itch still no better

[alyb]

Hi every1. I am beside myself with worry! I cant talk to any1. They all think im completely bonkers and im not. For those of you who havent read my messages before, Ive been complaining of a persistant itch all over my body for 2 wks now. Havent went to the docs because i thought he'd say what he usually does its nothing serious stop worrying! I thought maybe it might pass but it hasnt, Its got so much worse. Ive been googling and yes i know i shouldnt but i was worried as id never had this feeling before. Every thing that was coming up was hodkins Lymphoma.( Those of you who have read my messages before will be sick of hearing this!) At first i got really paranoid but then thought well i have no more of the other symptoms which were stated its just my HA going into overdrive, but now i do and im worrying myself sick!
I have been getting roaring temeratures for no reason the last couple of days, I am now really breathless and have a cough. Both of these things are other sighns of lymphoma. Also i have been riving really bad at my skin today with the itch (no rash by the way). I was out for a friends bday last nite and i read today that the itch related to lymphoma gets worse after drinking alcohol! Rang the GP today in a state of panic but cant see him till monday. I know i need to go and be firm and say this is my symptoms i want some tests done but i am affraid of finding out the worst which im pretty sure i will. My boyfriend thinks im attention seeking and my parents thinks its all in my head! I feel so alone and plagued by fear i dont know what to do. I have a 19 month old little boy and dread to think that if my fears do turn out to be reality he may not have a mum for much longer. As morbid as that sounds thats what goes through my head. Please give me some advice or if someone has had lymphoma or similar symptoms your messages would be greatly appreciated.

aly xx

[lass]

Hi Aly,

Sorry you're feeling so bad. I can't give you any advice relating to lymphoma, but I wonder whether after reading the symptoms you then started developing them? Because I know I've done that. My big hang-up is bowel cancer. I read alot about it after getting a change in bowel habit (which was my only symptom) then suddenly I started developing all the symptoms I'd read about, so was completely freaked out.

I worry loads too about leaving my children without a mother. I think the responsibility of becoming a parent adds to our stress levels. We can't just think about us anymore, we have other people to put first.

There have been posts on here before about itching (with no rash). I don't know if you've done a search but it might be worth having a look and contacting the members that have posted about it to see what there's turned out to be (usually these things disappear as quickly as they came).

I'm sure you're fine; your other symptoms are so common for this time of year - the cough and the temperature. The breathlessness can also be caused by anxiety. There are loads and loads of explanations for your various symptoms, but I guess our minds always focus on the worst possible scenario.

I hope you get through the weekend ok and get some reassurance from your doctor on Monday. Why do these things always happen on a Friday???

[Elle]

Or you might just have an infection. Often doctors will say, you just have a virus because they don't know what you have. Read about any illness on the net or in books and you will convince yourself that you have it. Probably you don't but that doesn't stop you thinking the worst.

There are loads of bugs doing the rounds at the moment and they all affect people in different ways. The doctor will sort you out but please do not assume that you have something life threatening. It may well be something relatively minor.

Elle

[alyb]

Thanks ckirby25. Your right about the fri thing! In the past ive googled then all of a sudden developed all the symptoms but this time is different. I developed the itch and was curious to know what it was and i know it sounds typical and i did develop the symptoms after i read about them but i am poorly. You know when you just have a feeling somethings not right? It just seems different this time. xx

[alyb]

Thanks aswell Elle. I really hope it is just something minor! I will keep you all posted after my doc appointment on mon. xx

[bambamers]

i had an itch alover a few weeks ago and didnt think anythin of it then it kept on and then istarted to get tingling aswell,i googled it and thought loads of things were happening to me,i even rang the out of hours helpline.i then was getting a tight chest and breathless.and i also thought is different this time i know there is something wrong but it has gone now so it mustnt have been anything.now ive got other issues that are making me feel ill and that there is something wrong,i feel pathetic because every week its something different and i also think that people think its all in my head plus i have 6mth old and worry about her aswell.

[seeker]

Well, definitely ask for a referral. If it helps, lymphoma is one of the most treatable cancers - a very high survival rate for 5 and 10 years (do a search and you'll see I was also convivned I had it - I don't). If you have no joy, I joined http://www.e-med.co.uk/ and asked them to refer me - it cost me £200 on total for the referral and consultation, but it was money well spent for peace of mind! Lots of things can give an itch and high temperatures - have you had your liver function tested? If you have had the itch for two weeks, that is actually a relatively short time for lymphoma - most cases take around 9 months - year to diagnose, so try not to fret too much. Itching after alcohol I used to get, and was caused (I think) by my liver wokring overtime to rid my body of alcohol. When you say roaring temperatures, how high, exactly - have you a thermometer?

[alyb]

Hi seeker. No havent used a thermometer but it must have been quite high as i got so hot i fainted, which im prone to doing anyway. What is a liver function test and how do i go about getting one of them? I thought it could have something to do with my liver coz the other day i was convinced the whites of my eyes were turning yellow!

[seeker]

A liver function test is a blood test that your doctor can order. it measures the amount of enzymes your liver is producing and whether they are normal or not. The whites of people's eyes can often look yellow, so I wouldn't worry about that too much - with jaundice and liver disease, people tend to be extremely yellow in the skin as well - I am sallow/olive skinned and look a bit yellow, but when you see people with liver disease, they look really yellow. I have to say I was convinced I had lymphoma and could feel massive lumps where my lymph glands are, was getting temperatures etc. However, once I had been reassured by the specialist (and literally 10 doctors) that I could just feel them becasue I am skinny, I now do not interpret my glands as being swollen - they are exactly the same size, but I don't perceive them to be swollen like before. Don't fret about not sieeing doc before monday - even if it is cancer (highly, highly unlikely), two days will make no difference at all. Ask for a complete blood count and liver function test at the docs. If these are all normal, you are most unlikely to have anything wrong. Is it not possible that you became hot and passed out due to anxiety/hyperventialtion?

[alyb]

I dont know. could be. i do tend to get hot flushes when im really anxious. thanx 4 all your advice seeker and every1 else who has replied. I feel a little better but will more so after ive seen the doc. i will keep you posted on how i get on. Thanks again

aly xx