Anyone else suffer from health anxiety…

[Catchmeifyoucam]

who can help me help my husband please?
he’s got major health anxiety, every niggle or pain or symptom and he has a complete breakdown and thinks he’s dying. This is a relatively new thing, he’s never suffered with anxiety before. I got him to contact the GP and they refused medication and recommended exercise, but I feel like he’s just getting worse. I’ve never suffered myself so I’m not sure how to help him, I’d be so grateful for any tips kind mumsnetters.
thank you

He should go back to the GP and ask for Talking Therapy x

He can refer himself to the NHS talking therapy service and be put on the waiting list for CBT.
in my area you don’t need a GP to refer you

Tell him to watch this video;

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I had health anxiety for years. I started taking Setraline about 6 or 7 years ago, it's been a game changer. Wish I had asked for them sooner.

Thank you so much for the responses. Have sent him the video and am going to help him refer himself for talking therapy. I really appreciate you all getting back to me.

i always thought this was an antidepressant, have never heard of it being used for health anxiety. Am interested as my dh suffers terribly.

Yes since my husband was diagnosed with incurable prostate cancer. Its horrendous. I'm on amitriptyline which helps and knocks me out so I can sleep. The talking therapies sort of worked whilst I did them but the techniques are soon forgotten.

My son could have written this word for word …he is a different guy now !
OP definitely try and get him back to GP .X

Thank you, we’ve had a chat and going to get back in touch with the GP Monday and say he really does want to try medication

Yes my mum. She had talking therapy but it didn’t help. It’s honestly a fucking nightmare. Sertraline didn’t work either as she felt so bad on it she stopped it. No clue what the answer is.

I had this towards the end of last year OP. Completely out of the blue and no idea why it happened. Every little thing I truly believed was a sign I was dying. I’ve had therapy but what really fixed it all was citalapram 20mg every day… it took me a while (as I was convinced I was going to have an allergic reaction and die!) but honestly citalapram gave me my life back.

Hiya, I know it’s been a while, but OP how are you now?

and also @mollibu , @Hillsmakeyoustrong , @stillwaitingtobepaid

how is it going now

Hiya @Kardelen I'm mainly good thanks. I actually came off them this autumn and now fully off a few weeks. It takes time to recalibrate and I'm not sure the timing was great (Christmas I find hard) but I'd say the years i had on them have helped rest my nervous system somehow. For instance, I have just had my annual review following a mild skin cancer diagnosis in 2022 and I was a normal amount of nervous. If the intrusive thoughts come back with a vengeance then i won't hesitate to go back on them.