To go to my GP I can feel it coming back

[R3b3kah]

Over the last few weeks my wrists have been sore (left one normally is because of a ganglion cyst I’ve had for a few years) but now it’s both
I’ve woke up this morning and my calves are feeling sore like muscle soreness after exercise, except I haven’t done any except my normal amount of walking, and like a tightness feeling when I’m sitting.
I’ve had my health anxiety under control for the last 18 months, and I’m trying to stop myself from spiralling into a panicking mess.
I had a fear of cancer (still do) and now all I can think is surely this pain is caused by something, my mind is thinking bone cancer (I may be irrational)

I’m trying not to cry and become a quivering mess, I don’t want to go back to that 😭
I spent 2 years of my life with a list of symptoms I never want back. Headaches every morning, sore neck, heart palpitations, swollen lymph nodes, weakness and tingling in my left side and so much more.
I want to speak to the doctor, but scared of the answers which sounds rediculous.

Can anyone help calm me a little ☹️

If you've been able to control health anxiety for 18 months you are doing brilliantly - have you had any counselling or do you have any techniques to help? Were your previous problems caused by a physical illness or were they a result of your health anxiety? How did you conquer your anxiety?

take a deep breath.

you have 2 options

1. 'give in' to your anxieties and go to the Dr with a list of physical symptoms
2. step back, objectively assess your symptoms to see if they are part of the general anxiety - and deal with the anxiety - by going to see the Dr to ask for help/support in addressing that

you'd need to ask for a double appointment, whichever as you will need time to discuss properly.

a lot of people worry that every little twinge is something horrible, and having access to Dr Google can feed this.

what else is going on in your life right now that might have set off these health anxieties again?

it sounds like you need some help - counselling or therapy - to work through the underlying issues.

I'd also recommend starting yoga with a decent teacher - yoga helps you to get fitter and stronger and healthier and helps you to be in control of your body (rather than the other way around), It also helps you to tune into your body and learn how you react physically to the world around you, to accept it, and to live with it. There are some 'pains' that are 'good' pains - in yoga stretching there is a point when you are doing a pose and you think your tendons will snap, but you let your body 'go with it' and it learns to let go, to stretch, to relax. it's absolutely amazing. it takes away fear of what your body does. the calming meditative aspects are brilliant too - and once you learn the basics you can do it daily, for free at home.

get to the Dr, help yourself and free your future. you can do this.

I haven’t had any counselling, it all started when I had an abnormal smear test and it got worse from there.
None of the symptoms I had was anything.
I’m not 100% remember how I managed it in the end, i can remember opening up to my dad which started to make me feel a bit better, he’s a wise man and calmed me down but my mum has her own health problems now (AS and now a heart condition) so I don’t want to bother him

The smear is where it very first started grade 3 bad cells and a biopsy done, few weeks later I had my first full blown panic attack while waiting on biopsy results... from there it got worse and worse

Thank you for the replies... I know I sound completel irrational, When something is wrong it really takes over me

Have you tried medication / meditation to help control your anxiety? I completely understand how you are feeling right now.

You really need therapy for your health anxiety. That’s what you should talk to a GP about.

You can have 12 CBT appts on the NHS for a start.

Completely agree I need to go
But it’s dtill bothering me what the calf pain is, been on school run and it’s still there. It’s more of an ache but what’s set my mind working overtime is I’ve not done anything strenuous

I’ve not googled yet, I’m trying so hard not to

I wake up with stiff calf muscles regularly even if I’ve not exercised - I think it’s age! Or sitting oddly can trigger it too. Do some gentle stretching and see how it goes. The yoga suggestion is good for that as well, it might help you focus differently as well as stretching out the muscles.

