colon cancer anxiety

[[ex...]]

Please help. I copy paste my post here from another forum dedicated to panic. I have another panic attack. Perhaps I should do colonoscopy. Here is my quick story:

- age 32 (I know colon cancer can also affect younger people than 50)

- I had GERD (now manageable)

- shortness of breath (not too frequent)

- highly health anxious person

- free from psych meds including benzo, which is known to cause severe weight loss during withdrawal.

- I had tremendous weight loss (besides benzo, I always changed my diet to healthy eating, though)

- intense pain in upper right abdominal area and lower left (colon) and a little in the prostate

- about the stool I think it doesn't have significant abnormality, I had constipation long ago, though

- Had CT scan, all normal except my benign liver calcification, post inflammation

- Had ultrasound all normal

 

So what do you say about my panic of colon cancer? Or any survivor here? Thanks.

[[me...]]

Has anyone in your family had colon cancer?  If not, you are probably at a very low risk at your age.  And even if they have, you are quite young and the risk would still be low at this point.

 

Rampant health anxiety is a very common benzo withdrawal symptom - yes, in itself, it is a common symptom.  Mine was extreme at times, but there was nothing wrong with me.  Nonetheless, I'd imagine I had multiple major diseases, sometimes in one day!

 

The best way to deal with this is to learn to actively distract yourself from these thoughts.  Self-distraction was my main job for some time, and it soon becomes a habit if practiced every day.

 

[[ex...]]

Thank you, megan918! I think I don't have family members with colon cancer. Okay, I will post the update once my colonoscopy done.

[[Pi...]]

Hello Exbenzo,

I also had a a very severe health anxiety and fear of colon cancer in December 2016 and had colonoscopy done in February 2017. Had I known ( did not discover this forum until April 2017) that all my GI issues including constipation are part of benzo withdrawals,  I would have waited until I got somewhat healed to have my colonoscopy.

I am older (67 years old) and had not have a colonoscopy in over 10 years so I went ahead with the procedure. I was relieved when the result was normal. I did a lot of searching on the internet regarding colon cancer and really got very scared and my anxiety went to the roof. Now, I don't look at internet anymore for any of my symptoms as I know they are part of withdrawal symptoms and they will pass.

If you ever decided to get colonoscopy ensure to have them not use Versed( midasolam which is another benzo). I read in the forum that other people are requesting propranolol. You can search colonoscopy and versed within this site to get additional information. As Mega918 says, unless you have a family member who had colon cancer, your risk is very low especially you are still young.

 

Sending you much love and heartfelt prayers for continuous healing!

[[ne...]]

Hi exbenzo, I didn't know you were so young! The risk is very, very low for colon cancer at this age. Also, colon cancer doesn't hurt until it's very big, and then it would have turned up on the CT scan. I discussed this with a surgeon. He also said that there needs to be some bleeding.

 

I have done a colonoscopy back when I didn't know I was in withdrawal, I had extreme pain and I've seen a dozen of doctors, nobody could tell what was wrong and gave me more and more procedures. Of course they ever asked about my medication. In retrospect, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have done it. The procedure preparation is extremely taxing for the body, even for a healthy person, more so for somebody in W/D. Plus, they shoot me up with some benzo to put me down, I'm sure that must have been bad for my CNS! 

 

Just my two cents. Take care of yourself and be well!

xoxo

[[ex...]]

Thanks, all! I don't want to write much for now, I will let you guys know my progress. Thanks so much again.