Graton
06-01-14, 03:32
New guy here with a question similar to many I've seen, but looking for the groups thoughts. It's another colon cancer scare/worry.
I'm 53 year old male with history of health anxiety, but not what I would call chronic. Suffered panic attacks while in graduate school and still suffer general anxiety with some depression and S.A.D. I'm generally very healthy; vegetarian since age 14, exercise 5 days a week, good diet, no smoking, moderate alcohol intake, and weight is normal. I probably go to the doctor once every 18 months. My HA kicks in anytime something goes wrong - last time left hand had numbness for days, checked Dr. google, convinced myself it was MS and started feeling numbness in all the extremities, anxiety kicked in, etc. Fast forward 3 weeks, went to the doctor and told I had an inflamed ulnar nerve in my elbow.
That was two years ago, all was good until October when I started a new project that had flying across the US (Boston to SF) every week for 6 weeks. Very stressful project, no time to exercise, eating and drinking too much. You probably know where this all leads - found myself going to the bathroom 4 - 5 times a day, diarrhea, loose stools, and cramps. No blood, no weight loss, no fatigue, but 10 weeks later, project is over and I'm still not better. Same bathroom habits, cramps, diarrhea. I've had similar symptoms in the past, under similar situations, but nothing that has lasted this long - usually only a week or two.
I've convinced myself that I have colon cancer, even though mother and sister have IBS, not much cancer in family besides an uncle who died of bladder cancer when he was almost 80 - heavy smoker and drinker, but genes still matter. I'm so anxious all the time, can't sleep, and can't stopped thinking about having cancer. I think it's my age that worries me the most since that is around the time colon cancer appears.
Finally got a doctors appointment this week, but worried what they will find.
Any thoughts or advice?
Thanks.
I'm 53 year old male with history of health anxiety, but not what I would call chronic. Suffered panic attacks while in graduate school and still suffer general anxiety with some depression and S.A.D. I'm generally very healthy; vegetarian since age 14, exercise 5 days a week, good diet, no smoking, moderate alcohol intake, and weight is normal. I probably go to the doctor once every 18 months. My HA kicks in anytime something goes wrong - last time left hand had numbness for days, checked Dr. google, convinced myself it was MS and started feeling numbness in all the extremities, anxiety kicked in, etc. Fast forward 3 weeks, went to the doctor and told I had an inflamed ulnar nerve in my elbow.
That was two years ago, all was good until October when I started a new project that had flying across the US (Boston to SF) every week for 6 weeks. Very stressful project, no time to exercise, eating and drinking too much. You probably know where this all leads - found myself going to the bathroom 4 - 5 times a day, diarrhea, loose stools, and cramps. No blood, no weight loss, no fatigue, but 10 weeks later, project is over and I'm still not better. Same bathroom habits, cramps, diarrhea. I've had similar symptoms in the past, under similar situations, but nothing that has lasted this long - usually only a week or two.
I've convinced myself that I have colon cancer, even though mother and sister have IBS, not much cancer in family besides an uncle who died of bladder cancer when he was almost 80 - heavy smoker and drinker, but genes still matter. I'm so anxious all the time, can't sleep, and can't stopped thinking about having cancer. I think it's my age that worries me the most since that is around the time colon cancer appears.
Finally got a doctors appointment this week, but worried what they will find.
Any thoughts or advice?
Thanks.