Peace of mind ?!

[natalie yog]

Don't need to answer if it makes you uncomfortable


This a question for eveyone who has had CT, MRI, MRA scans. Today I asked (well begged) my Dr to have one but he refused insisting I didn't need one and that if I had one it wouldn't stop me worrying about tumours/aneurysms because I'll find another reason to worry and insisted that counselling would do better (he's a brilliant dr and always listens to me going on and on ). So to everyone who has had these scans did they stop you worrying about whatever health anxiety and symptoms you were having or did they ever return ?

[Fishmanpa]

It's been my experience that the vast majority (if not all) HA sufferers are only reassured for a short period of time if at all and/or move onto another fear.

There was a member here who had lymphoma fears. The post history spanned years. Literally dozens of tests never showed a thing but this member was still convinced he had lymphoma. The nodes he was concerned with became shotty from all the constant poking and prodding. Eventually, he found a doctor that did an invasive surgical biopsy, removing the nodes. Of course, they were clear of disease. Even after that he doubted the results and continued with his fears.

Your doctor is spot on with his advice. Therapy is the best and most effective way to deal with the illness you do have... anxiety.

It truly would be the best course of action.

Positive thoughts

[sl1nky]

I've had heart/lung x-rays, blood tests, ECG's etc etc.. They MIGHT reassure some people but i'd straight away assume most people suffering HA or GAD wouldn't be assured for very long would most likely come up with another worry.

Theres no harm in trying the counseling, I have my first appointment coming in November :) which im slightly annoyed it's so far from now so im tempted to ask my doctor for extra help in the mean time :(

[sial72]

I totally agree with your doctor, the reassurance won't last long.
You are very lucky to have such a good doc, I would recommend you follow his advice x

[Superworrier]

Ok my story last year I started having odd vision problems !!
Long story short my Dr after me going back and forth with all sorts of symtoms like loss of taste sent me for an MRI even though he had said over and over it was Anxiety causing many of my symtoms .

I had my MRI and although there was no tumour they did find a fluid sac !!!
Now here is the learned lesson the neurologist told me that many people have these fluid sacs and are unaware until they have a scan !!
He is not worried at all and my second scan was passed as normal however now knowing about this harmless fluid sac isn't helping me at all .
So I think it's worth bearing in mind although we think theses tests will give us peace of mind they can also show harmless irregularities .
That can then play on your mind .

[Liv7117]

I agree with your doctor. After weeks of worrying about sinus cancer, I finally had a CT scan. Everything came out clear and fine, and I was relieved and happy. A little while later,I was convinced I had lymphoma. In short, getting these tests done are not worth it. It's better to treat your anxiety then whatever issue your HA convinces you that you have.

[natalie yog]

Thank you all for replies. I'm still waiting for a date for my first counselling session and I'm definitely going to stop thinking about getting these tests done unless my dr tells me otherwise.

[pulisa]

I think you have to work towards not seeing your doctor so much or relying on him for information which will just fuel your HA.

[countrygirl]

Superworrier has hit the nail on the head with the downside of scans. I had mri brain for dizziness to rule out accoustic neuroma about 12 years ago and it showed what looked like MS plaques in a not usual part of brain for MS. I had to have repeat scans every 2 years which showed all was same . They then realised as scanning went on and they became more experienced that loads of people have these lesions and they do not mean they have MS at all. I then developed pulsitile tinnitus in left ear and once again had to have brain mri which showed a cyst on my brain stem. They didn't know if this was cause of PT but nothing could be done anyway. A follow up scan 2 years later showed no cyst, it had gone away itself as cysts tend to do and had never been a cause of my continuing PT.

Another problem with reassurance from scans is that a scan is only as good as the time it is taken. So you could be brain tumour free but 6 months later have one. So unless you are going to have constant body scans every few months the reassurance does not last long.

My GP says don't scan unless the Dr is almost certain that there will be something to be seen as so often lots of harmless things are found that require further testing to eventually be told all is well.

Stick with the counselling!