So scared

[Guest dogtired]

I have cancer phobia and, last Wednesday, noticed some water on my night shirt round about the nipple area. I flew into a panic, but with my husbands help, managed to rationalize that it could have been from the dishwasher, dog, coffee cup etc. However, yesterday it happened again. This watery discharge is definately coming from my nipple and I am terriefied this is breast cancer. I have a doctors appt. at 10.30, but I just want a mammogram. My husband says that this is just fuelling the fear, but I think this is the sensible thing to do.

What does anyone else think. I am so frightened and on my own.

[Guest legend]

Having a mammogram will only be reassuring the ocd, as next time you feel afraid, youll feel the need for another one,

get it checked out, and things will b fine

[Guest catwoman]

Go for the doctors appointment i am sure it will put your mind at rest

they are professionals so they will know if you need a mammogram or not, take their advice

hope this helps a bit

thinking of you

catwoman

[Guest dogtired]

Thank you legend and catwoman for taking time to reply. I am so frightened. :blushing:

[Guest legend]

How did the appt. go dogtired?

hope you are feeling better,

legend.

[Guest dogtired]

Thanks Legend,

The GP did agree that there was some discharge but, as there were no lumps to be felt, was not unduly concerned. She wants me to have a blood test to check hormone levels and, because of my phobia more than anything else, has referred me to the local breast clinic on Thursday. They will examine me and do a mammogram and ultrasound if necessary. I wish it was Wednesday night! Thursday seems a long time away to battle with all the thoughts that appear to be becoming reality.

Thank you for caring.

DT

[Guest legend]

No probs dogtired, all will be well, and try not to let it worry you,

take care legend

[Guest Kitty]

I hope everything is ok for you with the blood tests and all. Just to say that I've been through something simlar myself recently (not with breast cancer but with suspected ovarian cancer) I'm still not very well, but the tests were clear of cancer and it wasn't my worst fears. It's hard not to let the OCD run away with you, and I'm testament to that at the moment, but try and rationalise your thoughts as much as you can. If your GP isn't unduly concerned then try to take that on board.

Wishing you well with the tests and take good care

Kitty

x

[catherine]

I know from my own experience that hormonal imbalance can cause these kind of problems. I take anti psychotic meds which affect my Prolactin levels which in turn causes some discharge. So on a practical level I think it sounds quite reasoanable that hormonal imbalance could be at the bottom of it all.

By the way I'm not aiming to reassure you in an OCD way, rather to just share my personal medical experience with you

Catherine :original:

[Guest sunnycloudy]

I also have similar cancer/illness phobias. most of the time i manage to rationalise, although recently my ocd has come back big time.

i think my main advice to you is try your hardest to not let ocd get the better of you. BUT, if there is some physical thing (discharge) that you can see and it really is like a huge brick wall stopping you doing whatever you can, then get it checked. maybe tell yourself it could be something - not cancer - but something perfectly normal. eg many people, men and women, get discharge from their nipples and it doesn't mean anything.

i always jump straight to the cancer thought before i even realise i've thought it, so i know how you feel. but you do have to try and think about other possibilities and if you can wonder if it is ocd.............which it is!!

good luck thursday.

J

[Guest dogtired]

Thank you all for your kind replies. Oddly enough, I am very calm about tomorrow - more so than when I first noticed the 'wet patch.' Maybe my rational brain has taken charge of the irrational one - how nice a feeling is that, when all becomes clear again and the mind isn't in a fog of panic and confusion.

I will post and let you know how I have got on. :original:

[whitebeam]

Hope all goes well tomorrow and they will be able to put your mind at rest.

Take care :original:

whitebeam

[Guest Joanne86]

Hope everything goes alright tomorrow

:a1_cheesygrin:

[Guest dogtired]

Thanks everyone. :original:

[Guest loopyloops]

Hi there dogtired,

I went through a major cancer scare with my mum last year she too had nipple discharge but everything turned out to be ok.

I have followed your thread and want to say that although we dont know each other ive been thinking about you since you first posted with this and i wish you all the very best for tomorrow.

[Guest dogtired]

Hi everyone and thank you all for your kind words.

Everything is OK! The Consultant examined me and said the discharge was hormonal but because of my cancer phobia asked if I would like a mammogram to reassure me. I said I would and it was done straight away. All was clear.

Many people moan about our NHS in the UK but, today, I could not fault it. I was back at home in 3 hours (l hour of that in the local pub for lunch with hubby!). Walsall Manor Hospital was faultless today - the staff were so kind as was the Consultant. I thought I would get some funny looks when I told them about the phobia - its obviously more common than I imagine. Everyone understood and were brilliant! :laugh:

[Guest Joanne86]

Thats brilliant dogtired :a1_cheesygrin:

Really happy for you. :original:

x

[Guest loopyloops]

GREAT NEWS DT :clapping:

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND BABE :original: :original:

[catherine]

Brilliant, thanks for letting us know :original:

I'm interested in the hormone as I've had raised Prolactin problems....was it this hormone?

Catherine

[Guest sunnycloudy]

excellent. really happy for you.

please do try and use this experience though. what i mean is, next time something out of the ordinary happens, try and nip it in the bud straight away. give yourself many other (perfectly harmless) scenarios that it might be and try refocusing on other behaviour immediately. believe me, i should take some of my own advice, so i'm not getting on a high horse!

i don't know why, but we all seem so good at giving out advice and looking rationally at every other person's behaviour......everyone except our own! lol

have a good weekend DT, you deserve it.

J

[Guest legend]

Glad things have turned out ok, they would have anyway!! but ocd makes things ten times worse,

treat this episode as a learning curve, next time you could fight the fear and resist the need to know for sure,

at least you now know that all is well,

legend

[Guest dogtired]

Hi all and thank you for your good wishes,

How strange it was that, when confronted with the thing I dreaded most, I was the most calm and non-intrusive thought free than I had been in ages! How strange the mind works.

Catherine - I have had a blood test to test for the prolactin levels, which should be back early next week. I dont know what can be done if they come back high. As long as I know that all is well, I am reluctant to do anything.

I will let you know next time I'm at the GP's. :original:

[Guest Brainstrain]

Hi

I've always had a bit of illness ocd but since having my daughter last year this part of my ocd has got worse because when I'm doing things like writing in her keepsake diary and stuff my brain says things like, 'well at least she can read this if you're not here when she grows up'. I've been quite ill anyway since I've had her and now just look really pale and am constantly tired and although the docs have done blood tests and say things are fine I keep thinking what if I've got cancer and they just didn't test for that? So many people in my family have had it and I just feel it's innevitable that I will get it at some stage! I hope it's just ocd and it isn't true but it's all a bit too much! So I totally sympathise with you and I'm glad you were able to have a mamogram and get it sorted.

Love Brainstrain x

[catherine]

Catherine - I have had a blood test to test for the prolactin levels, which should be back early next week. I dont know what can be done if they come back high. As long as I know that all is well, I am reluctant to do anything.

There are a few options to be honest. For example there is a drug group which works to reduce the prolactin levels quite quickly. I was on Cabegaline which is one of these drugs and it did bring down my Prolactin levels in a matter of weeks.

If they are worried about osteoporosis (which they may or may not be) then you can have a scan and go on preventative treatment. I think I'm going on this in March.

They could also change you meds to a Prolactin sparing drug, but if you are stable on your current medication then they probably won't do this.

But I wouldn't worry as I know I've been involved in my treatment choice all along and I'm sure you will be too.

But its better to get these things sorted now whilst we are young (well I'm not so sure about that in my case ) rather than problems such as osteoporosis setting in in later life.

Catherine :original: