Does anyone else worry about blood clots in the leg all the time??

[WPSNAT_811]

Does anyone else out there worry about this? It’s my current obsession. Like I can’t quit checking my legs to see if one is bigger than the other. It’s driving my spouse nuts!! Help! Does anyone else do this??

[BlueIris]

Went through that a year or so ago when I had an achy calf for months; had a constant low-level worry about DVT.

It went away in the end, for what it's worth.

[Double_Rainbow]

OP, no offense but I don't think that you know much about DVT. DVTs are tremendously painful, plus your leg will double in size and be hot to the touch. If you need to "check" for DVT, you don't have it. I hope that helps!

[WPSNAT_811]

None taken! I appreciate you taking the time. I’m actually an oncology nurse so I think that doesn’t help my HA. I tend to obsess over things.

Having said that, I know you guys are right. I have no other symptoms just the obsession to check for it. Thanks for the replies.

[BlueIris]

Wow, what an incredible job to have! I don't think my HA would ever let me do that, I'd be convinced I was dying in about half a minute!

[WPSNAT_811]

Yes I’m having to navigate through that. I used to be able to separate and not take it home, but obviously that is becoming harder and harder to do.

BUT I hope to spread some of my knowledge to people on here. I can help others easily just have trouble helping myself.

[Fishmanpa]

I’m actually an oncology nurse so I think that doesn’t help my HA. I tend to obsess over things.

As a nurse, you've studied these things in school. You know the reality and facts about many medical issues. Knowing the facts and reality, what is it in your mind that throws all that out the window? I'm just curious as to the mindset and train of thought that feeds this fear.

Positive thoughts

[WPSNAT_811]

I know. And I do use my training to squelch my tendency to panic sometimes. Then sometimes I can’t override the fear no matter how hard I try.

I think it’s that in my career, I see a lot of exceptions. I’m trained to assess and get to the bottom of things. So anytime I feel anything in my body, i overthink it. I see A lot of illness, so much that you begin to think that it’s normal. Really, realistically these terrible things that we all obsess over on here are not normal, they are all very rare. Even cancer—-so, I think it’s just over-exposure to illness, death, and the dying. But I still want to be a servant to those in need, even though it’s terribly hard at times.

This is a thought provoking question that I’ve asked myself many times. I need to learn to use my faith and give up the notion that I’m somehow in control of anything.

By the way, your sticky about ALS has saved me a million times. So thank you for your encouragement on these threads.

[Fishmanpa]

I know. And I do use my training to squelch my tendency to panic sometimes. Then sometimes I can’t override the fear no matter how hard I try.

I think it’s that in my career, I see a lot of exceptions. I’m trained to assess and get to the bottom of things. So anytime I feel anything in my body, i overthink it. I see A lot of illness, so much that you begin to think that it’s normal. Really, realistically these terrible things that we all obsess over on here are not normal, they are all very rare. Even cancer—-so, I think it’s just over-exposure to illness, death, and the dying. But I still want to be a servant to those in need, even though it’s terribly hard at times.

This is a thought provoking question that I’ve asked myself many times. I need to learn to use my faith and give up the notion that I’m somehow in control of anything.

By the way, your sticky about ALS has saved me a million times. So thank you for your encouragement on these threads.

Thank you for the reply and kind words. Your reply offers a lot of insight and it truly is a thought provoking subject. I guess that's what therapists and psychologist/psychiatrists delve into in detail. There is a trigger somewhere deep in the mind that causes the spiral to begin. Identifying it and finding ways to stop the subsequent reaction is a key to preventing it from happening. I found that to be true with the depression I suffered after my illnesses. I engaged in certain thought patterns and behaviors that perpetuated the cycle. Identifying them helped me eliminate them and now that I know what they are, I can effectively quell them should they arise.

Positive thoughts

[Double_Rainbow]

As a nurse, you've studied these things in school. You know the reality and facts about many medical issues. Knowing the facts and reality, what is it in your mind that throws all that out the window? I'm just curious as to the mindset and train of thought that feeds this fear.

Positive thoughts
I am not an OP or a nurse, but I have worked as an oncology scientist at the large cancer center for many years. For me personally, knowing the facts does nothing to calm my HA. My brain selectively emphasizes on the negative facts and throws away the positives, thinking that I certainly won't be that lucky. That's the irony of it, I actually understand how rare are most of the feared diseases, I have that perspective. When it comes to others, I can perfectly apply the facts to reality. But when it comes to my own stuff, my brain gets totally hijacked thinking that I will be an exception.

---------- Post added at 11:31 ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 ----------


I see A lot of illness, so much that you begin to think that it’s normal. Really, realistically these terrible things that we all obsess over on here are not normal, they are all very rare. Even cancer—-so, I think it’s just over-exposure to illness, death, and the dying.
Yes, I agree with this completely. For me, every work day for 8-9 hours a day it is all about cancer. Everything is about cancer, everybody gets cancer, the world revolves around cancer. For you it is even worse, you SEE these things while I read, write and talk about them. Naturally, we get overexposed at some point. Some people just deal with it better than others. Although there has to be a reason for a high suicide rate among physicians....

