PollyWoodle
31-05-09, 20:29
I'm new here but I've been battling anxiety and panic for about 10 years now. I was agoraphobic until a little while ago, but I've been getting better and really thinking I was making progress... but now, this...
I've always had sinus trouble (bunged up nose, sneezing, constantly blowing my nose etc. etc.) and I used to use Sinex spray a lot. I decided I should stop using it (I relied on it so much for 20 years - used it probably much more than I should and got 'rebound'). So I stopped using it. I got two colds in quick succession, and we also had the builders in knocking holes in walls etc. and there was SO much dust around for about 5 weeks. I'd had a runny eye and a runny nostril for a couple of weeks, and then I got a sore up my nose - I guess like a boil. I've had them before, but this was quite painful and kept bleeding when I blew my nose - which I do A LOT because I still have sinus trouble plus not a day goes by when I don't have a good cry, and blow my nose etc. etc. Plus, for years, I've had a kind of nervous itch down the side of my nose - I used to rub and rub and scratch it - it's like a sort of nerve tingle and drives me nuts! I would make it quite sore sometimes. I had to sit on my hands to stop me from scratching.
Anyway, as well as the spot, I started to get a swelling down the side of my nose - kind of where my cheek meets my nose, in that crease. It got bigger and bigger, and I couldn't stop obsessing about it. My nostril was all swollen inside, too.
The spot inside my nose cleared up, but my nose would occasionally bleed a little bit. But the swelling beside my nose is getting bigger, and now is almost up to my eye. There's no pain, it's just swollen, like I've walked into a door. My eye is a bit weepy still too.
Anyway, last week I reluctantly went to the doctor to get some antibiotics (I thought it must be an infection or soemthing). To my horror, she muttered about cancer and is sending me to the ENT people. She gave me some cream Naseptim and I'm using that before I go to the ENT.
I am so, so, so frightened. The sore has cleared up completely, although there is a pinky looking area up my nose and it looks a bit thin skinned. It's still swollen, but I think it's going down. But the swelling beside my nose doesn't seem to be getting any smaller - it's like fluid retention.
The thing is, the swelling beside my nose is exactly where I used to scratch and rub so much, and I can't help thinking it's to do with that? (I've made a concerted effort to stop scratching it now). I think (hope) the sore up my nose was an infection. Could it be cancer? It wasn't my GP I saw and I haven't been near a doc for years so they know nothing about my anxiety problems.
Please help me - I am so scared. Any ideas of suggestions would be so welcome.
Poll
I've always had sinus trouble (bunged up nose, sneezing, constantly blowing my nose etc. etc.) and I used to use Sinex spray a lot. I decided I should stop using it (I relied on it so much for 20 years - used it probably much more than I should and got 'rebound'). So I stopped using it. I got two colds in quick succession, and we also had the builders in knocking holes in walls etc. and there was SO much dust around for about 5 weeks. I'd had a runny eye and a runny nostril for a couple of weeks, and then I got a sore up my nose - I guess like a boil. I've had them before, but this was quite painful and kept bleeding when I blew my nose - which I do A LOT because I still have sinus trouble plus not a day goes by when I don't have a good cry, and blow my nose etc. etc. Plus, for years, I've had a kind of nervous itch down the side of my nose - I used to rub and rub and scratch it - it's like a sort of nerve tingle and drives me nuts! I would make it quite sore sometimes. I had to sit on my hands to stop me from scratching.
Anyway, as well as the spot, I started to get a swelling down the side of my nose - kind of where my cheek meets my nose, in that crease. It got bigger and bigger, and I couldn't stop obsessing about it. My nostril was all swollen inside, too.
The spot inside my nose cleared up, but my nose would occasionally bleed a little bit. But the swelling beside my nose is getting bigger, and now is almost up to my eye. There's no pain, it's just swollen, like I've walked into a door. My eye is a bit weepy still too.
Anyway, last week I reluctantly went to the doctor to get some antibiotics (I thought it must be an infection or soemthing). To my horror, she muttered about cancer and is sending me to the ENT people. She gave me some cream Naseptim and I'm using that before I go to the ENT.
I am so, so, so frightened. The sore has cleared up completely, although there is a pinky looking area up my nose and it looks a bit thin skinned. It's still swollen, but I think it's going down. But the swelling beside my nose doesn't seem to be getting any smaller - it's like fluid retention.
The thing is, the swelling beside my nose is exactly where I used to scratch and rub so much, and I can't help thinking it's to do with that? (I've made a concerted effort to stop scratching it now). I think (hope) the sore up my nose was an infection. Could it be cancer? It wasn't my GP I saw and I haven't been near a doc for years so they know nothing about my anxiety problems.
Please help me - I am so scared. Any ideas of suggestions would be so welcome.
Poll