View Full Version : Constant cancer phobia :(
Hi all, Im new here but lately ive been having a really big phobia of cancer since the passing of my dad 2 years ago.
in the past 2 years ago i've diagnoised myself with a brain tumour (what my dad died of),lymphoma (lymph nodes that turned out to be normal swelling of the lymph nodes and nothing to worry about at all), stomach cancer (stomach pains which turned out to be menstrual cramps), throat cancer (due to a sore throat), lung cancer,breast cancer, well you get the picture.
i just feel so miserable and i always rush myself to the doctors as soon as i feel the slightest hint i may have cancer, its awful because i know i don't (my mums a nurse so she always has to reassure me i dont have anything as she used to work with people who suffered with it), its awfully embarrassing as im pretty sure the doctors are getting sick of me now.
i've tried counselling but i didn't think that did much good, also been to a psychatrist who even did blood tests which came back negative for everything, but no that didn't help either.
i was okay until (and this will sound really pathetic :() the latest storyline of coronation street was jack getting diagnoised with terminal lymphoma which has got me all worked up again thinking i yet again have it and resulted in me googling up lymphoma convincing myself i had every symptom even though i don't. my mums reassured me once again i don't have it as she could detect the symptoms straight away yet i still worry. and later on after that i had a massive panic attack to the point i thought i was going to die from it, i just feel trapped in my own body with this phobia :( everyone my age (im 16) seems to be out having fun and i just feel depressed because of this phobia, its so hard to explain to all my friends and boyfriend about it though they have been supportive, but i dont tend to talk about it much as theyd think i was being dramatic, lol.
i just feel so alone with this :(
what can i do to put my mind at ease for good? and how common is a cancer phobia after someone dies from it?
thanks all to answer, sorry about the lengthyness of this post :flowers:
hi my dad died frm throat cancer 10 years ago and ive ad my H.A on and of since then mainly about cancer so i do feel for you ive recently given in to starting medication to help me TRY and relax hope u r ok
A very close family member died from cancer 7 years ago and she was such a healthy young woman - didn't smoke, hardly drank and was very fit. I've had a phobia about cancer ever since and whilst there are times that I forget about it there are other times where it is constantly on my mind. Any pain / symptom I automatically think that it could be the big 'C'. It's so awful feeling this way and I very much understand where you are coming from. xx
h im in exactly the same boat its sooo awful hpe you are ok ,i watched it too and think the same .xx
im in such a rubbish mood after watching coronation street it's brought back my cancer phobia all over again :( even though ive been told over and over again i'm fine which i know i am. im such a wreck i haven't been able to think straight all day.
but its nice to know that im not the only one suffering with this terrible phobia :)
xxx
I know exactly how you feel. My dad died from brain tumour 3 years ago and ever since then I have had major health anxiety. In the past year I've convinced myself that I've had breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, brain tumour, spine tumour, pancreatic cancer, bowel cancer, and lymphoma. Not sure how to get over this fear yet though!
trolleydolly
12-10-10, 19:13
me too ever since my mum died of lung cancer 2 years ago
Sorry to hear about everyone's losses to cancer :( its such an awful thing to go through, but atleast now i know im not the only one with this cancer phobia and hopefully we can all conquer it some day :hugs:
I know exactly how you feel. My dad died from brain tumour 3 years ago and ever since then I have had major health anxiety. In the past year I've convinced myself that I've had breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, brain tumour, spine tumour, pancreatic cancer, bowel cancer, and lymphoma. Not sure how to get over this fear yet though!
I am the same my mum passed away with bowel cancer in jan this year and ever since i have had everything i to rush tot eh Dr's at every pain!
Its horrible i hate it its taking over my life!
dad died of lung cancer 4 years ago. since then I've "had" almost every type of cancer known to man. Health anxiety led to deppresion / GAD / panic attacks so I'm now taking meds for it... They seem to help alot, a few days ago I felt a pain in my hip and for a few seconds my mind raced to bone cancer. The good news is that I brushed it off easly and laughed at myself. I know, it seems a hard thing to do at the point you are now, but you will get there!
