I feel like I haven't slept in a week. So much on my mind- having tests on my liver, my alp is always elevated??
I'm feeling angry ATM after being told I now also have polycystic ovaries and I don't ovulate. I feel like I'm falling apart!
I'm seeing a naturopath, went to my first appointment. Hopefully I'll get some help!! :) anyone else see a naturopath?
Went to the hospital on Friday- going back in a week for a biopsy of my right gland. I'm freaking out, they said 'lymphoma' maybe. Ahh? Does anyone else have glands that are swollen a lot? I had glandular fever 2 years ago, it was bad. Wonder if it's related? I also have a breast lump..... Argh
Wish I wasn't so stressed, need someone to talk too! My fibromyalgia is kicking me in the butt ATM!
The maybes and we think coupled with your imagination will and can have you climbing the walls!! At this point you do not really know for sure and you head is running through all the possible scenarios.
Take a deep breathe and go on how you feel at the moment. Stress is a big factor in any illness and lack of sleep adds to it. Work on what you can at the moment, sleep & destressing. Deal with the other stuff when you have to.
On my 6 yr journey to find a firm diagnosis you would not believe all the suppositions and "we thinks" I got. I was on a 3 month emotional hold cause one dr told me he was sure it was some type of cancer but durn it I wasn't sick enough! But if I got certain symptoms to run to the emergency room So for 3 months I was waiting for the ceiling to cave in - I stopped doing activities I normally did and even a couple friends commented on it. I got a cousin of mine to help me "pull out" so to speak. She has MS and told me to go by how you feel and take it a day at a time. Since then I have not let stuff overwhelm me.
Good Luck.
That is a lot to take in. You are in my thoughts and prayers, hang in there and please try and rest! Use positive thinking and our sweet Joe's tactic to breathe in "I am" and breathe out "calm."
Ashbones, you might want to ask for a short-term prescription for anti-anxiety medication. You do have a lot to be anxious about, but fretting like you are, however understandable, is destructive and making things worse for you.
I learned to mentally (or physically) write my fears on a blackboard (showing my age here!) and erase them. I can't remember a single time where what I was so worried about actually came to pass.
One thing you really need to handle fear is trust. I was terribly betrayed by a bunch of people who I thought were friends. I literally ended up crawling on the floor because I could not even stand. Later, after I had healed somewhat, I had to make a decision: will I go back to trusting people, or not? I chose to trust, because while I know that I will be stabbed in the back from time to time, I know that I will survive it and thrive anyhow. My trust is not in others; it is in myself.
I also do an exercise where I look at the absolute worst-case scenario. In your case, you are not ovulating. Ok, so what next? I never wanted children, so that would be fine with me. But if I wanted children, especially if that was a major factor in completing my life, what are my options? Well, there is hormonal treatment to induce ovulation. There is surrogacy. There is adoption. One way or another, there are ways that I can make sure that raising children is part of my life.
I might have lymphoma. Let's say I do. What happens? There is treatment, which is mostly successful. Not much fun, but it usually works. I know that I have the ability to find others going through it and get information and support. If it isn't successful, I know that I have a lot of time to get my affairs in order, although it might not be a bad idea to make that happen now. If I get my affairs in order now, then I don't have to have that worry hanging over me. So I'll go ahead and make that will and get the advanced directives and powers of attorney in place. What, you don't have enough stuff to bother with that? You might die in an event that leads to a large legal settlement. Then you will really wish that you had arranged for where you wanted that money to go, as the government will decide how much or little of it they will let which of your heirs have.
Breast lump: see above.
By doing what I can now to deal with future what-ifs, I lower my stress level and look for a way to ensure that what is important to me does happen one way or another.
I am so sorry you are being hit with so much at such a young age! It isn't fair, and a good, old-fashioned temper tantrum is certainly justified! But then you need to move on and do what you can to lower your stress.
Warm hugs, Sharon
I have prayed for you. It is normal to feel as you do. As others have said, breath in and out slowly, which I have had to do especially lately. I also have poly-cystic ovarian disease. I have a son, so if it is a concern about having children it is even more possible these days.
As females we can have so many things turn up in our bodies due to all the hormones or lack of them, but doesn't always mean the worst, but does cause us to be concerned, and they are what make us even nervous when normally we might feel calmer.
Learn what you can, and then take what you know with you to the doctors, and find out exactly the reason for your concerns, and go from there in making your choices.
We are always here for you, and care about you.
susanep :)
Ashbone, it sounds like you are going through a lot, and are now in limbo with all these possibilities.
Maybe you can find something that will help you sleep better, or get a prescription from a doc to help with your sleep? Getting enough sleep is important for your physical and mental health. If you don't get enough sleep, it's really hard to cope with things.
Please reach out to family and friends who will listen to you and support you. Try to help them understand what you are going through.
Also, we are here for you! Please keep us posted about your tests and what they decide!
Prayers and hugs to you!
My thoughts and prayers are with you - I can definitely understand how overwhelmed and anxious you must feel right now. I hope all of your tests come back ok. Please keep us posted.
I'm sorry you're going through so much all at once. I was diagnosed with sjogren's related lacrimal gland lymphoma in 2010. Important things to remember 1. it is rare, 2 it is slow growing 3. it doesn't spread systemically and 4. It is treatable. Lymphoma is very sensitive to radiation and it can eliminate it. Of course enlarged and firm glands are also indicative of just Sjogren's and even infection, which is why you need the biopsy. Fingers crossed it is just benign inflammation for you.
Have you scheduled a mammogram or biopsy for the breast lump? In terms of priority I would jump on that next.
Hope you get some answers and feel better soon!