Health anxiety #4

[Tommyb]

I rang the Drs this evening to see if my blood results were back and got the dreaded "they're back but there's no note on them so the Dr hasn't looked at them yet" response...I say dreaded because my Mum is a Drs receptionist and she said they always say "the Dr is looking over them" when they can see there's an issue but obviously can't say (as it needs to come from the Dr). Hopefully it IS just that she hasn't looked at them yet, but I was told they're always looked at on the day they come back, so now of course I'm convinced something has been picked up and she'll be ringing me tomorrow to tell me and the receptionist just couldn't say. Surely if they picked up something she would have rung me today and not left it another day? Looking for reassurance here, can feel myself spiralling in the dreaded results wait

I get this said to me all the time. Never anything wrong!.

 

[Suzesnooze]

Got blood work done, routine but also because I've had a pretty bad respiratory infection and my platelet levels are elevated. Idiot that I am, I googled and while it's most likely related to my infection, it could also be cancer. One study said 6% of women with elevated platelets were diagnosed with cancer within the year.

My primary doctor said I shouldn't be concerned and that I need to wait about a month to have the tests redone. If the platelets are still abnormal then, I'll be referred to a specialist but my GP said it's unlikely. I'm still spiraling though.

It depends what you typed into google?! Because it you type ‘platelets level elevated after infection’ it will tell you this is perfectly normal and no mention of cancer.

Google is NOT your friend!

 

[Suzesnooze]

Pretty sure I have bowel cancer at this point and it's too late

I have been having gastrointestinal problems since July. Really bad constipation, abdominal and back pain

My bowel movements frequency has definitely changed. I went to the doctors and I had a negative FIT test in July.

Then I started with rectal bleeding and last month I had a positive FIT test.

Doctor did a rectal exam and thinks I have an anal fissure but I'm also having bright red blood on the top of my stool when I go to the toilet.

My blood tests are fine for the most part. Doctor said there's nothing majorly wrong with it.

I have a colonoscopy within two weeks because I had a positive FIT test and I'm really scared they are going to find advanced bowel cancer.

Can't live my life right now because I'm scared I won't even see Christmas at this point.

It's no wonder you're worried but I think you're getting a bit carried away saying you won't see Christmas. There are many reasons for the positive FIT test and early bowel cancer is of course one of them but it's more than likely you have a polyp or even piles or like your Dr thinks, an anal fissure. My father in law had one of those and had bleeding and the colonoscopy which diagnosed the anal fissure. He's fine now.

Try not to google and try not to fear the worst. Easier said than done.

 

[no-no]

1000% yes. I have had chronic health anxiety since I was 11 years old. I'm 34 now and have had every test under the sun. The tests (thank God) have always come back clear but anxiety is a cruel beast and the somatic symptoms every constantly and relentlessly changing. At the moment I have been dealing with tingling in my feet and legs for the past 10 weeks that has me driven completely spare. Even though the tingling started the same day my Mam was admitted to a hospice it does nothing to relieve the worry. I genuinely wouldn't wish health anxiety on my worst enemy. You are fighting your mind and your body every single day.

I often think of Health Anxiety a bit like drug addiction but if you quit heroin you are not going to carry a stash of it around with you all the time. Every health anxiety sufferer knows googling isn't good but this little device that is never far from our hands generally makes the temptation to seek reassurance all to great.

Would strongly recommend Cherelle Thinks on YouTube. She is recovered from health anxiety and offers good tips on her YouTube and insta. Sending love to all out there that suffer from this absolute bastard of a mental illness.

Thank you and I’m sorry to hear your mum is in a hospice, how are you coping (on top of the tingling)? Do you have some support? That’s a very difficult thing to be dealing with.

You describe HA so well. It’s rollercoaster after rollercoaster. Logically, you’d think you should be happy when it turns out to be nothing but it chips away at your sense of reality.

I also find a lot of worry is caused by public health information geared towards the most ‘ignorant’, so it ends up scaremongering those who are likely to heed warnings, if that makes sense.

