knot in stomach- please help

[lizamoran]

I don't know whether this is a serious thing. I'm afraid that it might be- it could be a mass, and that's never good.

In my lower left abdomen, I've occassionally, over the course of several weeks, felt a sort of knot. It tightens when I do various things, like maybe walking or... I don't know. Mostly it's just there. It comes and goes. I don't feel it most of the time. When it occurs, it doesn't hurt, it's just a tightness, or pressure.

I've just arrived at college so I can't see my regular doctor. I'd go to Health Services and ask, but I think they bill your parents and my parents would be annoyed if they knew I was worried about my body again. Also, they warned me not to make a habit of making appointments lest I lose credibility (I've really never gone to the doctor much, but they know I worry too much about my health and now any somatic complaint makes them roll their eyes).

Any thoughts? Don't hesitate to answer if you DO think it's something serious; hypochondriacs get sick too, and I'd hate to stay away from medical care just because I'm (somewhat ironically) hesitant to believe that something's really wrong.

[lizamoran]

BUMP and new information-

Because of the hurricane (I'm in the US, east coast), and my own oversleeping afterwards, I haven't eaten anything today. It's 3:13pm and I'm not really hungry. That worries me. My appetite hasn't been great for a few days. Is the stress of coming to college (university, rather) enough to account for the lack of appetite? I noticed it throughout the summer too, though I'd felt my appetite had come back recently.

I don't feel the knot today. I don't know what makes it come or go.

Please don't be afraid to answer if you think I really should see someone- I'd only thought that if someone had an easy explanation for the knot I could move on, and if someone thought a more serious explanation likely I'd feel okay about seeing Health Services.

[lizamoran]

I know this is the second time I've bumped my own post, but I AM FREAKING OUT NOW. I just... this is unpleasant, I'm sorry, but I just went to the restroom and there were white bits in what is supposed to be purely brown, so far as I know, and I googled it (of course) and none of the responses were good. No one said 'don't worry, happens to everyone', but rather that it was irregular and a doctor should be seen.

Does ANYONE have experience with any of the symptoms I've enumerated here, or have a hunch as to what I should do? I'm still hesitant to go to Health Services; now I'm nervous about starting off what will probably be a serious four-year-long relationship with the HS people by asking about pooh. Like, seriously. I hate this. But what if I'm very ill? I should probably go...

ANY IDEAS FROM ANYONE?!?!?!

This wasn't even the first time I've had this symptom, but I'm terrified. I don't want to be sick I don't want to be sick I don't want to be sick, and I can't ask my parents what they think because they blow off my health concerns now and it'd be too embarrassing to ask a friend and I don't want to be sick...