It's all getting on top of me

[Catalyst]

I've been having heartburn for about 6 months. On meds with 2 weeks to go. After that, if the heartburn returns I'll prob have a scope. I know it will return. I have it a little now, and I'm on the meds! Problem is, I found out the other day that my great nan died of stomach cancer aged 41. Now I can't shake the fear. My costochondritis is playing up. I've become obsessed with the lower (floating) ribs on my left side - convinced they're abnormal and maybe its due to a tumor. I'm also getting pain centrally underneath my ribs if I have to bend right down (when weeding etc!) I have a hard cyst behind my ear that has just popped upfrom nowhere. I keep having strange 'swollen throat' sensations. My fingers got really shaky earlier when I was cooking dinner and... My hair is drying me nuts! It is so dry and keeps breaking off short. When I brush it or run my fingers through it, I'm losing way more than normal. I usually suffer with one main symptom and then move on to others, but this is like a full on assault on my nerves! I keep thinking that so many things must mean something is really wrong this time. I'm starting to obsess a lot more about my kids health to. They both seem healthy and I am literally just running through 'what if they get this or that' scenarios. It takes me to a dark and depressing place and I want to turn it off. :weep:

[sandy40]

Hi Catalyst,can i ask whats costochondritis? i dont want to google it,i have very sore ribs,they feel bruised im scared to go to my doctor as they are sick of me but the pain is getting too bad,wht meds do you take for the heartburn? im on omeprazole but they dont do much good,i had a scope last aug/sept into my stomach and they saw some inflammation it went after a while but appears back,i also get a knotted nervous feeling in my stomach.

[Catalyst]

Costochondritis is inflammation of the cartilage that attaches the ribs to the breastbone. I don't know what causes mine, but possibly a netball injury. It is usually obvious that its costochondritis because gentle pressure on the affected area (cartilage) causes pain. I get a sharp stabbing pain with mine out of the blue quite often. Annoyingly mine is situated on the ribs in front of my heart - can be scary! I think I may have the same problem with my lower ribs, but doctor has never confirmed this.

I'm taking lansoprazole (sp?!) for my heartburn. Omeprazole gave me bloating and diarrhoea and ranitidine made no difference to the heartburn whatsoever!

I really don't want a scope, partly because I'm scared of what they'll find... but I know that's stupid, because its better to know! And partly because I gag when I brush my teeth and panic really easily, so the thought of a tube down my throat terrifies me.