Feel like GP and family aren’t listening to me.

[TeaAndSymumthy]

I’m a long term sufferer of health anxiety, I’ve been in therapy for a while now and it’s don’t wonders, I’m much less anxious now and when I am anxious I’m able to think rationally.

Back in October I started getting extremely painful headaches regularly, and pain from my temple to my eye, then noticed the pupil in that eye was larger than the other one (had paramedics out for this and they said eye is responsive and it’s less than 2mm bigger so they aren’t concerned) suggested I go to the opticians for eye pain. I did, nothing they could see. ended up back and forth to hospital and told it’s likely migraines.

fast forward to now, eye pain has since got better, and I have less headaches but not completely gone. My up still looks bigger occasionally and now I have a twitch and have done for a few days in the same eye, it feels odd but I can’t describe why.

I've woke up feeling quite anxious that something neurological is going on and that im ignoring it calling it anxiety. Trying not to worry myself into a state like before, but I do have concerns.

I told DH this morning that I don’t feel right, and that I’m still having off symptoms, and that it not the same as my usually anxiety attacks as I’ve been feeling way less anxious even with occasional symptoms - and his response was “aren’t you due on your period this week? You always get like this before your period”

Which, while true.. it feel different and I just feel like No-one is listening. I feel like the GP reads my records, sees i have health anxiety and immediately brushes me off.

I just don’t know what to do 😓

It looks to me like your anxiety is spiralling again so maybe talk to your therapist about how you’re feeling re this health worry

If you read the NHS pages on twitches, it will advise you.

It does sound like your health anxiety has flared back up.

Eye twitches are pretty normal, and are not controlled by the same muscles as pupil size. Written down:
Your headaches are fewer. They are not worse or more frequent.
Your pupil is within normal range. It is not constant, and it is functioning correctly.
Your eyelid intermittently twitches. Common when tired, stressed, but also commonly random.
Taking the health anxiety to one side, none of this is concerning. Nothing is worse, and most symptoms have improved.
I do think this is your health anxiety trying another angle to get at you.

If I had those symptoms I would first assume that it was down to something like poor sleep, stress, poor posture/slouching at work, not stretching enough, dehydration , possibly a vitamin/mineral deficiency that could be corrected through diet, or even teeth grinding at night (I’ve just started wearing a bite guard while asleep and it’s been life changing).

I definitely would not think anything serious.

No one knows if you're symptoms are a sign of something neurological or another manifestation of your previous anxiety. But you know how you feel, and you've identified that you feel less anxious so I think you need to make an appointment to see your GP.
You could be right and these are symptoms that need further investigation.
I hope your GP will take time to listen to you because regardless of whether you need a referral or not, you do need reassurance.

This does very much sound like health anxiety. You've already been assessed for the headaches - and frankly calling 999 for a change to your pupils is a sign of uncontrolled health anxiety & not an appropriate use of emergency health care. Your health anxiety will only improve if you want it to - constantly seeking medical attention will make it worse.
Twitching of the eye is common, normal & not an indication of serious pathology.

This exactly. I went through a long period of headaches, potentially also hormonal (different pill now may have done it) potentially also tiredness, to the point where I would say oh my Thursday headache is back. Good diet and looking after yourself is probably all it takes. Sometimes I find its probably muscular from having slept on a different pillow for example like it's referred pain from a stiff neck that has done it. Likely nothing serious to worry about but I understand that's easier said than done.

I didn’t, I called 111 because I had eye pain, headache and change in pupil size. They sent out an ambulance because they were concerned I may have been having a stroke

You need to seek help for your health anxiety. Random aches/pains and twitching is absolutely normal.
I get an eye twitch randomly for a few weeks and then it stops for a few months and then starts again. Most people do don’t they??

As a sufferer of health anxiety i totally understand what you mean about not being believed and the worry about what if this time its for real. But i also try to turn any new symptoms on myself and question ah so what trick is my mind trying on me this time as i dont believe the others. Quick questions i ask myself, is this new pain or symptom still presents if im busy or focused on anything else? If it is i give it some more time and tell myself im not bothered or i wait afew days and then i go to the GP. Usually it stops. But i just wanted to say i totally understand how you feel. ❤️

Have you considered seeing an optician?

I think it would be very hard to see the difference in pupil size unless it was very significant, and it's a job for an optician.

Eye twitches are a response usually to stress and tiredness.

This is all about your anxiety and you should focus on controlling that through therapy, self-help like meditation, mindfulness or exercise- daily walking, yoga etc.

Are you on SSRIs as well as the therapy? They can affect pupil size.

I did, they noted nothing abnormal. Had all the tests and an extensive look at my eyes. Very slight change in prescription but she said it wouldn’t be the cause of my eye pain.

I have one pupil larger than the other sometimes. First noticed it over 30 years ago. Most often first thing in the morning, but not always.
When it's bigger, I am much more prone to migraines as it lets too much light in.

I've had various tests and nothing has been picked up.

Sounds like your health anxiety has flared up. Sorry op but all this is very normal and nothing to be concerned about. The opticans would of found something if there was something wrong.

This is your health anxiety spiralling.
None of the symptoms you have stated are concerning.

I don’t understand why you had to ring 999 for a paramedic because you thought one pupil was bigger than the other.
‘People get random pain for all sorts of reasons, in the vast majority of cases it’s harmless.

Or why op kept going back & forth to the hostipal when was already told all was well.

If you are worried about your eye go to a Moorfields eye hospital A&E

People without health anxieties wouldn’t have seen any medical professional for any of those symptoms. No opticians, no doctor, no 111. Eye twitching and headaches are just normal. I would just go to bed a bit earlier with either of those.

Opticians are pretty brilliant these days at picking up on any eye changes that might signify health problems. I think that you should take very seriously the fact that they have found nothing out of line.

If they had any reason to think that your eye symptoms might be concerning they would have suggested going back to your GP.

It sounds like migraine to me OP, which is unpleasant even when the symptoms are relatively mild like yours. But not dangerous. You have been investigated so they did listen to you. F you can't be reassured it is the health anxiety back and the thing to focus on.

Your thread title is inaccurate. You have sought help for your symptoms on each occasion and doctors, paramedics and opticians have all listened to you and done appropriate tests and reassured you that they haven't found anything serious like a stroke or a tumour. So can you say more accurately what you mean by no one is listening to you? Do you mean no one has been able to tell you what is causing your symptoms? If so perhaps your anxiety is spiking because of you finding it difficult to cope with uncertainty. That is about your own anxiety and not about other people's behaviour. You can keep pursuing info to find out what's causing the pains but please don't say that no one is listening, and try to be reassured that so far in your journey of investigations nothing serious has been found.

Exactly as @Owly11 says, I would then actually think that the health anxiety is causing you stress that’s giving you the headaches? So a vicious circle?

You are being listened to, you've had multiple appointments with different medical professionals, there is nothing wrong with your eye.