StarChick
08-11-11, 14:58
Oh where to start. I've always been an anxious person but never this anxious!! I usually only feel anxious for a couple of hours / days at least, this has been weeks and i am driving myself crazy! It all started about 6 weeks ago when I found a lump in my head. Naturally, I panicked and got scared. I went to the doctor the same day and she wasn't concerned. She said to keep an eye on it and if it got bigger to go back. well luckily, it disappeared after about a week and a half. However, ever since then I think I have just got a bit obsessed about every little ache or twinge I feel in my neck and head area. At first, I thought I felt a sort of pins and needles type feeling in part of my head though I could feel it if I touched it (so it wasn't numb), then I felt as if I had a small lump underneath my scalp round about the same area as the pins and needles feeling though there was nothing there when i felt it. It just felt like there was something in my head. I got tired of worrying so went back to my doctor to explain how I was feeling. She checked my neck, eyes, ears, mouth and found nothing wrong. She said she had no cause for concern but could sense my anxiety and gave me some info about getting some help / counselling with it if I wish. She reassured me and did say that she didn't want me to be worried about going back to her if the symptoms persisted, she would be happy to listen. So I felt much better after talking to her.
That was about 3 weeks ago and I've still been having problems with my neck and head and it's always the same side and area. But the thing is, the pain isn't really painful if that makes sense? It isn't terribly sore, just off putting. The "pain" is actually quite minor and would probably go unnoticed if I hadn't have been so obsessed as I have been the last couple of weeks. The feeling I am currently experiencing is a slight heaviness feeling on one side of my head and very slight shooting / sharp pains in my neck - on the same side as my head feeling. I don't know if it's me who is causing these feelings because I am so anxious / obsessed / stressed out with every little feeling due to my lump scare. In fact, I'd say I most likely am but it is so hard not to think about it. I think about it all day even though I try not to and it's really getting me down. I go to sleep hoping I will wake up the next day and not feel scared by any slight twinges I may feel but then wake up dreading that I do feel something. I just want to get on with my life and enjoy myself without worrying about every slight ache and pain. I've never taken so many painkillers than I have in these last couple of weeks (meaning that I have been taking them pretty daily usually once or sometimes twice a day when before it would be very rare that I'd take them) and I feel guilty for taking them because I don't really think my "pain" merits them because it isn't really that sore and I have gone longer without painkillers before when i have had actual painful headaches and have managed fine.
Do you think it's all just in mind? My doctor did say I'd be amazed by how much the mind can make you feel something physically. I suffer slightly with IBS also and my mum has always said that it's all in the mind. Not that I am imagining the feeling / pain because obviously she believes that I do feel the pain but that the more I think about it, the more I will feel it / bring it on. Which has proven to be true especially with the IBS because if I know there's not a toilet nearby, I will panic and immediately feel I need to go but the minute I know there is a toilet nearby I will feel fine.
I'd appreciate any advice / similar experiences. It would help me to feel not so crazy!!
---------- Post added at 14:58 ---------- Previous post was at 14:46 ----------
Another thing to add is that whenever I feel these slight twinges / aches in my head and neck, I feel terrified to touch it in case I feel another lump =(
That was about 3 weeks ago and I've still been having problems with my neck and head and it's always the same side and area. But the thing is, the pain isn't really painful if that makes sense? It isn't terribly sore, just off putting. The "pain" is actually quite minor and would probably go unnoticed if I hadn't have been so obsessed as I have been the last couple of weeks. The feeling I am currently experiencing is a slight heaviness feeling on one side of my head and very slight shooting / sharp pains in my neck - on the same side as my head feeling. I don't know if it's me who is causing these feelings because I am so anxious / obsessed / stressed out with every little feeling due to my lump scare. In fact, I'd say I most likely am but it is so hard not to think about it. I think about it all day even though I try not to and it's really getting me down. I go to sleep hoping I will wake up the next day and not feel scared by any slight twinges I may feel but then wake up dreading that I do feel something. I just want to get on with my life and enjoy myself without worrying about every slight ache and pain. I've never taken so many painkillers than I have in these last couple of weeks (meaning that I have been taking them pretty daily usually once or sometimes twice a day when before it would be very rare that I'd take them) and I feel guilty for taking them because I don't really think my "pain" merits them because it isn't really that sore and I have gone longer without painkillers before when i have had actual painful headaches and have managed fine.
Do you think it's all just in mind? My doctor did say I'd be amazed by how much the mind can make you feel something physically. I suffer slightly with IBS also and my mum has always said that it's all in the mind. Not that I am imagining the feeling / pain because obviously she believes that I do feel the pain but that the more I think about it, the more I will feel it / bring it on. Which has proven to be true especially with the IBS because if I know there's not a toilet nearby, I will panic and immediately feel I need to go but the minute I know there is a toilet nearby I will feel fine.
I'd appreciate any advice / similar experiences. It would help me to feel not so crazy!!
---------- Post added at 14:58 ---------- Previous post was at 14:46 ----------
Another thing to add is that whenever I feel these slight twinges / aches in my head and neck, I feel terrified to touch it in case I feel another lump =(