First ever health anxiety attack convinced i have Cancer!

[Blimey1987]

Hi

I have had some health issues recently after having my son (now 19 weeks) which i have been fine with (Preeclampsia and High BP which are now sorted)

The last few doctors appt i have had have showed white blood cells in my urine, each time they have been sent off for culture. the first came back with Pseudomonas so had to do another which then came back which no pseudomonas but elevated WBC with no bacteria growth....so again he asked for another.... i didn't hear anything for 2 weeks so assumed that all was good especially as i haven't had any symptoms what so ever so carried on with normal life looking after my son etc
Then i get a letter from the doctor himself asking me to make a further appt as he is not happy that WBC have been found on the last 3 occasions with no growth and would like to 'make sure there is no significant cause for this' <----his words

the letter was written on the 22nd July.... i received it on the 27th July and he is now on AL and my next appt with him is the 15th August!!!!
I managed to get a call from another GP to reassure me that it may just be inflammation of the urinary tract but its done little really. Even the receptionist said if it was urgent the doctor would have called not written.

I googled 'WBC in urine no growth' and it came up with Kidney Cancer/Bladder Cancer plus others.
Now i am going into panic mode, to the point where i have lost 7lbs in a week!!!! which then led me on to googling 'significant weight loss' which came up with cancer... now i am finding myself googling every twinge my body has....
- sore area on spine.... Spinal Cancer
- raised lymph nodes on collar bone (which i know aren't really raised but still google)
- found a yellow bruise on my stomach with no recollection of how it got there - Leukemia!
- breast exam (i have lumpy boobs anyway) - convinced i have breast cancer
- spotting after sex (just once and i remember my 2nd degree tear reopened slightly) - cervical cancer
-intermittent back pain - cancer (even though the doctor said it was muscular)

So in the last week i have managed to self diagnose every cancer known just because of the doctors letter.
I am so tense, i woke up this morning and my whole back aches which i know is from the tension.

i work in the oncology department and i am on the board of a cancer charity so i see this DAILY! which is not helping. My mum had cancer at 29 (she survived) and i am 29 now.

I am withdrawn, completely panicking about leaving my son, telling my son 'mummy loves you, i will miss you when i am gone' panicking that i was meant to get life insurance but haven't gotten round to it. i have gone too far and i cannot come out of it. My husband is trying his best to calm me and it works for all of half a day then at night time i can't sleep and keep on googling!
I can't stand being near anyone and recently i have been holding my son less and less because i am so upset inside.

I am going to speak to my GP about this when i see him on the 15th.

Has anyone ever had WBC in urine no growth no symptoms????

Any insight would be a huge help! xxx

[spacebunnyx]

Hi,

Congrats on your baby. This def sounds like classic ha... for me it flares up when I'm afraid something good is going to disappear. .. for example a great relationship... and right now I have it bad and jump from one cancer to another.... I'm pregnant... and it's taken me almost 10 years to get here.

Back to the wbc... I had a urine test last week which showed wbc... sent for culture nothing there. I think it happens... sample is also easily contaminated with cervical fluid and only takes a tiny amount to turn the dipstick positive. If you had blood in your urine now that would be more worrying. .. but you don't.

Xxx

[Blimey1987]

I had RBC in my urine also not enough for my urine to change colour but found on the dipstick test but he only mentitled the WBC in the letter.
Now I'm panicking again

[Blimey1987]

Anyone?????

[Fishmanpa]

Congrats on the baby! What a wonderful life change :) As you mentioned and is the case with a pregnancy, a woman's body goes through so many changes and it's not unusual to encounter some minor health issues during and after pregnancy. It appears things are under control and your doctor is keeping an eye on things.

I don't have to tell you that Googling is NOT the thing you should be doing as is apparent in the current anxiety spiral you're in. I'm afraid reassurance isn't going to help here. You're going to your doctor in a few days and you can ask all the questions you need to ask and I'm quite sure this will just be a minor anomaly associated with your recent childbirth.

Let us know how you make out. Looking forward to saying "Told ya so" :) (and my track record is pretty good ;))

Positive thoughts

[dale12345]

Urine track infections( which are not a big deal) are very common after child birth it could be just an infection.

[Blimey1987]

I'm just so scared.
I have pain in my groin and yesterday was getting severe stabbing pains in the region of my left kidney.
I have an appt today for a repeat.blood test for elevated ALT/AST as the GP suspects I have non alcoholic fatty liver disease which is possible I do not have the best diet but then I read that raised ALT is also another kidney cancer sign.
I don't know how it can be a UTI if there is no infection present.
I am hoping it's maybe kidney stones but unsure if they would produce WBC and Microscopic RBC in urine.
I feel so unwell today too.
I will raise my fears with the nurse

Xxx

[Blimey1987]

I spoke to the nurse who said if the GP had thought cancer he wouldn't make me wait so long to see him so that's reassuring.
I'm upping my water intake because that may help x

[Blimey1987]

Have doctors in 1 hour. I am so scared

---------- Post added at 15:50 ---------- Previous post was at 14:16 ----------

I've just seen the doctor.
He said that there wasn't any RBC in my.urine this time which is good right....but WBC count was >50,000 which can't be good. He think's my groin pain and back pain are muscular rather than connected to this.
Is sending me off to the hospital for ultra sound on bladder and kidneys to check for stones.
He apologised for causing me so much stress but didn't think it was anything to worry about
I'm still thinking it's something sinister, now I'm at another doctors appt since my secold degree tear hasn't fully healed

---------- Post added at 15:50 ---------- Previous post was at 15:50 ----------

<50,000 even

[katyfitz]

Hi just wondering how you are feeling these days x

[georgewing]

No no no you dont bave cancer you have anxiety .if you was hax cancer tbe doctorwill said to you and dont need to worrh

[Blimey1987]

Hi Katyfitz
I'm doing OK, as I said before my GP apologised for putting me through all this stress. He doesn't think it's anything to worry about and has sent my urine off to be tested for all infections not just the ones that are normally tested in a routine culture....why he has not done this before I don't know, this has been going on since May 6th when it was first brought to his attention at my 6 week postnatal check up.
I just seem to be falling apart...first it was my high blood pressure which escalated into preeclampsia and then it took a further 16 weeks to get back to normal. Then it's the wbc in my urine, and the 2nd degree tear that hasn't healed properly...today I have seen 2 GPS and a nurse for 2 different issues. I always prided myself that I never saw a doctor...now I'm sick of going to the doctor.

George, I know deep down that the probability of it being cancer is low, the doctor doesn't think it is but then I think I'll be one of the people where the doctor puts down everything and then it's cancer and it's too late and then I'll die leaving my 5 month old son without a mother and my husband a widower at the age of 33. Irrational thoughts plague my day at the moment

[Fishmanpa]

And... wait for it... "I told ya so!" :D

Enjoy your new baby!

Positive thoughts

[Blimey1987]

well... the doctors have called me back this morning!!!!!

He sent my last urine sample off to the lab for a specific culture to find bugs that they do not usually screen form.... and finally it grew a bug!

being diagnosed with asymptomatic bacturia, antibiotics have been prescribed.

the GP still wants me to go for the ultrasound as he had already sent the paper work.... but i can breathe a sigh of relief :-D

[Blimey1987]

Ok...update
Went to the doctors today as I have been getting recurrent dizzy spells...being tested for thyroid and vitamin D which I can deal with.
Asked about my last urine results that I sent in on Thursday and they have come back completely normal :-) no my cancer fear has gone.
Thank you everyone who messaged me and kept me sane...with all good intentions I hope we never speak again x