Terrible anxiety over possible cancer fears…

I have been through this to the other side. The full monty. What you need is a liver function test. This can be done via a blood sample. You may well need scans, but these are not much to worry about at all. You might need a cannula for some of them so a contrast medium can be infused; but that contrast stuff, I don't know what it is, but it gives a whole body rush when it flows in. I learned to look forward to it rather than dread it. As for results and the dread that you feel about what they might say, this is natural. They may not find your worst case scenario at all. If they do then the sooner it is diagnosed the better. My cancer was 4 cm across. Just small enough to be treatable and not to kill me. Ten years later and I'm still here. Some fear is rational as it allows us to steer away from threats; but some is deeply irrational if it steers us away from help and salvation. Do not fear the scans. Welcome them. Knowledge is power and when you know, for good or ill, some of that fear of the unknown will disappear. Good luck.

Martyn.

Also, it depends what kind of Benadryl you are using. That's a brand name that can stand for Acrivastine, Cetirizine or Diphenhydramine. It will say on the packet. All should work against itching caused by allergies, but they vary in their side-effects. The first two are second generation antihistamines and supposedly don't cause drowsiness. Personally, I find that Cetirizine does cause this slightly in me but Acrivastine is excellent in every way. Diphenhydramine is a first generation antihistamine and does cause strong drowsiness and a ghastly hangover. It's a pro-depression drug in my book and I wouldn't touch it unless I was desperate for sleep.

Thank you for this, Martyn

I’m utterly convinced that I have cancer, and am already making plans to get all my things in order to help my family when the bad news is confirmed. I know I so need to see my doctor, but am beset by so many fears as to be almost unable the bear the thought of what she might say. I felt so well up to just 4 weeks ago, but my world has imploded since, and I thought I knew fear before, but these feelings are truly horrible in the extreme.

Regards and thanks again

Graham

Itchy skin can be a sign of liver disease, but not necessarily cancer. My cancer was symptomless and was picked up in an ultrasound scan. It's too early to be convinced of any diagnosis. A lot of your feelings are actually fear of the unknown. A diagnosis, whatever it is, can be a relief as then you know what you are facing and what's going to happen to fix it. If cancer is present then at least you have the advantage that hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the slowest cancers to metastasize. Mine was 4 cm in size but spread nowhere else. After five years of nothing popping up anywhere else my consultant pronounced me "cured". Rationally, the best thing you can do for yourself while tests are done and being considered is to focus on the health of your body. If you need treatment, the fitter you are the more likely you are to survive. I ended up, after a lot of other stuff to suffocate and nuke the cancer itself, needing a transplant. That's a 90% chance of survival. Not bad odds really, not bad odds at all.

Hello Martyn

Thank you again for your reply. 

I was previously helped by the fact that I didn’t have any other symptoms of cancer or liver disease at all, but I can no longer cling those hopes at all as just about every health advice website I visit seems to tell me that I won’t know I have cancer until I have quite a few symptoms, and by then it’ll be too late.

I now consider myself very lucky not to have had cancer by now as I mistakenly thought that if I felt quite well, and had no cancer symptoms, then I could go through life believing that I was OK, but it seems that’s very far from being the case. All I have now is hope, but at least that’s better than nothing, at least for now…

Regards agajn

Graham