Scaring myself witless

[Niftynamechangerliveshere]

Name changed for this but I've been around these parts a while.
Bit of background health info
I'm asthmatic have been for years. Well controlled and never had a hospital admittance at all or any real cause for concern.
I'm overweight I work in an active job and I'm fairly mobile.
I'm in good health as a rule. No other problems aside from the asthma.
I think I have undiagnosed health anxiety. Every symptom leaves me running to google and fearing the worse.
I have self diagnosed myself, wrongly many many times over the years. My worse fear is cancer. Any kind of cancer.
I recently lost someone very close to me to cancer and it has triggered major anxiety over it.
So, sorry to waffle this is the main part..
Over the last couple of months I've been suffering from voice hoarseness. It lasts a day or two. Occasionally a sore throat but not always. I've always put it down to my asthma inhalers.
All last week I have been suffering with an awful headache. Nothing moved it. Thank fully it has passed though I still feel worn down. I also has the most awful dull ache in my neck. As if my head was too heavy for it!
Yesterday I began to feel like I couldn't breathe. My inhaler made minimal difference and I was still struggling.
I slept, badly last night. Went to work today where it's not been too bad. I've struggled to catch my breath at times but nothing like last night or indeed this remind sat at home again.
I've taken my inhaler to no avail. I'm good with remembering my preventer so don't think its that.

Earlier I felt like I was falling, but inside my head. I absolutely panicked. It was over in a min or two. My brain seemed to just 'go' strange. I couldn't breathe properly and everything seemed to 'Rush'. I had the same sick feeling I got breaking my toe last Xmas. As if I couldn't cope or breath or move. Like I was going to faint only I didn't.
So anyway. I don't know well enough if it's some kind of chest infection. I have an annoying cough and a tightness in my chest but no fever or anything.
Stupidly I've been googling and I've diagnosed myself with some kind of throat cancer
The hoarseness, a random lumpy pulse I feel in my neck. The neck pain. I think that the shortness of breath means its spread.
God it looks ridiculous written down. I'm a sensible grownup. Yet I cannot shake this fear.
Really not sure where to go next with this.
Sorry for such a waffle. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

[Niftynamechangerliveshere]

.. Oh and to add to the really really long pity post above.
I have an iron deficiency. I'm on ferrous sulphate. I'm rubbish at remembering to take them though.
I also suffer with what my husband calls brain fog. I always have that slightly distanced woozy feeling you get when you're day dreaming!
I'm so sorry for such a long ramble. I didn't mean it to go on and on
Thank you

[jalopy]

Sorry to hear that you are so anxious about your health. It's always better to get yourself properly assessed by your own doctor.

Perhaps you have a touch of reflux that's giving you a hoarse voice. Is this information similar to your symptoms?

Are you hyperventilating with your anxiety? That can make you lightheaded too.

Suffering anxiety is an awful thing but help is out there. Making an appt with your doctor is a good starting point.

Good luck

[Eva50]

Definitely make an appointment with your GP. I bet a lot of your symptoms disappear just telling someone about them. Some years ago I was convinced I had some dreadful neurological disorder. I even came home from a holiday early the symptoms were so bad. I packed my hospital bag before my GP appointment "just in case" and couldn't believe their diagnosis of stress. I take Fluoxitine for anxiety now and it really makes a difference.

[Niftynamechangerliveshere]

Thank you all for replying. The link to the LRP sounds just like it. I'm off to investigate further. I'm going to make an docs appointment. It's awful living so scared of every little ache and pain.
Thank you again

[Stepawayfromthecake71]

Hi, sorry to hear you're feeling poorly and also so anxious.

I also have health anxiety, my fear too is cancer. I lost my mother to cancer some years ago. Before this, I never gave my health a thought. A couple of years ago I had a pain in my side, I convinced myself I had ovarian cancer, googling everything which was of no use, (seriously, don't, there are no answers on there) It was awful, I was so anxious. Random aches and pains all over, muscle twitching, struggling to breathe, the list was endless, just odd things I had lots of tests, all came back clear. Eventually, after about six months, I realised this happened at around the same time as the anniversary of the death of my mum and my dd had also just started nursery. I even became suicidal. My GP (finally) diagnosed severe depression. Basically I just couldn't cope anymore - two dcs, DH working away, no support etc. So I was on medication for two years and am much better now.

I had absolutely no idea that depression and anxiety could also cause physical symptoms. So my advice would be to get yourself checked out physically but don't forget how anxiety can effect you physically. I hope my experience helps, don't let it get like this for you.

[Niftynamechangerliveshere]

Thank you so much stepaway. I have a myriad of additional symptoms. My latest is a strange pulsing in my neck, not strange in the respect that I know it's my pulse just strange that I can see and feel it.
I'm going to make an appointment with the doctor. I spend every minute worrying and googling things.
Like you I've lost my mum to cancer, only a couple of months ago. I also had a health scare (thank fully given the all clear) and just generally a really really stressful year so far.
Can anxiety really cause all of this?.
Can I ask how you approached the subject with your doctor?. Do I list the physical symptoms, I am pretty certain I have the LPR thing mentioned up thread, or do I focus on the anxiety side of things?. I'm self aware that I'm being irrational, but not enough to stop googling or worrying or crying at all hours.
Thank you again, I'm glad to hear you're on the mend. Take care.

[tobee]

Hello. Please take your iron tablets. Not taking them can cause a lot of your symptoms. Are you having regular blood tests because under active thyroid also causes a lot of those symptoms, strange throat and brain fog? Also have you had your vitamin d levels tested. You could of course have all three problems. But it also could all be put down to anxiety and panic attacks. I would see your gp and ask for blood tests including your iron levels, thyroid function and vit d. But also talk about your asthma and its current medication. If everything comes back fine, talk about your anxiety with the gp. Good luck.

[Niftynamechangerliveshere]

Thank you tobe.
Yup, regular bloods for iron deficiency. Also had my thyroid tested and it's borderline every time, to be repeated etc.
I will ask about vitamin D, googling has shown it can cause lots of the physical symptoms. I really had no idea anxiety could manifest in such a physical way assuming I don't really have anything too dire!
Again, thank you.

[Stepawayfromthecake71]

I went to the GP loads. Every test possible was done to rule things out in my case. My GP wasn't too interested and he suggested it was a mental health issue. I was adamant it wasn't, pretty much fuelled by google. It took some time for the penny to drop for me, I asked my gp to assess me for depression which came out as severe clinical depression. I was put on Prozac and felt a lot better after about six weeks. My vague symptoms slowly eased off although I still had them now and again for months afterwards. I thought I was going mad, it was as if I was on a different page to everyone else, my reality wasn't the same as everyone else. My GP said I just couldn't cope anymore.

I couldn't believe that this was possible, but it was.

if you've just lost your mum, don't under estimate the power of grief as it can take many forms. Stress, depression and anxiety can do very odd things to you, believe me. Go back to your GP and get your symptoms looked into. There maybe a physical cause and its sensible to rule that out. Don't get fobbed off. But please bear in mind my expereince - if you're going to google anything look at the NHS webpage on anxiety and depression. Other than that, leave Google alone. You will drive yourself mad, there are no answers on there, seriously. You've had a difficult year, be kind to yourself. I hope my tale will help

[Niftynamechangerliveshere]

Stepaway, thank you.
I'll be booking an appointment next week. Take care.