Health anxiety again

[angsty]

Hi (namechanged as am feeling silly about how I am feeling right now). I know there was a helath anxiety thread last year but it hasn't been written on for a while so I didn't know if I should resurrect or start a new one...

I have suffered from health anxiety to quite a severe degree since the birth of my DS 2 and a half years ago. I have gone from neurological diseases, to gynae problems to breast cancer (well, I did get a recall for an apparantly abnormal mammogram which was terrifying, but it turned out to be OK). As soon as I am reassured about one thing I get anxious about another and actually develop symptoms. Until I was reassured about the breast I felt breast pain, now the pain has moved to my armpit and I have weird feelings down my arms. I am terrified of multiple sclerosis now. I have seen numerous specialists and am on an antidepressant can't shake it. I have also had CBT, which was a bit of a help but has not stopped this.

I just can't get rid of the fears. I am an older mum, my child probably has special needs (still being assessed) and I am the family breadwinner, so I have terrible fears about not being around for him, or able to provide for him.

I don't really know what I am looking for, just a connection with others in this position I suppose...

Hi, I suddenly developed health anxiety about a year ago it came out of the blue when I had my first panic attack I was convinced that I was having a stroke. I have been back & forth to my GP he has done every blood test possible all of which have come back normal. However I'm not convinced as the symptoms are real one ailmene was persistent breast pain Dr reassured me no lumps but sent me for a mammogram that thank goodness was clear then I had a permanant soreness on my tongue eventually was sent to ENT again all clear. Now I keep get shooting pains on the sides of the back of my head it didnt help that I went to have my hair coloured yesterday & the colour went wrong so they had to do it again I was back & forth to the sink & now the back of my neck is sore so again those thoughts of stroke etc are back in my mind. I just don't know when I should take symptoms seriously any more DR said it's all anxiety :-(. I have an appt for CBT in March but it feels a long way away.Any advice greatly appreciated I was never like this my GP is very nice but I feel he's fed up of seeing my face ..

cbt will try and teach you relaxation and then when you are calm to try and challenge you thoughts in a logical way
so step one is learning to relax.properly
learn 7/11 breathing-breathe in while count to 7,hold for a second of two then out for 11.do this regularly to teach breathing control
or get a relaxaton cd etc
that enables you to start be able to challenge yourself in moments of stress to at least "calm down"
learning this skill befreo cbt starts will make it easier in the long run
lots support on here in the meantime if you need any
unMN hugs if needed

I didn't realise this was so common.

My problem is "how do you unthink something once you've thought of it?"

It is truly horrible. I have recently convinced myself I have lung cancer. A chest x-ray and blood tests say there is nothing wrong with me, but I still have symptoms (shortness of breath, back pain, a cough) - it is a horror to live with this kind of mental anxiety. In the past 5 years I have managed to persuade myself I had (and been given the all-clear for), stomach cancer, throat cancer and cervical cancer. I am so sick of it.

My Doctor looks at me like I'm stark raving mad - I can actually read his "she is mad" thoughts, which doesn't help.

Knowing I'm not the only person who feels like this is very reassuring.

Thankyou for your support Liveinazoo.Diabolo you could be me talking it seem's that Health anxiety is very common . I have an appt for CBT but not until March as I'm on a waiting list I'm just hoping that it helps as this has been going on for over a year & I feel it's never going to end. One symptom goes then another appears it actually get's to the point that I don't know what's a real illness to anxiety.As I said I too have had numerous tests altough my Dr did say each time that he was doing it to put my mind at rest but even then it doesn't reassure me because something else appears. In my mind I know it's silly but the fear seem's to be part of me now if this make's sense. I go to the gym & try to stop thinking about my health but the minute I sit down it's back & I'm worrying again..

The 'how to unthink' thing gets worked on in CBT a lot. My therapist did a lot with me about this - the idea that when you are suffering from anxiety you think Plan A is going to happen (that you have cancer and you are going to die.) But there is also a Plan B - that the cough/stomach ache/headache you have are just that (a simple cough/stomach ache/headache.) The more you think about Plan A the more it seems real to you. CBT teaches you ways of thinking that make Plan B your default setting and Plan A the little maybe.

Therapy isn't a quick fix but it can be effective in the long term if you are able to put in the hard work and time it requires. I have chosen not to return to work next September and fixing my head is one of the reasons why. I'm lucky to be able to have that choice right now; I'd love to but I figure that another year 'out' will at least mean I might live long enough without topping myself to claim my pension even if it is rather depleted...

One thing that reassures me these day with regards to my symptoms (numb forehead, headache, palpitations, dizzyness, tight chest, muffled brain as i call it, and so on so forth) is that when I was well last summer, Within about three weeks of no anxiety, every single one of my symptoms was gone! My head was so clear, it was unbelievable!