View Full Version : SHIT!!!!!!
After all I have said to people about not worrying I am in a complete state of fear.
A few months ago I had a Spirometry test for COPD. It came out completely clear. In fact I passed the test with flying colours....I have the lungs of a 50yr old (which is my age). No signs of COPD at all!!!
Then last night I get a call from my GP at 7pm.She wants me to have a chest xray just for reassurance. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I stayed calm for about 10 mins.... then went into meltdown. Then into catastrophizing mode. This morning I am going through chemo for lung cancer in my head!!!!
I know I know! Why would I worry about a simple chest dray... its pathetic!
I have absolutely NO symptoms of lung cancer or COPD despite being a lifetime smoker. Yes Yes I know what you are thinking..this has all been brought on by myself. I don't deserve any sympathy and don't expect it.
Can't tell family or friends my fears as they all have too much going on.
Argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I hate anxiety
Sarah
Nice heading :ohmy: but more to the point what did he/she say ? Ooops, you have added to your post,sorry.
MyNameIsTerry
31-07-15, 10:23
A few months ago I had a Spirometry test for COPD. It came out completely clear. In fact I passed the test with flying colours....I have the lungs of a 50yr old (which is my age). No signs of COPD at all!!!
Then last night I get a call from my GP at 7pm.She wants me to have a chest xray just for reassurance. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We all have our blips & wobbles, Sarah, you are entitled to them too so don't feel bad about not being able to stop it despite the excellent advice you give to others. You know how sneaky anxiety can be.
Think about it though, you had a specific test and passed with flying colours. Why would a simple xray be any better? If it were, why not do that test instead?
You know what GP's can be like with covering bases (or more appropriately, their arses!) in over use of tests. When I had one of my first real panic attacks, I saw a GP who was new to the practice (but not young) and he booked me in for various tests and when I saw my regular GP for a check up a week later he said to throw them all in the bin. It turned out I had just had worsening asthma because I hadn't needed to take medication for years and all this had brought it back on...so I didn't waste NHS cash for a pointless test but that GP was covering the bases.
I think I was expecting a poo related thread from the title though.
I'm sure you will be fine, do what you need to do to calm yourself down or distract yourself if needed. You've been through the tests, you've had all the worry & waiting before, you can do this.
We all have our blips & wobbles, Sarah, you are entitled to them too so don't feel bad about not being able to stop it despite the excellent advice you give to others. You know how sneaky anxiety can be.
Think about it though, you had a specific test and passed with flying colours. Why would a simple xray be any better? If it were, why not do that test instead?
You know what GP's can be like with covering bases (or more appropriately, their arses!) in over use of tests. When I had one of my first real panic attacks, I saw a GP who was new to the practice (but not young) and he booked me in for various tests and when I saw my regular GP for a check up a week later he said to throw them all in the bin. It turned out I had just had worsening asthma because I hadn't needed to take medication for years and all this had brought it back on...so I didn't waste NHS cash for a pointless test but that GP was covering the bases.
I think I was expecting a poo related thread from the title though.
I'm sure you will be fine, do what you need to do to calm yourself down or distract yourself if needed. You've been through the tests, you've had all the worry & waiting before, you can do this.
Can I just ask why your GP-who presumably knows about your issues with anxiety-would phone you personally at 7pm to ask you to have this done for reassurance? Was this out of the blue?
---------- Post added at 11:51 ---------- Previous post was at 11:49 ----------
Sorry, just saw you had a test a few months back-surely this can't be related to that procedure?
Hi thank you guys for your replies. Really appreciated.
I've been off doing my job this morning (cleaning) and got stuck into it so nit so jittery now.
Great words Terry.thank you.
Pulisa, yes that what I asked myself! My GP is brilliant and knows me very well. I saw her for a routine appointment earlier this week and told her how well I am. We joked about the Spirometry test and how well I had passed it.
But she said last night that she noticed I had not had a chest X ray... well EVER it would seem. I said should I be worried and she said no not at all. Now that normally would reassure me completely, I am VERY good a rationalising any "symptoms" I have....I mean the usual aches and pains we hypochondriacs have:D.
But this one has just knocked me sideways.
You see I have my anxiety under control, at least I thought I did. But I am prone to catastrophizing.
This is not a post about symptom checking as I have NO symptoms.....I'm just crazy:wacko:
bloody anxiety:mad:
Terry...im sure I can come up with a pop thread one day:winks:
Sarah
---------- Post added at 13:15 ---------- Previous post was at 12:41 ----------
...I also think I need a bit of a "cyber slap" from everyone:doh:
First, stop smoking, it's just bad for you.
Second, no reason to be afraid, she just wants to do routine test since you are smoker. You are fine.
