Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
My anxiety was treated last summer which was a gift. I still have the thought pattern of an anxious person but am grateful not to have the horrible physical symptoms.
That being said, I will don't handle stress very well at all and I'm looking for tips.
Health stuff drives me nuts and I just obsess and obsess and obsess over it.
I have to go in Monday for a CT to see if I have a pituitary tumor and I am FREAKING out even though I probably DON'T have a tumor and even if I do, it's one that can be easily fixed with medicine.
I tested with high prolactin last October and it took me this long to settle myself down enough to get in for the CT. The General Practioner has told me she really thinks the high prolactin is due to either my PTSD or meds. My muscles are chronically tight so it makes sense that my hormones would be a bit out of whack as well. Even the endocrinologist told me not to be worried. My levels really don't indicate a tumor but they need to be sure.
Since October I've just been obsessing and making myself miserable. It makes little sense to me because there is a 75% chance this isn't even a tumor. If it is, it's a 90% chance it's super tiny and will never grow or cause a problem. And even if I have one and it's huge, the medicine is 80% effective.
I've had several friends I've mentioned this to and they're so laid back, "Oh yeah, I've got that too. I get a blood test once a year to check it. No biggie." While I'm limiting my whole life over it.
I felt like I was really getting on track and thinking of myself as healthy and then wham! And the wham isn't even necessarily the condition - it's the way I'm thinking about it.
I have no symptoms and feel strong and healthy but I tend to sit at home for fear of some weird symptom popping up. I keep checking my vision (a huge tumor can impact your vision) and thinking myself into having headaches. Had an aura a couple days ago because I was so stressed. Then I stressed about the aura - sure I got it because of a tumor even though it was like every other aura/migraine I've had before.
Tips?
That being said, I will don't handle stress very well at all and I'm looking for tips.
Health stuff drives me nuts and I just obsess and obsess and obsess over it.
I have to go in Monday for a CT to see if I have a pituitary tumor and I am FREAKING out even though I probably DON'T have a tumor and even if I do, it's one that can be easily fixed with medicine.
I tested with high prolactin last October and it took me this long to settle myself down enough to get in for the CT. The General Practioner has told me she really thinks the high prolactin is due to either my PTSD or meds. My muscles are chronically tight so it makes sense that my hormones would be a bit out of whack as well. Even the endocrinologist told me not to be worried. My levels really don't indicate a tumor but they need to be sure.
Since October I've just been obsessing and making myself miserable. It makes little sense to me because there is a 75% chance this isn't even a tumor. If it is, it's a 90% chance it's super tiny and will never grow or cause a problem. And even if I have one and it's huge, the medicine is 80% effective.
I've had several friends I've mentioned this to and they're so laid back, "Oh yeah, I've got that too. I get a blood test once a year to check it. No biggie." While I'm limiting my whole life over it.
I felt like I was really getting on track and thinking of myself as healthy and then wham! And the wham isn't even necessarily the condition - it's the way I'm thinking about it.
I have no symptoms and feel strong and healthy but I tend to sit at home for fear of some weird symptom popping up. I keep checking my vision (a huge tumor can impact your vision) and thinking myself into having headaches. Had an aura a couple days ago because I was so stressed. Then I stressed about the aura - sure I got it because of a tumor even though it was like every other aura/migraine I've had before.
Tips?
They let me see the scan after and, although I know nothing about imaging, I didn't see anything obviously scary.
Will have reports back on the CT in about a week and should have my most recent prolactin results by the end of this week.
I do have to say I am feeling pretty strong and brave to have gotten through it.
I've also written up a little formula with my doctor about what comes next so when results come in I'm not so afraid because I'll know what's next.
I appreciate the support, GB!
P.S. I am sure everything will be okay! :)