Hi my name is Nicole and I'm 13, and I'm afraid of getting cancer. A close family friend has had cancer twice and isn't looking good, I have a friend who is recently diagnosed with leukemia, my friends father passed early in life from caner, and my grandfather passed of lung cancer so it's in my genes. I've had bad dreams of haveing a rare uncurable cancer and I've just been scared to death of it. It upsets me to see loved ones around me and strangers suffer and I keep thinking what if I could be one of them? What if I died from it one day? I worry alot and sometimes I have anxiety but I really want to get tested for cancer. I also had my physical for sports recently, where they check your urine, blood pressure and all that stuff but nothing major, could they pick up something cancerous in that testing? Thank you very muchTuesday, August 23, 2011
I'm Anxious About Having Cancer?
Hi my name is Nicole and I'm 13, and I'm afraid of getting cancer. A close family friend has had cancer twice and isn't looking good, I have a friend who is recently diagnosed with leukemia, my friends father passed early in life from caner, and my grandfather passed of lung cancer so it's in my genes. I've had bad dreams of haveing a rare uncurable cancer and I've just been scared to death of it. It upsets me to see loved ones around me and strangers suffer and I keep thinking what if I could be one of them? What if I died from it one day? I worry alot and sometimes I have anxiety but I really want to get tested for cancer. I also had my physical for sports recently, where they check your urine, blood pressure and all that stuff but nothing major, could they pick up something cancerous in that testing? Thank you very much
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Everardo - Nicole, dont go through this path. You`ll scare yourself to death.
ReplyDeleteYou are too young and your probabilities are very low for having cancer.
(I am 24 and I`ve developed health anxiety over it, which practically has ruined my life.
I had an undiagnosed obsessive compulsive behavior which was turning into paranoia, which now Im getting treated.)
My dad died from a brain tumor, so this summer I was like you very afraid and developing cancer phobia.
In the past two months I`ve spent thousands of dollars with ENT`s, neurologists, Gastroenterologists, GP`s, Psychiatrists. Ive diagnosed myself with brain cancer, stomach cancer, lynmphoma, larynx, and esophagus cancer and so far everything has turned out ok (Thank God)
So get the idea out of your brain, because like you I had frequent nightmares of getting diagnosed, for thinking about it night and day. Live your life as it is and dont worry about the future.
Also remember that cancer is not a death sentence, and young people have much better chances to beat it than older ones.
Chill out
Blu Berry - You will be OK, get help for your anxiety. If you have cancer there are signs and your health is not "normal" and you might have a very high white blood cell count among other things and you would not be "normal" in health.
ReplyDeleteTiny - Listen to Everado's advice. You might have found yourself in the midst of a cancer cluster but that has no bearing on your health. Cancer only happens in 1 out of 4 people by the time they reach 80.You need to just realize that keeping healthy is a state of mind and you also should practice good eating and drinking habits as you get older. Eating well and getting exercise will keep your immune system up and that is the best way to avoid any cancers.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck with your life, think positive thoughts!
lo_mcg - Cancer is NOT 'in your genes'.
ReplyDeleteHereditary cancer is rare - fewer than 10% of all cancer cases are hereditary. Cancer diagnosed after the age of 50 is even less likely to be hereditary
For doctors even to suspect a possibility of cancer 'running in your family', there would have to have been several members of the same side of your family who had had the same type of cancer, some of them having been diagnosed at a younger than usual age.
Cancer is mainly a disease of ageing, and most people diagnosed with it are over 60. There are only a few types of cancer that might affect a child, teenager or young adult. Fewer than 0.015% of people under 20 develop cancer of any kind.
There is no test you can get for cancer, and it would be completely unnecessary.
Please, talk to your parents or to another trusted adult about your anxieties so that they can reassure you. Stop wasting your youth worrying about a disease you may never get and are beyond unlikely to get in your teens. It's summer, there's no school - go out and enjoy yourself.
I was diagnosed with cancer at 50; I'm so glad I didn't waste a single one of those 50 good years worrying about cancer.
And read Everardo's post carefully
Tator's mommy - Relax sweetie. Just because you have known others even relatives that have had cancer does not mean you will get it. I had breast cancer and no one in my family has ever had it but me. Cancer has no rhyme or rhythem.There is no one test for all cancers. Don't spend your young life worrying about this.Go out and live a happy life.Have happy dreams and enjoy life. Worrying about this is bad for your health in itself. Just don't do it. Cancer is in almost all families somewhere.Don't let worry rob you of your young years.Relax, enjoy life and have fun!
ReplyDeleteChemoAngel - Cancer is rarely ever genetic, you can get cancer all on your own without any help from family, like I Did. Stop freaking out and live your life. My grandmother is 98 and she has lived cancer free all her life. Where will all this worrying get you??? Her MOTHER Had Breast Cancer, her FATHER Had Lung Cancer...none of which she got herself. It is not all about Genetics. You need some anti-axiety medication...see your doctor.
ReplyDelete