Merlin24
30-01-17, 20:02
Just posting in the hope that some people may feel a little better from reading my experience.
I've suffered from health anxiety/social anxiety/OCD?maybe behaviours for as long as I can remember (I'm 23 now)
I posted back here a while ago twice because I had a raised lymph node in my groin- I didn't post again because I was worried that due to the lack of responses that maybe I didn't come across very likeable or people weren't interested in what I was worried about (irrational, I know)
I've had a few consistent worries for many years. One was a hard pea shaped lump under my arm pit, a freckle on the top of my arm which regularly became bright red, inflamed, almost black in colour and very sore (cue melanoma worries) but then promptly reduced and went back to normal. I've also very much worried about STIs, which apart from the usual health checks haven't ever been to my GP about (I try to rationalise these worries- my boyfriend has never had any symptoms from sleeping with me and thinks I'm silly for worrying). I also have a patch of hard, discoloured skin on the top of my back where my skin dents in.
The breaking point was when a mole on my leg dramatically changed colour from red to black, almost overnight. I decided that after leaving my arm mark and the lump for so long that I would go to my doctor and get it all over and done with and mention EVERYTHING I've ever worried about for the past 8 years.
I was referred to the hospital, which was an awful wait, but finally the day arrived and I was able to have my skin checked over fully (I think it was worse being in my underwear infront of the doctor :whistles: )
Turns out I wasn't dying from melanoma! The mark on my leg was a Strawberry mark (can't remember the name- it has now also completely disappeared) my arm 'mole' is where a hair follecule gets irritated and inflames and the mark on my back is a rare skin condition called Morphea. The lump under my arm is in fact a harmless cyst - and finally all the problems I've convinced myself were symptoms of cancer are confirmed not to be the worst. I am free of dr google and I feel my life has improved so much more, and I can rationalise my health concerns so much better (they are still there)
I hope this post can encourage all of you suffering to be able to go to your doctor and seek the answers to your health worries. I try not to read certain posts on here- I find it triggers worries I may not of considered before. I've wasted so much time since I was 15 worrying about my health and avoiding the only people who know the answers. Ask for help and you can receive and get back onto the road of not worrying about your health. I hope you all recover soon.
Now to try and get over my social worries and repetitive behaviours :)
Also as a lurker on this site- massive thanks to Fishmanpa. All your replies on this site/posts have been a massive help to me. I'm glad people like you take your time on sites like this!
I've suffered from health anxiety/social anxiety/OCD?maybe behaviours for as long as I can remember (I'm 23 now)
I posted back here a while ago twice because I had a raised lymph node in my groin- I didn't post again because I was worried that due to the lack of responses that maybe I didn't come across very likeable or people weren't interested in what I was worried about (irrational, I know)
I've had a few consistent worries for many years. One was a hard pea shaped lump under my arm pit, a freckle on the top of my arm which regularly became bright red, inflamed, almost black in colour and very sore (cue melanoma worries) but then promptly reduced and went back to normal. I've also very much worried about STIs, which apart from the usual health checks haven't ever been to my GP about (I try to rationalise these worries- my boyfriend has never had any symptoms from sleeping with me and thinks I'm silly for worrying). I also have a patch of hard, discoloured skin on the top of my back where my skin dents in.
The breaking point was when a mole on my leg dramatically changed colour from red to black, almost overnight. I decided that after leaving my arm mark and the lump for so long that I would go to my doctor and get it all over and done with and mention EVERYTHING I've ever worried about for the past 8 years.
I was referred to the hospital, which was an awful wait, but finally the day arrived and I was able to have my skin checked over fully (I think it was worse being in my underwear infront of the doctor :whistles: )
Turns out I wasn't dying from melanoma! The mark on my leg was a Strawberry mark (can't remember the name- it has now also completely disappeared) my arm 'mole' is where a hair follecule gets irritated and inflames and the mark on my back is a rare skin condition called Morphea. The lump under my arm is in fact a harmless cyst - and finally all the problems I've convinced myself were symptoms of cancer are confirmed not to be the worst. I am free of dr google and I feel my life has improved so much more, and I can rationalise my health concerns so much better (they are still there)
I hope this post can encourage all of you suffering to be able to go to your doctor and seek the answers to your health worries. I try not to read certain posts on here- I find it triggers worries I may not of considered before. I've wasted so much time since I was 15 worrying about my health and avoiding the only people who know the answers. Ask for help and you can receive and get back onto the road of not worrying about your health. I hope you all recover soon.
Now to try and get over my social worries and repetitive behaviours :)
Also as a lurker on this site- massive thanks to Fishmanpa. All your replies on this site/posts have been a massive help to me. I'm glad people like you take your time on sites like this!