Multiple fears have taken my life away.

[Torskus]

This may be quite long and maybe a lot of people wont want to read it all, if anyone does take the time, then I would like to thank you in advance. I'm not really looking for answers as such, just someone to talk to would be good right now.

About 3 months ago, I began to feel really ill, and was having mild chest pain. I am not usually one to go to the doctors, but at this time I was so tired all the time, I forced myself to go there. I had some blood tests taken and it was found I had type 2 diabetes. Although not playing down the seriousness of Diabetes, I had caught it in time to control it if I changed my lifestyle, which to all intents and purposes I really have. This in some ways was a relief to all the other horrible things I had imagined, and there was something I could actively do to improve things.

The chest pains unfortunately never went away, so I had an ECG, which was normal, and eventually a chest x-ray, which I am still waiting for the results. In between all of this I have been given pain killers, and medication for acid reflux, which hasn't seemed to help.

Then I noticed I started getting sores in my mouth, so I went along to the doctors quite concerned, there were cracks on the corners of my mouth, and white patches just inside. My tongue had lots of raised bumps and was quite sore. The doctor dismissed all of these symptoms, but spotted a lump on my tongue, it was from a previous trauma where I bit my tongue. He insisted I went straight to the dentist, which I did. The dentist seemed to play it down, but did refer me to an oral surgeon as non urgent. I have been back to the dentist several times who keeps playing it all down, even though the lump appears to have got slightly bigger, and the sores in my mouth are still present. I have an appointment on the 5th of August to see the oral surgeon, I am scared to death this is something really bad. I have also been having pains in my jaw, behind my ears, and shooting pains in my face, which the doctor has given me various medications, all of which have made no difference.

Just to add, I also had two suspect lumps removed from my back in between all of this, 2 weeks later and I have heard nothing, so I am hoping no news is good news on this front, it is my mouth and tongue problems that seem to be giving me the most anxiety, from the day the doctor looked so horrified when he saw the lump I have been a nervous wreck.

I am 37, and a former smoker (given up recently, mainly because all of this scared me to death)

I have suffered with a lot of depression and anxiety in my life, but always battled past it, I can't get this out of my mind though, I have 3 young children, so many plans I want to do with them. I can't get it out of my head I am going to die. I look at my children and burst in to tears. I know no one can really make me feel any better, but it sure is nice to get this off my chest.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

Mark

P.S I forgot to mention tight feeling in throat, like I have a lump there but I can't feel a lump as such. Doctor didn't really take this seriously either.

[Pigeon]

Hello Mark

I'm sure all your symptoms are benign/anxiety related. Health anxiety is a terrible thing. It convinces you every lump, bump, twinge or feeling will have disastrous consequences. Really the risk is quite low - especially at your age.

I'm pretty certain the tight feelings and shooting pains in your face/ears/jaw are anxiety related, having had similar symptoms myself on and off for the last two or three years. I also have mild chest pain. I'm sure all these things are due to muscle tension caused by anxiety.

Sure the lump on your back will be harmless too or someone would have been in touch by now.

The lump on your tongue and sores could be one of many things - mostly harmless and most likely because you've become worn out and run down due to being worried. I went for CBT a while ago. It was really good and taught me lots of techniques for keeping my feelings in perspective.

The best thing you can do for yourself and your young family is face up to the HA and talk to your GP about CBT or counselling. Believe me, if you are treating the right illness (and that's what HA is) you stand the best chance of getting better..
Lots of hugs to you and your family. Try to keep calm and stay positive. xxx:hugs:

[Torskus]

It is so hard to get it in to your brain that actual physical pain is caused by stress. So many different pains and problems, although I know it is possible they can be caused by anxiety, my brain wont accept this.

I don't like to say bad things about doctors, because I realise living in England I am very lucky to get free health care. I do sometimes think they pass things off to easily, although I have got the tests done I wished eventually.

It is strange, because the anxiety problems I have had over the years have been nothing to do with health issues at all, it was all from the day the doctor looked at my tongue with a look of horror. I had some of the chest pain previous to this, but since that day my life has been a complete nightmare.

I go to the doctors and I have so many problems I don't actually know where to start, and end up not really getting my problems over. I may pop along and see him and explain the anxiety I am feeling.

Thank you for your response, it is much appreciated.

