StrangeQuark
05-09-16, 11:57
I’m not really sure what I’m looking for with this post, I guess just a place to vent where people will understand what I’m going through. Sorry, this is long.
For the last month or so I’ve been suffering with “sciatica.” It’s undiagnosed but the symptoms seem to fit: a pain and burning sensation from my left buttock down my left leg, worse at night and bad enough to keep me awake. Over the last few weeks I developed various other symptoms: pelvic pain, a feeling of bladder fullness, pain in groin etc. and also became constipated. Because of my history with HA I put off going to the doctor to see if it would all pass on its own.
However, last week, during another sleepless night due to the pain I also developed a cold/sore throat so in the morning I caved and made an appointment. When I saw the doctor, as soon as he heard I hadn’t had a bowel movement in nearly a week he said this was the cause of all my trouble, even though the “sciatica” had started a month ago. He prescribed me laxatives and sent me on my way. Over the weekend the laxatives worked and I had a bowel movement. But the “sciatica” remains.
Last night I was once again awake until about 5.30 am with extreme pain in my leg. I am trying so hard to convince myself it’s sciatica but, I think partly because of the various other symptoms and partly because I’m so tired, my HA is running rampant. I keep thinking it must be something more serious. I looked up ways to relieve sciatica and while reading up on it saw something saying that leg/bag pain that’s worse at night is a big red flag symptom. So, of course, I’m now certain I’ve got advanced cancer, though I’ve also considered MS and the circulation in my leg being cut off by narrowed arteries.
The pain in my leg is definitely real. It is extreme enough, and has gone one for so long, that I don’t think I can chalk it up to anxiety. I am now however also experiencing a heap of other symptoms and I can’t tell if they’re anxiety related or because there’s something actually “wrong” with me.
So you all know how it goes. I’m now absolutely terrified that there’s something serious wrong. I’m trying to talk myself down but my mind keeps going back to the worst case scenarios and I spent about an hour last night crying because I was so sure I’m dying. I know I need to go back to the doctor about the pain but I also have Jury Duty this week and they’ve refused to excuse me! So I can’t make an appointment until Jury Duty is over and I’m just really struggling to cope right now. I’m in work, trying to function on an hour of sleep and I feel like breaking down.
Health anxiety sucks. I know there’s not really anything you guys can do and it’s up to me to work through it but just typing this out has helped a wee bit. I also know it’s not good to use this place to seek reassurance but maybe if anyone else has suffered from sciatica you could tell me whether my symptoms seem normal?
Take care everyone and thanks to those of you who have taken the time to read this.
For the last month or so I’ve been suffering with “sciatica.” It’s undiagnosed but the symptoms seem to fit: a pain and burning sensation from my left buttock down my left leg, worse at night and bad enough to keep me awake. Over the last few weeks I developed various other symptoms: pelvic pain, a feeling of bladder fullness, pain in groin etc. and also became constipated. Because of my history with HA I put off going to the doctor to see if it would all pass on its own.
However, last week, during another sleepless night due to the pain I also developed a cold/sore throat so in the morning I caved and made an appointment. When I saw the doctor, as soon as he heard I hadn’t had a bowel movement in nearly a week he said this was the cause of all my trouble, even though the “sciatica” had started a month ago. He prescribed me laxatives and sent me on my way. Over the weekend the laxatives worked and I had a bowel movement. But the “sciatica” remains.
Last night I was once again awake until about 5.30 am with extreme pain in my leg. I am trying so hard to convince myself it’s sciatica but, I think partly because of the various other symptoms and partly because I’m so tired, my HA is running rampant. I keep thinking it must be something more serious. I looked up ways to relieve sciatica and while reading up on it saw something saying that leg/bag pain that’s worse at night is a big red flag symptom. So, of course, I’m now certain I’ve got advanced cancer, though I’ve also considered MS and the circulation in my leg being cut off by narrowed arteries.
The pain in my leg is definitely real. It is extreme enough, and has gone one for so long, that I don’t think I can chalk it up to anxiety. I am now however also experiencing a heap of other symptoms and I can’t tell if they’re anxiety related or because there’s something actually “wrong” with me.
So you all know how it goes. I’m now absolutely terrified that there’s something serious wrong. I’m trying to talk myself down but my mind keeps going back to the worst case scenarios and I spent about an hour last night crying because I was so sure I’m dying. I know I need to go back to the doctor about the pain but I also have Jury Duty this week and they’ve refused to excuse me! So I can’t make an appointment until Jury Duty is over and I’m just really struggling to cope right now. I’m in work, trying to function on an hour of sleep and I feel like breaking down.
Health anxiety sucks. I know there’s not really anything you guys can do and it’s up to me to work through it but just typing this out has helped a wee bit. I also know it’s not good to use this place to seek reassurance but maybe if anyone else has suffered from sciatica you could tell me whether my symptoms seem normal?
Take care everyone and thanks to those of you who have taken the time to read this.