Do I Have Cancer

[ian414]

Im so worried, ive lost so much weight i was 11 stone last year and im now 9 and a half stone...my face has gone all gaunt and skinny im eating so i know its not due to not eating, ive had a sore throat for minths told my doctor but he said he will take some phlem and do a test that came back ok, ive had chest xrays thay have come back all clear, my main worry is why has my face lost so much weight, i have Health anxitey....my heart will race all day everyday, please is there anyone else out there with the same problem with the face and lossing weight please get back to me Thanks Ian

[Hazel B]

I did answer this one when you posted before, but to reassure you: I lost 2 stones in 4 months with anxiety. Adrenalin burns more fuel. I thought I was terminal, had blood tests, every scan you can name and then finally I'm told my pain is a gallstone. By then, I had imagined the worst and gone into panic mode and could not break the cycle. One of the hardest things I have ever done was sit with my GP and explain my racing heart and irrational thinking, but after that day I accepted I had anxiety and am now doing all I can to get it under control.

We all lose weight from different places on our bodies, my arms and legs look right skinny now, so please don't worry that your face is any different, it will just show there more on you. I only have "one chin" now, which would be good if I've dieted but because it's angst related it makes me feel sad. But hey, my weight has stabilised a bit now for the first time in months so we can get over this, it takes time and effort but it CAN be done.

[ian414]

thank you for that Hazel B, but its a big worry for me not knowing i was ok a year ago, now all this how do i get to have a scan will the doctor do one for me, ive had an MRI of the brain and chest Xrays and they where all good so do i need to worry would i need a scan?

[Hazel B]

I'm not a doctor, but you've had a phlegm test, chest Xray and brain MRI, so you've had tests which have been negative. This is good news, what other tests do you feel you need? And when did the racing heart start?

I've had 3 years of hell, with bereavements, job loss, car accident, family illness etc, so when I started getting tummy pain and no answers after month of tests, it pushed me into an anxious cycle. I can see this quite clearly now, but if youd've asked me 2 months ago when I was waiting for my liver MRI, I would have told you I was convinced my days were numbered. My mind had tricked me into this, I'm not over it yet but determined to get better and stop worrying about my health.

Racing heart and weight loss are symptoms of anxiety, I have them myself.

[countrygirl]

Has your Dr checked your thyroid - just ring up and ask because this should be checked in anyone with weight loss racing heart and anxiety in case they have an overactive thryoid. I am not trying to scare you just I worked as advisor for thryoid group and it was amazing how many people had been back and forth to Dr had numerous tests but not the simple blood test for thryoid. don't panic at all about it as even if you did have an overactive thryoid it is usually easily sorted out.

I would imagine if you have had bloods your dr will have already checked but I would certainly just ask if it was me.

[ian414]

Hi Countrygirl yes ive had my thyroid checked and that was good to, so all blood tests have been fine, but i know a blood test dosent show any kind of cancer, Thanks for your Comment....Ian

[ian414]

Hazel, i would likie to say im so sorry about the bereavements and everything else that has happend to you, i fully understand as my mum passed away last year from Overian Cancer, my Dad died in 1987 from a Heart attack, so im with you on that, i do understand Anxitey and ive had it before but nothing like this, i mean my heart will race 120 to 140 beats a min just by standing up or walking , it will race just by laying down and this will happen everyday, and the weight lose has made me feel worse, everyone i know has noticed it and said i look ill, so you see why im the way i am... Ian

[countrygirl]

Glad you have had your thryoid tested - if you have had a full range of bloods inc esr and full blood count then thats a really good mot for health.

[ian414]

Countrygirl what is ESR ?

[mwone13]

HI Ian,

I have this worry quite a lot and fully appreciate where your coming from. But as mentioned I have come to learn that the anxiety can knock lbs off at a rapid rate.
The first thing i stopped doing was weighing myself. If i have other symptoms then i would mention it to the doc, but if all tests are ok you are most probably like me. I actually used to go through phases of eating and drinking as much crap as poss to put on a couple of lbs and i would weigh myself at times in the day when i knew i would be heaviest. Sounds daft but thats what the obsession got like for me.
I'm much happier now not weighing myself and just getting used to the fact that i am 10 stone at best and can slip half a stone if i get anxcious.

Hope this helps good luck

[Hazel B]

Thanks, and I am so sorry for your losses too, it's an awful anguish.

I just wanted to let you know that at my worst, my pulse was 130bpm, it it usually 63 bpm ( I know from being at the gym!) - I would be sitting or lying down and it would still happen. I'd also be having a normal dream, comfy and safe in bed and then I would wake up with a racing pulse and feeling that my heart was jumping out of my chest - for no obvious reason. People noticed I'd lost weight but also tell me now I'm calmer that I looked tormented and ill - well that's because my mind was tormenting me and I was stressed. I decided to eat a little more often, as big meals made me feel sick, and also stopped weighing myself like mw did on the other post. I have more nuts and snacks now, I can't eat fat due to the gallstone but I have things like low fat rice pudding for supper as it's comforting to me. I've also cut caffeine and nicotine as I know they make anxiety worse, sorry if I've told you that already.

I have temporary beta-blockers and am seeing a counsellor to help my mind gain some peace.

Best wishes.

[joannap]

i have had an overactive thyroid and yes - its v similar to anxiety but i had other symptoms such as throwing up etc! however my thyroid is now normal but when i am stressed i can loose half a stone very easily so one and half stones over a year is not that dramatic and is simply due to adrenalin - when your heart is racing - its like you are exercising without trying!

i once had a sore throat for nine months - it felt really raw but nothing wrong was found - it simply disappeared one day so i would not let it worry you x

[joannap]

ps - when i was on tablets for over active thyroid - they can occasionally surpress your immune system and guess what - because i focused on this i always felt ill! thats what the power of the mind can do so try not to focus on it!