No you most certainly don't, Sarah! We can all give very good advice either from textbooks of from personal experience but when it happens to us it's very scary and all the theory can go out the window..at least for a while.
Your GP is covering her back but she's also reignited your health fears. She probably realised that you should have both discussed this matter at your last appointment rather than phoning you up and triggering your anxiety. For the record, I'd have reacted just like you!
---------- Post added at 13:46 ---------- Previous post was at 13:45 ----------
First, stop smoking, it's just bad for you.
Second, no reason to be afraid, she just wants to do routine test since you are smoker. You are fine.
Easy for you to say,Hypo84. We all have different HA issues
Thanks Pulisa:)
Hypo84...yes I know!
venusbluejeans
31-07-15, 14:15
Are you trying to live up to your Naughty-ish tag now Sarah??
kind of a dramatic title, mind your language please, we have little ones on here (although they probably use stronger language lol)
Ps..... sending you a HUGE cyber slap, try not to worry...can you call the dr back and ask them if there is any particular reason they went to send you for an xray.
Sarah
Us anxious people always read into anything a doctor says in a multitude of ways. Did he/she mean that ,or did she really mean something else, or was she lying, oh no she meant ..... and we drive ourselves crazy. Am I right?
Thanks for replying Venus/Ricardo. I appreciate it.
Venus- sorry. Is "shit" not allowed?.. seriously?!
I could ring the DR but then I am going down the "reassurance" road which I don't want to do. My rational head is telling me that this just to back up the Spirometry test (which is the main test for COPD). She did say something about checking my bronchial tubes were all clear but I was a bit jelly legged by then. She seemed pretty casual about it but then all Dr's are!!!!.... there goes my IRRational head:mad:!!!.
Ricardo- yep you are so right about that one:wacko: why do we do this to ourselves?????
But of course I am going down the lung cancer route which is one of my main fears...... yes I know BEFORE you all say it......STOP SMOKING THEN!:doh:
rational head..................I have no symptoms of lung cancer.... try to remember this Sarah you idiot:roflmao:
tmckenzie-orr
31-07-15, 16:28
CYBER SLAP!!! Haha to be honest i would be majorly panicked too if a doctor said that to me , as us with health anxiety always think of why and what if etc and it makes us a wreck , when we think we are getting our anxiety under control a little wack something sets us off, All will be fine atleast ur covering all basis and then you know that you dont have to worry re lungs etc
You have no symptoms of lung cancer, your spirometry test was clear.
This must be your mantra until the test?
Everyone is right, Sarah, all will be fine. I don't even have health anxiety, and I can tell you what it does to me each time I have a mammogram and then the doctor's office calls to say he wants to see me. Invariably, this happens on a Friday, and yes, I am ceaselessly planning my last few months in my head for the whole weekend. Then he will just be muttering about adjusting one of my meds or something ... So I will ask about the mammogram and he will check on the computer and say, oh, that was fine. :mad:
I swear they just don't think!!! xx
Marie
ps, when is your X-ray? We will all be hanging about waiting to hear, don't forget to give us the good news!
GoWhiteSox
31-07-15, 17:39
theres an easy answer to this at least in the us..your medical records are yours and if they are available you dont have to wait to see them..i got a ct scan on my sinuses yesterday since i have a had a constant headache for a month.. and the ent office says they would call me on tues about the results...giving me 4 days to imagine the worst
.so i called the radiology dept of the hospital where i got it done and they said i can come pick up the report any time today..so i dont have to agonize all weekend about the results..would rather know today
venusbluejeans
31-07-15, 17:47
Nah Shit is ok, but just a bit dramatic for a thread title lol
To be honest I think it would make anyone anxious to be to told that when the tests were clear then to be sent for an x-ray....and 'normal' (god I hate that word) people would maybe check in with the dr to see why they were being sent for tests if things were normal..... but if you would prefer not to then don't
I am sure all is fine, hopefully you will be able to get the xray over and done with soon so you don't have to worry for too long.
Maybe non-anxious would be a better word than normal
Sorry if I am ranting, I am full of cold lol
Thank you everyone! You all make sense....I know that as I am on here saying the same thing to others. You are great support.
I have spent the day working, seeing friends and a family take away. (distraction) in between walking my dog in the beautiful countryside (mindfulness) and giving myself a good talking to about the irrational negative thoughts (CBT).
So you see I have been using the tools in my "anxiety toolbox" and they have worked. AND I did nit need to resort to Lorazepam to get through the day:yahoo:
so thank you all again for my "Cyber Slaps":shades:...I love that
Sleep well my friends
sarah
SarahH, I smoke, so I have the same fears as you. :scared15:
And every time I pluck up the courage to give up, something awful happens and I just carry on smoking. I think with us smokers it will be in the back of our minds anyway.
