What if it's serious?

[juliana]

I'm a massive hypochondriac, and I regularly (way more then ten times a day) bring up my mucus to check the color, I've done this for over a year now. I've noticed that every now and then I have a bit of blood in my mucus, up until about 3 or 4 months ago I didn't think it was anything serious until around that time I had quite a lot of blood in my mucus! I was terrified, but the weird thing was that the next day my friend went to get her chest x-rayed because she'd been coughing up blood that morning. She's fine now, her x-ray came back with nothing wrong with it. For about 6 weeks now I've been having a bit of discomfort in my chest and back and I keep imagining that I have other symptoms of lung cancer. My grandma died of it before I was born and I'm petrified that I have it. I've gone to the doctors for the chest and back discomfort but my mom won't take me regarding the blood because she thinks it's just from my nose and that I'm overreacting. I'm so scared that I can't do my homework and I cry every night. I have cycles of about four days. On the first day I'll be hysterical, the second I'm perfectly fine and normal, the third I'm almost fine and the fourth I'm almost okay. I google my symptoms way to much and in the past several month I've been convinced that I have skin cancer, an ordinary looking mole on my stomach, breast cancer three times, stretch mark, and two pimples, brain cancer, headaches, TB, and some unknown deadly diseases. I'm quite attention seeking but I only ever tell my symptoms to my parents, occasionally I'll go to the nurse at school because I'm to scared to concentrate and I also have rather low self-esteem.

[kaz0904]

:hugs:

The blood could be because you have coughed up so many times, you have irritated your throat somewhere. My Dad had bad Flu for ages, and he started coughing up blood. The doctor referred him for tests, and they found nothing but sore passages, because he had coughed so much.

[juliana]

Thanks for your reply :) It could be, but I'm not actually coughing, just spitting it out into a tissue. Of course it may be that bringing it up has irritated my throat.

[milly jones]

hun if ure worried go see gp

i know u think ur fussing but ha is an illness in itself and deserves treatment. tell the gp how much these fears are affecting ur life and ask for some help whether it be meds or therapy or both.

there are loads of ppl on nmp who understand ur fears hun so kep reading and replying to posts

it might help looking at the website and reading old forum posts on ha to help ur fears

milly xxxx

[Charlottie]

Most blood in muscus is caused by scratching your throat but it would be a good idea to go and see a doctor just to put your mind at rest.

Bringing up muscus that many times isn't very good for your throat at all I shouldn't think.

[Trixie]

I will repeat what the others have said about your constant clearing of your throat to inspect the mucus. This has probably caused some sort of irritation and soreness hence the blood.


What concerns me most is that you are so young to be worried about your health. You should be out having a good time not worrying about the colour of your phlegm. Please see the doctor and tell him about this obsession he can help you get on and enjoy life.

And regarding your low self esteem you are just as good as everyone else don't let them put you down.

[kellie]

Hiya Juliana. im also a health anx sufferer who is terrifed of cancer and like you i have thought and sometimes still think i have various different cancers. At the moment mine anx is all centered on throat cancer due to a lump in my throat feeling and bringing up mucus all the time. When my anx is at its highest my rational thinking goes out the window and i convince myself that its not just my anx symptoms and something more serious is wrong. i totaly understand your fears and how you are feeling i also know how scary it can feel when these thoughts are in your head. plz go and talk to your doc about this and let him/her reasure you, also hun plz plz dont google your symptoms, ive been there and done that and it will only make you feel more scared and convince you more that you have something nasty wrong. the mucus you are getting is a result of you clearing your throat all the time and your throat mucsle getting tight, and little vains in there will break and thats when the blood appears. when you are feeling scared about things do a post on here and we will help you as much as we can ok.

take care

kellie.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[halfnormal]

I had the same thing. Turned out to be bleeding gums at time and bloody sinus's from living in a dry climate.

A little blood goes a long way in water/saliva.

[Nibbles]

Hi Juliana,

I'm sorry to hear you're going through an unpleasant time at the moment and hope you feel better soon. :hugs: I expect you've irritated your throat by bringing up the mucus which is causing the blood and is nothing to worry about. Of course you can't switch off anxiety just like that but I'm sure if you try to reduce the amount of times you inspect your mucus the problem will clear up. Perhaps you could keep a record of the number of times you do it each day and aim for one less during the next day?

I think hypochondria is really common and lots of people get it to some degree. You're young and healthy so I'm sure there's nothing seriously wrong like lung cancer. It really is a scary illness but it doesn't have to be hereditary so just because your grandma had it doesn't mean you will too.

Lastly going to school despite feeling this way is really brave and you should feel proud of yourself. :yesyes:

Take care,

Mike :)

[juliana]

Thanks you all for your support :hugs: I forgot to mention that I've had a blood test because the doctor thought it was viral. The blood test was fine but I'm not sure if blood tests do anything to diagnose lung cancer (although I read somewhere that they pick up if you have any type of cancer because of the mutated cells) I sent myself into another panic this morning because my left lymph gland at the base of my throat is larger, harder and lumpier then my other one. I read somewhere that a swollen neck was also a symptom of lung cancer due to the blocking of lymph glands :weep: and also my left lymph gland under my ear is fleshier and more filled out then my other one. But then again it could be nothing :)
The good news is that I think my back discomfort if from tensing and hunching my shoulders (I noticed I did this last night when I was really anxious) which would explain why it's worse at the end of the school day.
Thanks again for your reassuring words :D

[itoldyouiwasill]

There are two words that define health anxiety, those words are 'what if'

You have seen a GP and you have been given the all clear. I think that the constant checking i.e clearing your passages, has probably aggravated the throat and that is what is causing you problems.

Cancer presents with a myraid of symptoms and you need to look at the bigger picture....as is the norm with health anxiety you are focussing on one small thing and ignoring all the evidence that points to a benign explanation.

'What if' does not mean you have to be hypervigilant regarding your health and your body noise....move from 'what if to 'what is'.

[juliana]

Thank you ^.^ You're completely right, and I'll try to do just that :D

[juliana]

:weep: Just when I was feeling better :( I coughed up a big blob of thick yellow mucus with blood in it yesterday and I've just done the same thing today! Most of the time my mucus is clear but I whenever I cough up something thick it has blood in it :weep: Should I ask my mom to take me to the doctors again? I'm really worried that it's something serious :(

[Charlottie]

Can't you go to the doctors by yourself if your mom won't take you?

I would go and see though because although the blood is most likely from your throat yellow muscus usually indicates an infection. Not a bad one, but it's best to go and see if you need antibiotics, which usually they don't give out anymore either.