How Do You Stop Worrying When Waiting For Medical Appointments

[bluefortress]

Been referred to the eye clinic but have to wait 4 weeks. Its due to a small white itchy bump deep in my lower eye lid which is somehow making my eye feel pressure and achy. It seems to be gradually imcreasing slightly inside and Im worrying its something serious.
 

I have had several sinus ct scans over recent years ie radiation exposure which makes me worry more. 

Hopefully its nothing serious but the triage nurse didnt know what it was/made an urgent referral. 
 

How do you ease the worry when you have to wait?

[scorpiojo]

https://www.moorfields.nhs.uk/for-health-professionals/common-eye-condition-management/chalazion

[Old_Geezer]

Concentrate on other things. Acknowledge any thought of concern then decide to busy yourself with something else. Listen to music maybe. Meditate even. Whatever works for you.

 

Remind yourself that indulging in worry isn't helpful, but quite the reverse. You know it's unlikely to be anything serious or they'd have got you in immediately.

 

Accept and await the clinic appointment, and only feel a need to contact the doc again if it is clearly worse rather than seemingly increasing.

[Canary42]

If it's on the eyelid then I don't think you have anything to worry about.  To my layman's knowledge/experience it sounds like a cyst - my first was at the age of 10 and it's removal was a simple scrape under local anaesthetic.  My second a few years later was similarly disposed of, and my third (and last) a few more years on was disposed of with drops.  I've had 60 years free of any recurrence since then.   

Just try and convince yourself it's the same thing and nothing to worry about (and follow Old_Geezer's advice).

P.S. The most painful part of my experiences was on the bus home from the second occasion when because of the temporary lack of stereo vision (eye patch on) I bumped my head standing up to alight.  I was a teenager at the time and mortified by all the old dears on the bus exclaiming in sympathy. 😀

[Prudie]

This is an honest answer - don't google it and don't ask on the internet. 

[FoxLee2]

If you were to put aside an hour every afternoon for the next four weeks to worry, would it affect the outcome?

On the other hand, if you were to spend the next four weeks doing whatever it is that makes you happy, would that affect the outcome?

About 55 years ago when I was just under 3 months pregnant with my first baby, my sister-in-law phoned one evening to let me know that my niece, whom I had seen very recently, had German Measles and I should go to the gp.  I spent the evening worrying whether the baby would be born blind, or deaf or what if? what if? what if? Then I realized I couldn't worry about every possible thing that could be wrong.  I decided to wait until the baby was born and if there was a problem, i would learn everything i could about it and how to deal with it. After a blood test, it turned out I'd had GM as a child and the baby was not at risk.

Something I read a while back which made sense and i made a note of

Worry is a dividend paid to disaster before it's due.

You spend your time thinking about things that might  never happen.  it's pointless.  If it happens, figure it out.  if it doesn't, don't worry about it.

 

[bluefortress]

Thanks Foxlee for the perspective, true, worrying doesn't affect the outcome one bit. I am going to have to find ways to harden up as with age all sorts of ailments crop up

Thanks prudie, canary and old geezer. I have read the link scorpio hopefully its just something like that

[FoxLee2]

I wish you well and for a good outcome.

[Scarlett]

If they thought it was an emergency, you would be seen much quicker, so try not to worry. Also, I have been in your situation, and if you can stretch to £150, you could see Specialist privately much quicker. If you're going to have a horrible four weeks, it might be worth paying out to see somebody.