Stress Center Peer Support

I have been working the program and doing wonderfully for last couple of months. Just starting to feel like I'm getting my life back and loving it! Went to the doctor on Tuesday for a refill and a check of a swollen lymph node. The swollen lymph node turned out to be a very swollen thyroid. Still not to concerned and then my doctor, whose been treating me for the last 8 years, says to me "Oh I had a young man in here not long ago with the same thing and at 26 he had thyroid cancer". OMG just what I needed to hear! My doctor knows my condition, anxiety and panic disorder, and says something like that to me! So now I can't think of anything else! All my hard work went up in smoke in the span of about 2 hours. I'm barely holding on to my sanity, biting everyone's heads off and totally freaked out. I have to go see a specialist Monday morning and I don't think I'll be able to even get in the car! I just can't believe this is happening to me. If someone's got some words of wisdom out there I would sure like to hear them. Hoping for help, Donna

All the work you have done in the program these last months will help you get through this situation. Utilize them u haven't lost them. I know you must be scared I would be too and u are in my prayers.

Your doctor should be more aware and avoid careless remarks. remember our negative personality traits donna, "overthinking"especially when it comes to medical situations.Catastrophic negative thinking.. Its ok to be anxious and nervous... Reply if you want to talk more.

I am sorry your doctor was so thoughtless. A swollen thyroid can be so many anything things are easily treatable and honestly even thyroid cancer is highly curable although I doubt that is what you have. I hope you were able to go to your appointment

(Me sings) Oh Donna, Oh Donna...I found a girl (On a forum), Donna was her name...do do do do (End singing)

Ok before I get into the main thing from your post...Congratulations for working the program and getting alot out of it! You've put alot of effort in and you've seen alot of benefit up to this point...and keep in mind, where you are at right now, with the situation you just faced is, in fact a point!

See life seems to have a funny way of testing us and giving us opportunities to practice...I know what this doctor said was very scary for you, I know it is very concerning for you and I think many of us are in agreement that that was probabbly one of the worst things that doctor could have said in that moment to anybody that found themselves in that situation...Its created alot of fear and has been interfering with your life since then. So what do you do?

My suggestion (if you'd have it), would be to take this as a practice opportunity to practice what you have learned since you started. Bring out your pad of paper and your pen and do some thought replacement....I don't know how much the program has changed since 2004 but I wanted to give you something that can help with this...don't try to make yourself feel better with thought replacement, instead try to find the lie in the thought....ie. Just because I feel x, y, z doesn't mean it is x, y, z...just because x person had that scary condition, doesn't mean that I now have it...look at all the other possibilities....but yes, this is a practice opportunity, this has the potential to take you even higher with your goal.

I hope this message finds you well and let us know what you come up with if you do decide to do the thought replacement.