Today, I got a call from the neurologist about the MRI I took the other day for what I thought was a lump on my head near my skull (which may have actually just always been there.)
The neurologist said that I had some cysts in my sinuses but he didn't think it was anything to worry about. However, hearing the word cyst I freaked out a bit. He told me if I was worried to see an ENT (which, I had an appointment to see one today anyways for a sore throat and earache which just came about -very oddly after reading about heck and neck cancer symptoms)
I asked the neurology office to fax over the MRI report to the ENT, so the doctor would have that for reference once I got there. I was called in, the nurse took my vitals - everything was fine, and asked my reason for the visit. I told her about the sore throat that comes and goes and how it may be related to acid reflux, and about the earaches. I also informed her that the neurology place had faxed over the MRI report. She told me the doctor would be in in a few minutes. The nurse then came back about a minute later and asked me to move to a different room, this really scared me. I thought the doctor may have looked at the MRI already and thought it looked bad or something like that.
However the doctor soon came in, I told her what i had been experiencing and she then checked my ears and throat. She said everything looked perfectly normal. She then did an endoscopy, and said that things there looked normal too - only a little swollen. She said it was probably acid reflux related. I asked her where the earaches had come from and she said it's possible for that to be caused by acid reflux too. She then prescribed me a nasal spray and some other medication, an antacid I think, but told me not to start them until I see the gastroenterologist I'm seeing Monday. I asked her about the sinus cysts and if she saw the MRI. She said she had read the MRI report and that a lot of people have sinus cysts so she wouldn't be too concerned if she was me. She also told me if they thought it was something to worry about they would have emphasized it on the MRI report. I felt a little less worried, but still had my doubts.
Best case scenario, which still isn't all too good to say is this is all health anxiety related and I messed my stomach up with stress and worrying which explains my change in bowel movements along with acid reflux. However, knowing I have cysts in my sinuses really scares me despite 2 doctors telling me it's most likely nothing to worry about. I read into sinus cysts and head and neck cancers related to that (I know googling symptoms is bad however I'm new to health anxiety and plan on getting help when I see my psychiatrist in a few weeks), and sometimes it feels like reading about a symptom you may not even have GIVES you the symptoms. Either that or it intensifies your senses and makes you misread things/focus on areas of your body you don't normally, for instance I'm not sure if it's because I'm tired and slept poorly, or because I read about pressure or pain above or under the eyes being a possible cancer symptom that my eyes now feel heavy. The headaches I have come and go and I feel as if they change direction based on where I fear I may have cancer.
I'm not sure if that's possible with health anxiety, I usually read about people assuming wrong of their current symptoms. My mom told me I may have always had the sinus cysts (if she remembers correctly), at least from an MRI I had done when I was a child when she feared I may have had tourettes due to a nervous 'tick' I had. I just can't shake the fear of cancer even being a 22 year old and it's been like this ever since I found out I had anal warts, caused by HPV, despite being a 'low risk' strain of HPV, I've read up on how HPV increases the risk of cancer, especially in gay and bisexual men under 35, along with other risk factors (I was a smoker for a little over a year, having just quit 3-4 weeks ago, as well as somewhat of a drinker the past year as well) I'm just really scared and fear dying young
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