Achy joints/leukemia fears

[beth0277]

A month or so ago it started with my ankles. They were sort of sore, especially when I would "twist" them. I showed my doctor at a normal appointment and she wasn't concerned, but it lasted a while. They are still tender, a little, if I really think about it. Now my left elbow hurts pretty badly. I didn't do anything to it. I am worried because I am right now on a leukemia worrying phase and I know joint pain can be a sign of it. I seem to be okay other than the elbow pain. I was bruising a lot but it seems to have slowed down. I was worried I was bleeding a lot because last night I sliced my finger with a knife and bled for about 20 minutes, but I really, really cut it, so I guess maybe that was why I bled so bad. Any advice on achy joints?

[sixpack]

didn't you just have bloodwork?  that rules out leukemia.

You have no objective evidence of cancer.  your anxious over thinking is what is driving your fears.   


deep cuts bleed for a while.  I had a friend come down to my house a while back after she cut her finger with a knife.  she was bleeding like a stuffed pig.  we ALL bruise.  I have achy joints or body aches every day.  I have a stressful life.  so that is to be expected for me.  bodies react physically to stress.

what are you doing to deal with the stresses in your life?  what proactive steps do you take to get on your healing path?  what habits do you engage in that are detrimental to your getting less reactive?  as you know doing the same ole same ole gets us the same ole same ole.

[beth0277]

I did just have bloodwork. It was "normal" but  my platelets did drop a decent amount in 5 weeks. Much more than any other drop I have had and they are usually pretty consistent. In that same 5 weeks however, I did lose close to 15 pounds and dropped my cholesterol over 100 points, so I know changes were going on in my body.

I do many things to try to help with my anxiety. I go to weekly therapy, and have for a year. I had 3 inpatient stays at the psychiatric hospital last year. I take medicine and talk to my psychiatrist a few times a week to tweak things as needed. I don't know why I'm not getting better. I am doing the work. I try to limit my doctors visits and testing, as well as I can. I am in a much better place today than I was a year ago, but still, have crazy panic attacks, don't sleep well, and worry constantly.

[Allochka]

Did you have a virus of some kind lately, like flu-bug? Joints can hurt after that. I had it myself. It is called smth like "reactive arthritis", I'm not sure... Mine were aching for 2-3 weeks after the illness. but my family doc mentioned it can last for a long time.

[beth0277]

I'm not sure. Nothing significant. I did have a bit of a sore throat a week or so ago. I have a 2 year old so it seems like something is always going around our house.

[SighNoMore]

Beth once again your platelet drop is not huge! 100 is not a decent amount. When mine dropped it was in the 100,000-150,000 range. 100 is not huge.

Sixpack is right...fight the anxiety. You are letting beasty do your thinking and it isn't rational. You have to realize that the bruising is getting better, and it probably wasn't as bad as you thought, but your mind made it seem larger than it was. The bruising seems better because you have jumped to a new symptom.

If you had leukemia your other counts would be way, way off!

[vardnas]

I do many things to try to help with my anxiety. I go to weekly therapy, and have for a year. I had 3 inpatient stays at the psychiatric hospital last year. I take medicine and talk to my psychiatrist a few times a week to tweak things as needed. I don't know why I'm not getting better. I am doing the work. I try to limit my doctors visits and testing, as well as I can. I am in a much better place today than I was a year ago, but still, have crazy panic attacks, don't sleep well, and worry constantly.

You are doing the work, and as you've stated, you're better now than you were a year ago. So, you ARE getting better, recovery from anxiety is just a SLOW process. Gradually limiting the amount of doctors' visits and other negative reinforcement behavior means a slower recovery than if you just stopped reassurance-seeking cold turkey. The rate at which you taper these behaviors directly influences recovery time, so how you choose to do it is up to you. Kudos for you successes so far.

[beth0277]

I guess the count was 100,000 or so lower, they just report them in hundreds. So like 300 is actually 300,000. Either way, I had to get a CBC today for pre op so I will know if I am dropping lower or if it has stabilized.

[beth0277]

Just thought I'd update because so few of us do. I got the results of my CBC from my other doctor and my platelets were up. Not back up to where they were before, but higher than they were and evidence that they are not on a downward trend. So, I can check leukemia off of my list of concerns for now. (Check) Now on to the other 4 things...Sigh.

[sixpack]

I'm glad you are taking steps.   I'm glad you are better than you were last year.  Remember this is a process and takes TIME... no easy peasies here 

may I ask what are you doing in therapy?  I mean do you go and discuss what is happening in your life and how stresses can cause your thinking to go awry?  Are you and the therapist working on strategies to combat the irrational fears.  Are you doing the 'homework' that is required in order for therapy to work?    OR are your theapy sessions a way for you to vent your fears?   I know we all need a good vent once in a while but if therapy is only used as a vent, then things can't get better.  I'm not saying this as a jab at you or that is what you are doing in therapy, at all.  I'm just asking this because maybe therapy could work better if it was tweaked up some.  Remember therapy is a two way street.    I have two bros in law who are shrinks---one is an md and the other is a ph.d.  When they talk about difficulties within their jobs it is often that patients are not REALLY working the therapy in a way to get better.   So just a bit of food for thought.  You, honestly, don't have to answer my post here.  I think I'm asking you so that maybe it will spark in yourself what is going on in therapy and what may make it more effective.