lily413
12-02-13, 18:16
Hi,
I have been having a terrible episode of health anxiety for the past 8 weeks. Not 10 minutes go by without being stricken with fear. I've had episodes of health anxiety for 7 or so years but this has been the worst yet! It all started when I broke up from school (I'm an infant teacher) for Christmas after a really long, stressful term. I suddenly realised that I had been having a bruised sensation in my coccyx when needing a poo (sorry TMI!) for around 6 months and could it be something serious?! That basically caused a downwards spiral of obsessive internet searching and checking to see if it still felt bruised. It actually became more sore before my very eyes. Then started the weird rectal sensations and lower back (sacrum) pain all on the right hand side and pain and numbness in my right buttock, and tingling in my right ankle. It felt worse when sitting on a soft surface or lying flat on my back. After a week or so I saw an osteopath who thought it might be an bulging disc. Strangely after that the back and coccyx pain went but I started having discomfort and strange sensations on my left side rectum (it switched sides!) I kept having the urge to poo (but not actually needing to) and felt pressure on left side or rectum. Thought maybe hemmorhoids.. Doctor said stress can cause these symptoms.. This went after 2 or 3 weeks. Now I have pain on both sides of sacrum and coccyx, although especially on left side. Have seen another osteopath who said all down left side of coccyx is really tight and a bit inflamed and coccyx is extremely rigid. In my head I am thinking oh my God I have a tumour in my coccyx/sacrum/bowels causing this pain, tightness, weird sensations, etc. etc. Doctor said he could feel a small hard painless lump in rectum in the area of the tightness, but thought was bone. Second (and third..!) doctor said the same. I'm completely at my wits end and it's ruining my life. I've become really depressed and not wanting to go out and do things and constantly thinking I have cancer. I can't even begin to work out how many (hundreds of) hours I have spent researching online in the last 8 months. Noticed my stools were mixed really dark (not black, but pretty dark brown) and light brown together.. I'm not really sure what's normal as I was on iron tablets until about 3 weeks ago. Also came off the pill around 4 weeks ago and still haven't had my period. Definitely not pregnant as I have done 3 tests! Lost around 4 or 5 pounds which I'm hoping is down to the anxiety and I suppose reduced appetite..?
Anyway, sorry for the rant.. Just desperate!!
Any advice, thoughts, ideas support would be so so welcome.
Thanks so much!
ps. I am 24 female, healthy weight, no history of illness, good vegetarian diet, not enough exercise..
I have been having a terrible episode of health anxiety for the past 8 weeks. Not 10 minutes go by without being stricken with fear. I've had episodes of health anxiety for 7 or so years but this has been the worst yet! It all started when I broke up from school (I'm an infant teacher) for Christmas after a really long, stressful term. I suddenly realised that I had been having a bruised sensation in my coccyx when needing a poo (sorry TMI!) for around 6 months and could it be something serious?! That basically caused a downwards spiral of obsessive internet searching and checking to see if it still felt bruised. It actually became more sore before my very eyes. Then started the weird rectal sensations and lower back (sacrum) pain all on the right hand side and pain and numbness in my right buttock, and tingling in my right ankle. It felt worse when sitting on a soft surface or lying flat on my back. After a week or so I saw an osteopath who thought it might be an bulging disc. Strangely after that the back and coccyx pain went but I started having discomfort and strange sensations on my left side rectum (it switched sides!) I kept having the urge to poo (but not actually needing to) and felt pressure on left side or rectum. Thought maybe hemmorhoids.. Doctor said stress can cause these symptoms.. This went after 2 or 3 weeks. Now I have pain on both sides of sacrum and coccyx, although especially on left side. Have seen another osteopath who said all down left side of coccyx is really tight and a bit inflamed and coccyx is extremely rigid. In my head I am thinking oh my God I have a tumour in my coccyx/sacrum/bowels causing this pain, tightness, weird sensations, etc. etc. Doctor said he could feel a small hard painless lump in rectum in the area of the tightness, but thought was bone. Second (and third..!) doctor said the same. I'm completely at my wits end and it's ruining my life. I've become really depressed and not wanting to go out and do things and constantly thinking I have cancer. I can't even begin to work out how many (hundreds of) hours I have spent researching online in the last 8 months. Noticed my stools were mixed really dark (not black, but pretty dark brown) and light brown together.. I'm not really sure what's normal as I was on iron tablets until about 3 weeks ago. Also came off the pill around 4 weeks ago and still haven't had my period. Definitely not pregnant as I have done 3 tests! Lost around 4 or 5 pounds which I'm hoping is down to the anxiety and I suppose reduced appetite..?
Anyway, sorry for the rant.. Just desperate!!
Any advice, thoughts, ideas support would be so so welcome.
Thanks so much!
ps. I am 24 female, healthy weight, no history of illness, good vegetarian diet, not enough exercise..