that's all fine.

Any reassuring words?!

Hi, you replied to my comment. In the past few weeks I have noticed an improvement in the tingling by implementing daily stretching sessions. While I'm still worried about it the fact that stretching at the very least improves it has helped me to think that it is likely caused by muscle tension. I think all of us anxiety sufferers carry an insane amount of tension in our body and that can be to blame for a lot of the weird symptoms. Especially if you have been seen by a neurologist already and they have cleared you or the super scariest it really is very very likely to be an anxiety symptom. I hope this helps in some way x

 

[Suzesnooze]

She said it doesn’t feel hard and it feels moveable so she suspects it isn’t anything to worry about but it’s best to get it checked.

Which is weird cos to me it does feel hard but then it’s the only one I’ve ever felt so what do I know ha

I also know you can’t really tell anything from just feeling it so I’m glad she referred me for a scan.

I also have large boobs so it’s hard to decide what’s a lump or not. I’ve been twice to GP and both times they said it was just a fatty lump and one Dr said make make sure I don’t use my fingertips to feel for lumps. She also said it’s only if you can’t get over it or around it that there’s a concern. I’m in my 50’s now and you didn’t get referred so much when I was in my 30’s. So I wasn’t referred.

I’ve always had anxiety over my lumpy boobs. But I was chosen as part of a research programme to have a mammogram at 47 instead of 50 and then moved dr’s and was chosen again at 48! So I’ve now had 4 mammograms which have all been fine and so I’ve lost my anxiety around it now.

I’m sure you will be fine. I think they’re more cautious nowadays and refer everyone even if they’re not overly concerned

 

[Moolo]

It's terrible isn't it. Tonight I am on cloud 9 that I am not dying from an illness I never had, except in my own mind. Tomorrow I will be back to finding the next thing. It would be funny if not so true

This is so true - sums it up perfectly.

It's just hideous. On my current spiral I'm obsessing on two things simultaneously and now don't know what is real and what my anxiety is doing. Hate it xx

 

[BBC1HD]

As I’m knocking on the door of 30 I’ve decided to do one of those hertility tests, but im worried they’ll tell me I need a scan or I have cancer or something has anyone here done hertility? What is your experience?

Nooo, don't do that! I genuinely feel that for someone who has health anxiety/OCD this will not help you feel any better.

Do you have a genuine concern about something?

 

[Hales1510]

Posted here a couple of weeks back about having a breast lump, just to update and maybe reassure anyone who comes across this in future - it was just a bit of harder breast tissue.

Had my appointment within 2 weeks and the ladies at the clinic were just so lovely and reassuring. Quick physical exam and then an ultrasound and all sorted within the hour. Feel so relieved

That's amazing news, really pleased for you. You must be so relieved.

 

[moonwaterpisces]

Oh that's good to hear! I'm hyper vigilant with moles and freckles and a new one sends me spiralling every.single.time

I noticed a very dark raised spot on my back, freaked out. Was up all night. Lucky I was due back at my dermo for my acne and mentioned it to her. Within a week she had cut it out, I took a deep breath and then spent the next 4- 6 weeks spiraling non stop "what if, what if, what if" She rang me eventually, I chased it for weeks. They grade them from 1 - 5. 1 being nothing and 5 being something but more tests need to be done... mine was 1.5. She was like "you're fine, breath and go live your life". Since then, I have absolutely no interest in the sun, sun holidays, getting a tan nothing! I wear SPF 50 on my face everyday and a hat if I'm out in the garden.

Skin cancer health anxiety starts around now for me. So I'm trying to take all the proper steps to do my part (helping my anxiety tbh).

 

[moonwaterpisces]

Hi, new here.

Suffering really bad with my HA. Suffer with my MH anyways but since I bought a house a few months ago, I feel like every week I've a new illness. I refuse to go on meds as I've been on them before and I cannot function (I'm not on any meds, no contraception or anything).

I've lumpy boobs, have gone about it so many times, it's nothing. I'm fine, theres no new lumps or anything. I'm fine but why can't I stop breast checking myself to the point where I'm hurting myself. It could be multiple times a day. My boobs get sore when I ovulate and when I'm PMSING. Periods are on time, all the time. I'M FINE

This comes in waves, next week I'll be obsessing about my bowels and my tummy.

The following week, I'll have eye cancer or brain cancer because my lip twitched because I haven't slept due to HA.

My life is normal, I'm healthy. Everything is going good, why can I not relax? I've deleted insta and tiktok because I feel like they're adding to it.

I feel like I'm getting to the best part of my life, new house, wedding, travel yeno life after covid and I'm afraid I'll get sick, never recover and die before I'm 30? I'm hysterical and it's driving me insane!!!!

 

[Luckycorr13]

Hi, new here.

I'm suffering terribly at the moment, have found a lump on my neck, it sits just below my thyroid and you can see it sticking out when I lift my neck. Had a terrible tickly couch for 4 weeks that won't subside so I'm hoping it's juat a lymph node.
My brain won't switch off though, I'm constantly thinking about it.
One set of bloods came back and my liver function isn't quite right so to get that done again in 3 months, not related to the neck lump so I'm now convinced I have liver failure.
Back to the doctors on Tuesday and it cannot come quick enough.
I'm only 33, I shouldn't be feeling like this

 

[sassmaster3000]

Thanks give an update and calm myself down...

This basically went with a warm washcloth once a day however it started getting big again the other day and as I was pulling the skin slightly to look at it suddenly it burst everywhere!. There was some blood but alot of pus (sorry tmi!).

