Health anxiety after DMs death :(

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Has anyone else had this since the passing of a loved one?
I’m very anxious / nervous about something being wrong with my DCs, DH, DB, DDogs.. basically anyone in my close family.
but I’m even more nervous around my own health - I’ve become a bit obsessed with my diet, any niggle of pain, even the odd headache. It’s like I’m waiting for something bad to happen.
I’m having therapy due to the circumstances around DMs death - guess I should bring it up at the next session.

Just wondering if anyone else has been through this?

Yes me too.

It's very very normal to get anxiety after a close death.

Mine manifested into constantly believing everyone I care about including my pets have died and I just haven't been told yet. I'm constantly checking people/pets are breathing and panic googling for car crashes if someone is late home.

It is getting better over time slowly. Bring it up at therapy as they can help you.

Ds died a year ago and I have phases of physical pain. All bloods normal...had them done 3 times. Just a physical manifestation of grief. I struggle making decisions too.

Yes absolutely normal I would say. Both my sister and I suffered a lot of health anxiety, both in respect of our own health and our loved ones, after we lost our dad. To be honest, it has only really gotten better quite recently, and this is 3 years on.

Yes, I experienced this. My parents were very healthy and active people but they both got cancer in their 60s and died very close together. I had rampant health anxiety for quite some time afterwards and visited the GP multiple times over the space of a couple of years as I was convinced I had cancer. Grief can cause physical effects in the body and then these symptoms can be interpreted as something sinister, so then anxiety increases and that causes yet more physical problems. It’s a very difficult loop to get out of.

Something like CBT might help if you can access it, and SSRIs can be effective. I went on Sertraline and it really quietened the health anxiety. I was able to wean myself off them after a year or so. I’m 12 years on now and HA still sometimes surfaces but most of the time it’s under control.

And also meant to say- yes, definitely bring it up in therapy.

I’m so sorry you lost your son @Mikart 💐

Yes. I lost my Dad suddenly when I was 25. My DD was 11 months old and I just carried on, almost like nothing had happened, for 2 years. Then I got very run down and looking back I think I had a breakdown of sorts. I was at the doctors for everything for years. I eventually came out of it but it took along time.

Yes, terrible since my DH died unexpectedly and then soon after a friend was diagnosed with a rare and fatal cancer. Both young (40s), both with seemingly no prior health issues or family history. Since then I can’t even go to the dentist or take my kids there without being highly anxious they’re going to “find something”.

Added to say, I am also on sertraline and it’s helped in that I’m not crippled by it at the moment. It’s still there though and it does cause issues.

Yes absolutely, it’s natural to feel like this & it will pass.

do consider a few counselling sessions.

Grief is a certain kind of madness - I was collecting poisonous berries after my mum died as I was so traumatised by the thought of dying but also hanging on like she had. Seems mad looking back on it but seemed completely reasonable to me at the time.

My dh developed health anxiety after the death of his dad 30 years ago and despite getting help, still suffers from it. I think it’s common unfortunately.

Yes, this happened to me. I’m absolutely convinced I’ll die soon. I’ve even gone as far as getting all my affairs in order, doing a will, sorting through my belongings drastically, writing a notebook with instructions in about what should happen after my death. (These are probably fairly positive things to do but I’m only just coming up to middle age so it’s a bit extreme.)

Health-wise it’s been complicated, because grief affected my health and I did develop some quite serious health problems after losing mum. But I’m always at the doctors now, convinced I’ve got all sorts of things.

I’m on an SSRI and I’m having counselling and it does help, but I’m obviously still struggling to some extent.

glad I found this. I lost my mum in August and for the first month or so was managing and organised the funeral etc. I was just so busy but shortly after that I developed widespread pain that has not gone away. It's like every muscle in my body has seized up. I ache all day. My shoulders are so painful. All of that has flared my health anxiety and I'm so worried about it all especially since my mum died of a neurological disease. I've been to an osteopath and the GP has referred me to physio though the wait will be long. I realise that the grief could be to blame but I just feel like I've been hit by a train. It's especially upsetting because I feel like it's actually getting in the way of trying to grieve freely and process the loss. physical symptoms are very real as far as I'm concerned.

yes me too lost my mum may after a 7 weeks battle with cancer making my anxiety ten times worse I've cried every day since may now my docs want me to have some grief counselling.