Hi there.
Posting on here as an almost therapy kind of thing. I'm 23yo male. I'm a staff nurse in ICU and im currently suffering with extreme health anxiety.
Since the age of 17 I've been known to the urology team due to the presence of a cyst in my right testicle (epididymal cyst) I was getting this ultrasounded regularly up untill the pandemic began. My mental health really suffered in 2020 working in ICU and in turn I began to experiece stomach cramps, diarrhoea and with a combination of poor diet intake I lost half a stone over the course of 2020. My stools also contained fresh blood regularly but at the time I had a known (and painful) haemarrhoid which has now dissapeared. 2021 was a better year and my diet and oral intake improved dramatically and in turn I gained back the weight I lost and my bowel habits improved and were 'normal' everyday.
My anxieties started in october 2021. Following my 23rd birthday in october I began to experience pain in my right testicle, an almost 'dull ache' that was constantly there, not improved by taking paracetamol / ibuprofen. After phoning 111 I was advised to go staright to A and E. After a long 8 hour wait.. not a torsion.. thank god!! full bloods sent off - all normal, no signs of infection or anything to worry about. An ultrasound of both testes showed that the cyst was now measuring just over 1.5cm. The consultant reassured me that there was nothing to worry about in relation to testicular cancer and sometimes testicles can ache occasionally. I was told to take paracetamol, ibrufen and given Dihydracodeine to take. The pain came and went for week or so then dissapeared.
November 2021 - Exactly 1 month after being in hospital I am re- admitted. The dull ache in my testical had became more of a sharp pain. The pain was constantly there and I ached from my testicle to my belly button. The pain would occasionally travel up to my ribs. Bloods taken - normal , no indication of appendicitus, ultrasound of testicles showed no changes - was then told to make a GP appointment.
GP Appointment. Explained all as above. Full bloods taken again (all normal), STD screen sent (negative), Urine sent (normal). Advised time off work and was signed off for 10 days to let my body revover. Given naproxen and Co-dydramol for pain.
December 2021 - Returned and worked 6 12.5 hour shifts.. pain coming and going the duration of work before my 7th shift where the pain was so bad I vomited - sent home, spoke to GP, admitted again under urology. Bloods and urine sent again both came back completely normal. Repeat ultra sound showed not much changes, cyst remained 1.5cm, wasnt twisted. Ultrasound of abdo showed appendix was normal and no obvious cause for concern and they have started me on doxycycline antibiotics. At this point I became quite upset. This was my 3rd time in hospital with reccuring pain suspected to be from my cyst. Last month lost my friend to bowel caner (he was 22). During my ultrasound the radiographer suggested that the pain I am experiencing might be bowel related and this has really set my anxiety into overdrive.
I have a good diet, eat well. I'm 6ft and I'm 10stone 3 (so I'm very skinny). Just like my dad I too have a fast metabolism and move my bowels sometimes 2x a day mostly healthy stools. Occasionally I get bad stomach cramps after certain types of food that in turn cause diarrhoea occasionally. But ive been like this since I was an early teenager. I also get diarrhoea after drinkng alcohol which I guess most people do...lol. I occasionally get night sweats a few days after drinking alcohol. My stools never/very rarely have blood in them anymore. My main concern is this pain. Pain is hard to describe but is like a dull ache located under my belly button on the right side traveling from there to my right testicle sometimes casuing pain in my left. Occasionally travelling upwards to under my right rib.
I feel im just no further forward and keep having to take time off work which I dont want to do but my pain gets so bad at times it makes work almost impossible. I know as a nurse.. especially working in ICU we work with really sad stories but this issue is really starting to effect my mental health. I am so anxious that the doctors are missing something like bowel cancer. I know its bad but I cant help but google my symptoms and worry further that I am dying. On my last admission to hospital I expalined my worries to the doctor who told me thats the last thing she is worried about and gave me advice to speak to my GP and hand in a stool sample - which hasnt really helped how im feeling at all.
Sorry for the long message. Thanks for listening to my story.
R
