Is it the way we are brought up or is it something inside?

Why is it that it only affects some of us and not others?

I've done enough worrying the last few years to have had every Cancer and serious illness going. And I've never had anything serious wrong with me (yet!)
Yest i live in fear all the time. I fight it, I have been on courses in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, I try so hard to change my way of thinking, yet i still look at things so negatively.

How can I become more positive in my outlook. I don't want to be like this anymore.

Today I found out I have a cervical polyp during a pap smear by the nurse. I cannot see a doc until Thursday. I am so worried about it. Why can I not just forget it until Thursday? My head keeps telling me I have to worry full time until then. Why? I can't do anything.

The nurse said they don't remove them unless they bleed or cause pain. But she said at "certain times of life" they can"change". How will I know if mine has "changed?" Why don't they want to test it now?

I want to forget it & get on with life but my anxiety doesn't let me. I feel tired out by worry.

Try to keep as busy as you can to help with the fear. i find that works sometimes. Health fears are the worst and noone can tell to you relax about it, trust me I am a big time worrier. Try not to google anything. I find that can make you crazy and not always give you the correct information. All I can do is offer support and hope the next two days go quick. I am sure you are fine. Hang in there.

I had the same thing during my annual exam in April. The doctor accidentally nicked it causing it to break and bleed. I didn't even know it was there. Never hurt or anything. ANyway he took it off and cauterized it so it wouldn't bleed, sent it out to be tested. He said it was nothing to worry, very common and always come back as benig and I beleived him.

Some of this stuff they see on a daily basis is what I liken to dentists and cavities.......they see them all time and know they aren't anything.

So don't worry all will be fine!!!!!!!!!

Thanks enough for your supportive words. Your name is very appropriate. It's exactly what i feel like shouting out right now!

Softball Girl - did it hurt when he removed it? Thank you so much for telling me you had the same thing and everything was Ok. It's what i need to hear. In the Uk we have a slightly different system. I saw a nurse at the GPs office for the pap - she is quite new though so I don't know how experienced she is. Last pap I had was anurse who was about to retire, she had to redo it 3 times cos they didn't get enough cells each time, the third time really hurt - i can't help but wonder if they caused this polyp to grow. Because of this I've booked to see the lady GP and see what she says as she has been ther a long time and seen a lot more i hope. I'm wondering if in the UK they don't remove them unless troublesome but in the US they always do. This makes me nervous in case it isn't benign.

No it didn't hurt at all actually. Like I said I didn't even know it was there. He told me what it was and talked me through every step of what he was doing. Didn't feel a thing except a little pressure of course, but no pain. He said these were again "common" and nothing to worry about.
Like I said...cavities to a dentist, same thing......no big deal, sees them everyday.
Good Luck, I think you will be fine.
Sorry you have to see inexperienced people in the doctors office, here in the US, the nurse is in there to assist the doc..........

Thank you softball girl. That is so good to hear! Yes our experienced nurses both retired recently and this girl is new. She may be well trained - but it just makes me nervous. She said that if the results come back this time that the doc would do the repeat test. I think the difference in the UK is that paps are seen as routine and done by the nurse and then if any complications you are seen by the doc. We don't have a general Gyny review all done at the same time like in the US - I think you have a complete gyny check up & discussion at the same time once a year - right? We go to our GP here as a first port of call to discuss other Gyny issues and then have to be referred to a Gyno if we have something that needs looking at.