New Health anxiety thread as the other is full

[40slady]

Hi starting a new thread as the other one is full ..
anyone welcome

[Buildmeabuttercup]

Amitriptyline. I had it last year for some nerve pain in my face and the it helped my health anxiety dramatically. It was the first time that I felt recovery was possible. I'd been on citalopram but it didn't do anything for me, and the doctors just kept upping my dose which made me feel worse. It seems that my anxiety gets worse as summer comes around, my daughters birthday is a big thing for me as It seems to trigger anxiety in me, like I believe I won't see her next birthday and then I get anxious leading up to her birthday instead of enjoying it. This will be the third year in a row where I don't think I'll see her birthday. X

[Pannalash]

Thanks for the welcome Crabapple, am currently seeing my lovely Doc regularly for my anxiety issues, have had counselling, meds and currently waiting for CBT. I absolutely agree with you that keeping busy is a great distraction - as you say it's when you are alone with your thoughts that the anxiety can take hold.

[Ireallyneedtoletitgonow]

Does anyone else feel like having children has made them worse??

Or actually started them off?

Not sure of the title crabapple, been too busy to read it!! that's good in some ways though as I'm better when I'm busy.
I'll have a look and report back!

[Buildmeabuttercup]

Ireallyneed yes yes to the having children made them worse. My whole health anxiety centres around my fear that I wont see her grow up.

[crabapple34]

Hi how is everyone?
I'm not feeling great today. My calf was aching a bit on Thursday after i'd been on my feet all day but I tried not to think too much of it as I've had similar twinges before. However it's been aching on and off ever since and I'm feeling really worried now, thinking it's DVT of course. It's a mild pain and it does keep going away until I think about it. I have no risk factors and I know rationally it's unlikely but as we all know, with HA rationality doesn't come into it. Feeling worried and down and my stupid leg is throbbing right now.

[treaclesoda]

hello everyone, how are you all feeling today?

I'm back into panic mode, not about myself but because my dh had blood tests done and we got one of those messages saying 'we need you to ring the surgery about your blood test results' and I know they don't do that if all the results are normal. And of course, I know that the chances are it will be something minor, but of course my brain has gone into overdrive and I feel 'The Doom'. Which I am sure that every one of you is familiar with.

I just want to be normal, to have a normal approach to these things.

[treaclesoda]

Ireallyneed, I have always been 'a bit of a worrier' but it was fairly low key, nothing major, probably no worse than many people.

But after my first child was born I went into freefall, it was like stepping off the edge of a cliff. One day I was fine, then when she was about three weeks old my brain just went nuts. I used to wait all day desperately for my dh to come home from work, then as soon as he was in the door I spent all evening staring at him thinking 'has that mole got bigger? has he got a lump on his neck? what is that mark on his face? has he lost weight?'. I was utterly utterly convinced that I was going to be widowed and have to bring my baby up alone. And of course, it was misery for him, because he knew that I wasn't 'right' but didn't know exactly what was wrong. But it was definitely some sort of post natal thing. But it took about three years before I admitted to anyone how I was feeling and managed to get help.

So, yes, having children really triggered it for me.

[Buildmeabuttercup]

How is everyone?
I really started to feel like I'd got somewhere. Medication kicking in and have been a lot calmer, even going up to a full day without thinking about my health. All was going well but now I find myself in the middle of a pregnancy scare (contraceptive failure). I have a long 2/3 weeks ahead of me so would love some hand holding, the mere thought of being pregnant and the dvt risk is giving me a cold sweat!

I feel worried and stressed and now I have slipped back to thinking I have a brain aneurysm, I was doing well but as usual two steps forward, three steps back. X

[NatalieBee]

Hi Everyone, mind if I join?

I have had Health anxiety for a long time now, as a child I would sit with broken arms for days before letting anyone see how bad it was and now I'm an adult it seems to have spiralled out of control. There is always something I tend to focus on in relation to dying..it was heart attacks and breast cancer the last few months and currently it is anaphylactic shock, I hate Eating anything I haven't had recently and the thought of going for tea is horrifying, it is really starting to effect my life. I had really felt it starting to improve but since my pregnancy it is in full flow again, I'm currently 27 weeks pregnant with my first and the thought of giving birth and having a hemmorage is constantly on my mind. I'm so scared of telling someone and them thinking I am just being silly or giving me medication which I know I wouldn't take for the fear of an allergic reaction, ah it took a lot of work to get myself to take my pregnancy vitamins in the beginning never mind proper medication! Funny thing is I'm a nurse..I seem to be fine with hospitals/healthcare when it's for someone else just not me..

Sorry super long post Im going to catch up with the rest of the thread now :)

[Buildmeabuttercup]

I've had it today. Tight headache but pain when I cough/strain. All the websites have this a danger sign/red flag/brain swelling see gp as an emergency, well obviously I can't because it's Saturday another day spent sobbing and sobbing so close to cancelling family tonight and walking ten miles to a and e. Can't cope, death will be better at this point.

[PeterSpots]

I hope you all feel better. Hope it's ok to post. I think I may have health anxiety & my fear is causing my problems not to go. I have had a tingling face for 4 months. Panicked thought I had the worse thing possible. It has turned out to be caused through teeth clenching not the awful brain virus they said. In between the diagnosis and my next appointment with 2 other specialist. I panicked they got it wrong & in that 2 weeks I've had a buttock problem & pelvic pain come back. I'm devastated & feel like I can't go on. My life's Been riddled with pain things. Is my health anxiety causing it cos I can't let go. I panic so much. Got to go to doctors next week cos I have low vit d & I'm anemic.

