Seizures, Headaches, and Bone Pain.
I have a family history of cancer. I’ve been having seizures since I was 17 and I am currently 26. I’ve had headaches since I was a child. Recently, I’ve been experiencing bone pain.
I’m worried this may be cancer. I want to bring this up for my appointment with my general doctor.
Don’t really know what to ask or how to guide the conversation.
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Hello @dreamerjewel and welcome to Connect. You ask a great question about communicating your concerns to your doctor. You've done a great job in explaining your concern in your post. You should approach your appointment in a similar manner. It is always a good idea to take a list of concerns with you so that you cover everything that you want to discuss. Here are some suggestions that you might put on this list:
1. Family history of health problems (if this is a new doctor you will be seeing your family history will probably be part of the appointment). List the family members who have had cancer (or other health issues like diabetes, autoimmune disorders, etc.) You will want to mention the types of cancer.
2. Then list your current health problems such as the ones you have mentioned in your post, like seizures, headaches and bone pain, along with the length of time you've had these problems, and how often they occur. For example, do you have seizures, weekly or monthly, etc. How often do the headaches occur. When did you start having bone pain. Is the pain in one particular area or all over. Are there any particular activities that trigger these problems?
Then just state that you want to look into these symptoms to be sure that they are not cancer related.
From my own experience, I can tell you that doctors always appreciate a patient who comes prepared with questions and concerns.
Is your appointment coming up soon? I look forward to hearing from you again. Will you post any other questions you have and post again after you meet with your doctor?