View Full Version : undiagnosed symptoms - cancer years later
I've worried myself to death again about having cancer. Ive read a horrible story on the dailymail about women who had symptoms for 4 or 5 years which turned out to be cancer all along.
I was feeling reassured since my private MRI of my neck that I do not have cancer - but you read things like this and cant help but wonder.
I have been living life normally recently, stopped my valium, cut down on alcohol, doing things ive been putting off 'cos I thought i was going to be dead.
My physio on my neck starts middle of March and to be honest my neck symptoms have decreased so i have been less anxious. But i'm worried they've decreased only because ive taken my mind off it.
Something still isnt right with my neck and i still have discomfort under my arms - worried they are tumours or bone pain.
it sounds like im gonna have to wait 5 years until i am 100% sure i do not have cancer :(
nomorepanic
18-02-14, 10:41
Then after 5 years you will have to wait another 5 years to see if it is still cancer.
OR you could just live your life and forget about cancer and make the most of every day NOW
You need to move on from this Darren.
I never knew I was going to have a heart attack at 42 - life is uncertain and we can't wait for something to happen. We just have to get on with it regardless.
I've worried myself to death again about having cancer. Ive read a horrible story on the dailymail about women who had symptoms for 4 or 5 years which turned out to be cancer all along.
Why do you read that rubbish?
If that was today, Darren, then I stupidly read that article as well.
Here's the thing, though - it was about OVARIAN cancer. Now, unless your username is very misleading, surely even you can't worry about that!!
Best piece of advice I can give to anyone is to not read the daily mail. It's more than well known for it's trash. It's tabloids to sell. Don't believe everything you read.
Papers run stories and actresses and actors take part for the experience and the exposure it gives them and they can add it to their CV. A huge portion of it is BS
I hope you're ok and feeling somewhat better x
Darren,
It's less than a month since you had your MRI which was clear. Don't let that hard earned money go to waste.
Positive thoughts
Then after 5 years you will have to wait another 5 years to see if it is still cancer.
OR you could just live your life and forget about cancer and make the most of every day NOW
You need to move on from this Darren.
I never knew I was going to have a heart attack at 42 - life is uncertain and we can't wait for something to happen. We just have to get on with it regardless.
This is very true Darren, live for the now, plus I wouldn't always believe the stuff you read in the papers - a lot of it is garbage. We all have a choice in life, either to sit and worry about what could happen, or choose to live life in the now and enjoy every moment, because one day it will be up. I know what I'd rather do :)
i must stop reading these stories, they are obviously triggers
all i can do is live i guess!
You really must. I go to the Daily Mail for light entertainment - mainly to laugh at their ridiculous stories about "celebrities" (Lauren Goodger steps in puddle! Mark Wright wears shorts on beach!) but yeah, today on their website the THESE WOMEN WENT UNDIAGNOSED FOR YEARS was pretty much staring me in the face. It was quite triggering for me as well. That's enough Daily Mail for me, thanks. Suddenly convinced that my 'symptoms' (which are logically anxiety + coming off the contraceptive pill) are indicative of ovarian cancer, even though I don't have bloating or abdominal pain! Ridiculous.
Live for the moment, Darren. Enjoy the victories, both large and small. You have been feeling better. The MRI was clean and you are healthy. Success stories don't sell rags of newspapers, fear mongering stories do. For every story like what you read today, there are tens of thousand unprinted where everything was fine. Don't concentrate on the one.
Live for the moment, Darren. Enjoy the victories, both large and small. You have been feeling better. The MRI was clean and you are healthy. Success stories don't sell rags of newspapers, fear mongering stories do. For every story like what you read today, there are tens of thousand unprinted where everything was fine. Don't concentrate on the one.
i really like what you said about success stories don't sell.
i dont imagine the headline "Young man convinced he had cancer finds out it was nothing..."
Maybe you should sell them your story, Darren! You never know, could start a trend! :D
It's true though. The other thing to remember is that most of the DM's 'health' stories - assuming they're even true! - are 'news' precisely because they're unusual.
GlassPinata
18-02-14, 12:56
There are a few types of cancer that are very slow growing and have several precursor stages, but most forms of cancer will gobble you up and kill you within five years, if left untreated. Hell, within a year or two. If that's any consolation.
