Health anxiety- what can be done?

[mmm1996]

Hey :)
So I've been using this forum because I have had a health scare with a breast lump recently. I had my breast clinic appointment yesterday, and before I had it, I promised myself that if it was ok (although I didn't allow myself to think about that being a possibility) I would determinedly try to improve my health anxiety.

The clinic did an examination which found a 'small mobile lump that didn't feel worrying' and the ultrasound found basically nothing but glandular lumpy tissue, and the same consultant who did the examination saw me afterwards and said that everything looked normal. This seemed a huge shock to me and obviously was amazing but now I've got thoughts saying 'what if they missed something? should they have done an MRI scan or more tests? why can they feel a lump but not really see it? do they actually know it's glandular? did they just let me go because it's probably fine, or is it definitely fine?' I hate these thoughts and I truly don't want to have them because everyone around me is telling me to please please please let it go now. The idea of allowing myself to let it go is terrifying. The whole appointment is a blur, I had my mum with me which I'm so glad about because I can't remember half of what was said- I spent half of it crying and I didn't even let them near me with the ultrasound stick for about 15 minutes and kept jerking around, which I feel so ashamed of and pathetic about and worry that this would obstruct the results. I also was in such a panic I forgot to ask them about all the different types of breast pain I've had- which has died down now but still. I started this post about health anxiety but it's now becoming about my breast and I'm starting to feel panicky. Can I really relax? They told me to keep checking and know that this lumpy tissue is normal for me but to obviously come back if anything new appeared as anyone should, and now I'm terrified to check. Should I let it go? Would they have done an MRI if they needed to; are they sure??

I want to go to my GP about my health anxiety and ask if I can have CBT, but I feel I'm wasting their time and I go so often they probably see my name and think 'oh for gods sake'. They are absolutely lovely and never make me feel like I'm wasting their time but I probably am, because the times I've been about anxiety before they haven't been able to do much. I tried counselling last year but I was a real moody teenager about it and didn't engage/ it was maybe not the right counsellor for me, and I gave up after 2 sessions.

Oh, and the most ironic thing? I have a place to start studying children's nursing in september. How can I be a nurse and be the right kind of positive influence that ill children need and deserve, if I'm like this? The whole reason I was absolutely desperate to get into nursing was the fact that I was in and out of hospital with severe scoliosis and a spinal fusion when I was 13. But the health anxiety that that's caused me later in life is now maybe the reason I don't want to.

I hope someone understands and maybe wants to chat about this too, I would really really appreciate it:-(

feeling like a real lost cause!
xx

[tmckenzie-orr]

Hello I'm a fella, and obviously I don't know about lumps and breast but I certainly know about health anxiety and I had a scare about throat cancer after having a vindaloo lol, madness now but I had a camera through the throat and I still worried but managed to convince myself I was ok in the end with that , since then iv moved onto skin cancer and All sorts and now I thought I'm 26 and I'm finally getting cbt therapy for help and got my first appointment on the 22nd , I recoonmend going to the doctor and asked to be refered for Cbt, You need to tell your self you had a scan and it's so so rare to miss something it's just the horror stories and Mr Google that makes us even think of missing things, just keep positive and get yourself some help I know a friend that had anxiety and cleared it up and now works as social worker in a hospital, so you can do anything once them negative thoughts go you are absolutely fine, if you need a chat just message me positive vibes (y)

[Justanutter]

Hi. Please be reassured that an ultrasound shows up any real problem. Had a similar scare last year and was in a state like you but the ultrasound shows the breast tissue in depth and they would have seen the difference in the tissue. I could see mine on screen as he explained it. Some women are more prone to lumpiness than others and have to get checked more often so please don't worry now. No need for an MRI and you didn't even need a needle biopsy so all is really good honestly. Take care. :)

[mmm1996]

Thank you for both your replies, they both helped me to relax a bit :)
I am really interested in maybe starting CBT, I always thought you had to pay for it for some reason or go on a massive waiting list but I don't know much about it, like do you normally go to a hospital for it or?
Thanks again:-)

[jono4mykids]

Hi everyone when you have your health anxiety and you over
Worry have you experienced symtoms more to what you are thinking?

---------- Post added at 22:20 ---------- Previous post was at 22:15 ----------

Hi mmm1996 if you go to your drs they should be able to forward everything for you and
You should get a call from someone in psycology I had cbt it helped a little went way but for me its something that keeps coming back.

[mmm1996]

Hi everyone when you have your health anxiety and you over
Worry have you experienced symtoms more to what you are thinking?

---------- Post added at 22:20 ---------- Previous post was at 22:15 ----------

Hi mmm1996 if you go to your drs they should be able to forward everything for you and
You should get a call from someone in psycology I had cbt it helped a little went way but for me its something that keeps coming back.

