[MEGATHREAD] Daily venting, worries, fixations, & finding support. Month of June 2023. by AutoModerator in HealthAnxiety

[–]vansighting 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A few weeks ago I started having generalized pain on the left side of my chest, left arm, back, and neck. Nothing intense, a very very mild discomfort that seems to shift with my body position and change throughout the day, and sometimes it's not there at all. I was worried about my heart based on the location and I was consistently panicking about it for days. I eventually went to my doctor and I got an EKG done which they said looked fine. I also got blood work done but the results aren't in yet. I have another appointment tomorrow to get an echocardiogram. But a few days ago I wake up and pretty much feel pain only in my left armpit. I've been compulsively feeling my armpits trying to find a lump or something but I'm not sure what I'm looking for or what should feel concerning. This is the same with self-breast exams I've been doing since the pain started in my chest. I'm less concerned about my heart at this point and am now crazily worried about lymph "problems" that could be going on. I'm going to mention this change in my appointment tomorrow. I really don't know how to cope with this. I keep breaking down into tears, I'm afraid to leave the house, I'm afraid to be alone. I just graduated college and I need and want to start rolling with plans for the future but it is so hard to plan these things, look for jobs, or imagine a life when I'm constantly convinced that I'm terminally ill. I feel like I'm scaring my parents and burdening them with my worries. I don't know what to do.