Health Anxiety

[fruitysmoothie]

Just a safe haven for all health anxiety sufferers that may be lurking on the mental health forum to share stories and help one another through the many ups and downs.

As a former and recovered health anxiety sufferer I know all to well the worry, upset and symptoms that arise from this illness and will try and help where I can

I try so to put it all to the back of my mind but it is always there. I feel the same about the kids, always thinking ' what the doctors have missed something? What would happen to my kids?'
I know the root of my health anxiety is connected to the fact that my mum died of a brain tumour when I was 17. The doctors didn't diagnose it for ages. I remember blaming the doctors for ages.

Hi I'm new to the thread.

I have posted a long winded thread at the top so won't post it again. I've had health anxiety for 6 years. Been well for 2/3 years on fluoxetine. Been off it 5 months and now 7 weeks post natal. It's back with avengence. Just want to feel like myself.

Reading all of your comments on this helps. My hubby is supportive but doesn't fully understand. When I'm on meds I can notice a symptom and let it pass. The way I am just now I'm in constant state of panic. It's even affecting me when I'm asleep, jolting up awake and heart racing.

There is not a bit of my body i not had scanned or investigated over the last 6 years. Literally every organ. Just this week I've had a brain MRI, which came out normal. Am I setttled? I was for all of two hours until the health anxious brain said to me, 'but you still have the symptoms so either they missed something on the scan or it is some other neuro disease that is going to kill me'. I only got discharged from hospital on Friday and I've been back as worse as ever. I've just spent hours and hours on my phone googling for reassurance. The worst thing I have at the moment is a problem with my vision in left eye. Optical tests were normal apart from one that wasn't reliable. But despite being told that it was unreliable result x2 I took myself to a&e because I had read that an abnormal test meant brain tumour. Now I've had the clear MRI scan and yet I'm still looking for what is causing it. Meanwhile it's there constantly taunting me and scaring me.

I honestly hate this fucking thing. I'm sorry you are all suffering too. I wish I felt strong just now but I feel so weak with it. 8m struggling to fight.x

Le1890, sorry you are feeling so bad. Its completely exhausting isn't it having your mind constantly in overdrive. Have you tried CBT? I finished a course of it recently and am currently going through a bad health anxiety spell, i find going back over the course notes does help keep me from the downward spiral. I do think googling is fuel for the fire, its so hard not to do it but if you can stop yourself i think it definitely helps.

Le1890 - I know it's hard but try not to google, it's full of rubbish a lot of the time and can be really really bad for people with health anxiety (although I know from experience just how hard it is to resist)

So Dr Google has told me I might have cancer (again.) I've had issues with my stomach for the past week. Started with heartburn, nausea and vomiting. Now a week later the nausea is gone but now so is my appetite. Normal me is always hungry! I know it's probably just gastritis but not being hungry is very strange and unsettling for me.

Stay away from dr google bluetongue!! I know it's hard but it's full of poop!!

Blue tongue - this seems just like me year ago. Acid reflux, nausea and abdo pain. I had test after test, numerous blood tests , I have lost count. They found nothing serious except diverticulosis and gastritis. I like you googled all the symptoms and started to drive myself insane. Never google symptoms! Only the doctor can diagnose you. It is very rare and not in their interest to misdiagnose people. I hope you are feeling better. Remember you are not alone and you can break this cycle xxx

Thanks for the support. I have my appetite back It seemed to be a short term gastritis type thing. I'd also just started on a different contraceptive pill which might have been a culprit (stopped taking it as I was feeling so ill.)

Now To concentrate on my real health issues of losing weight, improving my diet and exercise ...

Depression is one of the major problems that our society is experiencing today in a global scale. All ages suffer depression and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. What's more to it is that major depressive disorder affects twice as many women as men. For both genders it is most common in those who are 25-44 of age and least common for those over the age of 65.
In order to cure one must not rely on medication alone. Getting social support is a great factor as well.

