when to panic

Since my treatment finished[chemo may10th rads june 13th]I am always worrying about every little ache and pain.My GP is wonderful but I cant keep going every other day.Can anyone give me some idea of when to go?My latest niggle is a very occasional shortlasting stabbing pain under ribs on right side.It comes every couple of days sometimes tails off into an ache always goes away never hurts at night.Not severe enough to make me wince.My onc did tell me to expect odd pains post taxotere and wondered if it could be that.i am a paranoid wimp!!

Hi Horace

Join the gang. I know exactly where you are coming from. I was in such a state yesterday that my GP saw me without and appointment. I feel like I am becoming paranoid as well. I have neck pain which I am sure is from having to extend my head back in a really difficult position during rads. I now have headaches and tingling up my scalp so of cause I worried its brain mets. Any way he said he was 100% sure it was due to my neck, but I have also made an appointmnet on Mon with Oncl and I am going to ask for a scan. All I can say is it must get better, I am also going to ask for counselling to help find ways to deal with all of this
Geraldine

Thanks Geraldine its good to know its not just me!My previous panic was a pain in my shin[bone mets of course] it was actually the tendon beside the shin and has gone now.etc etc

I think so many of us feel the same horace. I am actually doing some work with a psychologist who works witht he BC unit at our hospital. Cognitive therapy. I have to write down everytime i have a symptom and my thoughts and feelings at that time.
I will let you know if it helps when i visit her next.
My present pain is in my head and neck and ofcourse its brain mets.
I have had loads of scans and although they reassure me inititally it comes back. I am learning to fill my life up which helps mentally but i have been thinking today how worn out i am.

I think its extremely hard to cope but i am trying to enjoy the things i do.

Take Care
Ruthx

Hi all,

blimey, I’m glad its not just me!!! I hadn’t even heard of ‘mets’ before I was diagnosed, now every ache, pain and twinge I get is a met according to me. Boney ones is my latest worry. Even though I have had numerous scans and they’ve all come back clear I still can’t help thinking ‘what if they’ve missed it’!

I feel terribly guilty, particularly as there are so many people out there with secondaries. I just worry that if I ignore these aches and pains maybe I’m ignoring something really serious. However at the same time I don’t want to seem like some sort of paranoid hypochondriac!

Anyway, its reassuring to know its not just me that has these thoughts!!

Take care,

Kelly
-x-

Don’t worry girls, I’m the same, over 3 years on from diagnosis! Every cough it’s in my lungs, every ache it’s in my bones, every upset stomach it’s in my liver etc., etc., … As Ruth says, it’s best to try and keep busy but then you run the risk of wearing yourself out!

I wish there was an easy answer but there doesn’t seem to be and at least we can take some comfort from knowing that we all feel the same and, unfortunately, it’s appears to be a normal part of living with this c**p disease.

Jo

Thanks girls we’re all paid up members of the paranoia party!

Horace,

not sure if you got it but I sent you a pm through the ‘single with breast cancer’ thread that cecelia had posted and we’d both responded to. Its about support groups in our area,

Kelly
-x-

Hello everyone. You’re certainly not alone !

I’m another one with neck pain. It’s been bothering me today - I may have pulled something earlier in the week when I had to carry some heavy stuff around but of course I’ve been convinced all day today that it’s mets.
I’ve also been having sharp stabbing pains in my breast recently. I finished Taxotere on 1st May and rads on 19th June so it’s probably caused by one of those.

It’s good to hear that other people have the same worries.
Take care everyone
Love Anthi

Definetly not alone…31/2 yrs since dx and very paranoid…panic about everything…do have days when cancer is not my first thought of the day…but these days are few and far between…since dx i’ve seen my friend lose her battle to this disease and my aunt has been dx with bone mets 15 yrs after original dx…can’t see me ever going to stop worrying/panicing.

Thanks goodness i’m not alone…i’m not one of the ‘‘think positive’’ kind…i always think of the worst…hence my cocktail of anti-depressants, mild tranquilisers and sleeping tablets…not the ideal situation…but helps me to get through the day abit easier!!!

karen

Thank goodness I’m not alone - I’m another paranoid person - my latest one is that I have a red patch on forehead - so of course it’s skin cancer now!! The other week I was having headaches (probably caused by new glasses which took a bit of getting used to), but of course that was brain mets! I don’t think we’ll ever completely get rid of our fears - sure they must remain to a certain degree for ever. Agree that it’s best to keep busy though. Love and hugs, Jean x

Hi all I am more paranoid now than ever - have recently had problems with feeling of lump in throat - been to hospital who put camera up my nose and into throat and said nothing there but could be GERD or stress - since then this has become worse and feeling is in my chest - feel like something is stuck - my mum has just been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and now stressed out that I have that - also my mum has never smoked or drunk in her life one of the factors is drinking - which I tend to do a lot!!! Now back on the investigation trail and very worried Sandra

Having a bit of a Hypochondriatic bent I was saved from myself by the simple advice of

“If you have a symptom that lasts two weeks THEN start to be concerned”

I have yet to have anything that lasts more than 2 days (and more often less than 2 hours…)

sorry hon all mine last ages then disappear just as I go to doc.My bcn says worrying pains are constant;moderate to severe and last more than 2 weeks.None have fulfilled more than 1 of those.ie niggles off and on over some time often disappearing for several days and popping up in slightly different location!