I just wanted to update you all on my ‘progress’ (or lack of it ) in dealing with my now 6 week old problem with all over itching.
I am now in my sixth week of suffering with this, and my mental health has taken a battering due to my lifelong healt anxiety.
After first seeing my GP just a few days before Christmas, I returned again today to see a different doctor, and to tell him that my problems still remains. I hadn’t seen him before as he was either a locum or just someone new to the practice, and so I had to explain my situation in full all over again with him.
I told him that my health anxiety was telling me that I had either cirrhosis or liver cancer, but he - just like the first doctor - said that he thought this very unlikely given given that this was my only presenting symptom.
I’ve previously tried to treat the itching with a general moisturising cream, but the doctor supplied me with some different cream to use on the itch at night. I thought at first that he would have been happy to simply leave it at that, but he then went in to say he would request a set of blood tests to try to start to further figure out what was going on. He said that assuming the results were OK, then he thought I’d shouldn’t have anything else to worry about.
From looking at other posts, I think this is the point that other people on this forum would dispute, and would say that a fuller investigation should be carried out rather than to merely say that there was nothing more to worry about if my blood results were fine, and to then leave it at that.
I told the doctor that I was doing all that I could in submitting myself for examination, but had been having the terrible fears about the itching, but he replied again that it would be very unlikely for it to be cirrhosis or liver cancer if only just the one symptom was presenting. He further added that mere itching was ‘not a red flag for to suggest the likelihood of cancer’.
I have absolutely no desire to try to ‘second guess’ the opinion of two GP’s , but I hope you can understand my concerns about their apparently relaxed attitudes to my worry. I realise that they may have just been trying to calm my mind by not showing any ‘alarm’ at my situation, but until some of the ‘scary stuff’ in the form of a few tests have been completed, then I know I won’t be able to rest.
I apologise to you all for going over all this again, but I write this as an update on what has now become quite a protracted problem, and also to invite any further comments. Thank you if you’ve read this all way through…
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Kellan38
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I think you should listen and take the advice of your GP. Have the blood tests because if you do have liver cancer and or cirrhosis this would present itself in your blood results.
Why would you think you have a serious illness with itching as the only symptom?
Edited to add that I have quickly read your previous posts and you definitely are suffering with health anxiety. This, in my opinion, needs to be addressed maybe through counselling.
Hello Graham. Yes,I've read your post all the way through!!😁.
Really fella,from my point of view,I would most certainly wait until you have your bloods done and recieve results,you can then take things from there.ask your gp to fully explain them,as they can be difficult to interpret unless medically qualified. I usually get my liver nurse,who is very helpful to explain fully to me. I think your gp is probably quite correct, which I understand, is not maybe what you want to hear. Just wondered if you have ever had any type of counselling for your anxiety?. Could you maybe pursue this side of things? Maybe discuss with your gp. Me,personally have had various counselling. It has really helped me an awful lot.
Thank you for your reply, and for reading all the way through my post.
My GP referred me for counselling when I saw her just before Christmas, and I have my session of this tomorrow shortly after having my blood samples taken.
I usually get my blood results very quickly, so I’d expect to hear something back early next week by the latest. What you said makes perfect sense to me, but common sense is currently being pushed out of my mind by all the other silly stuff that’s filling my head. I’ll obviously report my results back here and I’ll hope for the very best, it I’d give anything to avoid the next few days…
I received my blood test results today, and whilst I’ve yet discussed the full range of them with my doctor, I was told that they were ‘normal and all within range’ and that ‘no further action was required’.
This was very surprising to me to say the least, and whilst I don’t feel I’m completely out of the woods yet, I am at least relieved that they were as good as I could have hoped, but I realise that I made a mistake in not asking for a full print out of the details.
I can put this right as I’ve booked another appointment with my GP at which I can have the results explained to me in full, but I would have thought they were pretty extensive as three bottles of blood were taken, and whilst I’m not entirely sure why that was, it does at least suggest they were pretty extensive.
Thank you for all your help and advice so far, and if anyone has anything that they can add, I’d be very interested to hear it.
As promised, I can now tell you that I received my blood test results today, and whilst I’ve yet discussed the full range of them with my doctor, I was told that they were ‘normal and all within range’ and that ‘no further action was required’.
This was very surprising to me to say the least, and whilst I don’t feel I’m completely out of the woods yet, I am at least relieved that they were as good as I could have hoped, but I realise that I made a mistake in not asking for a full print out of the details.
I can put this right as I’ve booked another appointment with my GP at which I can have the results explained to me in full, but I would have thought they were pretty extensive as three bottles of blood were taken, and whilst I’m not entirely sure why that was, it does at least suggest they were pretty extensive.
Thank you for all your help and advice so far, and if anyone has anything that they can add, I’d be very interested to hear it.
Looking at your other posts on this forum and many other forums it's plain that your health anxiety has been going at 100mph for many many years and you were given a proven liver "all clear" several times. Health anxiety is a very real illness and often overlooked or passed off with a script for happy pills.
Your Dr's referred you for counselling and you should take advantage and fully engage with counselling even if some of it seems pointless, even the pointless sessions have meaning when you add them to the bigger picture.
The Internets feeding your obsessions and that includes health unlocked.
The counseller will probably advise you not to use these sites so try to find another interest to fill your down time.
Looking at your own profile, I can see you have your own problems, which makes it all the more remarkable that you kindly take the time to write to try to help me. I really do appreciate that.
You’re completely right in everything you say about my health anxiety, but I can only submit myself for these all important tests and the counselling now, and begin a final showdown in trying to get these horrible Lang standing problems sorted for good.
I will, of course, let you all know the results of all these tests, and Inexpectvto have them back to my by the beginning of next week at the very latest.
I think you’re right, you’re doctors laid back response is intended to reassure you, it doesn’t mean they aren’t taking you seriously. Hopefully your blood tests will come back normal and you can park your concern. I’m sure the counselling will help.
Just a quick note to let you all know that I have started with pain around my liver area now. It feels like mild appendicitis pain, and seems to crop up unexpectedly at random times, and with varying degrees of severity.
I’ll be reporting this at my GP practice when I have my bloods taken later today (I’m writing this at 2am) but I’m numb with a sense of deep depression and shock now rather than being terrified, though I know that this is likely to change from minute to minute.
Thank you, as ever, fir your ongoing interest and help.
I received my blood test results today, and whilst I’ve yet discussed the full range of them with my doctor, I was told that they were ‘normal and all within range’ and that ‘no further action was required’.
This was very surprising to me to say the least, and whilst I don’t feel I’m completely out of the woods yet, I am at least relieved that they were as good as I could have hoped, but I realise that I made a mistake in not asking for a full print out of the details.
I can put this right as I’ve booked another appointment with my GP at which I can have the results explained to me in full, but I would have thought they were pretty extensive as three bottles of blood were taken, and whilst I’m not entirely sure why that was, it does at least suggest they were pretty extensive.
Thank you for all your help and advice so far, and if anyone has anything that they can add, I’d be very interested to hear it.
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