Help With Fear of Cancer

[ySplendidCrafts9]

HelloI haven't been on this site in awhile. I have 24/7 twitching in my feet, calves twitch a lot, and I do get the random twitch that stays for a a few days/week or so (right now it's the left eye). This has been going on for a little over 3 years now. I, after a long time, have accepted the twitching and I am not afraid of ALS/MS as much anymore. My new fear is CANCER! Yes, I know I sound like I have really bad health anxiety and that is why I came on this site b/c if I go to my husband, best friend, or parents, who dealt with the whole ALS/MS scare, they will just think I am crazy. So, I am 36, smoked for about 11 years & quit with my 1st pregnancy about 7 yrs ago. I have been getting pains in my stomach right below sternum and under rib cage (so could be lower lung), pain in middle chest, middle back pain(which I thought was from the gym, my poor posture or lugging my 15 month around) and fatigue. I went to see the DR about the pain right below my sternum last week, so she did a liver function blood test(came out normal) and I am waiting on Ultrasound of gallbladder/pancreas to check for gallbladder problems and told me to take Zantac everday(it's not heartburn). My mom & aunt have had gallbladder issues, but my Mom said the pain was lower and hurt a whole lot when you eat greasy foods, which doesn't happen to me as much. It's like a constant dull pain. So, of course I googled chest/rib pain and lung cancer comes up...ahh. Then I do some more research and it says how the number of women geeting lung cancer is on the rise and they are often in their 30's & 40's (much younger than men) when they get it. It also said how with women often there is no symptoms until stage iv b/c the lung cancer they usually get is outside the lung which causes more back/chest pains and not the typical cough bronchitis etc. I do get a bit of a cough, but thought it was allergies. Then I rember reading an article about twitching being related to lung cancer. I think it was some paraneoplastic or something that causes it. I know I sound crazy, but do you think I should ask my Dr for a CT of my lungs? I am really nervous and getting a lot of anxiety now!!!

 

[BarbiePetals]

You sound like me with the Cancer fear. I have horrible health anxiety and cancer is my biggest fear. Most likely this is all your mind playing tricks on you. Don't be reading about paranesoplastic syndromes. That is mostly associated with Issacs Syndrome and even then it's rare. If this is really bothering you then talk to your doctor. But remember health anxiety is a vicious cycle. You can be cleared of one thing and find another thing to fixate on. I know cause I go through it all the time.

 

[ySplendidCrafts9]

Thanks for responding...I just feel like I can't tell anyone my fear b/c I really scared people thinking I had MS then ALS 3 yrs agos. I just started getting over the what if fear of ALS and now this pops up. What scares me about Lung Cancer is that I did smoke and basically when you are diagnosed it is just too late b/c the symptoms are so vague for women!! I feel like my Dr will think I am crazy asking for a CT, but what if i'ts true?? Of course I am having more chest pains and feel like I have shortness of breath a whole lot more now. That is another symptom...gradual shortness of breath! I am just scared and it's effected my life! Which cancer do you fear and what do you do about it? Do you bother with the DRs?

 

[Gloria123]

Honestly, how many women do you know who have gotten lung cancer in their 30s and 40s? 20% of this country smokes, and you usually only see lung cancer in older people (like their 60s). I think women who get lung cancer earlier like that, are not necessarily smokers, but very unfortunate people who just happened to get cancer in their lungs (like Christopher Reeve's wife).There might be a remote possibility, but it would be very small. You sound like you're using Dr. Google again for your diagnosis and as we all can attest to, that's very dangerous for your mental health.Ask your doctor about it, explain your symptoms. She'll probably give you a chest x-ray and send you on your way, and you can breathe (no pun intended) easily about it. I think there are probably 1000 different diagnoses for the pain you're explaining. But, while I'm not a doctor, you definitely want to play it safe and go get checked out for the pain. I wouldn't focus on lung cancer.Mitra

 

[ShannyB63]

hey chez, while im happy u got over your ALS/MS fear im so sorry youve gone on to cancer...as a fellow health anxiety sufferer i know how these fears can impact your life....i amazingly dont fear cancer even though i am an oncology and icu nurse...i fear everything else....the pains in your chest could be gallbladder or just plain anxiety....cancer especially lung cancer is very unsymptomatic...i think u should get your dr to give u a chest x ray..u dont need a ct to diagnose anything nasty in the lungs...a chest x ray will show if there is anything...then when it comes back clear which im sure it will.....let it go...and ive never seen anyone with lung cancer twitch.....NEVER and ive been an oncology nurse since i was 17.....so please let that one go...ok...i honestly think this is just your anxiety running wild again...please feel free to pm me if u need too...best wishes shannon

