- Date posted
- 5y
- Date posted
- 5y
Thank you :) I went through CBT 2 years ago (had diferent obsession then) and I’m trying to apply tehniques learned there to this obsession but it’s kinda hard when what dad’s going through makes everything seem even more real. Btw. His lymphoma was discovered in an early stage and doctor said that it’s highly curable (he said that their success rate is at 95%) but the whole thing is pretty hard on everyone. I am planning on seeing a therapist soon.
- Date posted
- 5y
First off, I’m so sorry about your dad. I had literally the exact same compulsion and obsession recently. I had a swollen node under my chin that did not go away for over two months. It came out of the blue with no signs of infection or illness. I had an ultrasound on it and it verified it was a mildly swollen node. I requested a biopsy which was denied simply because with lymphoma the nodes do not decrease in size, they dramatically increase overtime. As far as a genetic link in the disease, from my research there is none. Try and stop touching the node, that can prevent it from shrinking. My doctor said that mine will probably never go away and will mildly fluctuate in size. Essentially it’s scar tissue. No googling— it will only make matters so much worse. Are you seeing a therapist? If not, consider it. Especially with what you’re going through with your dad. I’m really sorry, again.
- Date posted
- 5y
I had a enlarged lymph node in front of my ear for ages, was painless and all. For about a month or two I was in absolute agony thinking it’s something bad. I went privately to an oncologist and he not only discovered several more nodes but also said it is nothing to worry about and usually stays after some serious infection for example, or recent infection will do it as well. The node is still there and it’s been a year, and I went for a checkup and again it was nothing, only one of the nodes went down a lil tiny bit. So yeah, there are so many different reasons for the lymph nodes including hormonal issues as well and stress. Filling your life with good things and activities will help ❤️ if you do obsess try engaging in something else. If you say to someone don’t think about blue, they will think about blue. The only thing they can do to stop is think about red ❤️
- Date posted
- 5y
Hey Girl, I’m kind of happy, I found your post! My dad was diagnosed with Gliomatosis Cerebri (brain cancer) 3 months ago...Since then my hypochondria is all over the place too...Not only I was in fear to have his illness as well, my nodes were also swollen, my doctor said it might be because of my wisdom teeth. As the girl above me already said, if you’d have a lymphoma they would be really big, you even could see them without trying. Maybe it might help you to make blood tests every month (I do). I hope we can get in contact, because of our similar stories. Good luck with everything and best wishes to you father!
Related posts
- Date posted
- 17w
I'm going to try and be coherent because I know that sometimes during these moments I tend to babble in fear. I have a mole on the left side of my chest that I've had since I was a kid. Been there for as long as I remember. And I never paid attention to it; it was just a part of my body. I even felt a little sad considering that I might not have it anymore whenever I get top surgery. Yesterday I went down a rabbit hole and landed on Melanoma. Which, of course, prompted me to look at my mole again. And again. And again. It's large, bigger than my other moles. Always has been, at least to my knowledge. I always thought it was cute whenever it crossed my mind. Now...now I'm just scared... I'm not asking for reassurance. None of us on here are medical experts (unless youre an actual doctor) (also insert OCD joke here). I sent a picture to my doctor, and she said that if it hasnt changed size that's a good sign. But she also suggested a follow-up with a dermatologist. And that's what scares me the most. All of this started yesterday, but I sent the message to my doctor this morning. And ever since then...I havent been okay. I can barely eat, and every time I try to I can barely swallow. I've isolated myself in the guest bedroom of my parents house. I cant move. I cant think straight. And...let's just say my thoughts havent been good. Like I said, I'm not asking for reassurance or medical advice. I just...I need help to not feel like I'm dying. I didnt mention that yesterday, in the midst of going down the rabbit hole, I realized how badly I didnt want to be afraid, and yet I also felt like I needed to be afraid. And I realized that that's what ERP is (at least for me in case it's different for everyone). I really did naivietely think that it was just going to be about avoiding compulsions. I didnt realize that accepting uncertainty would feel like a death sentence. And now this has happened. I just...I'm scared. And I dont want to be. I dont want to live in this reality where I'm sick and dying. I dont want to have to tell my family. I dont want to live in that world, but it feels like I'm already in it. My body is just preparing me for it. I dont know. I dont know why I'm even making this post. No one can help me, can they?
- Real Events OCD
- NOCD Therapy Alumni
- Existential OCD
- Young adults with OCD
- Mid-life adults with OCD
- Health Concern OCD
- Date posted
- 10w
You can laugh at the title if you want, it’s objectively pretty funny. Hi guys, this is my first time on this app and I mostly just wanted to see if anyone out there is in the same boat as me or works in health care and is dealing with this. I haven’t told anyone what’s going on. I’m in my 4th year of medical school and In the past year I’ve developed what I think is pretty bad health OCD. Now health anxiety is a really common thing for medical students to have, I know that. It wasn’t until recently that I realized that the constant lymph node checking, self diagnosing & examining and reassurance seeking could have definitely had crossed the line into compulsions. Both my parents are cancer survivors which is what originally made me want to become a doctor but now every single physical sensation I have sends me into hours or days of rumination that I or someone I love has stage 4 terminal cancer. I spent an entire vacation with my boyfriend having a silent panic attack and convincing myself that he was dying of pancreatic cancer when he just had food poisoning and was fine days later. I had a complete mental breakdown and told myself I had lymphoma for weeks when I realized I could feel some of my own perfectly normal lymph nodes in my neck. My logical brain knows this is completely ridiculous but the emotional brain will not shut the hell up. It seems cruel that I made it this far only to feel like my own damn brain is betraying my ability to think through health situations clearly. I’m determined to get my symptoms under control before I graduate in a year as I don’t want this to affect patient care. Just wanted to get this off my chest and see if anyone else out there in health care is struggling too.
- Date posted
- 7w
I never used to really care about my health unless I got sick and just took some meds and went about my day. Last fall I was diagnosed as diabetic. In the winter my car was suddenly diagnosed with cancer and I ended up with extremely bad anxiety and anticipatory grief like I have never felt before. My other cat now is on two medications for health issues. I was in the hospital in march for diverticulitis. I have a pinched nerve from trying to do yoga. A few weeks ago I had a colonoscopy and now I’m having mild tremors and some numbness and tingling in my extremities. My anxiety is through the roof. I went to my primary doctor who thought it was my medications having a bad side effect so she took me off it. The tremors have gotten somewhat better but the numbness has not improved. Okay where am I going with this? Every day I get this gnawing anxiety that makes me feel like I need to go to the hospital but I don’t go for financial reasons and because I’m terrified that they’ll make me stay overnight or I’ll get another bad diagnosis. How do I live like this ? I’ve never dealt with any anxiety or obsession thoughts in my life before this and now it’s a daily struggle. I often find myself crying because I’m freaking myself out. Please help.
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