Health anxiety - worried about IBC

Likella

Hi all, been reading through loads of messages and want to say thank you already for the helpful responses I see all over the threads.

I suffer from anxiety and have reoccurring bouts of health anxiety. I understand my situation but cannot help my brain while having an episode of health anxiety. I am working on it though through CBT at the moment.

Last fall I had a pain in my left breast for a few weeks, completely panicked and had a US, which showed nothing malignant. Fast forward to Ferbruary this year, on an onset of high anxiety I started having itchiness on the same breast. It itches around the breast, almost feels like it's inside the breast, no rash outside the breast. Had another check up and demanded an ultrasound, which came back completely normal. This ultrasound was 3 weeks ago. The itchiness still persists but not all the time, it comes and goes. This past weekend I noticed a red, raised spot on my left breast, maybe 5cm up from the nipple. The spot was not itchy but had a larger, red area around it. My mind went in to frenzy and as I couldn't get an urgent appointment with my student health care I booked in with a private doctor yesterday. I was hoping she would say its just a spot but she said it's not a spot, but a bening looking skin change, but to keep on eye on it. She measured it at 6mm diameter, with even edges. It has now gone down and is flat but red. In my mind I am connecting the itchiness and this little bump and worry about IBC. In the back of my mind I think I'm being silly, but can't stop worrying. I now have an appointment with the student health care in two weeks time and it's booked with a skin specialist nurse. I don't know if I should seek assistance before that?

I am 40 with a 5 Yr old boy and a husband, who is trying to be supportive but I know its hard for him as I worry so much.

Thank in advance!

SKWUT04

I can't speak to your breast issues - I'm awaiting a mammo and u/s for what my doctor feels is a cyst, but I just need to know after pain that comes and goes each month for the last little bit. But what got me is the health anxiety.

I too suffer from terrible bouts of health anxiety and have been using all my CBT to cope. On Monday for instance, I got a message back from my doctor in response to letting her know I'd scheduled the imaging and was nervous about the mammo. Her response was "Don't worry! Whatever it is, we'll work through it together."

Now, my logic knows 100% she was being reassuring to someone she knows has severe health anxiety. But what did I do? I had a full blown panic attack. Crying, heaving chest, trouble breathing, all of it. The less logical part of my brain affected by this interpreted it as "she suspects something awful and I'm only 35, my birthday was only last week! OMG OMG OMG." It took me a bit to pull out of it and I was in a funk the rest of the day. I've since recovered, but until I have that imaging, which isn't until the 27th, I know I run the risk of these moments.

I just wanted to let you know you're not alone on the HA front. You'll see comments or hear comments from family/friends that may not be as supportive. My mom used to tell me "it's all in your head!" So whenever I see someone that admits to HA, I like to raise my hand and say "hi friend, me too" and validate those feelings. My therapist explained the hormone cycle we go through and how it's basically an OCD disorder and I found that so helpful.

Keep up your CBT practices and do what you can to trust in your doctors. I KNOW its difficult - hi, I'm over here convinced my doctor, who went to STANFORD - is wrong and insisting on testings while another part of my brain also fully believes her. I think I'm even imaging symptoms!

Sending you good vibes!

wrenn

I think the worst thing someone with health anxiety can do is visit a cancer forum. There are so many forums dealing with anxiety which seems to be the issue you should be working on and not triggering it by looking for cancer.

Anxiety can be a nightmare so please take care of yourselves and seek some help dealing with it.

Moderators

Hi Likella, and welcome.

We're so very sorry to hear of your anxiety and worry over your breast health. You may find it helpful to read this topic on anxiety, which was written by one of our members.

We hope this helps!

--The Mods