PDA

View Full Version : Something to learn from........



roachford
13-06-05, 16:10
I hope this little story of my last few days will give others an insight into how 'out of proportion' things can get in a relitavely short time, AND the resultant effect.

I posted on here last week regarding my concerns over what I feel to be serious health worries - real or imagined.

Well, my symptoms of minor upset stomach persisted and I have been getting myself into more and more of an aggiteded state.

Friday morning, I was due to hold a sculpture day with some kids at a local school. I was a little nervous, but looking forward to getting stuck into a day of art. Well, considering I had convinced myself that the stomach cramps were the beginnings of bowel cancer and that I was heading down a dark road had already set in, the following almost pushed me over the edge.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE NEXT BIT IS A LITTLE DELICATE.

I had to use the bathroom before I started and to my horror, there was tiny traces of blood on the toilet paper. Sorry to be so explict, but I want you all to know how wrong I got things......

I ended staggering out of the bathroom, panic had decended and crushed me in a vice like grip....

'This is it, I was right" I thought. Not five minutes later, I colappsed with fear and the school staff called an ambulance.

I remember being put on the stretcher and having the mask put over my face. When I arrived at A&E, I had calmed a little and was thinking all sorts of things. The doctor examined me and to cut a long story short (including the 2 hour wait) he intimated that the traces of blood were probably due to haemeroids and that I was not in the bracket of BC sufferers and had none of the other symptoms. Needless to say the fear started to subside and embarresment slowly entered, stage right.....:(

I got home and my wife was in a real state as she had never seen me work myself up into such a bad way. We talked and (being a rock, fountain of knowledge and all round angel) she convinced me that I really need to get a grip. Well, I guess we all know thats sometimes easier said than done, but since Friday, I have tried to really keep positive, trying my hardest to ignore the downer thoughts. And I have to say that the tummy problems have really eased off. I'm now beginning to thhink that a large amount of it has been psycho-sematic (sp). But I wanted all of you good, good people out there to know that even when someting may seem absolutely horrifying, it may not be the worst case scenario. It seems to me that the most people who suffer with anxiety or panic are generally good and kind folks, which is a tradgedy. I just hope you are all having a good day today.

Best Wishes always,

R

pips
13-06-05, 23:28
Hi R,

Oh so sorry you had to go through all that.

It's amazing what we can convince ourselves of having hey. Like you i had thought I had bowel cancer then i moved onto stomach oh and then a brain tumour something a bit different LOL!

Glad you got through it though and realise things arn't always what the seem.

We just have to take a deep breathe be strong and practice that rational thinking huh!

Hope you are feeling better now.

Take care,

Love PIP'S X

Martin
18-06-05, 20:09
I had complete upper and lower endoscopy done in January because of some constipation and a little blood.. Needless to say there was nothing seriously wrong..

In fact, that procedure alone should make anyone think twice about how silly it is to imagine things like that, as its possible the most unpleasant and degrading experience I've had in a long long LONG while [Ugh]

-Martin

------------------------------
I'm not insane.. really

seh1980
18-06-05, 20:39
hello R,

Sorry to hear that you had to go through all that. Things like this really can get blown out of proportion, can't they? In a strange way, it might be a good thing that this happened to you because at least now you know that you were worrying about nothing. I'm glad to hear that your stomach pains have eased off and that you're feeling more positive. Your story just goes to show how capable our brains are of blowing things right out of proportion..

Sarah :D

"Life is too important to take seriously" Corky Siegal

Meg
18-06-05, 20:56
Who else has any examples of nagative / irrational thinking leading to a crisis ?


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

henri
19-06-05, 11:51
i could list the number of panic attacks i've had that have been caused by an irrational fear, but it'll go on for way too long!
roachford, it's great that you have acknowledged that your symptoms are fear-related. i think that's half the battle. stay positive!
henri x

chucklehound
19-06-05, 12:30
Very glad to hear that it was nothing serious.

All the best

Feel free pm me if you want to chat

steno -x-

kt
20-06-05, 17:53
Hi all, I had a very similar scary experience. I was blow drying my hair late one night and I felt a sharp pain in my wrist, like an insect bite. I scratched it and scratched it and it started to feel really hot and looked very red! My legs turned to jelly when I noticed it going a very strange purpley colour.
My partner was on nights, my teenager and baby in bed asleep, and I was convinced all my veins were going to collapse and I was going to internally bleed to death! (if thats at all possible).
I phoned A&E and they said to go down and have it checked for reassurance. Knew I wasn't able to drive as was in full panic mode, midnight by now, so called my friend. Bless her, she drove 3 miles to my house to take me. I had to wake my son to ask him to look after my baby while I went. Needless to say he wasn't very impressed!
Got to hospital and after spending 5 mins breathing into paper bag and having my blood pressure taken (twice!! LOL) I was told it was perfectly normal and was just the beginning of a bruise!
Left there feeling extremely embarressed but happily reassured![Duh!]
It's so good knowing your not the only one!!! KT x

Be gentle and you will need no strength, be patient and you will achieve all things.