| A
female
age
41-50,
anonymous
writes: Need help!I am terrified of tests and physicals. It took all I had to go in recently to my doctor because of prolonged menstrual bleeding. My doctor ordered ultrasounds and other tests. I went through them but panicked and cried the whole time. I was a mess. My blood pressure was dangerously high. I was stressed beyond stress. It was determined I have a benign ovarian cyst and a fibroid which is also benign. On top of this, I have a yeast infection! All this at one time. Burning in the vagina and the anus. Discomfort from the cyst. This is not something a healthy woman is used to. Never had issues before. So, when things go weird with my body, I panic and go to the worst case.So, now that I have had some tests, my doctor suggested routine blood work. She said it is not immediately necessary but something all healthy adults do as preventative medicine.I have scheduled the appointment for next week. I have no problem with needles and the process itself. It is waiting for results. I panic. And I hyper ventilate. I cannot breathe. I cannot sleep. I cannot eat. I am unable to function. I panic when the phone rings or I have a message.So, I am not sure how to get past this. I have not had blood done for awhile. I feel fine. Just very stressed due to circumstances in my life. I don't think I can handle anymore. I am not sure how to talk myself out of these horrible thoughts. Your own mind and thoughts are your own worst enemies.I mean, not to go through that level of panic, I actually avoid tests. I know it is not right but I am having such a hard time.Can anyone offer advice on how to get through it? How to go through it?I assume once you do a test, there will be bad results. Especially since I have had stuff go wrong all at once recently.I really could use some help.I know I need to do it but I do not want to go through that stress again. I have just been through it. How much can I go through?
View related questions:
vagina Reply to this Question
Share |
Fancy yourself as an agony aunt? Add your answer to this question! A
female
reader, Honeypie  +, writes (24 August 2016):
 Definitely consider talking to someone professional.
Part of my OCD is that I worry about EVERYTHING. I go through scenarios like you wouldn't believe it over little matters, CONSTANTLY.
I got a pap-smear result back that said cell changes and to call my doctor, and I freaked out. So much so I got my living will in order (always a good idea). Gt an appointment two days later and well, it turned out there has been a mix up, it WASN'T my results.
When I took an AIDS/HIV test, when my husband and I decide to take things seriously enough to live together and marry - my doctor called and told me she couldn't give me the results over the phone - first thought in my mind? OMG! I must have HIV! But when she heard I was starting to freak, she told me it was policy but that she COULD tell me that I had nothing to worry about, to come in and get my "negative" result on a piece of paper any time.
It's debilitating to feel you have no control and to think the worse constantly, but... here is the truth... NONE if us are in control of EVERYTHING in our lives.
For me worrying gives me a sense of control (which really is irrational) - but once I go through a few scary scenarios - I have learned to LET IT GO and accept what comes will come.
Whether you panic or not... the RESULTS will be the same. So why panic?
The fact that your doctor CARES and suggest avenues to KEEP you healthy is a good thing.
YOGA may not be your only answer, but I can tell you, it's been a life-saver for me. To de-stress and de-clutter my mind when I feel anxious and helpless.
A
female
reader, aunt honesty  +, writes (23 August 2016):
 I think you should talk to your doctor and tell them about what is happening to you, Sweetie it is a horrible feeling and a terrible thing to go through on your own, you are right though you are your own worst enemy. So book an appointment with the doctor and tell them how you have been feeling, they have methods to help you, such as tablets or even CBT. Give it a go. Don't fight this alone.
...............................
A
reader, anonymous, writes (23 August 2016): I agree with Female Anon. I have suffered from panic attacks -- hyperventilating, feeling as if I'm suffocating, intense claustrophobic feeling, sobbing -- and know how unbearable it is. Sometimes I can talk myself down, but for the occasions I cannot my doctor has given me a prescription. I wouldn't hesitate to talk to your doctor, explain what happens to you and get something to help alleviate these attacks.
...............................
A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (22 August 2016): Ironically your doctor can help you cope. When I was going through a very stressful time due too many issues all happening at the same time I starred having panic attacks. Hyperventilating high blood pressure crying hysterically etcIt got so bad I was struggling to cope. I called my doc and she saw me right away. I got meds for anxiety and also a referral to support groups and a psychologist. The combination of those things straightened me out in short order. You call your doc TODAY and tell her abbot your debilitating panic attacks ASAP. TODAY. You will be feeling better in short order.The only one standing in the way of getting help is YOU, or more precisely, your irrational thoughts which have led to actuall physical symptoms.So get out of your own way and ask a pro for help.PS I'm not taking any meds now and have a much more balanced approach.
...............................
A
female
reader, kirra07  +, writes (22 August 2016):
I have had problems with irrational and negative thoughts go through my mind, so I know how distressing it can be. You have to keep replacing those thoughts whenever they pop up. So when you think, "I'm sure something will be wrong with my blood work" you need to immediately think "no that's not rational. This is just routine blood work that most likely will be all normal." If you start thinking "I must have some deadly disease" replace with "chances are low I have a deadly disease, but even if I did, many things are treatable."
The problem with negative thoughts is that if you let them linger like that you will obsess and spiral downwards. You will go from my blood work will be abnormal to you have some disease to you have some deadly disease, etc. All the way to the worst possible scenario. So you need to nip it in the bud as soon as negative thoughts appear. So immediately tell yourself, no my thought is irrational, most likely it will be normal and fine. Then try to divert your mind to something else like a hobby, a book, TV show, what to cook, etc.
...............................
A
female
reader, like I see it +, writes (22 August 2016):
 Sorry to hear that this has you so stressed out. It might help to focus on the good news from your last doctor's appointment. All the results of your last physical were benign, with the exception of the yeast infection - which is a very common ailment that many, MANY women experience in their lifetimes. So common, in fact, that the antibiotic creams for it are sold at almost any drugstore so that women who experience recurrence of the infection don't even need to pay for a doctor visit if or when they get another. As I'm sure your doctor mentioned, yeast infections can be caused by something as simple as washing or douching your feminine area with soap that is too strong and kills off too many of the "good" bacteria, allowing yeast to proliferate. Getting one doesn't automatically mean you are unhealthy in any other way.
So I would believe your doctor when she tells you the blood work is routine. I'm not a doctor, but nothing in your post suggests to me that she is worried about you actually having some other ailment. Blood work is a great way to check the levels of various hormones and electrolytes in your body and also to catch things like low iron levels (which can be caused by extra-heavy periods) BEFORE they start affecting your health and energy levels. If anything happens to be off, you WANT your doctor to catch it early, because many health issues don't typically resolve by themselves and will become more serious (and more difficult/expensive to treat) if left alone. Having blood work done as a preventative also gives them recent base line levels of hormones, etc. to refer back to should your health ever change in the future. Since individual results can vary widely, it helps your doctor have a better picture of what is normal for YOU.
I know it's tough, but try not to worry about it. Maybe take a day and go out with some friends and pamper yourself to help take your mind off things?
Hope this helps. Good luck and best wishes :)
...............................
|