[BlueIris]

I get you completely. I know these things are rare, but I also know about the wife of a friend who died of colon cancer when she was barely thirty.

I was 38 when I was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (probably more like 33 when it first showed up, I panicked and left it absolutely ages) and I've never been a sun-worshipper; the chances of me randomly getting a skin cancer were vanishingly rare, but it happened.

You never read about the tens of thousands of people who go to their doctors and find they have something absolutely innocent, so if your mind's inclined that way it can be really hard to believe you won't be the one in a million.

[Fishmanpa]

I am not an OP or a nurse, but I have worked as an oncology scientist at the large cancer center for many years. For me personally, knowing the facts does nothing to calm my HA. My brain selectively emphasizes on the negative facts and throws away the positives, thinking that I certainly won't be that lucky. That's the irony of it, I actually understand how rare are most of the feared diseases, I have that perspective. When it comes to others, I can perfectly apply the facts to reality. But when it comes to my own stuff, my brain gets totally hijacked thinking that I will be an exception.

See... that's interesting as I'm the total opposite in spite of the fact that my cancer was rare to begin with (Squamous Cell Carcinoma Head and Neck) with an unknown primary (1-2% of ALL H&N cancers) and my wife suffered from one of the rarest of the rare forms of encephalitis (NMDA Receptor Autoimmune Encephalitis). My attitude (and I truly believe a lot of it is attitude) is that "well that's some shit luck!". Based on that, it's like, what are the chances of some other incredibly rare illness or life event befalling me? In fact, if anything, it's motivation to keep playing the lottery! Hell, I'm due eh? :winks:

Positive thoughts

[WPSNAT_811]

Absolutely!! And your response explains me so well! You know the facts but you always feel like you’re going to be an exception to the rule.

It is definitely overexposure, and I’m quite certain because of my HA I may have to change course in my career. As we all know, that’s a major life change so I have to consider things carefully. I don’t want to run from it and change my life because of anxiety, but I want to conquer it.

---------- Post added at 11:20 ---------- Previous post was at 11:16 ----------


I get you completely. I know these things are rare, but I also know about the wife of a friend who died of colon cancer when she was barely thirty.

I was 38 when I was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (probably more like 33 when it first showed up, I panicked and left it absolutely ages) and I've never been a sun-worshipper; the chances of me randomly getting a skin cancer were vanishingly rare, but it happened.

You never read about the tens of thousands of people who go to their doctors and find they have something absolutely innocent, so if your mind's inclined that way it can be really hard to believe you won't be the one in a million.

——————-/

And this is why HA is bad for me. Because there are exceptions to the rules. I see the young and old. So even though I’m 31, I struggle. But it does help to have faith. In general, it’s the only comfort that I can grab on to.

But I cannot tell you how pleasing it is to have a couple of survivors on this thread. Way to kick cancers ass!

[BlueIris]

FMP is definitely a hero, but I refuse to take credit for beating BCC. I had a lump on my forehead. It bled. This carried on for a few years. I Googled it, worked out what it was, then left it for a few more years because I knew it was unlikely to kill me and I didn't fancy reconstructive surgery. It got bigger, the worry got too much and I caved and sought medical assistance, at which point a plastic surgeon cut it out and left me with a scar most people don't notice.

Never had a wisdom tooth removed, but I'm pretty sure that'd be a bigger deal than the BCC ;)

[Double_Rainbow]

I get you completely. I know these things are rare, but I also know about the wife of a friend who died of colon cancer when she was barely thirty.
We all know at least one person who suffered from something like this. Some may know 2 or 3. But how many people we know who didn't get it? Many, many more.


I was 38 when I was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (probably more like 33 when it first showed up, I panicked and left it absolutely ages) and I've never been a sun-worshipper; the chances of me randomly getting a skin cancer were vanishingly rare, but it happened.
BCC is not rare, in fact it is the most common cancer in the US. It might be rare in the 30s, but given the high prevalence in general, even 5% of all cases equates to a significant number. I get you though, nobody expects any kind of cancer when they are in the 30s.


You never read about the tens of thousands of people who go to their doctors and find they have something absolutely innocent, so if your mind's inclined that way it can be really hard to believe you won't be the one in a million.
Exactly! I recently read a paper about a woman whose doc thought she had a cyst, and it ended up being cancer. Those stories are publicized. But what is not told is that per each horror story like that there are millions of people who went in thinking they had cancer and it was just a cyst. Hypochondriacs need to read more stories like this.

[anxious_thoughts]

Does anyone else out there worry about this? It’s my current obsession. Like I can’t quit checking my legs to see if one is bigger than the other. It’s driving my spouse nuts!! Help! Does anyone else do this??

Hello,

Im actually go through that fear right now. It’s the worst!!
I started birth control 4 months ago, I’m 25 don’t smoke but I’m overweight so since I started the BC my left calf has been sore. I compare my legs and ankles to see if they’re the same size and everything. I even got an ultrasound done to see if there was any blockage or if the blood flow was okay.

Lately I’ve been keeping myself busy, and guess what? The pain on my leg is gone. It’s crazy what anxiety can do.

Also, like what everyone says...the pain would be excruciating and the area of the leg would be red, warm, and swollen. I really think it’s just all in our head.