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Posted 9/19/2014 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
Well, my results are in and have come back normal... which is good, right?!

So why am I still upset? I guess because there was something found in an mri in my temporal lobe (a "focal area of inflammation") and I still don't know what it is, why it's there, is it serious, am I going to be ok, is this life threatening, and what happens down the road??

The uncertainty and lack of answers are hard to deal with.

And in the meantime, I have been having one sided headaches (of course on the side where the mri showed inflammation) which are accompanied by pressure in my right ear and swelling inside the right side of my nose (like I can't really breathe through the right side)... And of course, again, these symptoms are not constant. They come and they go.

And I think to myself... is this anxiety? Is it part of whatever has caused the inflammation?
Posted 9/19/2014 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
Congrats on positive results. Sorry to hear that you don't get a conclusive answer to what is going on with you though! I hope they figure it out for you soon!
Posted 9/19/2014 2:39 AM (GMT 0)
I think that inflammation isn't necessarily something to worry about. I almost feel ridiculous typing that....since I have health anxiety too. EVERYTHING is something to worry about, right? :) Sounds like all the things that you are experiencing are things that are a result of hearing of the MRI results. Especially since they come and go.

Try to focus on the spinal tap results. That is a VERY good thing!
Posted 9/19/2014 6:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Searching,

Well good news in one sense...but still the question remains about why you had the inflamation. I understand how your good results would still be shadowed by the what-ifs that are still in the back of your mind.

What does your doctor have to say? Do they want to retest, or give any indication that you have anything to worry about?

Sometimes what doctors and tests are looking for are combinations of anomalies or red flags. Most of the time, one issue/result alone is not indicative of a problem or health concern.

...so the bottom line here may be to to by what your doctor has said...and if he/she is not concerned, then you have to trust in them...and work hard to get past this remaining worry.

CBT techniques can be very helpful in these situations. If you need more info/help/resources for how to go about getting started, let me know.:)

Peace and progress,

S.C.
Posted 9/19/2014 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone!

S.C. - the doctor has said he doesn't feel it is cancerous or MS. After the results came back normal he said he wanted me to come for an appointment in another month and that we would probably do another mri around then to monitor it...

So I guess that's good??
Posted 9/19/2014 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
Yep! That's good.

The results are negative, and your doc sounds great, he's being thorough. (Too many of us get docs who brush us off so you've got a good thing going).

You've bottled up that anxiety for so long with worry, it's just the pressure release valve letting go right now, that's why you're still anxious. Deep breath,....all is well.





M.
Posted 9/21/2014 3:17 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all - again!

I know I have said it in different threads before, but I am so deeply appreciative of you all - your advice, insight, positivity, support and well wishes... It means so very much to me!

This has been a very difficult and frightening time in my life, these last 2 years of anxiety and physical symptoms.

I am so thankful that I found this forum.

Thanks so much :)
Posted 9/21/2014 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
I know and understand how you feel. Health anxiety doesn't allow us a moments rest even when faced with good news. The fact that he said to come back in a month is good news. If he were truly worried he would arrange some further additional testing now. And he told you it's not cancer or MS. Great news. Try to focus on that. Allow yourself today to live with the good news. See how it feels to not let health anxiety in for a day. Easier said than done but you owe yourself some peace. Make it today.
Posted 9/21/2014 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Searching, we are a strange bunch of people, and i am one also, we get a clean bill of health from a doctor,
are we happy, do we feel grateful, heck no "hey doc, give me something to worry about maybe you missed
something", I dont know why we do this, a mosquito bite is a cancer, a pain in the side is colon cancer, we get dizzy and something is wrong with our brain. Honestly i dont have the answer, but i sure do know the
questions. "At times i just want to stand in front of the mirror and point my finger at my image and laugh
histeracily". what a dummy, wasting all this time worrying when i could be living. Peace

Larry ***
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