[backfromthebrink]

Hi Mark

I don't know if it will help, but to share my experience…

I also get occasional chest pains, a tight feeling in the middle of my chest on the left side. I've had 3 ECGs - all normal. One was at my GP's, one was done as part of a pre-op assessment when I ticked that I had chest pain and palpitations, and one was done at the CRY free cardiac assessment I went to. It's thought that what I have is chest wall pain, and no one knows what causes it. I do notice that it is worse in periods of my life when I'm going through stress or anxiety.

The cardiologist I spoke to said that if the chest pains are not associated with exercise and come on randomly, then they're unlikely to be heart-related.

With the lumps you had removed from your back, who removed those, your GP? You should be able to get the results just by calling the surgery. But you're right, if it was serious, they would have contacted you. But if it makes you feel better to follow it up, then give them a call.

With your tongue and face pains etc, I've recently become worried about the front of my neck, my voice box - there seems to be a painful place there. What I've realised though is that there are always little twinges going on in my neck and face, since I've now started being aware of them below my ears and on the other side of my neck… but usually I'm not even aware of them. But now I'm on heightened-awareness mode, I notice everything and store it up as potentially something to worry about.

It's good that you're getting your tongue checked out, but do try not to worry too much - you seemed to know that you'd caused the lump by biting your tongue, and you've been referred as non-urgent. Rest assured that if they were at all concerned by what it was, they would have referred you urgently and fast. By the way, it is normal to have bumps on your tongue - they're your tastebuds.

It's understandable that you're going through a period of your life where you're worried about your health, since you have quite a few health things going on at once. Don't tell yourself that 'no fear = normal'. Many people suffer from health anxiety and actually I think we're the normal ones - no one is invincible and to be concerned about your health actually strikes me as the normal well-adjusted thing to be! To live being unconcerned about your health, you need to be deluded or in denial! But it is important not to let the anxiety take over your life and to let it be there but not to an excessive degree before anything has been found to worry about.

[Torskus]

Thank you for the reply. I was referred to the hospital about my lumps, one was a lump which I was referred for, which the dermatologist said didn't look anything sinister, but she would remove it anyway. She spotted a suspect mole though while looking and decided that should come off too. Out of all the things, I think this is the least concerning of all, although maybe it shouldn't be.

I guess I am just going to have to wait and see about my tongue and mouth. The dentist just casually dismisses all the sores, but it doesn't really reassure me much. The tightness in my throat and the sharp pains shooting in there have started more recently.

I wish I could stay positive, there are obvious less sinister explanation's for all of my symptoms, but seeing as they all come together it is getting me down. I have no idea what the chest pain is all about, my pains seem to rotate, one day my throat and mouth will feel worse, and little or no chest pain, then another day it's all chest pain.

I really appreciate you taking the time to reply in such detail. Means a lot.

Thank you.

[keaw]

hi there, im sorry to hear you are feeling like this. I have the lump/globus sensation in my throat,and sometimes it really terrifies me, so for you to have these other health issues too must be awful for you,but they do sound like anxiety symptoms, so try to keep positive(not easy I know)

katy

[Torskus]

Do you also get the sharp pains in your throat and in your face to accompany the feeling of a lump?

Seems so unreal that all this could be caused by the mind.

[joelhall]

There are muscles along the sides of the throat called the infrahyoid muscles, or strap muscles. These often react to stress by contracting and give a feeling of the throat being closed.

[keaw]

I don't really get pain in my throat,just very uncomfortable and frightening.i sometimes get ear/jaw ache though.

[joelhall]

You wouldn't get pain no. They give the sensation of the throat closing up, tightness under the jaw and around the sides of the jaw, and often like it is hard to breath.

[mummyanxious]

Oh god I had exactly what you're describing there JH in the middle of the night once, scared me to death! I had recently been and had my neck done at the chiropractor though and wondered whether it was a reaction to that. Nothing else was going on just a feeling like someone had their hands around my throat. Remained calm and eventually it stopped.

[Torskus]

Feeling rather deflated, went to doctor tonight about problem with throat feeling tight and shooting pains in throat neck and mouth, and he gave me pain killers. I didn't even get chance to say about possible health anxiety.

I don't know if these problems are real or not, but they sure feel real to me.

Appreciate all the input by the way. Thank you.