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Hospital Anxiety

Eve

I've got a hospital appt and test coming up and I'm terrified. I noticed a lump and my GP has referred me and I've got to have a mammogram as well as other tests and I'm already panicking (a in case it's cancer and (b because I suffer terrible from health phobia and try to avoid hospitals and doctors as much as possible. In those sorts of places I have anxiety attacks and meltdowns multiple times and it's very distressing for me and embarrassing because there's usually other people around who stare when it happens.

I don't really want to go to this appt but I know it's potentially life threateningly serious for me if it does turn out to be cancer.

My BF is so supportive.

He's been comforting me and says he'll go with me but I'm still terrified right now.

Parents

  • I ended up being referred for a mammogram several years ago when I was in my late 30s/early 40s after discovering a lump. My GP was fairly certain it was a harmless cyst, but it obviously needed to be checked out, just in case it wasn't. As I had never had a mammogram previously, I had nothing to compare that experience with.

    The mammogram wasn't pleasant, and there were a few occasions when I had to make a conscientious effort to stop myself from swearing. Although I understood that the mammographer was only doing her job, having my breasts individually squeezed between two pieces of plastic wasn't exactly fun, especially as they had been feeling rather tender anyway. To her credit though, the mammographer was lovely and did her best to put me at ease.

    After the mammogram, I remember that I was then required to have an ultrasound. This confirmed that I had a number of cysts in both breasts, just that one of the cysts was considerably larger than the others. The next part of the process was to drain the large cyst and send a sample of the fluid that had been drained to the lab. 

    I am similar to you in that I also try to avoid hospitals and doctors, so can relate to the anxiety you're experiencing. I know that trying not to feel anxious is easier said than done, but my advice is to try to push the appointment to the back of your mind and do whatever you can to distract your thoughts.

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  • I ended up being referred for a mammogram several years ago when I was in my late 30s/early 40s after discovering a lump. My GP was fairly certain it was a harmless cyst, but it obviously needed to be checked out, just in case it wasn't. As I had never had a mammogram previously, I had nothing to compare that experience with.

    The mammogram wasn't pleasant, and there were a few occasions when I had to make a conscientious effort to stop myself from swearing. Although I understood that the mammographer was only doing her job, having my breasts individually squeezed between two pieces of plastic wasn't exactly fun, especially as they had been feeling rather tender anyway. To her credit though, the mammographer was lovely and did her best to put me at ease.

    After the mammogram, I remember that I was then required to have an ultrasound. This confirmed that I had a number of cysts in both breasts, just that one of the cysts was considerably larger than the others. The next part of the process was to drain the large cyst and send a sample of the fluid that had been drained to the lab. 

    I am similar to you in that I also try to avoid hospitals and doctors, so can relate to the anxiety you're experiencing. I know that trying not to feel anxious is easier said than done, but my advice is to try to push the appointment to the back of your mind and do whatever you can to distract your thoughts.

Children