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[Marlene5916]

Hi there I'm a 40 year old female in good health. August of this year I had a lump found on my right chest that scared the life out of me. It went away within a few weeks but the fear of cancer has not. I'm super stressed and have had crazy symptoms to the point I've convinced myself I have pancreatic cancer. I have serious tightness around my rib cage and really sore on the right side under breast to move and to the touch. I have had so many other symptoms stomach promblems really sore back. My doctor has told me it's due to anxiety. I'm having a hard time believing this. A week ago I started on lexapro not really feeling much from it yet. I have so much blood done but no scans and am afraid my doctors missing something. Anyone else out there get the rib pain sorness tension from stress? Help I feel like I'm sick and nobody really cares or understands the pain I'm in.

[Hidden]

Many fellow sufferers care and can relate to your symptoms and fears, it's overwhelming and so frightening, not believing the doctors diagnosis is also a very common characteristic of how anxiety can manifest, your never alone with this struggle though, so so many out there will be having the very same struggle too, try the very reassuring and inspirational youtube videos, there's so much advice available there, David Daish was a sufferer for many year's, his videos are so helpful and provide good insight, there's many other's too but I found his fantastic, I even used to listen to him at night to help me relax, I used to put my headphones on and listen to his many videos explaining how he recovered, give it a go, big understanding hugs to you xxx

[Marlene5916]

Thank you Suzie482. It can all be so overwhelming. I find it hard to constantly focus and sometimes the rib pain gets crazy. My doctor is very thorough and do believe if she thought it was something bigger she would be all over it but the negative always comes back.

[Hidden in reply to Marlene5916]

Yes I understand perfectly how difficult this is, I too once had the very same struggle, I just want you to know that even though it feels like an endless battle, so so many do recover (including me) I'm sure you'll find some much needed reassurance and guidance from.the source I mentioned, just give it a try if you can, xxx

[PipzPine]

Hello, You will see many say yes to your questions, Our Anxiety will and does mimic illness.

And I can tell you now while I am writing this and know it is my anxiety that makes me think I am going to die, I will still doubt it and you will, but it is the anxiety that is doing it because you worry you tense up and then you feel that you can not breath hardly then you worry on that so you focus on that which because you are worrying it is making your chest tight so then your chest hurt omg is it a heart attack then you worry you might have one. Which that then make your stomach acid bubble so you get acid reflux but is it that is it Stomach C with that your bowels then become affected so oh no you have Bowel C and as you see it goes on and on.

I have find that taking a walk outside with my headphones in and playing music is helping you forget until you think the pain gone then yes you remember again but at least you get a break from thinking

[Marlene5916 in reply to PipzPine]

Thank you. I'm starting to see this but have a hard time believing that anxiety would cause ribs to hurt. What a terrible illness this is. I just want to get on top of it and make it better.

[PipzPine in reply to Marlene5916]

Not a doctor but is it your ribs ? or is it your muscles tense . are you sitting up straight? are you keeping busy ? can it be your diet ?

I do know at our age our hormones change. I get a sharp pain in my left breast once in a while but I never worry because it is alway round my cycle and my doctor agrees I also change my bras to be the comfort one and not sports or Ann Summer ones any more which helped me. Breast size can be a factor to.

[Marlene5916 in reply to PipzPine]

No it's definitely in the ribs. Has this ever happened to you?

[PipzPine in reply to Marlene5916]

Yes it has and it was my anxiety that started it mine was because I allowed my anxiety beat me I started just sitting around had no get up and go .Would drink just redbull (not saying that was the problem but did not help) 16 cans a day I would sit out a pc 12 hours a day and not sitting up straight

[Marlene5916 in reply to PipzPine]

I do sit at work a lot. I'm hoping it's just anxiety and I can get it to feel better soon I am allowing anxiety to me down. It's so hard some days.

[PipzPine in reply to Marlene5916]

That may be it then, So yes your Anxiety will be making it 10 times worse . try finding a better way to sit or ask your doctor if that can be the reason if so see if you can get up and do some walking or stretching .... Yoga maybe a good idea to look into or swimming ,