I had EMDR once and kept going back to a memory when I eat a plant as a kid and the mums in the neighbourhood said I would die to teach me a lesson to stop being naughty, I ran around the street frantic and no one helped me. I never cared before then.

I will check out Cherelle on YouTube

 

[Tommyb]

I ate a much bigger/unhealthier breakfast than normal this morning, then just had a rocky road cake for lunch when I don’t normally eat a lot of sugar, let alone have cake for lunch, and now my head feels really swimmy could it be related or am I having a stroke or something?

I get like this. Sometimes if I have sugar overload I almost feel... Out of body.. like I literally have to drink a load of water and lay down until I feel myself again. Drink lots of water and breathe!

 

[JodieGreen123]

Hey guys, this isn't health anxiety but just a general panic, sorry. I just dialled 112 by accident instead of 121 for my voicemail on my work phone and I quickly hung up when I realised the mistake. They answered just as I was pressing to hang up. Will anything happen?

No

 

[Tommyb]

If it's stealing your peace of mind too often, I'd say just book an appointment with your doctor. Better to be reassured by an expert

I'm sure it's nothing, I have big boobs that fluctuate with weight changes and so I have stretch marks and have also seen some dimpling, gotten it checked and it's been nothing. Sending good thoughts !

Thank you. My mum used to be a nurse so I feel pretty safe showing her. I'm going to when I see her this week.

It's so annoying because I know deep down it's just my anxiety but it unbelievable what your health anxiety brain lets your eyes see!

 

[ChampagneBox]

Nothing. I'm just scared now that I have cancer and they are waiting 6-8 weeks.

View attachment 2597447

Honestly nothing in that sounds bad to me! The results may not take the whole 6-8 weeks, but you’ve got us to support you all the way!

 

[moonwaterpisces]

That definitely sounds like a good idea, it's really hard for people to understand unless they have been through the same. It really helps to know you're not alone, even if it's just a bit.

It does! Check in when you're having a shit day, I'll always respond

 

[comment on life]

could you have had air con/heating blowing on that one side?

There were open windows on the unaffected side now that you mention it. I don't want to go full conspiracy theorist but since getting covid 18 months ago I have been getting a tonne of random symptoms all associated with temperature change - heat rash, hives, swelling and now this redness and burning. I never had any issue with hotter weather (lived in 45° for a while). If it gets higher than 10° now my body seems to react ‍ So so frustrating

 

[Suzesnooze]

I’ve just had a terrible nose bleed, they always freak me out & make me think somethings wrong with my brain… ‍

I was having a hot shower and turned the heat up a little extra to use a cleanser on my face, could it just be the sudden burst of very hot water?

Currently just trying to convince myself it’s OK as I’ve had nosebleeds before and I’m always fine.

I would say the temp of the shower probably caused it as it’s the blood vessels in your nose that bleed.

Nosebleeds are very common so I wouldn’t worry. My daughter has frequent nose bleeds.

 

[Suzesnooze]

Wondering if anyone can help, I have health anxiety (well and anxiety in general) but more recently have started feeling depressed too so I went to the doctors (something I should’ve done ages ago) and I’ve been given medication - Escitalopram, but I’m too scared to take it I’m worrying about the side effects from it . This is coming from someone who’s scared to even take pain relief in case it makes me feel funny 🥲 Like I literally had the tablet out earlier ready to take and then I just couldn’t do it anyone else have this problem 🫤

Yep! I can’t stop myself from reading all the side effects as then I panic too much that I will get them

 

[amysiobhan84]

I know you’re worried but please try not to be! I have had a thought though…she possibly put it as non mobile to kind of keep you near the top of the referral list because she knows you’re worried, it might just be what they have to say to get the referral. But like another poster says, if you really are worried, please ring the surgery and ask for clarification!

when i went, the paramedic said she could feel a ‘scraggy’ bit… I was like WTF?? you can search these threads if you like for my posts on my boob lumps!

honestly I know it’s scary and confusing for medical professionals to put stuff in their notes, but they simply don’t realise that us non medical folk do pay attention to what they put on our notes! So something that looks scary to us they’re not even worried about!

when I was in hospital after my thyroid op, I read my discharge notes and it said ‘congested right anterior jugular vein’ or something and I FREAKED OUT.

that was last September…I have tried to ask what it means, but no one seems that bothered and Im still here but they’re obviously not worried because it’s a common finding!