I am suffering badly from HA at the moment, I have had OCD for years...recently I've been terrified about getting cancer, a close friend was diagnosed recently and it's made me paranoid (I know this shoudn't be about me! :( ), I've also started worrying about DC, DC had blood tests done the other day and I'm terrified the blood draw was contaminated/needle reused and DC could have got HIV or another infection. It's exhausting, I felt absolutely terrible for getting DC to have blood tests, the doctor recommended it and I didn't push it because I don't want to drag DC into my OCD. DC had red pin-prick dots in mouth so the doctor thought it needed a blood test to check for anything more serious but DH says it was totally unnecessary and I later found an article on the internet that says kids often get this in their mouth when they have a virus. I feel like such a shit mum, DC was screaming and hated getting the blood tests done, they had to do it three times as they couldn't get to the vein. I hate myself for putting DC through it. :( If I'd just left it DC would have been fine and since DC had no other symptoms plus the doctor said it was probably self-limiting and cause by the virus I really wish i hadn't put DC through all that stress. And now I'm terrified the needles were re-used and DC could have got Aids. But whatever happens now this shit is staying with me and not DC. My mum said if you are always in the doctor's surgery they have to do something and refer you as you keep coming back. I know my problems aren't really physical but more mental but my fears are out of control. I managed to find an OCD group that I think I will join and also I'm getting meditation apps on my iPhone. Just hope some of it makes a difference.

to everyone dealing with fear and anxiety, it is a horrible state to be in.

I have been suffering with HA for about 2 years. It is horrendous and like many here, spend so much time in fear, dread and tears that I will be leaving my dc's. Constantly think things like, will I be here for Christmas, I must write letters to them to help them as they grow up etc etc. It's ruining my life! Currently having CBT but not sure it's working.....

Egoanono- I know exactly how you feel. I was so bad this time last year. Was going to gp practically every other day. I had so many tests and blood tests I have lost count! Ended up seeing a counsellor then had 12 sessions of CBT. It did help me a bit. But that feeling of dread is always lurking. You are definitely not alone xx

Thanks lovechocolate123 it is comforting to read stories of people feeling like I do. I'm having ultrasound tests this week but separately thinking I have skin cancer (this week!). It's debilitating and I have anxiety attacks too, feel light headed and sick regularly. Have to remember to breathe. Then I think, maybe it's not an anxiety attack, maybe I really am ill. When blood tests etc come back as clear, I'm convinced something has been missed. I never used to be like this. Horrid.

Just to say I downloaded Audiojoy as an iPhone app and I'm listening to Eire spaceship and it's really chilling me out... you could probably get a different app that does the same thing but this ones free. It's just weird noises but it's sooo relaxing.

That sounds just like me . "Maybe they missed something ", "what if it's cancer?", "how will my kids cope?" Etc...
I spent hours googling my symptoms on the internet..... big mistake! At one point my DH had to take the phone away from me. The Counsellor and CBT did help. Try to stick with it. I am here if you want to chat xx

im looking for some advise.. I'm currently expecting with my partner of 2 and a half years, but I have always always been the same since the day we first met. I believe I am suffering from adult separation anxiety to him...? day to day and work is fine although I'm always eager to get home and cave to ring him the second I leave whilst I drive home until I'm home. but when he goes out with his friends or to get drunk my anxiety I through the roof! I cant cope and feel so guilty as I feel I ruin his night... but I can not and wont sleep till he is home by y side... I like to know where he is, who hes with and when hes home and how drunk he is... I know deep down he would never cheat as I know he truly loves me to but I torture my self with all kind of thaughts I was his "first" and believe one day he will want to experient with others... I'm jelous that he has more fun wit hhis friends I don't have ny friends my self I cut my self of once I was with him... I have no one to talk to and no help I don't know how to deal with this especially now expecting a baby:( I just feel like a horrible girlfriend like her cant go out and have fun but then this evil takes over me and I never want him to go out again and I would do anything to stop him .... I need some help and advise is there anyone else that feels the same way?

