Convinced i'm dying of cancer! Plz help!

[sugarsweet]

Hi, I'm Paige and im 18 years old. Joined this site in 2009 when i had really bad health anxiety, constantly calling ambulances thinking i was having a heart attack,or had a brain tumour due to vision problems, numbness, breathing problems, weakness, etc. Had CBT and my anxiety seemed to get better.

However, 4 weeks ago I started getting pain in the lower right side of my abdomen, which has spread to my lower back, and is constantly there. I feel weak and tired all the time, and the r/side of my body constantly feels heavy and numb, especially my right leg. Feeling full a lot of the time, so I am not eating well. I was constipated for about a week, and had black stool, but that's now gone back to normal. Feeling really depressed and miserable lately and convinced im dying of ovarian cancer, or some other terminal illness that docs havent found

Going on holiday in 2 weeks, and i feel like i cant go at the moment. PLEASEE HELPP :(

Paige xx

[nomorepanic]

Hi Paige

Have you seen a doctor about these problems at all?

[macc noodle]

Hunni,

You really need to seek medical advice to see what is going on here.

We are not qualified to advise but I can tell you that I can tick almost every symptom (except the black stool) that you have listed on your post. Like you, i was convinced I had ovarianc cancer and this started about 2 years ago - I am pleased to report that thus far I m still alive and kicking!

However, I am 50 yrs old and at that stage in life when it can all go a bit haywire in the hormone department and my anxiety is at an all time high which coupled with IBS accounts for my symptoms.

Please go and see your doc before you go on holiday and see if they can put your mind at rest.

Take care.

[sugarsweet]

I've seen my doc twice in the past month, and been to A&E every night for the past 5 nights, and been to walk in centres about 3 times in the past month. At first I had leukocytes and blood in my urine that they found, but that's not showing up in my urine any more so they're not sure. Blood tests are also fine. I've got an ultrasound scan on Friday, but I'm almost 100% certain I've got ovarian cancer, and so I'm really scared to go to it.

[nomorepanic]

It is highly unlikely you have cancer at 18 to be honest.

Why have you been to A&E every night for 5 nights - surely once is enough to be reassured that you are ok?

[sugarsweet]

That's what the doctor's keep saying, but then I think that there is a chance I could have cancer. I don't know why I keep going to A&E, I try and ignore the pain during the day time, but by the evening I am unable to ignore it any more and end up going to A&E. The pain is just getting worse each day.. I don't know what to do any more

[nomorepanic]

A&E would not discharge you if they thought there was something wrong.

Go back to your GP in the day and tell him about the pain you are in.

[macc noodle]

Okay so you have an ultrasound booked for Friday - excellent - make sure that they do the transvaginal US and then you can know for certain that your ovaries are ok.

Also ask for CA125 blood test to be done - test for ovarian cancer.

If you have had full bloods done recently and they have come back fine, it would suggest that there is no apparent cause for concern as they are the first point of investigation and had there been any abnormalities the doc would have ordered either rechecks or other investigations based on presenting symptoms.

You really do not need to go to A and E each night unless you are in such dire pain that you need urgent assistance.

If your scan shows anything that causes concern they will treat you very quickly but i seriously doubt that it is anything like ovarian cancer in one so young.

Please please try and relax a little and see what Friday brings

[s11fyx]

please try and relax try not to go to a&e i know it can maybe make you feel a bit safer i used to go alot but now my oh makes me stay at home and trys to talk me through it my obsession is with my heart so a little different to yours im starting cbt maybe that could help you again? also do you do relaxation as that might help x

[sugarsweet]

I'm just so scareeddd. Friday feels like it's a million years away. Was just on my way to A&E but Mum followed me in the car, and made me come back home. I just keep thinking of the worse, and I'm now getting chest pains and pains in my arms and legs. Reading these messages has made me feel a bit better though, and I am going to try and relax a bit.

Also, does any one know if they would tell me on Friday, if there was anything like cancer showing up in the ultrasound?

[Anxious_gal]

You have nurotic mental illness that is called health anxiety.
You need to accept this first, because no amount of tests in the world will make you feel better because you keep convincing your self something is wrong despite every one telling you, your are fine.

so either you are right and all the doctors and nurses who went to medical school are wrong, or they are all right but you cannot seem to accept that you are healthy.

see your fears are just your imagination, you imagine your self to have cancer, but that is not reality.

Your symptoms are very vague, you have a bit of pain, could be digestive or a muscle problem.

people who have cancer are very very ill, i have seen this first hand, you would be sleeping 90% of the time, no engery to move and be feeling ill.
then it would also show up on your blood tests.

