Do all women check their breasts regularly?

[BrokenGirl]

Mine started about 16 years ago, it was just a few months after my daughter was born and I started to panic over missing a few smear tests and convinced myself I had cervical cancer. I couldn't get the thought of leaving my 2 young kids without a mother out of my head. I got the all clear from that one and was fine for probably a good few months after that until something else cropped up. This was how it began for me. I'd have a break from health anxiety for a few months but as time went on, months turned into weeks, then days, until eventually I ended up the way I am now, constantly worrying about every little thing. Worry becomes a habit, and it's a habit that's very hard to break.
I've wasted so much time worrying, but that doesn't make it any easier to stop doing it.
How about you jojo, where did yours begin? How long have you suffered from HA?

[jojo2316]

I pretty much could’ve written that myself. Mine really kicked off after my son was born 16 years ago. I suppose it was a post-natal, lack of sleep, new mother thing… but it spiralled and like you say, became a habit. I do have weeks - or sometimes even months, of remission…. But it’s always there. And the spikes in anxiety can be almost unbearable. I find this forum quite a godsend though!!

[BrokenGirl]

I can have weeks as well where I'm not so bad but I can feel it lurking in the background. It's always there, but the odd time it quietens down a bit.
This forum has saved me many times. I know they say we shouldn't look for reassurance but sometimes it's so badly needed to get me out of a black hole. I tend to take breaks from the forum if my HA isn't too bad. I have found it can very easily trigger me so I avoid it in better times. I feel a bit selfish doing it, it's like I just come on here when I need help myself. But honestly, I've often been triggered by just reading the title of a thread.

[sel123]

This is me too!!!!

I have too many fibroids and I have large breasts so I find it’s best not to check as I always find something. Instead I do my mammogram annually and always have my dr do a manual exam. At least that’s what I try to do. For the last 10 years my HA has been mostly BC related.

Unfortunately I didn’t follow my own advice and have worked myself up again. My bra was bothering me the other night and then I decided to check my breast. Of course I found something … but it’s only obvious when I raise my arm and almost flex. I think there’s something similar on the other side but it’s not as pronounced. I just had a clear mammogram in November and am so mad at myself for checking. So now I’m make into my anxious state, haven’t slept and crying all morning. Made an appt with my GP but it’s not until Tuesday. I’m sure he’ll want to do an u/s which will mean more waiting.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Hco]

I have been Lucky in finding a great GP who specialises in women’s health and she checks for me every 8-10 weeks she said I can see her every 3 months at she feels that sufficient but at the moment we’re sticking to 8-10 weeks to help my anxiety. When I first went to her and had a melt down in her GP rooms she checked me every 4 weeks and gradually have made the appointments further apart.
She started me on sertraline as well to also help with the anxiety