Do you mean if you're thinking e.g. "there's something wrong with my stomach" you then get a stomach ache? If so then yes, and I think that's quite common. Focusing on something or expecting something to hurt or feel weird can make that more likely to happen. Sorry to hear your anxiety keeps coming back, it's crap I know, but as someone said above staying positive, hard as that is to do, is probably one of the most beneficial things x

[tmckenzie-orr]

Cbt is a free referral by doctor go and get urself some help I got better for 2 years after the throat thing then a accident at work set me off again lol, so this time it's my time to kick it completely or it comes back and back and back and back and back and back haha, all u gotta do is go docs explain u need help and he will give u details I lve in West Sussex I know we have a threapy thing called time to talk who I got refered to , and yes symptoms seem very real if u think u got bowel cancer ur Bowels will play up lol etc

[swajj]

I think the ultrasound is a pretty definitive test. My last one showed some lumpy tissue and my gyno said he had no concerns about it at all. However he sent me to a breast specialist. He told me that he wasn't sending me because he had any doubts rather he was sending me in case I one day tried to sue him. He laughed when he said it but he was deadly serious. We live in a litigious society so I understood where he was coming from.

[mmm1996]

Hey tmckenzie-orr, you sound like you have a positive attitude and I'm sure you really will 'kick it' with your anxiety haha :-) I've heard of the time to talk thing actually. My GP surgery are fully aware of my health anxiety but I just feel like I'm taking up someone else's appointment by going about that even though I know that's silly, and I've been putting off making the appointment, I don't know why. Also I know the breast clinic will probably send him a letter saying what my scan was etc and I'm just worried that if I go and see him and say that I still feel kind of anxious like.. I don't know I'm just worried what they'll say to that! I really don't want to still feel anxious. Do you think that me being anxious at the appointment (crying and being all over the place) would make them not want to do any more tests even if they maybe thought I needed them? That sounds ridiculous when I read it back but I don't know. I want to let this go. :-(

swajj, guessing you're in the U.S. maybe? I think you guys have a slightly different system to us. But by the sounds of it the doctor isn't at all worried- as you said, it's literally just so he can be 100% sure, rather than 99%. All the best :-)

[tmckenzie-orr]

Lol im very positive when its giving other people advise lol, Its harder work when your telling youself but i do know whats what lol, If they think its any need to do anymore test laughing crying rolling about on the floor they will do them, But im sure your be fine, you, i hate going to the doctors anyway i always find it nerve racking haha especially the other day becuase of these citalpram tablets i took gave me constipation And i had a bloody finger in the bum from the doctor i felt like i was gonna be sick when he said he needs to look at me there lol, and if i knew he was gonna do that i wudnt of gone to the doctors haha, Just need to make sure u book up get urself sorted and then u can think to yourself damn i have been crazy why worry when life is so short , I know its easier said that done, but its what we both gotta tell each other Doctors know what there on about its like a electrician they know what there doing if they are qualified, well doctors are 1000% more qualified, and they trained in these things the only thing we know is what google says to us but they cannot exaim u its like speaking to a doctor on the phone they cannot look at you properly like one in person touching and feeling etc lol

[MyNameIsTerry]

I am really interested in maybe starting CBT, I always thought you had to pay for it for some reason or go on a massive waiting list but I don't know much about it, like do you normally go to a hospital for it or?
Thanks again:-)

Its free on the NHS and has been for decades, the issues has more been with very long waiting times (over 12 months) to the local mental health teams. These are often the hospital style ones.

IAPT came along in England & Wales in the last decade (at least 6 years ago now, can't remember without checking) ad they provide a Level 2 & Level 3 service. Level 4 is the local mental health teams now.

Level 2 covers things like Guided Self Help, Psychotherapeutic Groups, online CBT, etc. These are provided by Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWP)

Level 3 is CBT. These are provide by High Intensity Therapists (HIT)

Your GP refers you, they send you a letter or call you or both and you have an assessment. This will typically be with a PWP. They will take a load of notes, ask you to fill in some questionairres (don't be offended by the self harm ones, they are only to understand if you feel like life isn't worth living but they also ask if you feel you could harm yourself and these are so they can ensure they give you the most appropriate care) and then will speak to their supervisor about the right treatment. Its typical to have Level 2 as its quick to access (mine was 30 days) and the HIT's can take longer (mine was 3 months).

The PWP's deliver Guided Self Help in 4-5 20 minute telephone sessions. So, they can treat a lot more clients. The HIT's are one-to-one for 45mins so can't have as many clients on the go.

These services are often provided by local charities set up to fill in gaps who then receive government funding under the IAPT framework.