Hi there,
Sorry to hear you are going through this. I too suffer from the same anxiety and at the moment I am having a nasty anxiety attack which has lasted about 5 days due to my phobia of C. Am so scared of it that I dont even like to say the word.
xxx
thanks for everyones responses,this phobia is driving me insane, im having some days where i think i know everythings okay tehn the next day i'll go into a mad frenzy thinking i have something wrong with me! xxx
i have cancer phobia as my mum died of it two years ago, but i have it under control. let me know if you want a chat. pm me x
thanks for the responses again everyone :)
i feel terrible today as ive woke up with back and rib pain, i stupidly googled it and what came up? you guessed it, cancer! ive had this for a few months now and the doctors have said its nothing and linked to my anxiety as the pain is okay for weeks on end then comes back when i feel anxious at any point so im assuming now its just my anxiety as ive felt tense this week so im not sure why i googled it, its a horrible habit ive got myself into :( does anyone know if anxiety pains can lead to be permanent pains?
Yep,
i have the big C fear as well, espicially lymphoma, its because of night sweats, and lost some weight ( thats probably stress related), my smear came back inadequate, so now i have to wait 3 months for repeat aghhhhhhhh.
I really bored and tired of the stress!!:doh:
bluetopazgirl
30-03-11, 21:07
I'm the same my dad died of lukeamia in 99 when I was 12 I'm now really suffering and I believe i have the symptoms of lymphoma :( thinking of you all x
HelenLouise
30-03-11, 21:19
I'm the same - I'm obsessed with lymphoma at the moment and have diagnosed myself with stomach cancer, leukemia, ovarian, cervical, brain and pancreatic cancer within a year.
It's horrible but at least we are all in the same boat when it comes to our health anxiety + cancer worries!
Hugs to all :hugs: :)
Hey - gosh cant believe how many of us all have such similar worries. I constantly worry about cancer, sore throat just now - must be throat cancer, I have had a sore shoulder for a few weeks but its been better and got a bit worse again but been prodding around my armpit/breast/neck convinced its a cancer of some sorts! Its just miserable :( I keep trying to tell myself if it was something bad it wouldnt have eased off as it did and to cause pain the lump would be quite obvious but even though Im chatting to a phycologist about stuff and I know what I should be saying to myself, I cant stop the worrying - it totally takes over at times. I get recurring back issues but recently, even although Ive had it before Im convinced it could be related to perhaps ovarian cancer or something! And to top all the cancer worries - Ive had a head cold recently and my eyes are a bit dry at times and kind of bleary with gunk, only really notice it when i think about it though then get in a panic - must be diabetes!! :(
Hugs to everyone xx
Hi - I'm new here.... I too have a 'C' phobia having lost close family and friends to it. I too can't get it out of my mind - every little ache and pain gets me worrying. I go to the doctor and he tells me that I'm fine but I end up not believing him. I go back and he sends me for tests which gets me even more worried! It's totally consuming my life!
Every time there is a commercial break on TV there is a 'C' advert. I know they have to advertise the facts and that they definately need the support, but that doesn't help me when I'm sitting here worrying about it all day.
I really don't know what to do - I'm constantly worrying.
So glad I found this forum - any advice?
Reading all of these replies makes me feel terrible. Bar losing my grandad to Colon cancer when I was 6 (can barely remember it), I haven't lost anyone close to me to cancer to trigger my phobia of the Big C but it has taken over my life.
Anal Fissure - Colon Cancer
Lump in throat due to anxiety - Throat Cancer
Purpuric spots, low immune system, thrush - Leukaemia
Painful non-cyclic nipples - Breast Cancer
Thrush - Cervical Cancer (smear came back normal)
Bleeding from rectum - Colon/Bowel cancer
Bony lump in foot - Bone cancer
These are some of my self-diagnoses over the past 2 years. I think what triggers my HA is when I hear about people my age (25) or close to my age being diagnosed with cancer. It's not many but enough to make me worry.
As awful as it sounds I can't bear to watch Race For Life or MacMillan/Marie Curie adverts as it just reminds me and if I'm in the Pharmacists I can't make eye contact with the MacMillan advertising stands. I try to avoid any programmes about hospitals and any storylines in soaps about cancer as I think that is also a trigger for me.
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