Would you consider yourself a hypochondriac?

Luna6517
Luna6517 Member Posts: 11
edited March 2014 in Long-Term Effects of Treatment #1
Sometimes I think I am. And even if I am a hypochondriac, I think that I've earned the right to be. It's hard not to assume the worst when you're not feeling well, especially considering what "the worst" could be. And it's happened before... 4 years after my first bone marrow transplant, I was diagnosed with a completely different disease. My fear isn't completely unfounded.

Anyway, my purpose to this post is not only to ask other survivors if they suffer from hypochondria, but also because I keep freaking myself out over my joints. I've had avascular necrosis in my knees, hips, and shoulders, which has resulted in a partial left shoulder replacement, a right shoulder core decompression, and a bilteral hip decompression. Now, I just had another MRI yesterday because I'm having knee pain.

I haven't heard the results yet, because I had it done on a Friday and there was no one there that day to read the films, and I'm very nervous. I just had my bilateral hip decompression last June, and I have a lot going on in my life that doesn't really afford the time off for another surgery. I'm starting school again this April, in a program where I'm literally NOT ALLOWED to miss a day of school. I live two states away from my parents (AKA my caregivers) and this last surgery drained my savings because I still had to pay my rent while I wasn't working.

OK, so maybe this is turning into more of a rant than anything else. But does anyone else get that little cough, or a little bit of joint pain, and go, "!@#$% I'm gonna die!"

Maybe not so dramatic, but... if I have joint pain, I always assume AVN, and unfortunately so far I haven't been wrong.

Anyone have any experiences they want to share??

Comments

  • bluerose
    bluerose Member Posts: 1,104
    #2
    Oh my dear
    I am a 20 year survivor of non hodgkins lymphoma, had an autologus bone marrow transplant and haven't been able to work since. I have too many medical issues to go into right now but I can tell you that while you well could be a hypochondriac on top of it all what you are describing to us in your blog here all makes total sense to me with all the treatments I have had as well. I have alot of joint and bone pain, fibromyalgia, heart damage from a chemo drug, osteo arthritis, chronic fatigue, blah blah blah blah blah.

    To the inexperienced person we do sound like hypochondriacs and maybe some survivors do fit the description of one but I can tell you that many survivors experience what you have in bone/joint pain and much is related to treatments for many. Now having said that of course that doesn't mean everyone will experience these things, or at least I can't personally say that - don't have all the data - but I sure have heard enough that do have what you are describing. Me included. Six years ago my back just WENT. I could barely move at all and it happened again recently. I know I am on my way to some big surgery down the line and just bought myself a wheelchair in case it happens again. They have diagnosed me with osteo arthritis in my back as well as other areas and I had none of this before treatments. I remember my radiation specialist way back telling me that early arthritis might result from the radiation alone and that was 20 years ago they knew this.

    All these side effects though depend on many things, age of survivor on treatment, amount of rads and where and chemo types, disease, blah blah blah so this isn't a one size fits all thing - any of it.

    But know that you aren't crazy, these things do exist and like I said maybe there is some hypochondria in some but I wouldn't worry about that too much. I like to check in with counsellors now and again, psychologists etc but the bottomline is that you know your own body and mind and if something isn't right I would trust my instincts if I were you and look for second opinions before you decide it's 'all in your head' because usually - it isn't.

    All the best. Keep us posted.

    Blessings, Bluerose
  • Yellow Rose
    Yellow Rose Member Posts: 1
    #3
    bluerose said:

    Oh my dear
    I am a 20 year survivor of non hodgkins lymphoma, had an autologus bone marrow transplant and haven't been able to work since. I have too many medical issues to go into right now but I can tell you that while you well could be a hypochondriac on top of it all what you are describing to us in your blog here all makes total sense to me with all the treatments I have had as well. I have alot of joint and bone pain, fibromyalgia, heart damage from a chemo drug, osteo arthritis, chronic fatigue, blah blah blah blah blah.

    To the inexperienced person we do sound like hypochondriacs and maybe some survivors do fit the description of one but I can tell you that many survivors experience what you have in bone/joint pain and much is related to treatments for many. Now having said that of course that doesn't mean everyone will experience these things, or at least I can't personally say that - don't have all the data - but I sure have heard enough that do have what you are describing. Me included. Six years ago my back just WENT. I could barely move at all and it happened again recently. I know I am on my way to some big surgery down the line and just bought myself a wheelchair in case it happens again. They have diagnosed me with osteo arthritis in my back as well as other areas and I had none of this before treatments. I remember my radiation specialist way back telling me that early arthritis might result from the radiation alone and that was 20 years ago they knew this.

    All these side effects though depend on many things, age of survivor on treatment, amount of rads and where and chemo types, disease, blah blah blah so this isn't a one size fits all thing - any of it.

    But know that you aren't crazy, these things do exist and like I said maybe there is some hypochondria in some but I wouldn't worry about that too much. I like to check in with counsellors now and again, psychologists etc but the bottomline is that you know your own body and mind and if something isn't right I would trust my instincts if I were you and look for second opinions before you decide it's 'all in your head' because usually - it isn't.

    All the best. Keep us posted.

    Blessings, Bluerose

    Hypochondriacs
    I am an almost 3 year survivor of two different types of breast cancer. I have achs and pains all the time!! I talk to me doctors, but do not get much of any kind of answers. This last Feb. my onchologist told me the Famara could be the problem for my mussel and bone pain, and I have 2 1/2 years left to go on it. I hurt so badly that there are days I can not move. We tried a type of medication, that has been reconsturcted, and now I have reactions to, but I still have poroblems with all the pain. I have started running feaver with the extreme pain, but all my lab is GREAT!! I just deal with the pain.

    Let me know if you do something different for the pain,
    Yellow Rose, my first name was already used, that is why I am the Yellow Rose.

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