Health anxiety is out of control

[cattia]

Over the past year, I've worried obsessively about having a brain tumour, ovarian cancer, melanoma and now I'm convinced I've got breast cancer because of a white spot on my areola and I spend all day long checking my breasts freaking out in case I can feel any lumps. I went on Sertraline after the summer but it increased my panic attacks to the point where I could barely function and it also gave me major fatigue. I'm now seeing a counsellor, it's costing me £40 per week but it's two steps forward then two steps back. I don't even enjoy the time I spend with my kids because I'm so distracted by thoughts of what they will do when I'm not around any more. I'm hoping my dr will refer me to the breast clinic but then it's only a matter of time until my anxiety switches to something else.
Has anyone else had experience with health anxiety? I've been this way my whole life to some extent but since I turned 40 last year it's snowballed big-time.

I am also terrible with health anxiety. Has the sertraline made any difference? The only antidepressant that has worked for me is venlafaxine which is for anxiety rather than depression

Hugs xx

I quit the Sertraline after six weeks because it was just making me feel worse. I used to take prozac and that helped with depression and anxiety to some extent but probably more with the depression. I seem to get every side effect listed but they do wear off, wondering whether I should try something else. The trouble is when I get like this I think the only thing that will make me feel better is getting a load of tests for whatever illness I'm worrying about!

I am exactly the same!! Problem is, you can will yourself to have the symptoms. The brain can do awful things to you

Yes I've suffered from it in the past and have had a relapse this year as a result of various health problems and uncertainties. Is your counsellor helping?

I don't want to take drugs as taking an antidepressant for nerve pain seems to have set off a whole load of new symptoms to be anxious about. I did a bit of reading - tbh I found a lot of it around health anxiety not helpful because it seemed to focus on the chances of you not having stuff, which when you have distracting symptoms is hard. I have done a lot of Googling, which on the one hand isn't helpful and has set off many panics, but on the other in relation to one set of symptoms has convinced me it's nothing serious.

The two things that stood out for me were 1. confronting the possibility that it is something serious and thinking about how I'd cope with that helped to take the fear away a little bit because I started to think about the reality rather than it being a big panicky mess, and actually it probably wouldn't be as bad as I thought. The the problem with getting health tests is that you get one clear and then you have another thing to worry about; and 2. just trying to be more of the type of person who deals with things as they come, in particular thinking what a friend who is like this would do, and recognising that life is about living with uncertainty rather than expecting everything to go well.

It's really difficult though. And my experience of the NHS is that it's struggling to cope - I still don't have a proper diagnosis for symptoms I've had for nearly a year because everything takes so long.

I am exactly the same. I've had health anxiety for years and at 44 you'd have thought I'd have gotten over it by now but in fact it's getting worse the older I get. Its fed by the fact I have endless chronic symptoms which feed the anxiety and then I get in a cycle of worry, symptoms, more worry then more symptoms, it's exhausting. Every gp wants to put me on antidepressants and when I explain I don't want them because the side effects fuel the anxiety even more, they look at me like I'm being awkward. It sounds ridiculous but the top of my wish list for a lottery win is to have a full private health check, stupid, I know.

Yeah I'm 48 and mine is because things are actually going wrong, though I guess I am worrying disproportionately.

I'm glad to know I'm not alone but also sorry that others of you are dealing with this. I honestly can't figure a way past this. I've tried CBT in the past and I get the concept of rationalising thoughts but actually it doesn't help much because the reality is that I could easily die and leave my children and I can't see how I would find peace with that so anything that makes it seem like it could actually be happening is super terrifying to me.

I'm terrified about that too, I'm a lone parent and my DD has a poor relationship with her dad. The thing is though parents dying does happen, a friend of mine has just died leaving two teens and I know of another parent with terminal cancer and it's shit, but life goes on and if the worst did happen I figure at least I'd be likely to have some time to be able to put things in place for my DD and all the things I've done so far have set her up as far as possible for a good life. I really don't know though how you cope with the sheer panic blood running cold feelings, mine has died down temporarily, though I'm sure it will be back. This is not something I ever thought about when pregnant!