I thought that after that it would go but it's now just a big red lump. It does look better after a warm washcloth. It hasn't seemed to come to a head anymore and I think i can make out a hair in there. Has this happened to anyone else. I'm trying to tell myself that cancer/swollen lymph node wouldn't pop like that with pus coming up. Plus shrink to nothing then start coming up again then shrink again.

I'm going to call the GP on Monday and see what they say. Why do these things happen at weekends!

Sounds like an infected hair follicle! Very common and annoying but not usually serious at all. The fact that it’s popped means it’s on its way out.
annoyingly, unless you’re a smoker (stop) or diabetic (get your diabetes more controlled), there’s not really anything you can do to stop it happening - just shit luck! Aside from cleaning yourself obviously but if you’re worried enough about it to be posting on a forum, I assume you’re also worried enough to be keeping up with basic hygiene

 

[stanleycupgal]

Not a post I was wanting to make but I found a lump in my breast last week and after a trip to the GP today I’ve been referred to the breast clinic. She was very confident that it’s a fibroadenoma and as such I’ve been referred as “non urgent” so likely to be a bit of a wait to get an ultrasound. Obviously I am panicking and thinking the worst. I know breast referrals are pretty common so was hoping there may be some of you who have some experience and positive stories to share. My lump is smooth and mobile which she said was a good sign but a lump is a lump in my anxious mind and I worry how she can be so confident just from examining it

Deep breaths, you are going to be OK. The Dr's dont say things like 'fairly confident' lightly. If they had major concerns you would be fast tracked I am sure. As someone else says, your Dr has probably seen thousands of lumps and would have good insight into which ones are good lumps and which ones are not so much (my cousin's was a bad lump and the Dr sent her for an urgent biopsy the same day!).
The other thing to try and remember is, if caught early, even the dreaded breast cancer, is VERY treatable. i seriously dont think you need to worry about that but I know you won't until your appointment, as I would be the same!
---

Hi, was looking for a bit of advice & hoping someone here could help or relate. For about 3 months now I’ve had a pain in my chest. I’m really not sure if it’s my heart or my boob, but it’s not a sharp pain, more like when I breathe in I feel it or when I cough.
I’ve checked my breasts for anything out of the ordinary & can’t feel anything.
I’ve been trying to get a GP appointment for weeks now but our medical centre is appalling & I just can’t get one. It’s making me feel quite anxious, which probably isn’t helping the matter, but I’m just scared I have something wrong with my heart.
Has anyone experienced anything like this before?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds more muscular and doesn't really present like a heart issue. I think, as someone else suggested, getting in a good bra is a great start. i get the same thing when Ive done a lot of exercise and its definitely muscular as took myself to the ER once as thought I was having a heart attack!

 

[LuBiLu]

Not a post I was wanting to make but I found a lump in my breast last week and after a trip to the GP today I’ve been referred to the breast clinic. She was very confident that it’s a fibroadenoma and as such I’ve been referred as “non urgent” so likely to be a bit of a wait to get an ultrasound. Obviously I am panicking and thinking the worst. I know breast referrals are pretty common so was hoping there may be some of you who have some experience and positive stories to share. My lump is smooth and mobile which she said was a good sign but a lump is a lump in my anxious mind and I worry how she can be so confident just from examining it

I'm in the same boat as you right now. I went last week to my GP. I would also be interested in positive stories!!

I went with breast pain that I've had on and off for 4 months, mostly when laying on it, or something pressing against it. When feeling the left breast last week, I noticed it is lumpier than the right. But my left breast has always been heavier and fuller than my right.

She has put increased lumpiness in left breast, but no palpable discrete lump felt. She put me on the 2ww referral to the Breast Clinic to rule out cancer, but I know this is standard practice as I work in a GP surgery. Any pain or changes in the breasts will always be referred for further investigation. But she said she feels it is likely hormonal/tissue by my symptoms.

I'm panicking though, as my health anxiety always goes to the worst case scenario. I've got an appointment through for the 25th which feels so far away. I'm debating finding a private clinic for an ultrasound.

I've spent the last week in a state.

In terms of your GP being confident, they probably examine hundreds of women for the same thing, and likely know exactly what they are looking and feeling for when it comes to Cancerous lumps.

Breast lumps, bumps, and pain are very common, and rarely lead to anything sinister. Please keep us updated. And try to relax. I know it is easier said than done. But it all sounds positive by non urgent aswell.

 

[StrawberryBanana90]

After 6 years of not going - I've finally plucked up the courage to go to the opticians. It's booked for tomorrow and I am just absolutely freaking out. I'm totally convinced that they are going to find something horrible. I just want to cry and sleep the day away.

I hope it all goes well today!
I'd never been to the opticians in my life and recently went due to bad headaches and I was expecting the worst but turns out my headaches were just because I needed glasses and probably should've got them years ago because I have rugby shaped eyeballs I've been wearing them for screens for the past few weeks and yup no headaches.

 

[JLXRD]

Exactly what I’m seeing on my husband’s neck!!! He said I don’t even look at him anymore I just look at the little lymph node.

Weird thing is, my husband never gets sick?

If it reassures you, I’ve had an enlarged lymph node in my neck for over 10 years - got it scanned when I was 21 and they said it seemed fine. Had a little panic about it again and went to the Drs in 2020 and he basically said ‘you’ve had it six years and it hasn’t changed, if it were something to worry about you’d know by now!’

Still there, apparently sometimes when you get sick they go up and just never go down again I don’t even remember getting sick the first time to make it go up.