Tarred with the anxiety lable

[sam1878]

Hello
I haven't been on here for a while
I have had a bad back and knee now since February - I think it is muscular and have had physiotherapy but it is affecting my running which I do to not stress out and I have had loads of physio for it both in work and privately which has helped but it is not 100% better
Last week after going for a wee I noticed I felt like I wanted to go the toilet again straight after which has weird
I have been like this for a week now - I rang the doctor yesterday and she said It was probably a water infection. She prescribed anti-biotics, but said to drop a water sample. She knows I suffer with health anxiety and referred me last year to CBT which I have nearly finished with, it helps but when your 100% stressed it all goes out the window
I already had an appointment with another doctor for today to talk about my back issues and I told her how I was worried that the back issues were not really muscular but that I had ovarian cancer due to this sudden wanting to wee all the time -
she booked me in with another doctor to talk about this Thursday but in the meantime to try not to worry and that I must stop googling and go ahead with my appointment today to discuss my knee and back
I went the doctor today and he asked me loads of questions more so about my ovarian cancer worry and then the back pain - he was basically said it is the anxiety probably making it worse than it is and that I don't have any red flags for ovarian cancer and to try not to worry - he wants to see me in a months time for a review and to concentrate on my cBT and mental health :blush::weep: he said if there was a magic test he could do he would but there isn't and sending me for blood tests etc would increase my anxiety

My water sample is also clear btw so I am no nearer the answer why I want to wee more. (said I might have cystis or my IBS was affecting it) we ran out of time to talk about my knee so he suggested I use the appointment to sort my knee out that was bothering me as we ran out of time

do you ever feel that your just brushed off and everything is put down to anxiety?
I am planning to go for a private ultra sound and blood test but I am in two minds and wondering if I am really having a replapse with my mental health issues and anxiety
the past few weeks have been stressful my nan is terminally ill with cancer (my phobia) and my husband looses patience with me with regard to my health anxiety so I have not talked about my issues

[Trueman]

Yes. I sometimes feel like the GP tries to brush off my symptoms. It doesn't help really. But I think the logic is that by giving the health concerns more 'air time' it encourages the anxiety. I am not so sure about that personally.

But anyway, go private if you can afford and want to for ultrasound. Ovaries are a difficult one I know. Symptoms are vague. BUT

Remember anxiety is such a powerful thing and perhaps trusting the GP's diagnosis is best way to move forward? Have you got a second opinion on the back ache? That might be worth getting first but resolve to stick by that diagnosis and treat as anxiety?

[Fishmanpa]

I disagree on going for more tests just for reassurance. You don't have cancer. I'd bet my next paycheck on it and I'm sure I'd double my money. You can spend your hard earned dollars on mores tests or you can save it for something nice for yourself or bills or whatever.

You have a fear of cancer and that's what the real issue is.

Hope things settle down for you and the anxiety lessens.

Positive thoughts

[sam1878]

thanks for the responses

I am going to see how I feel over the next couple of days and I haven another appointment on Thursday with a lady doctor that I can talk to as well

it is just so hard when you are in the middle of it all to think straight sometimes

[MyNameIsTerry]

I agree with FMP on this one.

You have a doctor telling you he won't test you because you have no red flags to warrant the tests. He would say the same to anyone. So, the only question should be "do I trust this doctor to not have missed anything".

By not wanting to send you for the tests as it will make your anxiety worse, I think he means the anxious wait on the results or maybe the actual appointment. He probably hasn't considered the impact of the reassurance in the short & long term.

If you then have tests, you only allow your anxiety to indulge in a ritual that is aimed at preserving its strength. It will become reinforced. As you know far better than I do (I have GAD & OCD), reassurance is short lived but thats only short lived in a cognitive sense, it has confirmed your subconscious to be doing something valid (not right, the subconscious doesn't know and only follows what it has been trained to do) and will use it again.

Since you've had CBT I'll assume you understand Cognitive Distortions (I didn't do this in my CBT, so if you didn't its worth reading about) and if you re-read your post you could pick them out next to a list of the distortions.