I suffer from health anxiety. Some days are good, some days are awful. I find distractions help. I often go for a walk to help clear my mind . Wish I could completely be cured

I started with health anxiety in July when a chest x-ray was flagged as suspicious. After a fast track referral for a Ct scan it turns out it was a bit of lingering infection. I convinced myself I had lung cancer or another grim disease (thanks to Dr. Google) and since then I have been a mess... since July I have convinced myself I have lung cancer, pulmonary hypertension, copd, stomach cancer, oesophagal cancer, DVT, leukaemia, cirrhosis, lymphoma, kidney cancer, and cancer of the arm (seriously!!). My current fear is ovarian cancer and I have an internal ultrasound next week due to pain. My sensible self tells me not to panic, but my hypochondriac self has told me it's cancer. I keep thinking I have it under control but then it starts again I have started CBT which does help...as does fluoxetine...but wish it would go away as it's taking over my life!!

I think mine comes at least in part from an abusive childhood and just being wired to be constantly on my guard about everything. That's not easily remedied, it would be good to hear from people who've got over it though.

I hear you all! I'm completely lost in panic about breast cancer at the moment because I've got a white spot next to my nipple that won't seem to go away. I'm literally planning my funeral. Writing down all the illnesses I've worried about this year in my new journal has made me realise how ill I've been with my anxiety this year. I'm going to hope that my counselling helps this year and maybe I'll try medication again although Sertraline was a nightmare for me.

Have you actually ever had anything wrong with you? My health anxiety actually lessened after I had to go through some tests for something a few years back, turned out nothing wrong.

Of course the underlying issue is anxiety and it won't go away until you address that. If you stop worrying about health it will manifest somewhere else.

I was given an antihistamine called hydroxyzine for anxiety recently - also works as a sleeping aid. It's really very effective for anxiety and I find one dose can last for a few days aswell.

I'd definitely revisit the GP and ask for more options on medications, there are so many that have anxiety reducing qualities, not just anti depressants. Focus on getting treatment for the problem you know you have ie the anxiety, not trying to get lots of tests for things you're worried you might have.

Your GP will refer you to the breast clinic if they think you really need it.

Oh and good luck, I know how horrid it is to have that degree of anxiety.

I have done the same cattia - written all my symptoms in a journal, what I thought was wrong (usually cancer), and what was actually wrong (never anything sinister). It's actually embarrassing to read so I'm hoping re-reading it at times of anxiety will help calm me down x

I was exactly the same, meds made me worse CBT and counselling had little affect. I would play through in my head my dying, my funeral, his my husband and kids would manage without me it was horrendous. I had severe pains all over my abdomen making my fears worse. Turns out my symptoms were pschosymptomatic (basically created by myself). Nothing was working for me the pains worsened was nearly a year of suffering. Then I joined the gym the very next day all my pains stopped and with each visit my anxiety massively decreased. Had someone told me previously that the gym would have had such a positive impact I’d have laughed in their faces. Won’t work for everyone I’d suspect but I’d recommend it for anyone suffering with severe anxiety.

Thank you for all these replies. It is so reassuring to know I'm not alone in this. I can't even gain much reassurance from the Drs because my fears can switch so quickly from one thing to the next that I can barely keep up with it and it's embarrassing how many visits I've had to the GP. I think exercise could really help actually and it's definitely worth a try.

Some of my earliest memories are of lying wide awake in bed worrying late into the night about cancer and getting ill and dying. I have spent my whole life battling health anxiety, seen numerous counsellors, GPs, therapists, tried medication (only fluoxetine) and CBT, and been sent urgently to hospital once in my late teens when it sent me into a bit of an uncontrollable psychosis type meltdown.

I don't know how or why but have had it much more under control in the last 3-4 years. I still worry horribly and obsessively but knowing why i worry helps to rationalise it.

I'm sorry, I don't have any advice for you really. Don't be embarrassed about going to your doctor. You may not have any of the conditions you're worried about but you do have a real, actual condition that they should be taking seriously. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. But you must be honest with them about how you feel and the lack of control you are experiencing with your fears.

Good luck, OP

Ps I agree with pp about exercise. My mental health is SO much better when I am doing regular exercise. Worth bearing in mind if you're not currently doing much and feel like you could manage something.

I already do lots of exercise, I hate to think what I'd be like if I didn't! Although the good news is that exercise is protective against the conditions I worry about!

I would highly recommend mindfulness. You could start with Mindfulness by Mark Williams which is an 8 week self guided program. I have health anxiety as well and it's helped me a lot.im trying to learn to experience the fear directly in the busy rather than pushing it away or mentally obsessing. Not easy after decades of doing so.