Okay, so after all the drama about my health insurance not covering my "pre-existing condition", even though the doctors visit was for something new, it has gone from bad to worse.

Got sick nearly 2 weeks ago with a cold/flu thing or so I thought, was laid up in bed doing the dying princess act for a couple of days but on the Tuesday felt slightly better so thought I better make an effort and get my you know what out of bed. So that evening, started coughing, kept coughing, started to choke, couldn't breath, panic, couldn't breath, panic - get the picture. Hubby panicking, kids panicking, neighbour trying to get me to breath in to a brown paper bag, all to no aveil, so 911 was duly called. Long story short, carted away in an ambulance unconcious (apparently, I don't remember much) and kept in overnight, getting brain scans, heart monitored, on a drip etc. Turns out it's viral bronchitis - great!! Sent home and told I have to report to my own doctor as something has shown up on the chest x-ray with the lymph nodes

Had a wee trip to my own doctor on Wednesday, still feeling a bit rough to be honest, for her to tell me that I will require a CT scan of my chest in a couple of weeks to check whether the lymph nodes still look the same, could be anything from cancer to just the infection - OH!! cheer me up why don't you. Only to then be told that "by the way, they seemed to find a cyst in your brain when they did the CT scan - nothing to worry about though"

Sorry, could you say that again?!?!!?!? Yup, I heard correctly, I have a 1.3cm cyst on the pineal gland in my brain - but told to go home, nothing to worry about. Fine, I'll take your word for that. Couple of hours later, gets a message on my answerphone to call the Doctor back as they had been having a chat and with the symptoms I've had for a while, they are now concerned that maybe we should get a neurologist to have a look - WTF!!! Having read up on this kind of cyst, yes, you can get migraines, headaches, trouble sleeping, visual disturbances - all of which I have and to top it all, they class anything bigger than 0.5cm to be large and probably symptomatic.

So, now not only have I got a bulging lumbar disc with severe constant sciatica, I also have something going on with the lymph nodes in my chest and a cyst growing in the brain - what else is going to go wrong - is this a punishment for something I did when I was 5 or is it a test to see whether I have the strength to deal with all the insurance company jargon - help me someone, as I am at my wits end, thinking I'm going to need some sort of brain operation (which apparently is a pretty dangerous one because of where the gland is situated), could possibly have something dodgy in my chest (ex heavy smoker) or am I just panicking for nothing?!?!?

Has anyone else ever had any of the above, or someone they know. I all of a sudden feel very far from home, very lonely and very scared with all sorts going round in my head. Sorry for the rant if you have managed to stay awake reading my post, but I always turn to you guys to give me a slap back to reality when I become ever so slightly HYPER!!!!!

Oh dear, Brat, nice of them to wind you up!
Thinking good thoughts for you.

Oh Brat, so sorry to hear all that. Try not to panic, you don't know anything for definite at the moment. Get the tests and checks done and then deal with things one step at a time. Also remember that the Dr's over here are prone to getting overexcited but at least they are thorough.

Sending lots of good Karma your way x

Brat so sorry to hear what you are going through. I've found here that they tend to be more forthright telling about things they have found than back in the UK. When I had a tumor on my spine last year they scared the cr*p out of me, but apart from an unpleasant two weeks after surgery it didn't live up to their expectations.

Try not to worry too much, easier said then done, and one thing I did learn DO NOT google your symptoms, that is too much to handle misleading information..

Thinking of you and sending good thoughts and agree in this case that google is NOT your friend - I google everything and scare the c**p out of myself so do as I do and move away from google!!

Positive thoughts coming your way

I can only echo the others. Take it one step at a time and yes, Google is not your friend when it comes to medical maladies.

Back in 2000 I had a persistent dry cough on and off for about 5 months or so. Annoying but nothing more than that so I thought. I happened to go to a new doctor for a regular check up and mentioned it. Did all the tests including X-rays, CT, CAT scans and even a bone scan and was told it could be anything from a minor disease to cancer. In the end they did a biopsy and it turned out to be Sarcoidosis (perfectly treatable) which I'd never heard of before.

Moral of the tale is just because I had enlarged lymph nodes in the chest area didn't necessarily mean I had the Big C although I admit it was a bit scary for a while. So take it easy...doctor Brit's orders!

Thank you everyone, I appreciate the sentiments and I know you're right that I'm probably scaring myself s......s and it's going to be fine, just don't feel fine just now and think stressed is the understatement. Unfortunately, I seem to be a glass half empty kind of person and always look on the doom and gloom, but it's nice to know that I'm not on my own, so thank you

Hope everything works out ok Brat, I know its easy for us to say, but try not to worry too much.

Pulling for you, Brat -- you know where I am if you need anything.

They do give you the worst case senarios right off the bat here. Take care of yourself and try and deal with it one thing at a time.

Bloody hell, you are going through at the moment. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that it all turns out to be insignificant. Did you get a chest x-ray when you had your medical for your visa?

No Nethead, we weren't required to get one for the H4's and the last one I had was years ago when I had a chest infection through smoking like a chimney, so this showed up on the one they gave me when I was admitted last week. I really am worried because I know that it could just be the virus causing this, but I also know what else it could be - having medical knowledge is not always a good thing when you get sick yourself but thanks, I'm trying to put things in perspective for the time being until I get the CT scan

Hey Brat1, sorry to hear your news, but as others have said try not to panic until you know what you need to panic about. I recently had a health scare and the specialists really scared the cr@p out of me for a while, and it all turned out to be ok so keeping my fingers crossed that yours will be too
Hey and at least on the dreaded H4 you don't have to worry about trying to get time off work for appointments.... every cloud etc. Etc.

That's no fun, sorry to hear it....but and I know easier said than done...but chill and don't go googling till the doctors know what's up, just get more worried over probably nothing.

Don't worry about the insurance either, because really, there's sod all you can do about it at this point, fight them afterwards when you don't have as much else to worry about on top of the money ball ache

Hey Brat1, so sorry to hear what you're going through. I'm sure the enlarged lymph nodes could be part of the viral problem but it's good that things are getting checked out quickly. Take care and I hope you can relax a little.