Please Help!! Freaking out again!!

[always scared]

I need some reassuring words to calm me down.

What are your symptoms of acid reflux ??

Burning is not a big one for me so I'm worried all my other symptoms are not acid reflux . Where do you get pain???

[BlueIris]

Haven't had it for a while, but I get really crushing, heavy pain beneath my breastbone. On one occasion it went up into my jaw, too, and I was slightly worried it was something else. These days it mostly causes sore throats and the occasional cough.

[Allochka]

Hello,
I’m sorry I haven’t seen your message before, I do not frequent this board nowadays, since I’m doing better wit HA.
I just want to say - do not panic! Kidney cancer is NOT a death sentence! My husband had it 5 years ago, and is fine now, just annual check-ups.
Kidney cancer is unique because it doesn’t usually metastasize until its really big (and if some really unfortunate thing like growing into some veins happens, but its a really rare thing). Typical treatment even for Stage 3 kidney cancer is rather simple surgery.
Prognosis for kidney cancer is pretty good nowadays. I also know lots of people from discussion boards who are Stage 4, and live with it full lives for many years, managing it like chronic disease.
?do you know how big the tumor is?
Anyways your husband will have excellent chances, kidney cancer is a “good” one to have.
Wish you luck in surgery and feel free to write me any time. It’s gonna be OK!
Hugs,
Alla

[PanickyGuy]

I've had GERD for about nine years related to a hiatal hernia. Occasional I get pain underneath the breastbone, in my upper back, all over my ribs or just one side or another, and in one shoulder or another, and in my entire esophagus. Burning sensations, dull pain sensations, sharp pain sensations, pressure from bloating, all enough times to make me think I was either having a heart attack, gallbladder or pancreas problems, lung problems, you name it. Not to mention nausea, trouble swallowing, breathing issues, but yeah that too.

That's the thing with GERD as well as a hiatal hernia, they can mimic other health issues and drive your GAD/panic disorder right up there. And they can cause GAD and panic disorder. And sometimes with some people (like me) the medication we take for GERD (like PPI's and antacids) will mildly screw with the function of your whole digestive system. Antacids are the worse though IMO, I've used those for too long a period and have gotten constant constipation, while other people have told me those things have caused diarrhea in their case. Of course that is what happens when they are used for too long a time.

[always scared]

Hello,
I’m sorry I haven’t seen your message before, I do not frequent this board nowadays, since I’m doing better wit HA.
I just want to say - do not panic! Kidney cancer is NOT a death sentence! My husband had it 5 years ago, and is fine now, just annual check-ups.
Kidney cancer is unique because it doesn’t usually metastasize until its really big (and if some really unfortunate thing like growing into some veins happens, but its a really rare thing). Typical treatment even for Stage 3 kidney cancer is rather simple surgery.
Prognosis for kidney cancer is pretty good nowadays. I also know lots of people from discussion boards who are Stage 4, and live with it full lives for many years, managing it like chronic disease.
?do you know how big the tumor is?
Anyways your husband will have excellent chances, kidney cancer is a “good” one to have.
Wish you luck in surgery and feel free to write me any time. It’s gonna be OK!
Hugs,
Alla

Thank you Alla for your comforting words

[always scared]

And just like that my fears of one cancer changes to a completely different one in just a matter of hours. I have finally lost my shit But both have very convincing symptoms that are hard to ignore

I hate my life

[AntsyVee]

I posted this on your other thread:


So, I'm really sorry for all of your losses. There is nothing worse than the loss of a child.

I asked you those questions though to try to give you some perspective. I'm going to share some of my story with you, and I hope that it helps. In November of 2014, I lost my best friend to a freak accident. I discovered his body. I could barely function afterwards, my anxiety was so bad. The panic attacks were so severe I thought I was having heart attacks; some days I couldn't leave the house. I felt guilty that I had missed his last call. That if I had gotten that call, maybe I could've gotten him medical attention before he died or maybe I could've prevented the accident in the first place. I blamed myself for what happened. It got to the point where I was so afraid of losing those around me I would practically stalk my family, making them check in with me 24/7.