This is what I think has happened. You are freaking out about being called for an X-Ray. The fact that she called you at 7pm makes it more freaky.
But, I think the GP has called you after her Surgery appointments at the end of her day and she had seen that you had not had one and gave you a call about it.
You have automatically gone in to high Anxiety mode, freaked out about what the GP might or might not be concerned about and I think it is just basically routine.
She would have told you if she was not happy about something and far from it, you were clear. I know it's difficult, but try to think of it is a routine check and not something sinister. :hugs:
I wonder what percentage of people with high anxiety or similar mental health issues, have an addictive nature and therefore smoke or even drink to excess, but are also more prone to develop mental health issues.
I am not preaching about smoking as I only stopped 6 months ago when I had my H A and it scared the shite out of me.
Carnation thank you. I know you are right.
Ricardo. Yes I think there is a massive connection. You know what. Each time I give up my anxiety levels are practically zero............... yet I still do it:wacko:
Sarah
Why did she send you for the spirometry test in the first place. I would have thought it pretty normal to be sent for a routine chest xray but a spirometry is not routine. Did you go to her with concerns that you had COPD? It would make sense for her to send you for a spirometry if you did. Then if you were not reassured by that then she might send you for the chest xray to try to reassure you that way. Breathing problems and lung cancer don't always go together. Some people with lung cancer don't experience breathing problems until the disease is very advanced. By then there would be other serious symptoms. Major weight loss, sickness etc
Swajj the Spirometry test was by complete coincidence. I was at my surgery seeing a practice nurse about a throat infection when she saw on my notes I was a smoker (at that point I had actually given up for two months) and she asked if I would like a COPD check. So I said yes, like you do....... when you are a hypochondriac like me:wacko:
that was in January. This week when I was having my routine "Am I still crazy" check up with my GP we discussed it and laughed about how I had passed it with flying colours!
I haven't asked for any of the tests as I dont have any symptoms of either COPD or lung cancer. We do have a great Health Centre in my small town so I am guessing they are covering themselves... well I am hoping its only that! I am a fit active 50yr old (4 hrs of exercise a day) but I wheeze a little at night, from smoking. When I stop smoking which is frequently the wheeze disappears in 24hrs. I have low blood pressure and a BMI of 28.
I think I am ok. Xray is on the 10th so we shall see. Nothing I can do about it until then:)
Sarah
I reckon your GP is making sure her chest x ray quotas for July are fulfilled? You helped to make up the numbers?
Pulisa...you just made me chuckle:)
MyNameIsTerry
02-08-15, 00:15
Crikey and they complain about us wasting NHS money!
I'm sure you will be fine, Sarah, this is just pointless checks if they are not tied to anything you are seeing them about.
Thanks for answering Sarah. I think your doctor just wants to help you feel reassured. She is obviously wee aware of your significant mental health issues eg hospitalised etc and doesn't want your anxiety getting to a point where it is out of control.:)
But Sarah had her anxiety under control...........until the GP rang her up out of hours advising a precautionary chest x-ray! I'm sure her GP meant well though.
Yes I am sure she did. But I will let her know that it sent my anxiety spiralling when I next see her. We know each other well so I am sure she will be upset and tell me I should have rung her back..........
But hey! I dealt with it an am ok now.
Thanked again for all your support guys:flowers:
Sarah, I think you should tell your GP. She probably has no idea what she has done but maybe she would learn something for the next time she has contact with an HA patient?
Did our posts just cross over Pulisa?:D I will tell her.
Sarah
Sorry-am a bit slow on the uptake these days:D
MyNameIsTerry
02-08-15, 22:50
Sarah, I think you should tell your GP. She probably has no idea what she has done but maybe she would learn something for the next time she has contact with an HA patient?
I think this is a good idea. She either hasn't taken a step back and thought about the impact or doesn't understand HA. The nurse too. Why do COPD tests or if the blue? I thought the NHS are always trying to save money?
She really really does understand! She has been my GP for 15 years throughout all my illness. I think she was just calling at the end of her evening surgery ( I hope so!!!)
I will explain when I see her and she will listen and take it in board.
I my area they LOVE giving tests:D
Sarah
---------- Post added at 07:58 ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 ----------
x ray is next Monday. So not long to wait.
MyNameIsTerry
03-08-15, 08:03
Yes, I think given the time thats the case (my surgery get the receptionists to do it all) and maybe she thought it would be better coming from her as you would more likely accept it's nothing rather than a receptionist passig a message on and leaving you in the dark?
Maybe just a lapse in judgement and something to forgive?
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