Worrywart1234
02-07-17, 12:28
Well, I have been obsessing over a 'lump' in the front crease of my armpit, where my arm meets my chest for months....I've been checking myself in the shower for breast and/or lymph node cancer for months.
Yesterday my health anxiety spun out of control. I felt the lump and straight away started crying and shaking and sweating, rocking back and forth (all that good stuff) absolutely convinced it was the end. My husband took one look at me and said we're going straight to the walk in clinic to ease your mind. I cried and argued the whole way there because I was so terrified to be told it was the end...
Well!! The nurse gave me a breast examination and told me
1) my lymph nodes are at least 3 inches away from where the 'lump' was
2) the 'lump' was not even part of my breast at all
And 3)there was NO lump there even!!
I got a stern talking to about following up on the referral to a therapist I've been given and she gave me and my husband some good strategies to use and I waked out if there feeling great, if stupid!
Imagine spending up to a year of your life worried about a lump that doesn't even exist and isn't connected to the body parts you're worried about!!
Unfortunately it's the nature of the HA beast.
I'm hoping my little story will make someone feel the tiniest bit happy to either ask and/or trust the health professionals - none of us really know as much about scientific health information as we think.
:)
Yesterday my health anxiety spun out of control. I felt the lump and straight away started crying and shaking and sweating, rocking back and forth (all that good stuff) absolutely convinced it was the end. My husband took one look at me and said we're going straight to the walk in clinic to ease your mind. I cried and argued the whole way there because I was so terrified to be told it was the end...
Well!! The nurse gave me a breast examination and told me
1) my lymph nodes are at least 3 inches away from where the 'lump' was
2) the 'lump' was not even part of my breast at all
And 3)there was NO lump there even!!
I got a stern talking to about following up on the referral to a therapist I've been given and she gave me and my husband some good strategies to use and I waked out if there feeling great, if stupid!
Imagine spending up to a year of your life worried about a lump that doesn't even exist and isn't connected to the body parts you're worried about!!
Unfortunately it's the nature of the HA beast.
I'm hoping my little story will make someone feel the tiniest bit happy to either ask and/or trust the health professionals - none of us really know as much about scientific health information as we think.
:)