Hi. Ive just found this thread as Im currently going through a bad spell. I have suffered with HA since the birth of my youngest 3.5 years ago. It has been relatively under control for the past year I would say.
I have noticed my anxiety increasing more in the past few weeks and then wham! Xmas day spent googling and in a blind panic that this would be the last one with the kids.
I can't keep going through it anymore. It is affecting my day to day life too much.
I'm tempted to ask for meds but the side effects scare me.
As anyone tried online cbt?

I've had CBT and while it helped enormously it certainly hasn't 'cured' me. For the last 19 years I have not had a single year where at some point I have not been convinced I have some form of cancer. No one other than my very close family would ever know that large parts of my day are filled with constant obsessive thoughts about possible symptoms. I have had episodes where normal every day sensations have become symptoms of something terrible and taken weeks sometimes months to settle down before the next obsession starts. For me it's not that I worry about dying for myself but for what it might do to my children to lose a parent while they are still young. And ironically I love life and live it to the absolute full, is just that I live in terror or every good moment being snatched away from me. So hard to put into words but thank you for this thread as it's good to know there are others who understand.

I'm having a massive flare up - it happens every sodding Christmas without fail. Not that that makes me any less convinced that this time is "the" time and it really will be cancer this time. My symptoms are an upstairs stomach for a week, and spotting two days after my period finished. Normal people would think "tummy bug and maybe period hadn't quite stopped". But not me -I either have bowel cancer, cervical cancer or ovarian cancer and I will be dead before the year is finished. And then how will my children cope and on and on and on. I hoped ACT would be a way of dealing with it - it seemed to be helping, but now it's properly being put to the test, it's as useless as all the others. It talks about only giving time to useful thoughts - the trouble is, to my brain, the health anxiety is useful because it's the thing that will mean I get something checked out etc - if that makes any sense at all. I'm back to checking every time I go to the loo - dreading going but not able to stop myself, and I'm having to totally sit on my hands wrt googling and getting oh to check (I'm losing on the latter). I made a doctor's appointment this afternoon because of the symptoms, cancelled it this morning and am now regretting doing so. I hate how this fucking condition ruins sodding everything. And I hate how at the moment it feels like I'm stuck with the bastarding thing forever.

It's truly awful isn't it. I've been at work today which helps as it keeps me busy and stops me checking constantly. Soon as I get home it starts though.
The HA used to be just about me but I'm now starting to worry about DH. I'm exhausted with it.

I've just taken my first duloxetine to try and reduce my anxiety. It's crap.

SSD I have the same fears and I think it's all connected with the death of a loved one . it's the finality of it all , it's so painful for those left behind . I too have just my husband and no other support , so I worry endlessly what would happen to my son if I got cancer ! you see I had it 15 years ago when my boy was 18 months , had to have surgery , couldn't have any more children , but I survived . it left me fearful of what would happen if it came back ! I have wasted so much bloody time over the last 15 years worrying , what a waste of time . I teach my son relaxation where to slow down his thoughts I just tell him they are only words and not to give them a meaning , I do it for me too , it helps get to sleep at least

Just marking my place here, it's good to find some supportive and understanding voices. Christmas is always a tough time.

just to add insult to rotten injury my anxiety went ^ as my husband just gave me an out of date chocolate mousse , I am seriously stressing that I will be up all night vomiting 😢

I have been bad too recently. Think you are right about Christmas. I had nausea and abdo cramps keeping thinking I have advanced ovarian cancer. Been like this on and off for over a year now. At first it was pancreatic cancer now ovarian. I did a course of CBT which helped but not cured it. The thing is I had so many scans , blood tests I can't even remember. I even had a blood test for ovarian cancer which came back negative. All I keep thinking maybe it's not 100% accurate and the doctors made a mistake.