Really scared of leukaemia!

[Toby2000]

Hi,

I'm 14 years old, live in the UK and my family would call me quite a bad hypochondriac.

I have had a worry of having leukaemia for about 4-5 months now. Here are my symptoms:

- petechiae for about 4-5 months. If you don't know, it's bleeding under the skin. Mostly on the bottom half of both of my legs I have barley visible scattered tiny, tiny red dots. No way is it huge patches, just scattered dots like the size of pepper granules. This hasn't been properly diagnosed as petechiae, but it does look a lot like it based on what I've seen.

- Achey legs. Often at night (not that often actually, only about twice/three times a month I get an achy right leg. I have an achy right leg now and its 16:29, not night. I have a spot that feels bruised on my leg too, but there isn't any visible bruising. NOTE: I did do PE today and I am really unfit if that makes a difference. DIDN'T do much running.

- Headache. Last night I got a headache mostly on the right side of my head that felt like pressure. Really mild, never actually moderate. Before Christmas I did have a headache for 2 weeks that I think was a tension headache, because it went away as I stopped worrying about it.

- Frequent Urination. Not really sure this is a symptom, but it was diagnosed as anxiety.

- Tiredness. Okay, so a few days ago at school I got really, really tired. I blamed this on late nights, because I was going to sleep really late the past 4 nights. Haven't been tired since then.

I'm just kinda scared that I have leukaemia because obviously I am quite a bad hypochondriac and my mum won't take me to the doctors because I've been quite a few times in the recent past, so she thinks I'm a time waster.

QUESTIONS:

1. If it was leukemia, would I have been feeling ill by now since I've had the worry for 4-5 months?

2. Is leukemia a fast developing disease?

3. Why do you think/don't think that I have leukemia? I need reassurance please! :weep:

Thank you!

Toby.

[herbie73]

Hi there, I think if you had leukaemia you would be extremely ill by now, when I was younger, about your age I used to get the exact same symptoms, the achey leg is probably growing pains, I used to get this all the time, It would keep me awake for hours, I also used to get petechiae all the time especially on my stomach and chest, as for tiredness, I think every one feels tired a lot, late nights, work, also time of year, I always feel tired during the winter months, anyway stop worrying you are fine, you are young and healthy, enjoy being a teenager, big hugs Herbie xxx

[Toby2000]

Hi there, I think if you had leukaemia you would be extremely ill by now, when I was younger, about your age I used to get the exact same symptoms, the achey leg is probably growing pains, I used to get this all the time, It would keep me awake for hours, I also used to get petechiae all the time especially on my stomach and chest, as for tiredness, I think every one feels tired a lot, late nights, work, also time of year, I always feel tired during the winter months, anyway stop worrying you are fine, you are young and healthy, enjoy being a teenager, big hugs Herbie xxx

Thank you for the reply, it means a lot :D

[herbie73]

That's OK, please try to stop worrying, take care, if you need to talk I am herexx

[RedXIII]

I just had a panic about petechiae that was increadably intense. I was searching for someone who had them aswell. Everyone does, but no where near the number I have... Then I checked my sisters arms... She has hundreds of them all over her arms just like I do.

Either both me an my sister have leukemia at the same time or these red spots are nothing to worry about.

Also, the doctor looked at the hundreds that are on my arms. He then waved his hands said "Those are nothing." and continued talking about my anxiety.

I am also having a sore leg... but have you been shoveling snow? How is your posture? Have you been walking more? Have you been eating your veggies and fruits? I have had a pain in my knee since I was 6 years old. It never goes away, I have had xrays and physio, its just there and always will be. We aren't perfect bodies.