Clean MRI so far -- why do I still feel anxious?

[Strelets]

This is going to sound embarrassing, but because my hypochondria came on so strong a few months ago, I decided to get a full-body MRI. It took a while, but I got it last Wednesday, the 19th, and the results came back in earlier today. My hypochondria had moved onwards from gastro-intestinal stuff to more neurological stuff, with me eventually abandoning a cancer anxiety after a neurological and eye exam, only for it to get replaced by a prion/CJD and ALS tie.

The results today - "unremarkable." Clean. I was happy, ecstatic for a few hours even, but then doubt began to set in. What if they weren't directly checking for those diseases? The radiologist I had who viewed it has been doing his job practically daily for 18 or so years, so if anything was atrophied or off, he'd probably see it. Then again, what I'm worried about is rare, but...if it all came back "unremarkable," I still feel...anxious?

Like, I get that I'm realistically probably fine. My PCP said that I don't have prion disease. The MRI results say I'm fine, but I'm still anxious.

Seeing my therapist tomorrow at 10:00 AM and I have a follow up with the company to discuss the results this Wednesday, the 26th, at 12:15. I'll keep everyone updated, but until then, can you guys please give me some reassurance or something? I don't know. I just feel...conflicted. My anxiety is kinda heightened, and I don't know why. The results being fine didn't affect me being worried about my health for long. Why do I still feel scared after the tests come back fine? This isn't the first time this has happened, I got anxious after blood work and neurological exams too.

Thank you.

 

[MATD]

Did you know that anxiety is called “the doubting disease?” It’s called that for a reason.

 

[Strelets]

Did you know that anxiety is called “the doubting disease?” It’s called that for a reason.

Didn't know that, but it makes sense. What do you do to manage it?

 

[MATD]

Didn't know that, but it makes sense. What do you do to manage it?
[/QUOT

First, I don’t manage it. I accept it, don’t fight with it, as best as I can. Education, I learned what anxiety can do to me, and what I needed to do to recover, not just manage it. Therapy. Medication to take the edge off, being fully aware that meds are not a cure, but just a helper. Learned meditation and practice daily. Last but the most important is Acceptance. I am learning how to face, accept, and stop fighting the anxiety. I have two books that I use, It’s Only Anxiety by Carl James, and Hope and Help For Your Nerves by Dr Claire Weekes, renowned for her work in anxiety, she suffered it herself. James’ book is a condensed version of her work. It teaches us a method of acceptance for recovery of our anxiety by facing the fear, accepting and not fighting it, but surrendering/not fighting with it. Game changers. This method can take us beyond anxiety and become a built in mechanism for dealing with stress for a lifetime. And it works. Nothing required but willingness to practice and persistence in the method, and allow ourselves the time it takes to heal.

 

[Sweet T]

You were looking for reassurance that you are healthy with no disease. But no doctor or MRI or scan can give us that total and complete reassurance. We must accept that we are in a human body and that body will eventually fail. So why waste any time on worry? You should be so proud of yourself but there are no guarantees on life. (I’m saying this to myself too)
Good luck to you. This is just the human condition.

 

[MakUSA]

You got your reassurance, if I am you, I would celebrate that. I know it’s easy said than done, but at least try. When I get my great results back from the doctor, I am happy for hours, sometimes days, but after that, I got hit by that train called anxiety and back to square 1. I guess that’s the game I will play.

 

[Sweet T]

Feels like an addiction doesn’t it? We finally get our fix of getting good news but it doesn’t last long so we need it again

 

[Strelets]

Feels like an addiction doesn’t it? We finally get our fix of getting good news but it doesn’t last long so we need it again

A little bit, I guess. It's weird.

You got your reassurance, if I am you, I would celebrate that. I know it’s easy said than done, but at least try. When I get my great results back from the doctor, I am happy for hours, sometimes days, but after that, I got hit by that train called anxiety and back to square 1. I guess that’s the game I will play.

Going through a bit of a rough patch right now with it. It's actually kind of hard to accept that I'm probably fine.

 

[MATD]

A little bit, I guess. It's weird.


Going through a bit of a rough patch right now with it. It's actually kind of hard to accept that I'm probably fine.

That’s how the anxiety works. It’s called the doubting disease for a reason. It makes you doubt. Call the bluff.