Newbie Here

[Vitali]

Hello,

I finally decided to make an account here. I have been on this website many times for help with my health anxiety issues! Glad to finally post. Here is my anxiety...

I have been struggling with general fear of C. I found a swollen lymph node on the top right part of my neck about 1.5 years ago. I went to the doctor who then ordered my labs and ultra sound. The results of the labs were all normal except a moderate D deficiency in which I have been now taking a supplement for. The ultrasound did confirm a swollen lymph node, and a small cyst on my thyroid. Very small - in the millimeters. He wanted me to get it checked out again in about 6 months, in which I did and it had grown very little. My lymph node was (and is) still swollen but the cyst on the thyroid is still in millimeters. He had me go to an ENT to check for certain and the ENT said it's growing so slow and it's so small he didn't want to biopsy it. He wants me to go back in a year with another ultrasound. Sounds pleasant right? Not for me!

I have had other symptoms that worry me, off on and on for the past 1.5 years or so. Those are pretty regular night sweats (not drenching at all, but just light sweats), weight gain (45 pounds), off and on cough, change in stool schedule, overall sickly feeling, sweat off and on randomly, swollen throat feeling (like something is stuck there, effects my breathing), and I feel weak here and there. I haven't lost my appetite at all.

I am 22 years old and got married last year. I also think I found a swollen lymph node in my groin earlier today. Then again I read that you can feel them? I have had a discomfort under my arms and groin area for a while. The doctor had me get a chest xray and it showed absolutely nothing. I have a couple little red bumps under my skin on my hands (Petechiae?), and a brown streak through my thumb that has been there forever. I have been slightly dizzy off and on and the occasional headache.

I have diagnosed myself with just about every form of cancer... most recently lukemia. I really can't focus on work, family, anything right now. I do have anxiety problems but don't take medication. Both sides of my family both had thyroid issues. My mom has half of hers and my dad's side has had issues as well. However all my labs showed no issues... I just really cannot seem to focus on anything else but me being deathly ill. Any encouragement would help.

Thanks.

[KLP]

Hi I wanted to be the first to say welcome. You're not on your own, and hopefully folk can help ease your fears. 'Fear is the aggressor'!

[Rosiebee87]

Hiya Vitali, welcome! I visit this forum serveral times a day. It's really helped me talking to others who understand.

Ok so firstly I'm not suprised you have health anxiety being sent for those kinds of tests. That sounds awful for you. Probably made you majorly reevaluate your overall look on your health and so you become aware of every bodily sensation. It's normal. Happened to me too - and happens everyday day. I just manage it better now.

What you need to do is go and see your doctor and discuss medication and/or therapy. For the time being also keep in mind your doctor isn't worried about your 'symptoms' nothing sinister has been found so you can tick that one off!

I had the lukemia fear about 5 weeks ago. It's an awful fear to have. I have red dots scattered all over my body (which I've probably had for years!) but I had my bloods done and nope I'm fine.

Also I have really swollen glands in my neck and I always have. I used to have really bad tonsillitis as a child and I don't think they ever went back down to be honest!

And lastly the night sweats yup I get those. You need to look over your symptoms you just wrote down and ask yourself how many of those look anxiety related? Eeerm most of them!

Hugs xx

[bobc]

Hi

I can relate to the anxiety and hope you can find some peace of mind. I am on meds for anxiety as I find it hard to function when I get to focused on my health. We have to trust our doctors as they do have our best interests at heart. Cold comfort I know but I think that it is true. all the best

[wnsos]

Hiya vitali, welcome! :hugs:

I know the exact article you mean and it's been playing on my mind as well, I'm worried about what she had and was before I saw it and well, you know how our minds work!

It's awful but you're also doing the right thing by identifying the anxiety. You'll see a lot of posts on here with constant reassurance seeking and it can both make you feel better about handling your anxiety but it also tends to worry me a bit because I think "if people with HA are worried about so many things and I'm only worried about one main thing, it could be true." So I tend to try not to read too many posts but try to help when I feel I can. There's a thread called Getting there slowly and I've found the girls there to be so helpful. Feel free to hop in with us any time! Their support has really helped me. x

Editing to say ignore the article bit, read that in a different post and was getting muxed ip. :doh:

[Vitali]

Thanks so much for the replies. It is really unbelievable how much this helps. I literally feel like bricks are removed from my chest line-by-line as I read! Especially when people mention having the same exact problems.

I saw the ENT today. He did a full robotic camera scope of my throat which went in through my nose. Freaked me out of course. But he said there is absolutely nothing there, and then talked about how anxiety amplifies these types of issues.

It seems like the common denominator here is like it has already been said here - simply anxiety. Childhood was a struggle for me with my parents [extremely ugly] divorce. Looks like it's time to approach this issue rather than every other thing I think I find wrong with myself.

Thanks so much.

---------- Post added at 11:43 ---------- Previous post was at 11:42 ----------


Hiya Vitali, welcome! I visit this forum serveral times a day. It's really helped me talking to others who understand.

Ok so firstly I'm not suprised you have health anxiety being sent for those kinds of tests. That sounds awful for you. Probably made you majorly reevaluate your overall look on your health and so you become aware of every bodily sensation. It's normal. Happened to me too - and happens everyday day. I just manage it better now.

What you need to do is go and see your doctor and discuss medication and/or therapy. For the time being also keep in mind your doctor isn't worried about your 'symptoms' nothing sinister has been found so you can tick that one off!

I had the lukemia fear about 5 weeks ago. It's an awful fear to have. I have red dots scattered all over my body (which I've probably had for years!) but I had my bloods done and nope I'm fine.

Also I have really swollen glands in my neck and I always have. I used to have really bad tonsillitis as a child and I don't think they ever went back down to be honest!

And lastly the night sweats yup I get those. You need to look over your symptoms you just wrote down and ask yourself how many of those look anxiety related? Eeerm most of them!

Hugs xx

Thanks so much! ENT pretty much just told me the same thing. This forum as helped me a million already. Thanks for the words of support!