[LillyJames86]

Hi Everyone, is it ok if I join?

I have been suffering from terrible health anxiety (and anxiety in general) for the past three months. I am constantly calling my doctors convinced that I have some horrible illness. I am currently terrified that I have als. On Thursday I noticed that I have a weird feeling in my right index finger, almost as if the joint is swollen. My hand now feels stiff, numb and tingly. I stupidly googled the symptoms and came up with als and now I am convinced that I have it and its all that I can think about. I feel like this anxiety is destroying my life.

[Sunnydays999]

I'm not sure if this is health anxiety or something different ? I feel bad for life choices when I was younger and wil, go through stages of thinking it got hiv- got myself in a real state when pregnant because of this . Now I think il get cancer because I drink to much wine . Doesn't help my mum was quite neglectful and I seem to take on her negative views .she always picks and now I got myself obsessed that i will get it .

[Sunnydays999]

Lilly - if your hyperventilating with anxiety could it be causing u probs xx

[LillyJames86]

I think the finger is legitimate - and probably everything else psychological.
Has anyone experienced a tightness in their finger before? Its on my right hand, so could be from using the computer all day.

I should have known better than to google, it always makes me think that I have the scariest things. None of my friends or family understands, they all think I have lost my mind but to me it all seems really and scary.

[PeterSpots]

I think I'm clutching at straws & hoping anxiety is causing all my symptoms.

[LillyJames86]

Having horrible anxiety tonight about my teeth. I had a lower wisdom tooth out two weeks ago and developed dry socket - so everything is hurting. I noticed today that one of my top teeth (which has a filling in to) is sensitive when I run my tongue over it. I am having anxiety that its something serious and will require dental work. Or worse that the problem will be so serious that they will have to pull the tooth and ill have a missing a visible missing tooth.

I wish I could stop all of these fears from running through my head.

[40slady]

hello all , iv not been on for some time as trying to cope with out internet and CBT with consilor ...
but here i am again ...HA back again

will read back to catch up a bit .

[WasWats]

Here you all are. I couldn't find you! I had been ok-ish but a friend died last week. She had cancer. This time last year there was not a bother on her. She was so fit and healthy, even ran a marathon. Then she got a pain in her back, she thought t was muscular. It wasn't.

RIP

I am now terrified again. She had zero symptoms, nothing at all. She had been going for physio and the pain was receding but never fully went. The gp sent her for bloods and that was it :(

[WasWats]

.

[crabapple34]

I'm sorry to hear about your friend waswats. How sad. I can see how something like that would trigger your anxiety.

[Chelsea89]

Hi everyone, hope it's ok to post!
I definitely think having my children triggered it for me!
I had my first child back in 2011 and it was there but nothing major, then I got pregnant with my second and my symptoms of gestational diabetes was a lot worse this time round but when I asked to be tested they wouldn't as I wasn't over weight and of low risk. My symptoms got worse, then I had my "little" dd who weighed 10lbs, I'm only 5'1 and about 7 stone. She was really poorly with extremely low blood sugar levels caused by the gestational diabetes, she was rushed to special care and we was warned there was a risk of brain damage if her sugars didn't rise soon. From here on its been a downward spiral for me.
When the youngest dd was four months old her big sister caught a nasty tummy bug, it was here I realised I was petrified of vomit. Or myself or my kids getting tummy bugs. The baby caught it and was hospitalised and I was worried about her blood sugar again. It was awful. I had CBT and managed it rather well, then I had the coil fitted, I wasn't told this could make my anxiety worse and asked for it to be removed after two weeks of back to back panic attacks. Then they couldn't find it and I had to have an operation to have it removed, I then ended up with a tummy bug/ pelvic infection, week long stay in hospital and now I'm right back to square one. Going doctors tomorrow as my anxiety its out of control, just come back of our first family holiday, I must of ate once during this week petrified of getting poorly. I've hardly slept for weeks. I just want to be normal.
Sorry for long post.
Hope your all well!

[crabapple34]

Hello chelsea.Sounds like you've had a tough time of it. I believe fear of vomit is quite common, which is understandable if you think about it. I'm glad you're going to the doctors, hopefully you'll get back on track. In the mean time could you use some of the techniques you learnt in CBT last time ?
peterspots It's amazing what sensations anxiety can create. And that's what makes HA so horrible. It's a cycle of feeling a minor pain, building up in your head and then thinking about it so much the pain increases, causing more anxiety and so it goes on. Have you spoken to your doctor about anxiety at all?
40s lady Hi, sorry to hear you're feeling bad again, but remember there's going to be set backs. Don't feel too disheartened.
lillyjames I've had a weird feeling round the joints of my thumb and finger before. Strange feeling that i've never had before. I'm quite sure it's down to anxiety.

[PeterSpots]

Who thinks my symptoms could be from anxiety/depression/stress. Tingling face from TMJ, buttock pain. Now pelvic pain behind pubic bone. Seeing gynaecologist tomorrow. So low to have all these things.

[PeterSpots]

Now it's my ankle because I wore high heels for a funeral. I can't cope with it all