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Can anxiety cause this?
Hello to everybody. I have had anxiety my whole life but seems to be taking over now. About 5 months ago I notice and enlarged groin lymp node and panicked. Went to my doc and a oncilgist and both said its just a shotty lymph node and normal. Also had blood test that were fine. After that I started have weird sensations In that area. It's never the node it self just around it. Either my hip, the crease of my groin, or my public area. It's not a pain just weird feelings. Like something is there sorry it's hard to explain. I did touch the node allot but not those areas. It is never at the same time but only in thise 3 areas. Like this morning it was my hip, now it moved to the crease of my thigh. If I'm bizzy not thinking about it I don't really feel it. The anxiety from it has caused no apatite and constant worry. So I got fed up and went to the ER and had blood test, urine test, and a CAT scan with contrast and all came back normal. I'm just not sure what the heck can be causing this. Is this a mental thing from thinking about? Any one with advice would help and if you have had this how do you stop it? Thanks
Best Answer
This is a classic case of nervous paranoia caused by anxiety, and focused on the body. Honestly, you had all these expensive tests done, and all IS normal. That's what is crappy about it. Anxious people can catch a finger in a door, then instead of just dealing with the simplicity of a bruised finger like others would, we say it's broken, swollen, the wrong color, infected, and we get scared that the finger might need amputating - all of which is silly when you step back and look at what really happened and the realistic results of it.
In light of how many doctors and tests you've had that have all come back negative, I fear your anxiety has taken a very strong hold on you. I can definitely relate to what you are going through because I've also developed obsession with various lumps, bumps, aches and pains.
The most accurate and revealing test you had was the CT with contrast. If ANYTHING had been wrong in that area, that test would have picked it up. I know how easy this is to say, but I think you need to accept what the doctors have told you about this particular lymph node.......that it's just "odd" but is of absolutely no danger to you nor is it indicating that something is terribly wrong. I'm sure one of the doctors you saw told you to stop poking at it........but I also know how hard THAT is.
In your list of doctors, I did not see that you had consulted with an immunologist. These doctors are specialists in the lymphatic system and if anyone could tell you what is going on with this one node, it would him/her. But as with any specialist, they are not inexpensive to see, but if this might possibly give you the peace of mind you finally need to let this go, it may be worth it.
You asked if this was a "mental thing" from thinking about it and I believe your question also asked if anyone knew how to stop it.
Have you ever considered getting into some therapy for your anxiety? Like me, yours also seems to include some hypochondria. Those two combined can really make life miserable. I hope you will consider it.
Just know that IF anything had looked bad about this node, the doctors would have done something.
Keep in touch and I wish you the best
RubyWitch
The most accurate and revealing test you had was the CT with contrast. If ANYTHING had been wrong in that area, that test would have picked it up. I know how easy this is to say, but I think you need to accept what the doctors have told you about this particular lymph node.......that it's just "odd" but is of absolutely no danger to you nor is it indicating that something is terribly wrong. I'm sure one of the doctors you saw told you to stop poking at it........but I also know how hard THAT is.
In your list of doctors, I did not see that you had consulted with an immunologist. These doctors are specialists in the lymphatic system and if anyone could tell you what is going on with this one node, it would him/her. But as with any specialist, they are not inexpensive to see, but if this might possibly give you the peace of mind you finally need to let this go, it may be worth it.
You asked if this was a "mental thing" from thinking about it and I believe your question also asked if anyone knew how to stop it.
Have you ever considered getting into some therapy for your anxiety? Like me, yours also seems to include some hypochondria. Those two combined can really make life miserable. I hope you will consider it.
Just know that IF anything had looked bad about this node, the doctors would have done something.
Keep in touch and I wish you the best
RubyWitch
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