That's what the doctor told me when I thought I had a liposarcoma in my thigh. He asked how long the lump had been there, and I told him I first noticed it about three years ago. He said, if it was cancer, it would've eaten up your leg by now. So very reassuring, lol.
Darren,
When you were contemplating getting an MRI I remember a good few people suggesting that even in the presence of a clear MRI that you would find reason to question its validity etc. You have to stop that from being true.
Of course crap things happen, although very rarely and you really have to choose to live rather than taking the more passive option of choosing to worry.
Darren
The thing with the dm is that it is very very rare for these things to happen. Also most of those stories did not involve the people having tests. For example one lady says the ovarian cancer blood test came back night, others had scans which then showed the tumour. But when they were initially 'misdiagnosed' as the dm has put it, it was before they had any proper tests.
You have had blood tests, specialist examinations, cat scan and MRI. These tests, particularly the last two are what diagnoses cancer.
What helps me is to talk this to myself and say I've had those tests and they were clear.
Also the dm sensationalise, all papers do. As someone else said when do we hear about the thousands of people who go for tests as it was nothing or the obese who go to their gp and alarm bells ring for the gp and they send person to a specialist. This is much more common.
You have had the tests and is ok x
I can only repeat what others have said and that it is very rare for cancer to remain undiagnosed for years. Not so long ago, I was badgering my doctor for various tests for cancer, but as he said, you can spend all your life looking for cancer or you can get on with living. It's good to be vigilant about our health, but I'm slowly learning to strike a balance between looking for signs of ill health and making the most of the life I have. Hope you feel better soon.
Right, there's a circularity here. What generally makes tumors malignant is that they grow and spread uncontrollably. If it's not growing enough to get caught in years, it's not growing uncontrollably.
Live for the moment, Darren. Enjoy the victories, both large and small. You have been feeling better. The MRI was clean and you are healthy. Success stories don't sell rags of newspapers, fear mongering stories do. For every story like what you read today, there are tens of thousand unprinted where everything was fine. Don't concentrate on the one.
love this! was reading similar on another thread. people dont rush home to post/do an article on something they went to get checked which turn out to be fine. people/doctors/papers tend to write about bad things, unusual things, so there is such a disproportionate amount of material out there which is doom and gloom. its good that we are vigilant but dont let it ruin our lives!
Omg I'm freaking out after reading this, I've had stomach pains on and off for last 4 yrs, under ribs , right side of upper stomach & sometimes low pelvis pain.I've had an abdominal scan but not a pelvis scan, which showed gallstones, liver , kidneys were ok, had a few routine blood tests which came back ok. Do you think if their was anything sinister it would have shown up in blood tests? Wish I hadn't read it : (
That's a great example of how health anxiety can distort what you take in--you've been reading a thread about how slow-growing cancer is virtually non-existent and you've decided somehow that means you have it! Your stomach pains are not from cancer, maybrooke, I promise :).
unsure_about_this
18-02-14, 22:30
Hi Darren
I am trying not to read these articles, I am also male. As you know from my entries I have found it quite hard to trust GPs of my fear of bowel cancer with my abdominal pain etc. I have had scans done just to reassurance me nothing serious was wrong, even though I do have a health condition called NF.
I know I have to trust these results and scans that there are correct and nothing was miss. One day I could have some serious wrong with me and the GP may refused me to have scans done on the NHS.
Thanks Althea, I just have such a phobia about the big C , just wish these stomach pains would go away. Feeling sick now after reading it.
AuntieMoosie
18-02-14, 22:43
Darren, please live your life to the full sweetie :)
Anything could happen to any one of us at any time, but why waste precious life worrying about "what many or may not happen" If it happens, we'll face it, if not, it's a big plus!
But please go out there and LIVE :yesyes:
Anything could happen to any one of us at any time, but why waste precious life worrying about "what many or may not happen" If it happens, we'll face it, if not, it's a big plus!
It is also worth mentioning, that whilst the above is true, that statistically speaking, by far the most regular life trajectory is largely healthy into old age so long as you look after yourself.
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