chasingdogma
27-08-13, 19:08
I've been going through some intense health anxiety issues over the last month and a half. It's become obsessive on my part and it is really beginning to affect my life negatively.
In mid-July, I woke up one morning with a sore armpit. I checked quickly and found a small bump. I really didn't think anything of it. The next day, I noticed the other armpit hurt as well, and felt a bump under it.
Of course, I went to Dr. Google and lymphoma popped up... and I started obsessing and freaking out about it.
On the 29th, I went to see my Dr. Well, not my Dr, but her backup as she was on vacation. I told him about my underarms and that I had a history of General Anxiety Disorder. He palpated my armpits and reassured me that there was no problems. I was fine. He had seen lymphoma patients and I didn't even come close to displaying symptoms. He prescribed Xanax and Celexa for me to take long term. He also suggested I try meditation and counseling, which I did my first session about two weeks ago.
A few days later, I started noticing a ringing in my ears. I'd always had tinnitus to a minor degree, but this was more pronounced and actually everything seemed amplified. My head felt tight, especially around the temples. I went to see my Dr. on the 5th and she cleaned out my ear wax. This helped a little but the ringing didn't really go away. Over the next few weeks my head would get tight and my neck muscles would get super stiff. Occasionally, I would get tingling and kind of a weird sensation on the top of my skull... like a pulling sensation. This freaked me out but I wrote it off as muscular.
I went back to see my Dr. about my ears a few weeks later. She saw no infection or problems and suggested I go see an audiologist. She also upped my Celexa to 20mg.
Over the next few weeks, I had more tightening in my muscles. I also found myself sweating profusely sometimes when getting to work... and feeling extremely anxious in public settings and meetings. My shoulders were stiff and poppy. My knees and ankles seem to pop in the joints and I developed pain in my inner thigh muscles and a tightness in my left calf. I would develop random twitching in my legs and had a horrible time trying to fall asleep at night and stay asleep.
Then yesterday, I felt under my pits again and the lymph nodes seemed sore still. They aren't swollen any larger than peas, but still I'm freaked out about it. I called my Dr. and she sent me to do blood work just to calm my fears.
I spent the last weekend at Virginia Beach with my girlfriend and I feel that I'm making her miserable. I could not stop looking up my symptoms on my phone. Cracking joints, leg pains, random twitching.
I had a breakdown and told her I was convinced I had Lyme Disease or cancer or something and just wanted to get back home to see the Dr. She is as understanding as she can be, but is at the end of her rope. I am almost always a very laid back, easy going and happy person. This person I've become is the complete opposite of that!
So, I'm here at work. Waiting.... waiting to hear back from my Dr. Wondering why my lymph nodes are sore. Wondering why my inner thigh hurts. Wondering why I have joint problems. I just need some reassurance.:unsure:
In mid-July, I woke up one morning with a sore armpit. I checked quickly and found a small bump. I really didn't think anything of it. The next day, I noticed the other armpit hurt as well, and felt a bump under it.
Of course, I went to Dr. Google and lymphoma popped up... and I started obsessing and freaking out about it.
On the 29th, I went to see my Dr. Well, not my Dr, but her backup as she was on vacation. I told him about my underarms and that I had a history of General Anxiety Disorder. He palpated my armpits and reassured me that there was no problems. I was fine. He had seen lymphoma patients and I didn't even come close to displaying symptoms. He prescribed Xanax and Celexa for me to take long term. He also suggested I try meditation and counseling, which I did my first session about two weeks ago.
A few days later, I started noticing a ringing in my ears. I'd always had tinnitus to a minor degree, but this was more pronounced and actually everything seemed amplified. My head felt tight, especially around the temples. I went to see my Dr. on the 5th and she cleaned out my ear wax. This helped a little but the ringing didn't really go away. Over the next few weeks my head would get tight and my neck muscles would get super stiff. Occasionally, I would get tingling and kind of a weird sensation on the top of my skull... like a pulling sensation. This freaked me out but I wrote it off as muscular.
I went back to see my Dr. about my ears a few weeks later. She saw no infection or problems and suggested I go see an audiologist. She also upped my Celexa to 20mg.
Over the next few weeks, I had more tightening in my muscles. I also found myself sweating profusely sometimes when getting to work... and feeling extremely anxious in public settings and meetings. My shoulders were stiff and poppy. My knees and ankles seem to pop in the joints and I developed pain in my inner thigh muscles and a tightness in my left calf. I would develop random twitching in my legs and had a horrible time trying to fall asleep at night and stay asleep.
Then yesterday, I felt under my pits again and the lymph nodes seemed sore still. They aren't swollen any larger than peas, but still I'm freaked out about it. I called my Dr. and she sent me to do blood work just to calm my fears.
I spent the last weekend at Virginia Beach with my girlfriend and I feel that I'm making her miserable. I could not stop looking up my symptoms on my phone. Cracking joints, leg pains, random twitching.
I had a breakdown and told her I was convinced I had Lyme Disease or cancer or something and just wanted to get back home to see the Dr. She is as understanding as she can be, but is at the end of her rope. I am almost always a very laid back, easy going and happy person. This person I've become is the complete opposite of that!
So, I'm here at work. Waiting.... waiting to hear back from my Dr. Wondering why my lymph nodes are sore. Wondering why my inner thigh hurts. Wondering why I have joint problems. I just need some reassurance.:unsure: