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Original poster

Anyone else suffer from anxiety that peaks when their kids are poorly?

16 replies

AnxiousEffie · 12/10/2018 20:09

I have anxiety about something happening to them and it spikes when they are ill.

My son has a temp and is feeling sick. He's asleep now but I know I won't sleep properly and will compulsively check in on him a lot.

I'm having palpitations just knowing he is ill.

Anyone else suffer like this?

OP posts:
ScarlettDarling · 13/10/2018 21:14

Yes, absolutely. I am verging on phobic about my dc being ill, even now that they aren't little any more. You have my sympathy, it's awful when they're poorly. It will pass though, just hold on to that.

thaegumathteth · 13/10/2018 21:35

Yes although I’m much much much better than I used to be. Sometimes I think worrying about them maybe getting ill is actually worse than when they are actually ill!!

Just remember this too will pass

TheSheepofWallSt · 13/10/2018 21:39

Yes.

I have OCD (pure O type) and post natal anxiety (linked) and my 2 year old being sick often triggers a “bad patch”.

Also tends to mean I get less sleep- which is also an enormous trigger for anxiety for me- so a perfect storm really.

Just coming out the other side of a nasty chest infection here, so know exactly how you feel Flowers

Weepingwillows12 · 13/10/2018 21:42

Yes! I spin every scenario and then get exhausted. Makes me not sleep.

boomboo · 13/10/2018 21:45

Yes 100% my eldest DC has a life long condition which required brain surgery. I am always on look out for symptoms but I'm trying to manage my anxiety better.

user1486910647 · 21/10/2018 20:28

I have this and it’s absolutely horrible. My ds2 went through a period last year of quite a few tummy bugs and now I have terrible anxiety about him getting unwell. The minute he says ‘Mum my tummy feels funny’ my stomach hits the floor and I could actually be sick myself ☹️ The thing is if he is actually unwell I’m fine dealing with the sickness or whatever it’s the anticipation of something happening that I can’t deal with. I never used to feel this way with DS1 and I don’t know where it’s stemmed from but it’s horrible. You have my sympathies x

Original poster
AnxiousEffie · 21/10/2018 20:36

It's awful isn't it?

I just run through every worst scenario. I check for rashes, take their temp.

I just think I'm going to walk in and they'll be really Ill or the worst thing imaginable.

I have general anxiety but them being ill sets it off to 100%

OP posts:
tigercub50 · 21/10/2018 20:42

Absolutely! But I have really surprised myself dealing with sick as I was verging on phobic. I think it helps that DD is very calm when she has a bug ( which thankfully is rarely) & of course I feel sorry for her & that makes me put my own fears aside.
I worry generally about her health as her diet is pretty awful but she keeps remarkably fit considering

sproutsandparsnips · 21/10/2018 20:58

Yes! But it is much better than it was. It used to be any kind of illness, but then just vomiting/diarrhoea. I didn't take my eldest to any toddler groups at all because I was so worried about it Blush. Now I'm still very anxious about it (and it doesn't help when people point out that 'it's going around') but it doesn't take over my life as it used to.

BrieAndChilli · 21/10/2018 21:05

I used to be fairly relaxed about the kids being ill but then a couple of years ago DS1 (8 at the time) was sick a couple of times over the weekend and complaining of a sore tummy. We kept telling him he had a sock bug and he needed to eat something. He had a slight (but not raging) temp on the Monday so I kept him off, us still saying it was a sick bug/tummy hurting because he wouldn’t eat anything.
Anyway took him into A&E on the Monday night and it turned out he had appendicitis and when they operated he had already burst. He had to have all his insides washed and was off school for a month.

It was horrible and I felt so guilty that I had fobbed him for so long. Now I’ve gone completely the other way and worry about every sniffle and mark. I can’t even tell myself that I’m just overreacting as I know that there is a chance I’m not!!

mummabearfourbabybears · 21/10/2018 22:00

I go straight to worse case. If my kids get a tummy bug I think stomach cancer or a headache, brain tumour. My daughter has been feeling more tired than usual in my normal head I think 'she's working extra hours and getting up earlier for the horse' but I side I'm convinced it's leukaemia. Can't eat or sleep it's terrible. My doctors refuse to acknowledge it's anything serious with my mental health. I'm at a loss about how to cope with it.

Original poster
AnxiousEffie · 21/10/2018 22:02

Mummabear that's exactly me :(
I always think of the C word first.

OP posts:
user1486910647 · 22/10/2018 19:42

AnxiousEffie how’s your son?

costacoffeecup · 22/10/2018 19:48

Yes, me! I have health anxiety anyway but it's worse with dd, I literally can't sleep or eat with worry if she's ill. Don't think it's normal really.

probablynotrelevant · 22/10/2018 19:55

Yes me too. I have health anxiety around my daughter. I think it stems from her being sick as a baby (exorcist style) and my DH was away working. We ended up in hospital, I had to call a friend to come with me. I thought I was going to die of a heart attack I was so worried. She was fine and we went home, but now, if she gets a temp, or a cough, anything, my anxiety rises. I always fear the worst. I am getting better, and if my husband is around I can rely on him to talk me down, but its horrible. I am hoping it gets easier as she gets older.

Saymaname · 22/10/2018 20:15

Yes me too. I didn’t actually realise until I read your title. If we’ve got something planned I start to get nervous they’ll be poorly...
Tiring thoughts. Best wishes to you.

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