Trying not to but really starting to panic

[Peak]

I'm not having the best of times at the moment.

I went to see my GP last week as I was getting a few pains in a region that only males have if you see what I mean. I didn't really think it was anything serious but just wanted to be sure and she said that in her opinion there was nothing to be concerned about but would refer me for an ultrasound just to be sure. That was fine, I don't really feel that concerned with it, I don't really think that there is anything wrong but I guess it does play on my mind a little. The trouble is she asked a lot of questions as part of her examination and one of them was about bowel movements. I did say to her that they hadn't really been 'normal' for a number of years but always had put that down to being very over weight, eating rubbish etc and when I have dieted and lost weight things in this area have improved but never been perfect. Unfortunately it was just a throw away comment by her that has triggered my anxiety a lot.

She just said "well probably should check that out" and then moved onto other things and it was never spoken of again. Since that moment I've been fretting over this and now am increasingly anxious that I have bowel cancer. I know as I write this that I'm making a big leap here, that I'm not really being rational but it's the fact that it's gone on for so long, I'm talking years, that makes me rule out all those benign things. I've fallen into old habits of googling symptoms etc and that is just making things worse. I know I shouldn't do it but I feel compelled to. Some of the things I read reassure me that it's not Cancer, other things I read make me feel that it is. I've going back to the docs on Friday for some more tests anyway and I know I should talk to her about this as well but also I don't want to because of the fear of being right. In other words without being checked out there is always a 50% chance I'm wrong but if I do get checked out it's going to be 100% one way or another. I can handle being told it's nothing, I don't think I could cope with the other.

[str8trippin]

I was worried for a long time that I had breast cancer. I was absolutely one hundred percent sure I felt this huge lump in my breast that had me freaked out for days on end. I had already scheduled my annual women's health exam and the wait was making me crazy...I desperately wanted to go because the anxiety over it was awful, and yet the thought that she could find something concerning was horrifying to me (I'm only 26)! After weeks of worry I finally was at my appointment and because of my concern, she did a really thorough breast exam and found, guess what...absolutely nothing. Ultimately, though, I would MUCH rather have known than not, as much fear as there would be. There are SO many causes for all the physical symptoms people experience day in and day out, and they are probably not serious far more often than they are. Statistics don't really help the anxious mind because you're always going to be convinced that you're probably the exception in any case. And Googling is never a good idea. I've kicked the habit, and when I do have the urge I just look up something else instead because I know Googling symptoms is only going to make things worse. I'm sure everything is fine. Just take a deep breath, go do the tests, and think about how relieved you will be when you find out that it isn't something serious!

[HealthAnxNut]

Absolutely get whatever testing done, no matter how scared you might be. If there is something wrong, you may catch it, and you'll be so thankful. If it's nothing, you'll be thankful to know, and that part of your anxiety may be put to rest. I am going to the doctor in a few weeks to discuss some things, and I know it's really going to suck until I get those test results afterward, but then there will be some relief. I hope the best for you!!

[Peak]

Thank you both for your kind words. I'm feeling a bit better this morning but it's still playing on my mind and I can't seem to convince myself that I am over reacting even though I know I have become hyper sensitive and notice every single minor twinge that everyone gets and are normal. At the moment I feel like I can ask my doctor tomorrow about all of this even though I still feel like I don't really want to know the answer but who knows how I'll feel tomorrow.

It's a very weird feeling at the moment where I kinda feel like I'm two people at the same time. Person A is panicking, irrational and scared, Person B is calm and rational and trying to tell Person A that there isn't anything to worry about. Unfortunately Person A isn't listening.