Feeling very anxious

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2004
Feeling very anxious
9
Tue, 08-16-2005 - 7:51pm

Hi!
I haven't been here since I first introduced myself a couple of weeks ago. I've been busy getting ready for our move and I guess that's made me feel better because I haven't been feeling anxious. But today I do! What happened is that I woke up this morning with a lump on my neck. I went to the doctor and she said I have an inflamed lymph node which should probably go away in a couple of weeks. Ofcourse, my mind starts to go and I start to imagine the wrost. I've been feeling anxious all day and no matter how much I rationalize it, I can't control my mind from thinking horrible things. Does anyone know anything about inflamed lymph nodes that they can share with me that might help me feel better? You know what the funny thig is? I've had inflamed lymph nodes myself years ago and ofcourse within a couple of weeks, they went away. You would think that would make me feel better....but no! I really don't know what I need to hear to feel better because the doctor already said it all. Yikes! I'm sorry for babling so much!!

Thanks for listening!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-12-2003
Tue, 08-16-2005 - 8:10pm

Hi, I actually get inflamed lymph nodes several times a year. I can see and feel the bump and it hurts when I touch it....its been hapenning to for years and nothing bad has happened so far :) like you said it goes away after a couple of weeks.


everytime you catch yourself thinking about it, try to distract yourself by singing your favorite song or counting backwards. that will help you get through the anxiety.


Mia

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Tue, 08-16-2005 - 8:15pm

I am as serious as a heart attack, when I say I'm right there with you. This morning I awakened with a pain in my back. Who knows where the thought came from, but I was convinced it was a blood clot. As the morning wore on, I developed a headache which is rare indeed for me. Well, it seems the blood clot broke off & travelled to my head & probably there was a stroke brewing. Finally, since taking meds is such a scary prospect for me, I gave in & took 2 tylenol @ 5 pm.

 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2004
Tue, 08-16-2005 - 8:39pm

Thanks for your replies.

Mia, thank you for the reassurance about lymph nodes. That's totally how it feel, sore to the touch and it's even radiating a little bit of pain (but probably because I keep poking at it!) and I can see it and feel it.

Jan, your post made me laugh so much, I still have teers running down my face. I laughed so much because that's totally how my mind works too. I get one thought which develops into another and then another. They seem so rational to me at the time. But reading your post made me realize how irrational my posts are. Thank you so much. It's so nice to see that there is somewhere I can go for support.

What I didn't mention is that I'm on maternity leave which gives me a lot of time to think and obsess! I think that not working is what's causing me to have so many anxieties. I've always been prone to it but has never been an issue for me the way it is now. I tried taking celexa (for one day!) but it made me feel horrible. I stopped taking it after one day and it took me 4 days after that to feel normal again. I now take Ativan on an as need basis (only at night because it makes me drowssy and I have to be alret to take care of my daughter!)

I heard about a natural supplement called Rescue Remedy, has anyone tried it? Apparently it calms you down without making you sleepy. Here's a link...
http://www.bachflower.com/rescue_remedy.htm

Thanks again! You have no idea how much you've helped!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 08-16-2005 - 11:18pm

Hi Jellybean, you've gotten some great replies, but I just wanted to chime in too. I've had the same thing, many times, when I'm absolutely convinced that I have cancer or some other serious illness (although I'm only 24 and generally healthy). It's especially bad when I read about some rare disease and start believing that I must have it!

I've gotten in the habit of making myself wait at least a week or so before making a doctor's appointment to discuss any strange worry of mine-- and of course, after a week, that worry is gone (usually to be replaced by another). So you're definitely not alone there.

And as Jan and some of the others have said, your doctor is right that an inflamed lymph node is nothing to be worried about-- it's just a sign that your body is successfully doing its job to fight off any minor virus or bacteria before they get a chance to make you sick. I found this link, too, in case it might help:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003097.htm

Hope you continue to feel better-- I can really relate to your worries!

Rose

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-16-2005
Wed, 08-17-2005 - 12:25am
wow i to have the swollen lymphnodes.sore throat and an earache.doc told me nothing to worry about just a simple cold.yea sure,i went home and started worrying that i had WEST NILE VIRUS.lol atleast the ppl in my home get a good laugh at some of the things i come up with.my bf said,hon you dont even have a moskito*bite.lol

 

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2004
Wed, 08-17-2005 - 1:13am

Thanks for your reply and the link Rose. I do the same thing as you...I'll find out about someone with some illness and convince myself that I have the same thing! Good tip about waiting a week. Normally I don't rush to the doctor, but today I did because I was scared! I'm glad I did, otherwise I would be even more anxious than I already am.

Thanks again!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2004
Wed, 08-17-2005 - 1:14am

hey chatsalot! That's funny...my family gets a good laugh about my many illnesses. Fortunately DH is very very very patient! And my sister is the best, she always knows just how to talk some sense into me and bring me back to reality!

Hope you feel better soon!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-16-2005
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 11:03am
for us sometimes its not so funny but then after a few days we find ourselves laughing as well.i am taking antibiotics because i have a sore throat,god knows i hate taking meds.i only took 4 of them and i felt better so i quit

 

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-17-2001
Thu, 08-18-2005 - 11:19am

Oh have I been there!


I have some bloodwork that came out high.. I went crying to my dh saying that I had lukemia... he laughed at me and I was so mad because I was really upset about it.


Funny how we do that to ourselves...