Reassurance or Recognition of similiar symptoms/conditions please?

[JMR]

Hallo there!

Returned to the site after long absence.. but Health Anxiety has flared severely again. I have plucked up the courage to visit my GP & have an appointment this evening...but I'm getting more worked up than ever. Although I suffer from health anxiety and worry over symptoms, I leave it for ages and ages until I'm so worked up I feel I have no choice but to go to Drs! I dread results of any tests they may offer. Since May 2011 I have been experiencing tight/sore/ribs/chest and intermittently, the inability to gain a deep enough breath, and feeling of a 'rod' driven through my lower right ribs from front to back! I visited my GP in Oct 2011 and she referred me for physio therapy after noting my cracking shoulder joints (very long term problem which I don't worry about but it debilitates me at times). The physio found nothing 'structually amiss' and gave me exercises. I have been so desperate the past few weeks with the pain & breathing issue again that I have had chiropratic treatment too. This has helped initially especially with my shoulder problem. However, I am worried about the breathing issue in relation to pleurisy/lupus/scleroderma as i also have been suffering from Raynauds quite a lot lately and I know this is linked to connective tissue disease. I have noticed tiny white scar like/ streaks on the back of my hands & fingers so I am worried now! The breathlessness is not there constantly, and indeed I can manage 25 mins on a treadmill with only the usual breathlessness expected with exertion, & I soon recover so my cardio vascular fitness cannot be too bad surely? I am now anxiously counting down the minutes until my 5.30pm appt. Any ideas anyone?

[pearl79]

umm no ideas sorry, but good luck for your appointment, ive just come back from one xxx Stupid HA x

[JMR]

Hi Pearl79

Thanks for your Good Luck message - must have worked because I'm back home reassured. Dr was very nice, new to the practice apparently & spent 20 + mins listening to me as I babbled incoherently about my symptoms & 'my diagnoses'. He agreed I could possibly have Raynauds given my symptoms, but as my hands weren't totally cold and blue there and then he couldn't confirm. He advised that I 'forget' about the tiny white scars on my hands. Having told him about my exercise on the treadmill etc, he concluded after listening to my back & chest that there wasn't any sinister cause or lung involvement in any dreaded disease. I told him about all the diseases I feared...and he offered blood tests but only if I wanted them to draw reassurance from. He wasn't concerned, said I seemed well and wouldn't bother with tests for any other reason than reassurance. He noted my past three visits over 4 years for anxiety and offered anti depressants, but I told him his reassurance was enough (for now anyway!) & I would continue with my magnesium supplements & return to fitness regime to release those endorpins!! So i left the surgery a happy bunny on that score. I just need to balance the negativity of the stress I have in my life at the moment with some positive thinking!

What are your particular health anxieties if you don't mind me asking?
Hope you felt reassured too after your visit to drs today!