Tomorrow is a new day

[cpe1978]

Over the past few weeks I have suffered badly with HA. I have progressed through renal cancer, brain tumour, leukemia, MS, MND, kidney failure, liver failure - need I go on.

I have finally bitten the bullet and booked a Drs appointment. Not only that I have booked a double one to avoid getting rushed and to give time to run through everything properly. I just wanted to ask people here whether you think this is an appropriate approach.

I have written down all the physical symptoms I have been experiencing, some at the same time and others on an ongoing basis. These include:

- Aching lower back and abdomen;
- Headaches and light headedness;
- Trouble focusing vision;
- Pain in the side;
- Epididymal cyst down below that is aching;

There are probably others. I want her essentially to affirm my hope that these are innocuous and unrelated symptoms.

I am also going to explain my HA to her and I think I may finally admit defeat again and take some meds. I have been fighting it for weeks as I dont enjoy the side effects, but I guess the time has come to force my brain back onto an even kiel - bye bye libido for a few months ;)

I am going to ask her if I can pop back every month or two to review meds and to discuss any physical symptoms rather than running there every two mins.

I am really reluctant to go chasing test after test and am determined to try and trust my GP. It is such as shame I had a fab GP who retired last year, he was so understanding, took time listened and never judged.

Alongside this I have been doing CBT at my own cost with a therapist who is just fab.

Finally I am going to book myself in for a massage and try and relax my aching muscles - just need to find a way to relax my brain now!

[MRS STRESS ED]

all sounds positive to me go your doctors get some advice,its good you written it all down I always forget what I need to tell him :doh:I had cbt to that helps a lot, and as for the massage well I want one :D keep doing what your doing its all positive

[katesa]

Well done you! None of your symptoms sound like they are serious at all or related to each other. A lot of people seem to have one sided aches and pains at the moment, my doctor says there is something going round. I agree with you on trying to trust your doctor - I have asked mine to not refer me for any tests unless they are genuinely needed, and not to reassure me as the reassurance lasts maybe a couple of days before I move on to some new thing! Your will be fine hon. Good luck x

[Fishmanpa]

Way to go CPE!

This is a post everyone should read! Sounds like a plan to me. Massage is an awesome tool as well. During my cancer treatments and currently, I go once a week for therapeutic massage. It does wonders!

Good luck, positive thoughts and prayers

[xvolatileheart]

Sounds like you're taking a very logical and practical approach to beating this! Excellent ideas. I hope it all goes well. I wish I had a good GP so I could set out a plan like this.

[cpe1978]

Well done you! None of your symptoms sound like they are serious at all or related to each other. A lot of people seem to have one sided aches and pains at the moment, my doctor says there is something going round. I agree with you on trying to trust your doctor - I have asked mine to not refer me for any tests unless they are genuinely needed, and not to reassure me as the reassurance lasts maybe a couple of days before I move on to some new thing! Your will be fine hon. Good luck x

Thanks Kate, I am planning on having a very similar conversation as I know that there is a danger to chase diagnostic tests which I can't imagine is a healthy approach. I have already spent money on an abdominal ultrasound when I found out my father had renal cancer at my age. At the time I thought sensible screening - now I know it was just creating space for the next issue.

---------- Post added at 20:22 ---------- Previous post was at 20:14 ----------


Sounds like you're taking a very logical and practical approach to beating this! Excellent ideas. I hope it all goes well. I wish I had a good GP so I could set out a plan like this.

Thanks - I think this GP is good, although I am gutted my old one retired, he was just fab, one of the most patient centred, compassionate primary care people I have come across. My challenge is that when I am at the GP I tend to almost dismiss myself through embarrassment - I know it doesn't matter but I am 6ft 4 and built like a rugby player.

Having a plan is my way of coping with things and i think may lie at the heart of why I have HA, I am always in control. At work I lead and plan, and I struggle with uncertainty, there is little less certain than health. It is also something that is so difficult about anxiety, it is very difficult to plan a way out, especially when you are teeny anxious.

However I believe deep down that our fears are irrational, and the usual course of life for someone who doesn't smoke, eats well and exercises regularly is a relatively smooth path into old age. Of course rubbish things happen - my dad is an example, told at 36 that he had six weeks to live (he is 64 now so dragged death out a bit ;) but even my Dad was a heavy smoker, worked in the Plymouth dockyard which is the asbestos capital of the country and lived a generally sedentary lifestyle.

As for right now, my wife is away, I have just finished reading my daughter the longest story in the world, have poured a decent glass of red and am trying to chill in front of the football.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone, it is very much reciprocated.

Chris

---------- Post added at 20:23 ---------- Previous post was at 20:22 ----------


Way to go CPE!

This is a post everyone should read! Sounds like a plan to me. Massage is an awesome tool as well. During my cancer treatments and currently, I go once a week for therapeutic massage. It does wonders!

Good luck, positive thoughts and prayers

Thanks Fishmanpa it was actually some of your posts that convinced my I had to take positive steps.

As always wishing you all the best with your continued recovery.

[Breezy]

Finally I am going to book myself in for a massage and try and relax my aching muscles - just need to find a way to relax my brain now!

I think that will follow! Sounds like you have a great plan of action and that in itself can be therapeutic. Hope all goes well with the Dr's.

All the best!

[xvolatileheart]

I also dismiss myself at the GP because I know I sound ridiculous, and I am also a control freak to the max. Our personality type is a blessing and a curse!

[cpe1978]

Well i thought i would post a quick update.

I went to the GP this morning who spent ages with me. I explained all the thoughts I was having, the physical symptoms i was experiencing and an expressed desire not to chase tests and scans as I thought that this would only perpetuate the problem.

I also told her that my biggest fear was dismissing something due to anxiety and then missing something serious.

To say she was fab is an understatement. She listened. The only time she was dismissive was when I was aplogising for being stupid.

So her plan. I asked whether or not she thought i should take medication for anxiety which i feared was morphing into depression. Her view was not, as I am functioning reasonably well, to push on through, perservere with CBT and see how we go, but to keep a check on the situation. She said she would have a think about whether or not a drug may be useful.

She listened to all my physical questions and said that they all sounded unrelated and easily linked back to anxiety. (In the end I thought telling her i was concerned that one testicle was smaller than the other might be pushing it ;). So she said let's just do a general health check.

She took my BP which was 145 over 80 which I am led to believe is ok, listened to my heart and lungs and then scheduled a blood test for next week as a baseline. Nothing she is concerned about but said there was no harm in just seeing where we were at. I am not keen on the blood test (which is a week away) and then waiting another week for a follow up appointment, but at the end of the day I think thatis probably the best thing to do.

Anyway - I would thoroughly recommend this GP to anyone!