Health Anxiety

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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

Hi Spain, it does sound like you have HA. I worry about my health and my kids health.

I have had cbt twice before and have an appointment next month to be assessed for my third lot of cbt. I'm also on anti depressants.

Does your DH worry about his health? Ask your gp for some help, it definitely helps to talk about it.

Just marking my place....Started a thread about this yesterday but this one is busier!

I'm going down the rabbit hole again. Lingering chest stuff plus exhaustion and the last few weeks bloated with digestive issues. 'Obviously cancer, right?' says my stupid fucking head says. Or much more likely repeated infections caught from germy children, exhaustion due to working full time and lousy sleep, crap immune response and dodgy digestion following four lots of antibiotics. Had energy at the weekend and felt okish. Now I don't and in addition to juggling work and home and feeling sick, my stupid fucking brain now won't shut up about cancer. It's the double whammy of actual physical stuff / exhaustion and the brain making up hideous stories at the same time and reinforcing each other that makes me feel desperate and hopeless. Would anxiety drugs at least shut my head up so I don't waste energy on that side of it?

I am feeling like this also.
I am still having issues with my stomach and so worried its Bowel Cancer,Doctors all tell me its IBS and all the tests I have had came back normal.so hard to actually let go of the worry its Cancer.
I felt myself spiralling down so went back to the Docs today and told them I need a colonoscopy-I actually cried when she agreed this time-different doc and was very kind and really listened.(she did say she was 99.9% sure that nothing would be found)so now I am feeling silly and like maybe I ahould cancel the test..yet this worry wont go and after I have the test done I am hoping that I will be finally free of all this.
Hugs to all feeling so shitty.
I think drugs would help...however thats not something I want to do.
The Doc I saw talked about talking therapy and Mindfulness? would something like that help you instead?

Hi everyone I'm glad I found this thread.
My anxiety is so bad this week I can hardly think and have very low mood. It's even affecting me doing small tasks 🙁. I've booked for some counselling as I think it's just lots of things building up over time

Hi hope you're all well.

Just looking for some advice please. I have had terrible anxiety for a long time but recently it is focused around my daughters health.

My husband left me Thursday night. He is in contact and we are trying to salvage our relationship, whatever he thinks is left of it. My health anxiety is one of the issues we have and I have already got plans in place to see a specialist about this. I spoke to my gp about this yesterday as I realise it is now getting out of control.

On Sunday night (in amongst all the emotional trauma of losing my husband), I found a lump at the back of my daughter head - a few cm back from her ear in amongst her hair.

Since then I have taken her to two gps and spoken to the gp on the phone who examined her the first time who have both said "100 percent nothing to worry about." It is either a gland or a muscle insertion and these things are completely normal in three year olds. They even said it would be bad medical practice to examine her again or investigate. They are absolutely sure that it's my health anxiety that's causing the issue. But of course, having health anxiety myself, I am still worried sick about the lump and thinking all sorts. Any help would be appreciated please. This has been the worst week ever: dealing with the emotional pain of separation and now this!

Hello all please can I join ?,
Before Christmas I had a breast cancer scare which turned out ok, since then I am constantly at the doctors. I have gallstones and I am also awaiting a CT/Colonoscopy for bowel problems. But while I have some genuine things going on . Every twinge I think I have cancer or am dying. I think about it all the time , spend all my time on Google. I have two small children and am scared of leaving them.
I guess the breast cancer scare started this of. I have had X-ray's , ultrasounds and every blood test know to man.
This week I went to hospital and couldn't breath. I was told it was a panic attack. Does this sound like health anxiety and what can I do to help it ? Thank you

I been using pregabalina lyrics 75mg 2 per day for last 2 years. Been using on/off half beta-prograne 80mg sustained release capsules for about 3months.
Doctor said take when needed. But is taking daily better option?
I keep having panic attacks, dodgy stomach and sweating bum that makes me feel I need the loo. I then get dizzy. It's hard to recover until I'm away from it.
Places I get affected

School fair (always)
School plays (always)
Working alone for half hour (not always though)

My partner just gets at me when I have to leave quickly. Saying I made them embarrassed and you missing your sons play or it's not fair on him.

I'm rambling now but sometimes it's so hard not to disappoint people I care for.

Hello, so pleased to find this!
I've been suffering with health anxiety for most of this year, and as much as everybody says just to shake it off, I can't turn off the thoughts.
One of my biggest fears is sepsis. Recently I've had a couple of bouts of cystitis, and other gynae type issues and I'm now constantly checking for any sign of infection in case it will spread and develop into septicemia!
I am totally sick of living my life in abject fear of death, so alongside other things hopefully this will be a good place to find support.

Is it classic HA if you hear of someone IE a neighbour dying of something in a short time and start thinking straight away I have those symptoms that will probably be me

I know this threads gone quiet but so glad I found it, going through a HA flare up at the mo and just so tired of constant worrying and feeling like crap. Nice to see I’m not alone in feeling this way hopefully this thread will come to life again and we can support each other

I know it helps to know you are not alone . I suffer from anxiety too... sometimes I have huge flare ups . Posting on here always really helps me. Have had counselling and CBT which all helped but it never truly goes away.

Good Morning, I hope its ok to post here. First time posting and looking for support,advice reassurance. All that!
A quick synopsis is this, I suffered with PNT atfer ds was born, 12 years ago yesterday. I took Lexapro for about 6 months and that sorted me. Have probably taken lexapro on 2 other occasions since, both times for in or around 6 -8 months.
8 years ago my father who was a very healthy man all his life suddenly got sick and died 8 months later from a lung/heart disease. My brother then got sick very suddenly 3 years ago and died within weeks of getting a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Since my father died I have suffered on and off with health anxiety and I hate it. Last week I got terribly worried about a consultation I had with a dermatologist about a suspicious spot a locum in our surgery noticed while checking my BP. Since, I am over breathing. I have a 'lump' at the top pf my tummy/diaphram area that is making me feel full/tight/ restricted. My breathing is all over the place and I find myself doing the usual...yawning/taking deep breaths to satisfy myself breath wise. I am terrified I have a disease of some kind. I am over weight, don;t really exercise and have avoided addressing both issues due to lack of motivation. I am slightly short tempered at home, not sleeping very well, have some reflux, a rumbling tummy, and a general felling of anxiousness and crap!
Should I go to my gp? I have been toying with the idea. I worried I have something serious wrong with me because in my mind I'm next in the family to get sick.

Thanks for reading. Sometimes its good to off load. I hope you are all doing as well as you can this morning.

Hello user I didn’t want your post to go unanswered it’s no wonder you have health anxiety after what happened to your dad & brother. I feel like it’s somthing I’ve always had however it started getting worse after a family member was diagnosed with a brain tumour so I can totally sympathize with you on that. Have you thought that maybe your symptoms are due to anxiety and the more you worry about them the worser they become? I don’t see any harm in going to your gp if anything to put your mind at rest and let them know how your really feeling easier said then done I know. I also find that offloading on here helps me too😊

Thanks Fairydust26

I am almost certain that my symptoms are anxiety related BUT the devil on my shoulder keeps telling me that perhaps they're more than anxiety and might be real.

Gosh..this health anxiety is awful.