Health anxiety how do I cope??

[indieray]

I have awful health anxiety and my current obsession is breast cancer (was lymph nodes!) and am constantly checking for lumps.

Inevitably, I will find something and a
Few days ago I did find a painless, soft moveable pea sized what seems to be a piece of tissue (not a lump but more like lumpy tissue if that makes sense) side of my right breast. Cue complete panic and disappear, Googling my symptoms etc which was so stupid. I tried really hard to leave it alone Unfortunately, I then felt the need to keep checking it constantly.
I even had my mum whose a retired nurse check it out and she said it feels like tissue but knowing you and your anxiety book an appointment with the gp. I did this and she called
Me same today and asked any family history? Do I smoke? No and no.
And am I due my period? Yes I am in 2 weeks and she said have your period and come back to get examined after your period has finished if you still want it checked. 😩
Reassurance for 5 mins!! Then bam I'm
Asking another female family member
To check & my partner who have both said it's just like normal tissue. I can't wait 1 day let
Alone two weeks coping
With this anxiety! 🥴 do I call
Back & explain why due to crippling anxiety or shall I do as advised.
Family have just said if GP was concerned she would have you in not waiting weeks!
I've been looking up private breast examinations and ultrasounds near me starting at £200 when
Tho I don't have the money I need the reassurance! Currently had 1 session of cbt &
My therapist says it's a safety behaviour!

Very difficult, health anxiety, or more commonly labelled hypochondria is very difficult to cure.

id make a gp appt, explain you’re a hypochondriac and ask for support

I feel for you. I was exactly the same as this, I'm on medication now and coping better. I still have flare ups though.

I feel for you op. I’ve had many different health anxiety episodes . Brest cancer fear for about 3 years due to discharge from the nipple , was told it was nothing sinster by the NHS but got so Ill with worry I went for a private check (still paying the fee back for that years later) to be told it was just hormone imbalance. Currently it’s bowel cancer that’s my biggest worry over the last 18 months. I spend most of my days living in terror that I’m ill. It’s not living it’s existing.
The logical part of you knows that if the GP was at all concerned you’d have been given a 2 week referral to be checked for the breast clinic, but the health anxiety convinced you it must be something terrible.
please get therapy. I’ve wasted so many years on worrying about my health , I have missed out on a lot. Don’t let that happen to you.

It is very hard and I’m sorry you’re going through this.

As you know, reassurance doesn’t actually work because your mind can easily outsmart it. Ideally just follow the instructions your GP has given.

CBT might take a while to work, but maybe focus on the cheat sheet aspects - when the anxiety starts, label it e.g “that’s my health
anxiety going again”, “there I am catastrophising” and “off I go looking for reassurance” so basically get a bit meta with it where possible.

Go about your normal routine as much as you can and make an effort to do the things that wont give you a chance to ruminate, like going out and seeing people, or whatever works for you.

Health anxiety is NOT really hard to "cure". You can absolutely get better. I did! I was completely consumed by it but a combination of CBT and sertraline stopped it. Do i still worry about my health? Sometimes - but only a completely normal amount.

Stick with the CBT but make sure that your therapist is great. Speak to your GP about it and ask if they think sertraline or similar would work for you. STOP asking your friends and family for reassurance and STOP googling. It is honestly not helping you. The more reassurance you get, the more you need and it spirals.

My new rule is that if I have a concern about my health I wait two weeks and if it hasn't changed I make an appointment with the doctor. Nothing is likely to get horrifically worse in two weeks. What tends to happen is that the thing has disappeared by then.

Believe me you can get over this.

Need to add that I was only on sertraline for about 6 months after a horrific episode of health anxiety had me sprialling into obsessive intrusive thoughts about my health...they stopped really quickly once the meds kicked in and my mind was clearer to work with my therapist. My NHS therapist was a bit shit to be honest. It was really obvious that she was a HCP who had very recently retrained to deliver CBT and her style and delivery didn't suit me. I ended up going private and after four sessions I stopped. I still use the techniques that my amazing private therapist taught me when I'm feeling anxious about anything.

I'm floored with the support from you lovely 😊 people! Thank you makes me feel emotional. I am currently on sertraline but I'm not sure if it's the right one anymore I've been on it for 5 years and feel sometimes it's not working!

I am starting therapy now had one session so far so good. I like the labelling thought idea @FloorWipes it's just constantly there in the background. A good friend whose had this for years recommended a book which she says almost cured her anxiety and depression ! So I've ordered that too il try anything! If anyone wants me to post the link I will. I will wait for my period and yes it's hell, but I know your all right about sitting with the uncertainty is the worst as I feel like it's tellin me I'm seriously unwell !
Thankyou for all the lovely replies x

Hi i have terrible health anxiety and sound very similar to you. If you could share the name of the book I'd be really grateful. Thank you

Reclaim Your Life: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 7 Weeks https://amzn.eu/d/23U5HDm

Oh, I know what you mean OP.

I had something odd a few years back requiring emergency surgery and eicne then I have been like this too about everything.

I have actually got shingles atm and being treated, but apparently can be due to stress and worrying!

I have got this Benenden health now whcih is only about ten pounds a month, but this is a mixed blessing as it gives you access to tests etc.

I already had an ultrasound and MRI with this recently, nothing untoward was found. It was however stressful having the tests / waiting for results etc.

The problem is you can never be sure, there is always some test or scan they haven't done.

With me, I had this rib pain which I know now what the shingles starting but I was convinced it was either an embolism in the lung or lung cancer.

Thankfully as the antivirals work and the pain is going away I am slightly more reassured.

I would hesitate before telling the GP about it, just in case they do take any symptoms less seriously. That may just be me and my anxiety though.

You need to get treatment for the anxiety, I work with patients who have health anxiety and it’s never ending, no test is ever enough, once you have finally managed to reassure them there isn’t anything sinister going on they then start worrying about something else and the whole cycle starts again.

I have had CBT for health anxiety and it worked really well for me. If you get on with your therapist, keep at it. So just to say there is hope, it absolutely can be managed so that it doesn’t impact your day to day life, I promise.

Number one rule (for me anyway) is No googling health symptoms - complete ban. If I have a legitimate medical concern I discuss it with my doctor.