Potatopotato
27-03-16, 21:03
I'm new to this forum and I'm not sure where to start.
I'm 23 years old, and I've suffered from on/off anxiety for as long as I can remember. As a child, I'd get panic attacks whenever I ate as I was afraid of choking. Recent fears have included rabies, aneurysms, anaphylaxis, etc. but since my uncle died of cancer last year I haven't been able to shake off this crippling fear. I keep developing new symptoms all the time and I'm convinced it's a cancer that has spread. I've been to the doc several times and she just shrugs it off as anxiety and prescribed anti depressants (which I'm afraid of taking).
I just started seeing a psychologist last month but my anxiety has gotten worse, I keep thinking I won't live past 3 months.
My main fear of colon cancer started in November after a long bout of stomach flu. I had flat stools for a while and since then my stool consistency has been a bit weird (no diarrhea or constipation, but weird ragged shapes - gross, I know).
I also experience a lot of bloatedness, a weird tightness under my left ribs and shortness of breath (feels like I can't take a deep breath, always thinking about my breathing). I also get weird pressure in my head and Now I have a mild cough and I'm worried it has spread to the lungs.
I've had a generic blood test and a urine test in December which showed nothing odd, but my doc wouldn't refer me for a colonoscopy or any further testing as she is convinced its all anxiety. I've been back a few times (thought I had ascites from advanced cancer but my doc disagreed) I feel like my symptoms are very real and I have this extreme sense of impending doom.
I'm not really sure what to do, this is taking over my life and right now I always feel like breaking down.
I'm 23 years old, and I've suffered from on/off anxiety for as long as I can remember. As a child, I'd get panic attacks whenever I ate as I was afraid of choking. Recent fears have included rabies, aneurysms, anaphylaxis, etc. but since my uncle died of cancer last year I haven't been able to shake off this crippling fear. I keep developing new symptoms all the time and I'm convinced it's a cancer that has spread. I've been to the doc several times and she just shrugs it off as anxiety and prescribed anti depressants (which I'm afraid of taking).
I just started seeing a psychologist last month but my anxiety has gotten worse, I keep thinking I won't live past 3 months.
My main fear of colon cancer started in November after a long bout of stomach flu. I had flat stools for a while and since then my stool consistency has been a bit weird (no diarrhea or constipation, but weird ragged shapes - gross, I know).
I also experience a lot of bloatedness, a weird tightness under my left ribs and shortness of breath (feels like I can't take a deep breath, always thinking about my breathing). I also get weird pressure in my head and Now I have a mild cough and I'm worried it has spread to the lungs.
I've had a generic blood test and a urine test in December which showed nothing odd, but my doc wouldn't refer me for a colonoscopy or any further testing as she is convinced its all anxiety. I've been back a few times (thought I had ascites from advanced cancer but my doc disagreed) I feel like my symptoms are very real and I have this extreme sense of impending doom.
I'm not really sure what to do, this is taking over my life and right now I always feel like breaking down.