I’ve seen doctors twice, but i’m still really scared about a lump I can feel on the left side just above the hairline. It’s not extremely painful, but it does ache a little, and is only apparent when i’m standing up. And just in the last two days i’ve developed pain down my left leg and pelvis – on the same side as the lump. The pain isn’t incredibly bad – in fact none of the symptoms are terrible, but I can’t help worrying.
The second doctor I saw said she could tell that if felt different and more prominent on the left side, even though there was no visible difference, but she didn’t seem to think it was a cyst or a hernia. I think it was decided that I had a bruise on the inside of a muscle caused by tearing it, resulting in the changed pressure. I was okay about this afterwards.
But it probably wasn’t a good idea for me to then start looking up websites on the subject, because a site on ovarian cancer, imaginis, suggested that I have several of the symptoms associated with the disease: the bloatedness and the vague but persistent gas, and the back and leg ache (which admittedly might be something to do with being sat at a computer several hours a day). The thing is I only noticed these things after I read a website describing the symptoms. So how do I know i’m not just imagining it and it’s all psychosomatic?
The second doctor was not unkind at all – but I got the impression of not being taken seriously and maybe she had a point. To be my age and worrying about this feels silly. My parents also seem to think i’m being silly.
I know it sounds like i’m being incredibly over sensitive (and worrying too much) but I can’t help being terrified since I know how frequently that kind of cancer is missed or mistaken for something less severe, and that symptoms only appear in the advanced stages, which is probably a bit too late. I’ve never had a pelvic examination even though I know i’m meant to start having them annually this year (i think). What are the odds of it being something bad like ovarian cancer, in an eighteen year old, or am I just being a worrywart?
I am strongly considering going back to the doctor’s a third time and asking to have something done. The first time I went I didn’t notice the lump and was complaining about pain related to what was probably a strained muscle from karate. The second time I was crying for the first five minutes (embarrassing). I don’t know if I could bear going in again, but i’m so scared. I was awake at four a.M. Last night in tears because of it.
I also rather oddly, find my worrying annoying because i'm due to start an art course soon and I know I should be focusing my attention on that - not some illness which I might not even have :cry:
