Self diagnosis - Do you think the worst?

[buttercup]

Example - you find a lump in your breast, do you automatically think you have breast cancer? Do you panic, phone the doctor and demand to be seen right away?
Or
Do you think there are many possibilities for your lump, stay calm, accept an appointment later in the week and hardly think about it up until the appointment?

This of course is only one example so feel free to cover other area's / symptoms in your response.

[mrsK]

Originally Posted by buttercup

Example - you find a lump in your breast, do you automatically think you have breast cancer? Do you panic, phone the doctor and demand to be seen right away?
Or
Do you think there are many possibilities for your lump, stay calm, accept an appointment later in the week and hardly think about it up until the appointment?

This of course is only one example so feel free to cover other area's / symptoms in your response.

Having found that lump.
A mastectomy followed.
Chemo followed that.
Any lump I find on my body or on any of our family it is panic stations.
red alert,red alert,red alert

[Peg]

Originally Posted by buttercup

Example - you find a lump in your breast, do you automatically think you have breast cancer? Do you panic, phone the doctor and demand to be seen right away?
Or
Do you think there are many possibilities for your lump, stay calm, accept an appointment later in the week and hardly think about it up until the appointment?

This of course is only one example so feel free to cover other area's / symptoms in your response.

I think the worst, demand to be seen ASAP, and hope for great relief by finding out it is nothing.

[mikeinie]

It depends, let’s say it is something I have a fever or something, no I do not panic thinking it is meningitis or anything like that, but let’s say that I get some symptoms like….. let’s say Bell’s Palsy….. then I would get to a feck’n doctor asap…. (sound familiar??)

[buttercup]

Point taken I'm going tomorrow.

[Bill Sikes]

Not that I've your difficulty, but yes, if I'm worried I get to the Quack and ask ASAP. I've done this a couple of times, nothing apparently serious so far! They *could*, of course, be wrong, which is a worry.

There are a number of conditions that you could have, the "no worry" ones outweigh the "Argh!" ones.

[buttercup]

Hi Bill
I'm not worried at all about my present condition, maybe i should be but its not how i function and i see little point in getting myself worked up until i have reason to be worked up.
I cant be the only person who stays calm until they have a diagnosis? Surely its better for your mental health to stay positive until you know for sure?

As far as a lump goes of course i believe you should have it checked out but lumps can appear just because you are menstruating so i would tend to think about that first other than automatically jump to the conclusion i have cancer. Do you see what i mean? I'm not suggesting anyone does not get checked just that people in general seem to think the worst possible outcome first.

[Odie]

I did find a lump in my breast.......it was cancer and went through surgery to remove it, chemo and radiation.

any lump now I panic, its just normal.

[Bill Sikes]

Originally Posted by buttercup

I cant be the only person who stays calm until they have a diagnosis? Surely its better for your mental health to stay positive until you know for sure?

I'm not suggesting anyone does not get checked just that people in general seem to think the worst possible outcome first.

Stay calm, yes - but I think many people worrk a lot until the problem, if any, is known!

Think the worst? Human nature, possibly - see "Three Men in a Boat":

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome 0

[CARLA]

Take all lumps serious and get to the Doctor ASAP. Don't play around with your life be smart get it checked out.