Is this normal?

[flatterycat]

Hello
I started a thread last week about pain in my side and the discovery of blood in my urine. I got myself into such a terrible state. Anyway yesterday I had an IVP x-ray and at the end of it they said that everything looked fine and normal. I thought that after that my anxiety would just disappear, but today it is still here. I still have no appetite and I keep retching. My stomach is churning and I feel like crying. I thought I had kidney cancer, and after the results came back yesterday thought everything would be ok, but I keep thinking that maybe they just told me the tests were ok to make me feel better and other things like that.

I have suffered bouts of anxiety off and on over the years and took Citalopram for 8 years. Over the last two years I have done reletively well and recently finally weaned myself off the tablets.

Has anyone else had a health scare that didn't just disappear with the all clear? I'm now really worried that this feeling of anxiety won't go.

Please help

Sarah

[lass]

Yes, I think it is perfectly normal to feel like this. The anxiety has built up in you and will take some time to subside. I had a sigmoidoscopy last year and I was convinced I had bowel cancer. I was relieved when they told me it was ok but I still couldn't completely get rid of the idea that I had bowel cancer. I'd say it tooks days, possibly weeks, before I gradually relaxed. Like you say, I wondered if they'd told me it was ok to make me feel better, and other irrational thoughts.

However, those feelings DID go and I have been much better since. But I did undergo some counselling and I think that helped me an awful lot. I am going through a stressful time at present and I know I am coping much better than I would have done previously.

There is still a tiny part of me that surfaces every now and again, causing me to worry that my bowel cancer has gone undiagnosed. But for most of the time I accept my symptoms (which I've been told are IBS) and don't focus on it half as much as a I used to.

Give it some time and, if you haven't had any kind of therapy maybe you could talk to your doctor about referring you. It helps to talk over worries and fears, and I learned some techniques to help me put things into perspective.

Now you need to try not to worry about worrying

Best wishes

[spuds]

This is totally normal. It has taken me two and a half years to accept that my heart is okay after being told I have benign ectopic heart beats. At times I have been paralysed with anxiety, panic attacks, almost agoraphobic. I still worry a bit.

There is no way they would tell you you are okay if you are not. Any uncertainty, they would send you for more tests. My husband had blood in his urine 5 years ago and had lots of horrible tests - he was fine. It can be an infection or lots of other harmless or temporary things. Please don't let yourself brood on this - a negative result is negative, the doctors would know exactly what to look for, the test results are always checked by another doctor, any questionable result would be followed up. Give yourself a few weeks to come to terms with the stress you've been through, if you still feel bad, ask your GP for counselling or look for some free local counselling services. I hope you feel better soon.

[flatterycat]

Thank you both for your replies.

I suppose I got myself so wound up that it is hard to snap out of it! At the moment I am getting lots of stabbing pains around my side, left abdomen, back and legs! My doctor didn't seem concerned at all and said that it's classic anxiety. It's hard to believe that anxiety can cause these sorts of pains. My appetite is still all over the place, but I am trying to eat little and often - hopefully it will return soon and can moan again about eating too much!!

Sarah x

[Firefly]

flatterycat - your situation is EXACTLY like mine. I am going on a year of medication after I had a heart attack scare that turned out to be nothing. I haven't quite figured out how to get over it but education and support is key. If you can talk yourself out of it, then you will be fine; I am still working on this.

One thing I have learned is not to expect to be reassured by your Doctor. They can say your fine, but it never seems good enough. You have to find a way to intrinsicly believe that there is nothing wrong with you and you are just overreacting.

[geordie flower]

hiya, have you been tested for a water infection? I had similar symptoms to you and put a sample in the docs they said there was blood in it so I panicked but they said it was quite common in urine infections and so are the pains, its yor body fighting the infection. T he doc gave me a 3 day course of anti biotics and it cleared up. I hope this helps, take care tracey xxx

[samc100]

When I read this I immediately thought Urine infection as that can take away the appetite and make you retchy. Feeling 'can't be bothered' everything an effort?

I think if I were you I'd pop along to the Dr's with a sample which they can tested immediately to see any blood/protein in it.

[flatterycat]

Thankou all for your replies.

Originally an infection was suspected, but the results of a lab based urine test said no infection. Because I still had blood in my urine (only showing on a dipstick test) and because I have had blood in my urine a few time over the the last couple of years the doctor referred me to a urologist and for an IVP (Xray of kidneys, urinary tract and bladder). After checking out blood in urine online I completely freaked, all I kept finding was kideny and bladder cancer. I made myself ill with the worry. Anyway, had the IVP this week, which was normal. The doc said I still have to go for my urologist appointment as the consultant will decide whether to give me a cystoscopy or take a look at the IVP results and leave it there.

Since this I have had the highest levels of anxiety and have lost my appetite. As well as that I keep getting all sorts of stabbing, sharp pains in my side, back, kidney area!

Finding it really hard to believe that I might be ok and have nothing wrong! I've put together symptoms from the last six months that I have had off and on and come up with all sorts of horrible illnesses!

I had been doing SO well too. I was on Cipramil for 8 years and have very recently come off them!

Sarah x

[samc100]

The kidney area is right next to your adrenal glands so it could be the anxiety causing the pain.

I have kidney problems and I was convinced it was kidney problems again when I started being ill with panic attacks cos' the symptons are similiar. So please don't worry. All your tests are clear so that is great news.

[flatterycat]

Thanks Sam

I think I have become so aware of that part of my body that I can feel everything! It's just hard to get it into my head that it is nothing to worry about. The worst thing is that I almost too scared to believe that it might be nothing in case it is!!!!!!! Mad I know!

Sarah x