But at some point, I realized that my buddy would have wanted me to live. Even if he did blame me for his death, he wouldn't have stayed mad at me. We'd been through lots of things together, and even though we fought sometimes, we always forgave each other. I owed it to him to live. I owed it to him to live my life, as he had been denied the opportunity to live his.

So I went to grief counseling; individual and specifically a grief group for people with traumatic loss. I urge you to do the same. I know there are lots of groups out there for parents who've lost a child. There are also groups for people dealing with loss due to cancer. I firmly believe that grief counseling and medication saved my life. I also made lifestyle changes such as eating better, daily exercise, and journaling.

I was diagnosed with complex PTSD. I had a rough childhood and went through stuff that I thought I had dealt with, but really hadn't. The loss of my buddy threw me over the edge, and everything that I hadn't dealt with for years came to the forefront.

It's good that I helped myself when I did...because life doesn't stop throwing things at you when you're down. Since the death of my buddy, I have lost five students (suicide, shooting, accident, cancer x2) and I've gotten divorced. It hasn't been easy, but the medication, lifestyle changes, and coping mechanisms plus the support of my friends and family have gotten me through it.

So that's why I tell this to you. Are you going to just try to make it until you get diagnosed with something? Or do you want to try living life again? Because you can live life again. It won't be easy, but we are all much stronger than we think we are. But the the change has to start with you.

[always scared]

I posted this on your other thread:


So, I'm really sorry for all of your losses. There is nothing worse than the loss of a child.

I asked you those questions though to try to give you some perspective. I'm going to share some of my story with you, and I hope that it helps. In November of 2014, I lost my best friend to a freak accident. I discovered his body. I could barely function afterwards, my anxiety was so bad. The panic attacks were so severe I thought I was having heart attacks; some days I couldn't leave the house. I felt guilty that I had missed his last call. That if I had gotten that call, maybe I could've gotten him medical attention before he died or maybe I could've prevented the accident in the first place. I blamed myself for what happened. It got to the point where I was so afraid of losing those around me I would practically stalk my family, making them check in with me 24/7.

But at some point, I realized that my buddy would have wanted me to live. Even if he did blame me for his death, he wouldn't have stayed mad at me. We'd been through lots of things together, and even though we fought sometimes, we always forgave each other. I owed it to him to live. I owed it to him to live my life, as he had been denied the opportunity to live his.

So I went to grief counseling; individual and specifically a grief group for people with traumatic loss. I urge you to do the same. I know there are lots of groups out there for parents who've lost a child. There are also groups for people dealing with loss due to cancer. I firmly believe that grief counseling and medication saved my life. I also made lifestyle changes such as eating better, daily exercise, and journaling.

I was diagnosed with complex PTSD. I had a rough childhood and went through stuff that I thought I had dealt with, but really hadn't. The loss of my buddy threw me over the edge, and everything that I hadn't dealt with for years came to the forefront.

It's good that I helped myself when I did...because life doesn't stop throwing things at you when you're down. Since the death of my buddy, I have lost five students (suicide, shooting, accident, cancer x2) and I've gotten divorced. It hasn't been easy, but the medication, lifestyle changes, and coping mechanisms plus the support of my friends and family have gotten me through it.

So that's why I tell this to you. Are you going to just try to make it until you get diagnosed with something? Or do you want to try living life again? Because you can live life again. It won't be easy, but we are all much stronger than we think we are. But the the change has to start with you.

Spoke with my family doctor over the phone today. She's going to start me on a new antidepressant tomorrow and would like to see me in 2 weeks and start up some therapy BUT NO TESTS! Not ready for that yet. Lets hope I can get over my fear and go to see her in 2 weeks. It's been a very long time since I stepped foot into a doctors office for myself
Baby steps

Wish me luck

[AntsyVee]

Just remember that the doc is the beginning of the rest of your life. Have a friend go with you

[BlueIris]

Good luck from somebody who once managed to go 12 years (and one broken elbow) without seeking medical help!

You're doing the right thing.