I don't have much in the way of advice, but I just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you. I have terrible health anxiety too and have found a few swollen lymph nodes in my neck, I'm driving myself mad and yes, lockdown is a terrible time to be experiencing these kind of symptoms!!

if it helps to reassure you at all, I've spent all day reading diagnosis stories and nearly all of them have either been given the all-clear or diagnosed with something non-life threatening. You must be fairly young to be pregnant so age is on your side too. Have you had any other symptoms that make you think your leg swelling might be cancer? It's so easy to jump to that conclusion but it's rarely the case apparently.

i worry I won't be there for my daughter too, but we need to try to keep it in perspective, it's unlikely to be cancer, and if it is, we've hopefully caught it early and treatments are amazing these days!

Huge congratulations on your pregnancy and hugs to you - Fi x

PS there's no medical evidence that anxiety during pregnancy affects the baby... believe me, I checked that out straight away when I was pregnant!!

Hi,

Thank you for your reply. Thanks I'm 31 and this is my first baby. I was so excited and now I'm just constantly worried.  I don't have any other symptoms I'm just overthinking so much. My mind keeps flip flopping between the two scenarios, 1 minute I'm convinced there's something wrong and the next I'm convinced I'm fine. 

I also keep thinking about a girl I went to school with who passed away about 2 years ago from a sarcoma that was in her leg. I can't stop thinking about her and her family and what they went through. It was a shock hearing it at the time as she didn't even make it to her 30th birthday.

It's just scared me so much now that I've found a lump. The doctor I spoke to said she's not concerned about it but that hasn't reassured me at all. I don't think I'll be able to feel ok until I can actually see a doctor.

Most often than not the anxiety is more damaging than the actual issue itself (coming from someone who has massive health anxiety!).

Doctors are pretty good at knowing what is and what is a cause for alarm - although I have questioned them in their doctors office and over the phone repeatedly (turned out they were right every time). 

The questions the doctor would have asked you and what they were looking for would have been enough for them to be confident that it is a lipoma and nothing more worrying. However should you wish to contact them again, and explain how you feel, especially in regards to anxiety which is affecting you massively (that in itself justifies an appointment) a decent doctor will then explain more clearly how they came to that conclusion and answer more of your questions. If it’s another doctor then you have a second opinion which is even better, but tell them how it’s making you feel and don’t be afraid to ask their reasoning if it helps bring you peace of mind. This is affecting your mental health so you have every right to call. 

The fact you know someone who has had cancer in the leg and who passed away from it is very likely the root of this anxiety. My own health anxiety has stemmed from this mental imprinting of others’ illnesses. Explain this also to your doctor. Be open with them. However for now, stay off of google for your mental wellbeing :)