The trouble with Google is it ALWAYS throws the worst case out there too-so Cancer will be there somewhere and once you spot that one it is the only one you will fix on.
I have been where you are and it is horrible-2 years ago I was CONVINCED I had either stomach or bowel cancer and I became so sure of this I pleaded with my Doctor to send me for lots of tests, all the waiting for results just fed my anxiety more.
However once I had done all the tests I could I knew there was nothing wrong so I have managed to keep it at bay...I do still worry and project my anxiety onto my youngest child now also.
Give it a few days, but I know it is hard and you want answers(google won't help you) so maybe a trip to the Doctors would be a good idea

Have you ever come across the website nomorepanic? If you Google (for example) nomorepanic bone cancer you'll get a host of reassuring threads written for people who have similar worries to you. I find it quite helpful for my health anxiety.
Joint and muscle pain can be exacerbated by the cold - could it be that the change in the weather over the last couple weeks have made your wrists and calves seize up a little? Especially if you notice it most on waking. Our body temp naturally drops slightly around dawn (which is also when your house is likely to be coldest if your heating is on a timer) so it's not uncommon to feel a bit stiff when you wake up in the winter.

Thank you all so much for the replies I’m taking it all in

Aheartapenny yes I did use that website when I was going through it before, completely forgot about it I’ll have a look... I remember it helped me a lot.
I don’t even know if it’s bone or muscle, how silly is that

Oh I do feel for you. It is the time of year, my anxiety is ramping up as well lots of little adrenaline rushes and palpitations with intrusive thoughts and health anxiety thrown in for good measure.

I am considering going to the drs for meds myself but i know i really don't do well with the side effects. So my current plan is lots of self care to get me to the other side of christmas.

On the joint thing it could be as simple as you are getting older and feeling the cold. You don't need to have done anything strenuous you may have slept awkward, sat on your leg for too long stood up to fast and wrenched the muscle.

If my health anxiety is ramping up and i get a random pain or mole like this i do the "cancer test" of my own invention. I wait and see for 2 weeks if it has got worse bigger or changed in any suspicious way in those two weeks its off to the drs. Any and all nhs advice seems to be if you think it might be harmful/cancer it needs to have been effecting you for at least two weeks (Unless its a lump obviously) giving me a plan helps calm the anxiety.

In your case i would be seeing if it got worse or just stayed around for two weeks and then off to the dr. But chances are it won't.

Hi OP, have a hug, health anxiety is awful.
Last week, I awoke in the morning, to painful pins and needles in my lower arms and legs, I felt like you do now.
Firstly, you need to address the issue, see your GP. This will make you feel in control. Secondly, try to think straight, you were okay yesterday, and more than likely, you'll be fine tomorrow. My discomfort, was the beginning of a flu type virus, three days later, I was fine.
Our bodies change continually, try to bear this in mind.🌸

Hi OP

I get you . . . .

Our bodies will do the weirdest things under stress and anxiety. About 20 years ago I was tested for MS as I was experiencing some classic symptoms. I was totally clear; my stress was manifesting itself physically and giving me pins and needles, disturbed vision, exhaustion, chronic joint pain.

After some persuasion from a fab friend, a trip to the GP and 18 months on Citalapram turned my life around.

Do please think about going to the GP and seeking help. I can honestly say that it was the best thing I did.

These replies are so helpful and it’s nice to know I’m not alone.

I got offered medication before and like another poster I was so scared of the side affects I never took them, I just battled through it on my own.

I think back to when I was at my worst and I was living in fear, wondering what next?
I used to wonder what’s the point in living if this is what life will be like, the only thing that got me through is my kids. I’m 29 now and don’t want to go through it again 😭

My friends never really understood, and family to a certain extent. I don’t think they understood how it can take hold of your life and leave you so miserable.

Health anxiety can cause pain itself. Firstly because it makes your body tense and in fight/flight/freeze mode a lot of the time, which leads to odd sensations. Secondly because focusing on a sensation makes it feel a lot stronger. Like if I randomly pick a part of my body- say my toe- and focus on it, I now notice that it is kinda numb and achey. If I interpret that as a danger signal, then my brain will keep noticing the acute more and more, and it will start to seem like something really bad.

Sorry you are going through this, health anxiety is horrible!