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anxious848
29-08-17, 15:24
Hi, I have severe health anxiety which I thought I had under control until recently.

In the past 2 years I have had the following tests:
- colonoscopy late 2016 (clear, small benign growth removed)
- gastroscopy, normal (2 years ago)
- numerous pelvic and transvaginal ultrasounds and saline sonohysterogram (attend fertility clinic) for the past 2 years
- brain MRI in early 2016
- abdominal ultrasound in april 2016 (normal)
- normal urinalysis, normal CBC and blood chemistry for as long as I can remember including recent physical done in July 2017 - with exception of low ferratin
-breast ultrasound (normal, showing small benign fibroademona)

For the past several months I have had a swollen groin node right under my inguinal ligament. My GP said he could barely see it but I can see it when looking in the mirror. I'm not sure if I am measuring it correctly but initially, it was about 2/3 of an inch and now looks to be about 1/2 an inch long. It is quite thin. My GP said its small and feels benign. He elected not to do any further testing since I had normal CBC and blood chemistry.

I feel fine. It's painless and hasn't gone away which dr. google says is terrible. It definitely hasn't grown - if anything has got a little smaller since I first noticed it. The problem is that I can see it...most of my health anxieties have been around things I cannot see which is maybe why I'm so bothered by it still being there. Of course, I poked/prodded for the first couple months because I hadn't seen a doctor and didn't know what it was - I'll be honest I thought it was a tendon of some sort rather than a lymph node.

Sorry for the TMI but I do shave that area. I do have a lot of the red shaving bumps and there was a period where I shaved quite frequently and also had a small cyst/pimple back in June that came and went. But I have the red bumps on each side so isn't it odd that i'd have just one swollen gland on the right? Could the swollen node be caused by shaving??

I've posted before and apologize if anyone is rereading this. I'm just nervous. I'm trying really hard to trust my doctor. He said he could ultrasound it if I wanted to back in July but felt it may just trigger my anxiety more. It's just the node has been there since April (I think).

Thank you so much. i really appreciate your replies...

anxious848
03-09-17, 17:07
Anybody? :(

AntsyVee
03-09-17, 17:20
At some point you are going to have to trust your doctor. Getting all these medical tests done for no reason can't be healthy. What are you doing to treat your anxiety?

anxious848
03-09-17, 18:10
At some point you are going to have to trust your doctor. Getting all these medical tests done for no reason can't be healthy. What are you doing to treat your anxiety?

Thank you so much for responding...I really appreciate it.

I started getting health anxiety when I lost my grandfather - i took care of him when he was really sick and then got sick myself with hpylori then 3 miscarriages over the next year. I haven't been the same since and have been seeing psychologists on and off for CBT. I've been told I have generalized anxiety but because I'm functional in my day to day they always end up saying I don't need to see them anymore.

I got all of these tests before the swollen node showed up. I just keep thinking it's something awful. I switched doctors in February 2017 after the majority of these tests were performed. The doctor I had was really nice but made me more anxious - the one I have now is very assertive and direct which I need. I guess the difference this time is I can see the node...normally I'm scared of something that isn't visible :(

AntsyVee
03-09-17, 18:37
So you're one of those people whose HA was brought on by a traumatic experience. We have some people like you in the traumatic grief group that I go to. Maybe some treatment for PTSD might help. CBT helps a lot, but it doesn't always cover all of the issues with those of us who have PTSD have.

anxious848
03-09-17, 19:02
So you're one of those people whose HA was brought on by a traumatic experience. We have some people like you in the traumatic grief group that I go to. Maybe some treatment for PTSD might help. CBT helps a lot, but it doesn't always cover all of the issues with those of us who have PTSD have.

Thank you...none of the psychologists I've spoken with have mentioned PTSD. I always think of PTSD for people who have been through something much more serious (I.e. War veterans). My GP suggested anti anxiety medication but I'm a little nervous to take it.

Does it sound neurotic to be frightened of a lymph mode that has hung around for so many months? It's funny in my head I know I'm being irrational but I still can't help how I'm feeling which is terrified.

AntsyVee
03-09-17, 21:22
Yeah, it sounds neurotic, since all other testing that has shown that it's fine. That's why the anti anxiety meds were probably recommended. I've taken Lexapro for the past three years and it's helped with my anxiety and PTSD immensely.