How to stop myself going insane with worry??

Troutwrestler

Hello

Will keep this short and sweet.... I have a docs appt on Monday as I found a lump on my breast, not looking for medical advice I know that's against rules and as much as you all know your stuff I will leave that to the professionals

I need ideas on how to keep my mind from going over what it could be, and thinking the worst, I also need someone to break my fingers to stop me googling and coming up with even worse things than I could have thought.


I have had the lump about 3 months and kept putting off going, stupid really because I would have known by now. Only going now because I have developed pain in my back and under my arm.

Sooooooo...how can I stop myself from going mad....Monday seems a lifetime away. No sooner appts either, this was them squeezing me in ( when I explained to dragon lady receptionist what the prob was)

I will have to finger nails left by monday ...nail biting has returned.


Any ideas ??

paulineb_2

Id be back on the phone and asking them if I could wait for a cancellation. My GPs are terrible when it comes to appointments, always weeks away but if something is an emergency they allow you to come and sit in the surgery and you do get squeezed in.

I do think you should push for this, would save you worrying as much over the weekend as well.

Troutwrestler

paulineb wrote: »

Id be back on the phone and asking them if I could wait for a cancellation. My GPs are terrible when it comes to appointments, always weeks away but if something is an emergency they allow you to come and sit in the surgery and you do get squeezed in.

I do think you should push for this, would save you worrying as much over the weekend as well.

My health centre is closed thurs Friday this week, and half day today...so really I have no choice but to wait. The emergency system is out of hours and I know this wouldn't constitute an emergency to them, well it's not really an urgent emergency.... It's gong to be a looonnnnngggg weekend.

SmallL

When my OH found a lump in his testicular sack he was seen the same day, referred for an ultrasound for a week after! Was nothing sinister, but it was really great they were so quick.

Troutwrestler

SmallL wrote: »

When my OH found a lump in his testicular sack he was seen the same day, referred for an ultrasound for a week after! Was nothing sinister, but it was really great they were so quick.

Wow that is fast!

If only my health centre was as quick

LEJC

i will only echo what the previous poster said...get back onthe phone and ask for an earlier appointment.

If they cant do an earlier appointment they should have times for urgent cases...make sure you go and sit and wait your turn....it is not up to a receptionist to define the word "urgent"....

no doubt you will need to wait for a referral on from the GP....but at least you can get that rolling as soon as possible

best of luck...I hope the outcome is good

Troutwrestler

LEJC wrote: »

i will only echo what the previous poster said...get back onthe phone and ask for an earlier appointment.

If they cant do an earlier appointment they should have times for urgent cases...make sure you go and sit and wait your turn....

Time is of the essence and no doubt you will need to wait for a referral on from the GP....but at least you can get that rolling as soon as possible

best of luck...I hope the outcome is good

Thanks, I made the appt yesterday and puff the dragon on reception told me that was soonest they could do. She really wasn't budging on that. And as of 12 today they are closed until Monday....so it would be out of hours and I don't think they can refer etc....

I should have done something weeks ago...but I had my head in the sand unfortunately

LEJC

Do you have a nearby walk in centre who you could go to?

ok..so you have sat on this for a while whilst you hoped it would go away or maybe disappear...but the reality of it is that you do need to get it referred on as soon as possible...to get a clarity of answer.

With a bank holiday looming that is a very long time to have it playing round in your mind....you say you dont think they can refer...but now you've made your mind up to get checked out its at least worth trying to get a quick referral rather than worrying

j.e.j.

Is there any chance of getting it looked at privately, if you think it may be urgent. Has anyone got medical insurance you can use?

They should really be offering same-day appointments in cases like this. You can't always rely on the nhs, unfortunately. You could TRY phoning them, explaining you've found a lump, and insisting you see a doctor today, or you'll take it further. That often focuses them a bit

Fingers crossed it isn't anything nasty, just remind yourself it's been there for three months, already, and it's only now that it's starting to worry you.

Troutwrestler

LEJC wrote: »

Do you have a nearby walk in centre who you could go to?

No, we have gp a&e and out of hours.
Really I think I only fall into category of gp. Seeing as its not an actual emergency...feels like one to me but I don't thnk they see things that way

Troutwrestler

j.e.j. wrote: »

Is there any chance of getting it looked at privately, if you think it may be urgent. Has anyone got medical insurance you can use?

They should really be offering same-day appointments in cases like this. You can't always rely on the nhs, unfortunately. You could TRY phoning them, explaining you've found a lump, and insisting you see a doctor today, or you'll take it further. That often focuses them a bit

Fingers crossed it isn't anything nasty, just remind yourself it's been there for three months, already, and it's only now that it's starting to worry you.

Don't know anyone with med insurance, although I'm now wishing I had it

I explained yesterday that the lump felt bigger I was in pain etc, that got me seen Monday instead of beginning of September.
If pain in my arm and back gets too much worse though I may try out of hours ..although I will feel a bit bad..as its not really urgent iykwim