Not to be mean but your lucky so far the people in the ER have been kind to you but if you keep going there they might suggest you see a phyciartrist or stay in the mental health unit because that is your real problem.
They can ban you from calling for an ambulance, I saw it in the new once, I think it was an english women, she kept calling them out because she was very lonely. ie not actually sick.

this might sound harsh but you really need to see a doctor, get some CBT or some kind of therapy to help you with the health anxiety.

you health anxiety is rather bad if you going to the ER 5 nights in a row, I understand that you get anxious and irrational and totally convince your self you are dying and no one should get mad at you for that because it's part of having health anxiety, but what you can do is choose to go get some help from a doctor or therapist,
maybe there is other things going on in your life right now that you find stressful and the health anxiety is helping to consume your focus on cancer rather than your real issues.

[macc noodle]

Do not worry sweetie - you are suffering really bad anxiety and the sooner you get some help for this the better.

If the very worst scenario was that you did have something then they would tell you and arrange treatment.

But I am convinced that you will be fine and that they will be able to help you and that you do not have cancer.

You have got to wait till Frday and trust that they will sort you out. Have faith in your mum too - she was right to follow you.

Take care
xx

[sugarsweet]

Wow, these messages have made me feel a lot better. Although, within the next ten minutes I know my mind is going to tell me to stop being so optimistic and make me think of the worst case scenario. My anxiety always seems to get so much worse at night time which is really frustrating, but yeah, I know my Mum does have the right intentions.

I will try and relax until Friday, and hopefully there won't be anything too serious that shows up on the ultrasound. Kind of hope that some thing that can be easily treated does show up though, just so I know where all the pains coming from :\

Thanks for the messages though, rly appreciate it :) xx

[crystal17]

Hi sugarsweet, my sister had these exact same symptoms last year and she too was convinced she had either ovarian or bowel cancer. She was also referred for a scan and it turned out she had polycystic ovaries and fibroids in the uterus. She was relieved it wasn't cancer but worried as they told her it may make conceiving more difficult - but happily her and her husband are now expecting a baby in a couple of weeks!

Just to say things aren't always what they seem, so go to the scan with an open mind. Good luck x

[sugarsweet]

Hi Crystal17, the doctors have also been telling me that it may be polycystic ovaries or fibroids, but I can't seem to convince my self. I'm now worried that I also have motor neurone disease since reading about it yesterday, as all my muscles feel really weak, but this is probably due to not eating properly. I go on holiday in two weeks exactly, I just want to be normal like other people my age :( xx

[crystal17]

Well when it's anxiety related its hard to convince ourselves that its anything other than the worst possible thing-believe me I do it all the time too.
If you are worried about motor neurone disease after reading about it, that sounds like classic HA to me. If I see something about a stroke for example I always think it will happen to me. It's horrible and really draining.

Just see how your scan goes, and tell them how worried you are and they will look after you-keep us posted on how it goes x

[Davinci817]

Well maybe it is all health anxiety. However I can tell you I had every single symptom you have listed. Been to the ER no less than three times in the last six months, seen my Doctor about 6 times. Even had the US which did show some small cysts on the ovaries but not bad enough that they required treatment and certainly not cancer.

Not only do I suffer with health anxiety but I also had a low functioning gallbladder with stones. In a nutshell I had convinced myself over the years that I had cancer of the stomach, ovaries, throat, bowels and even was having a heart attack every time I had an attack.

My recommendation is to make a list of all of your symptoms, what time of day they are worst, are they around the time of your period, or after a heavy meal. Tell them about your anxiety issues, tell them this is aggravating your anxieties, they might give you something to calm you. Also tell them about your black stools.

Not one to say it is all simply anxiety because I am proof that physical illness can make us have added anxiety. Had my gallbladder removed two weeks ago and my chest, right side, arm, back, shoulder, neck pain are all gone. So is the vomiting, heart racing, fullness like my food is stuck, acid reflux, severe bouts of anxiety, constipation and or runny stools are also gone. All signs associated with anxiety but also all signs of what I was finally diagnosed with!

Not sharing my story to give you more to worry about but so you know that most of the time when we think the worst because of our HA it either is just the HA or it is something that is very easily remedied. I am personally happy that something really was physically wrong with me and even more happy to be able to tell the difference since being treated. Had actually convinced myself that I was going crazy and that it was ALL IN MY HEAD and was at state of just accepting it was nothing more than anxiety. Down side, being sick so long aggravated my HA and now that is left over to contend with. Every time I get chest congestion, will probably think it is lung cancer. Blaaaaaaaah !

Seek some mental health treatment even if they do find something going on physically. CBT, talk therapy, accupuncture, hypnotherapy or whatever. Either way you need to deal with your anxiety/fears. Despite knowing many of my issues were related to my GB, I am continuing my therapies because I know this has to be treated as well.

Good luck with your tests tomorrow!!!! Keep your Doctors up to date on your symptoms.