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View Full Version : Here we go again... breast cancer fear...?



daphnem
12-09-15, 20:44
Lately, all I can think about is my... uh, boobs. My left one, specifically. I feel kind of awkward talking about all the symptoms in detail, but here goes, because I really need some kind of reassurance that I'm going to be alright. I think breast cancer has always been my biggest health anxiety problem- it's come and go ever since I was really young. I remember saying to my mum even when I was only about five that I could feel some kind of hardness around that area- I don't know whether that should make me feel better or worse, since it's something I've kind of always had... whenever I feel, they do feel normal overall but then when I press down hard I can feel hard areas but I don't know whether this is just, say, my ribs or something else that SHOULD be there. I've heard people say that if you really look hard enough for lumps then of course you're going to find them, and I guess (or I HOPE) that's just what I'm doing and that I'm just thinking too much about it. Of course I've Googled symptoms, and I don't really have any of the ones that I read about- visually, my main things have been quite recent. Like, kind of below my nipple there's this little 'spot'? I don't know how to explain it- it's not a spot, but it's SOMETHING small. And then there's also this really tiny scab-type thing that's been on my breast for a few weeks now. It sounds stupid writing that down but I guess I'm just really vigilant towards EVERYTHING now, no matter how small.
I should probably point out that I'm only 15 (and I'm also a vegetarian, don't smoke, and considering going vegan, largely because of my fear of cancer), so I know it's unlikely for me to have cancer and i'm still developing, etc etc, but it's gotten to the point where I've started to 'accept' that I have it. I feel really jealous of people who are healthy, even though as far as I know, I'm healthy too. And I feel empathy towards people who DO have it, which is completely ridiculous. I don't want to go to my GP about this- I always avoid going anyway with the fear of finding out the worst, and I feel like with something like this they wouldn't really take me seriously (plus, I'd be way too embarrassed). It's ruining my life, honestly. If it's not this that I'm worried about, it'll be something else. I just want to not spend every single day worrying- I feel like I'm wasting my life.

Anyway, this was a pretty long post and I'm sorry if it's a little detailed or too much information haha, I just really need to get this off my chest. No pun intended.

sial72
12-09-15, 20:57
Hi Daphne
The issue here are not your breasts which I am sure are absolutely fine (I have loads of lumps, bumps, spots, veins...makes them sound horrible but actually they are quite nice lol), as you say, if it is not this, you will worry about something else.
So the issue is the anxiety and fear. Please get some help for that, you are so young and it is a shame that you are having a bad time when you can get help and be better. Have you talked to your parents about your fears? Xxx

countrygirl
12-09-15, 21:37
My first thought is you should never examine your breasts by pressing down hard, or dragging your fingers over the breasts as this makes you feel the fat cells in your breast or if you press hard enough you will also feel your bones!

You could go and get an examination from a female Dr and if she does not feel anything then thats the end of it but please also explain your health anxiety with your breasts and hopefully this can be helped as well.

daphnem
13-09-15, 00:14
Please get some help for that, you are so young and it is a shame that you are having a bad time when you can get help and be better. Have you talked to your parents about your fears? Xxx

I've had help before for general anxiety and OCD, but to be honest it wasn't very helpful :( my mum is aware of some things- when I was worrying about my heart a few weeks ago I told her and she took me to our doctor, and she knows about my anxiety but she doesn't know the extent of it- I don't really talk to anyone about it in a lot of depth... x

sial72
13-09-15, 08:00
It's good that you are here then.
There is a book by Claire Weekes called Hope and Help for your Nerves that was very helpful to me.
It would be good for you if you could tell your Mum (or someone else you trust) the full extent of it, get it out in the open, so to speak.
I've found that when people know I then feel more comfortable around those people, that therefore means you can relax a bit more xx