 

[ySplendidCrafts9]

Thanks guys! You really made me feel better. It is good to know I am not alone suffering from health anxiety. I feel like I just go over my fear of ALS and this happens. I do wonder a lot why I have the 24/7 twitching ...it never ever stops in my feet, but I just deal with it and tell myself it's just BFS...I hope I can do the same with this new fear. I guess I will wait and see if the ultrasound of my stomach shows anything and go from there. It is just so scary to even think of having something so deadly.

 

[yodaiguy]

It's odd how we do this to ourselfs. My latest fear has been Cancer as well due to chronic stomach problems over the past few months. I started researching stomach cancer, ulcers and even checking my stools There is a condition where cancer causes twitching, etc.. but it's extremely rare, like so rare 99% of Dr's wouldn't have any idea what you're talking about. I think it's just a coping process trying to blame our condition on something, because to us there's no way this could be "benign." I'm sure your anxiety will pass, I wish you the best.

 

[MarioMasher]

The BFS/lung cancer scare pops up every year or so on this board and Alonzo always comes in and shoots it down. Just do a search on lung cancer and look for anything by Alonzo and you will see you have nothing to worry about. This subject comes up every year. There is no link.

 

[ySplendidCrafts9]

Thanks Martin. I will take your advice and read the book. It has been consuming my thoughts these past couple of weeks. I do understand what you are saying about the psychosomatic pain, but my upper back has been really hurting and all I can think of is that it's my lungs. Of course that is a symptom as well as shortness of breath in which I feel like I have been experiencing lately. I am not sure if I have had it all this time and not noticed or my mind is just noticing my breathing and I "feel" like I have shortness of breath. It is really making me nervous. I seem to always have a stomach, chest or back ache.

 

[ySplendidCrafts9]

So, I got the ultrasound of my stomach and I guess my gallbladder is full of stones. The tech was surprised I wasn't in more pain. It is good to know the cause of the pain in my stomach, but for some reason I still fear that I have lung cancer....what is wrong with me? I am mostly nervous b/c I have been having horrible back pain and although you can get some pain from gallstones in your back,but this is right in the middle....all the time! I just am not sure if this is fro the stones and nowI have this new cough too. I try to tell myself it is just the season for colds, but I don't have a cold just a cough, back pain, chest pain, and feel like I have shortness of breath, I know I have to wait until I get the gallbladder surgery and see if my backache persists, but it is just making me nervous. I know it sounds ridiculous. I am a bit nervous now that I need surgery. I have never had any kind of surgery. Has anyone ever had this surgery and what is the recovery like??

 

[herty18]

I have pain in the left and center of my abdomen right under the rib cage. I have had this problem off and on for several years. With me it is related to my stomach. I have episodes of gastritis and eosophigeal reflux and that is what causes the pain. This is also made worse with problems with the gallbladder like gallstones. Basically it inhibits your bodies ability to deal with fat in foods. Thus, you stomach has problems digesting that stuff and you get stomach issues. It can also cause problems with shortness of breath when your reflux makes it up into your throat and ends up in the lung passages. There are alot of people that have these kinds of problems and it has nothing to do with your lungs. I also have some back problems. Try eating a low fat diet for the time being and maybe taking some antacids. Then ask yourself if those steps start making you feel better. These are the symptoms listed for gallstones on the mayoclinic website:Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the upper right portion of your abdomen Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the center of your abdomen, just below your breastbone Back pain between your shoulder blades Pain in your right shoulderand these are the symptoms of GERDA burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), sometimes spreading to the throat, along with a sour taste in your mouth Chest pain Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) Dry cough Hoarseness or sore throat Regurgitation of food or sour liquid (acid reflux) Sensation of a lump in the throatand finally gastritis A gnawing or burning ache or pain (indigestion) in your upper abdomen that may become either worse or better with eating Nausea Vomiting A feeling of fullness in your upper abdomen after eatingI am not saying that I am a Doctor who can diagnose you but all your symptoms can be attributable to your gallstone issue.