Health anxiety advice needed

[natzsteveo]

Hi everyone my name is Nat I'm 43 I lost my mum 10 years ago to pancreatic cancer she died 7 weeks after diagnosis very painful time..since losing my mum I've had really bad health anxiety also every single pain I have I think it's cancer or some sort of terminal illness and it's ruining me my latest is I have a large cyst on my ovary got my gyno appointment tomorrow I'm absolutely petrified if it's bad news I've had the ca125 blood test and it's come back normal my head ain't having any of it and I'm such a wreck I can't eat or sleep any advice is very needed

[Jack4440]

Hello, Nat

I understand that you’re feeling quite anxious at the moment. I can relate first hand to this, I’ve thought I’ve had cancer so many times and had lots of tests which weren’t required.
I can understand that you have a lump discovered that this would elevate your anxiety and reaffirm your cancer fear; that’s only natural.
Cancer is rare, and common things are common. The cyst you have can actually be very common, my sister had a large cyst removed a few years back. Your blood test was normal too. The cancer incidence rate for someone of your age and for that type of cancer is extremely small. Per 100,000 of population, there were around 500 cases.
Worrying about it won’t change the outcome, so try to focus on the statistics and the odds are indeed in your favour.
The cyst will be removed usually by laparoscopic surgery if it’s big enough, it’s known as key hole surgery. Again, I don’t think this is sinister.
Why evidence do you have to suggest that it might be somthing more sinister?

Hope this helps.

[natzsteveo]

Hi it's because my white blood count platelets came back slightly raised so now Dr has sent me to x-ray as he says it's a lung cancer sign im petrified

[jrcoleman]

He should have never said that. It could also be related to the stress you have just endured. Your white blood cells will elevate in response to disease as well as simple inflammation. After what you went through, I would expect the stress levels in your body to be high and you probably have some inflammation from holding your shoulders or parts of your body tense. Get the test to alleviate your concerns, but don't drive yourself crazy worrying about what might be. After that, see someone to help with your PTSD. A death is a very traumatic event and being cancer I can see how it might make you wonder if you have it too. I have been told most cancers skip a generation. Even if you have the gene, it doesn't mean you will get the cancer.