I hope this helps you a little bit x

thanks so much. up to now i assumed "non mobile" would have meant sinister. My friend did say something similar maybe to cover their own back they'd put it. I've just turned 39 so they would have referred me anyway I think.
I think the referral letter was sent today going off my notes. had my 4 year olds nativity this morning and can't stop crying all day!

 

[poppyseed1]

Anyone here

 

[OldBookish]

Thank you for giving me some reassurance! sorry you’ve had to go through it all as well

Big 🫂 I hate seeing people being so worried and yet I’m an awful worrier myself and want to just smack myself around the ear. I do understand, though, after so long, that anxiety can be crippling. I mean, I know some people who are laid back even when they do actually have serious things wrong with them whereas I am pacing, wringing my hands, talking to myself, crying in an corner, etc. I wish I was a laid-back person but I never have been. After seeing and talking to doctors for so long I do take some comfort in the fact that anxiety throws up almost every symptom in the book. Pains here, lumps there, ( I’ve been to a doctor about supposed lumps and be examined to have them find nothing whatsoever), X-rays and ultrasounds that came back clear, stomach problems, headaches, rashes, nerve pains and more that prove to be nothing. And then, when tests, or the doctor or results are fine, I’m suddenly all bouncy and feel wonderful and that’s when I know that my mind was doing it all.

 

[QueenBW]

I was feeling around the other day (I know I know but the SAD has got to me ) and I can feel a lump in my groin right in the v shape near my vag, where the ligaments are. I can feel a similar lump on the other side but this one is a bit bigger can anyone else feel lumps there?

Well, we have lymph nodes in our groins. They can get bigger if we're fighting an infection, among other reasons, so it could be something like that.

 

[simbi123]

I had an enlarged lymph node when I had covid and it never went away. I know a few people who had this as well!

 

[Luckycorr13]

Not rude at all, I would rather menopause than any of the things I am imagining. I hope your dad is doing ok

Thank you, my Dad has been clear of cancer now for two years so very grateful!
It's good you have the referral to gynaecology, it's the waiting that is the hardest part. I'm sure everything will be ok

 

[Tommyb]

had an increasing fear over the past months about dying in my sleep woke up with a headache today and I feel it’s a migraine, it’s not got worse, went away with painkillers, and now the pains come back a bit on one side of my forehead which is usually what happens with my headaches, but I can’t help thinking this headache is different my bf is working till midnight tonight, what if I go to sleep and die? been feeling on off lightheaded lately but put it down to the higher level of thyroid hormone im on now, I’ve not felt right since I went up in my dose. Might ask the consultant next time if I can go back down to the dose I felt better at.

If you are stressed you will hold tension in your face which will prolong and even cause a headache. Do you clench your jaw? Make sure you are drinking water so you are not dehydrated and try a cool flannel. Try to relax your face to decrease tension. Sleep helps heal your body. You know deep down there is no reason to die in your sleep!

 

[Suzesnooze]

Been worrying about breast dimpling tonight. Have terrible lighting in bathroom and caught myself in the mirror (I'm very pale and after a shower have red/purple breasts sometimes). I can see a patch between two stretch marks iv convinced myself is dimpling. Thing is I KNOW the skin is flat and it's doesn't look like it's being pulled in at all. Skin is smooth but because it's purple (veins and I think iv bruised it a bit by prodding) I can convince myself it's dimpling because of lighting shadows . I'm even using my torch on my phone when I can see it looks normal in natural light. Surely dimpling is a bit obvious! So annoyed with myself for ruining my Saturday!

I’ve thought for years I have dimpling but I’ve had 4 mammograms (over 8 years) and so obviously I’m imagining it! I do have quite saggy boobs though so I think that’s what the dimpling is.