Health anxiety and I've got another new symptom I'm worried about

[shishnfips]

I swear I go in cycles of being obsessed with something. In fact, every day there's something wrong with me. I've had cbt so it dulls it a bit but, still, each time a new one appears I panic.

I've had and continue to have on/off:
Breathlessness - genuine asthma but anxiety aggravates it.
Palpitations
Chest pains
Headaches
Migraines
Numbness
Itchy eyes
I could go on.

New today... itching everywhere, literally even inside my nostrils. No rash but it's driving me nuts and of course I've self-diagnosed something awful.

Can anyone rational tell me to shut up.

I can’t tell you to shut up because I’m exactly the same 😬
I currently definitely have ms and bowel cancer, but last week it was diabetes and my son had leukaemia. It’s ruining my life. It doesn’t help that actually there are quite a few serious health problems (including ms) in my family and so I’m convinced it’s my turn. I feel ridiculous with people actually suffering these things but I can’t help it and I’m getting worse. Have been given a number to call for counselling but haven’t rung it yet. Not sure what I’m trying to say to you but you’re not the only one!!

Gutted you've got it too @HenSolo. Shall we use this thread to vent?!

Abso-bloody-lutely!

Do you have anyone to talk to? My partner is lovely but I don’t think he really gets that all I ever think about is symptoms. Even when I don’t have any ‘active’ symptoms I’m just waiting for something....
How long have you been like this? It started for me after I found a breast lump and got referred to the breast clinic and the arsehole gp had me convinced it was cancer. It wasn’t, obv...

Mine started after dd2 was born and I had a giant panic attack about having anaesthetic for my elcs. My husband takes the mick really "how's your head? Your teeth? Your ears? Arse?". I keep the severity to myself. I'm 30, two kids, work full time. To the rest of the world I'm extroverted and confident. But inside...

Oh god i could write all of this - ive suffered with HE since my first child was born 9 yrs ago.... am taking Sertraline at the moment but i think its becoming ineffective as im having panic attacks again, this time triggered by a routine eye exam and them finding a freckle inside my eye. Although i know NOT to google - what have i been doing? Googling and now im terrified of eye cancer!

I hate this, and no one can understand how much it ruins every aspect of your life, when even a simple smile to others takes all the strength you have whilst you are crumbling inside. Ive joined mumsnet this evening purely for this kind of support.

I understand what your going through xx

I’ve found my people!!
My doc said it’s quite common to start after having kids. As if it’s not stressful enough.
@KeeleyW I had the freckle in the eye panic, went for a routine eye exam having not had one for years and years and she asked how long I’d had the freckle for. I had no idea and that set me off 😬

No one knows how bad I am either. It’s odd because my ds2 actually is quite ill and in and out of hospital (not life threatening as far as we know so far) and as horrid as that is I’m quite calm and rational about it. It seems to be more things that aren’t actually happening, or confirmed, that freak me out more.

I've had health anxiety on and off over the years, but it's largely under control these days. I heartily recommend the book Overcoming Health Anxiety by David Veale. And definitely CBT if you can get it.

The biggest thing that had helped me is running!

I'm another one with chronic health anxiety. Had it since a medical emergency 3 years ago where I believed I was going to die and never see my two young children again.
I've had CBT and EMDR (as have post traumatic symptoms). I refused to take meds as in so scared of any side effects.
My focus is mainly but not exclusive to my heart. I worry about heart attack and stroke on a daily basis, also cancer. I'm a constant checker of my pulse and bp.
Symptoms are horrendous and I notice any slight change in my breathing,( have had laryngospasm) get numbness, electric shock pain in arm, and terrible chest pain that doctors say is gerd but I often still feel unsure.
Despite all of my above rambling I am actually doing a lot better than I once was and am having some good days where I can enjoy life, instead of no good days.
CBT was good and has helped me rationalise and I can stand back and see the 'bigger picture' a lot more clearly than I once could. I also believe Paul David's 'At last a life' helped me turn a corner.

Oh really? I havent been for an eye check in about 15 yrs so i was not prepared for anything like this, even though the optician said it looks fine they still refer you to get it looked at by opthalmologist which im stressing about! Something like this always bloody happens when im feeling good about life and then it comes along and knocks me down again. Ive had CBT which does help but not as much as it did when i first had it. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes last year.....do i stress about that? No! More things that ‘might/could’ be its totally bonkers!

Yay, my crew! I too refuse mediation after a genuine catastrophic reaction to citalopram. The best thing for me is work (full time teacher. It's exhausting but I thrive on being busy), no hormonal contraceptives anymore which definitely effected me and was the main cause of my migraines.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one......
I didn't realise I had it till this morning so joined for some support.....
My friend died of skin cancer about 8 years ago....I had a mole removed which was fine!
My other friend died of pancreatic cancer 4 years ago......shortly after I was convinced I have liver/kidney problems......had tests, I was fine!
3 years ago and I think this made me worse....I had an abnormal smear, lots of treatments later I was fine!
Last year my friend died of a brain tumour, we both suffered with migraines so I'm convinced I could get it as her first warning sign was a mini stroke so whenever I get headache or a migraine I panic on top!!
2 weeks ago I had some discharge so I was convinced I had cervical cancer, I've had swobs.....all normal!!
Monday I felt a lump in my breast, doctors Tuesday, mammogram 26th.......I'm a mess! I now have tingling in my arm nearly all the time which is almost certainly my anxiety but after googling I'm now dying!!
My partner made me realise this morning that if I need to see the doc about anything then it's about my anxiety!!
It seems we are all not alone 💜

Itching/ tingling is intensifying particularly on my face. I've got a neuropathic illness according to my brain. Asked my husband repeatedly to check for redness/rashes but skin is normal. I hate this.

Hi, I’m just popping in to say you’re not alone and (not wishing you HA) I’m so glad I’m not either.

Having a tough time with something unrelated at the moment but hope you keep this thread open. It’s sometimes better talking to other HA sufferers than it is to a hcp as you feel accepted and ‘not a weirdo’

Oh no, I'm sure your fine.......can you not do something to try and take your mind off it. Maybe keeping busy will help 😘

I think we’ll all be able to support each other better than from getting it from any GP, family member or spouse..... no one can understand what this is like unless they have it or have had it - and no, we cant just ‘snap out of it’! The thought of not being around for my kids is the main reason why i havent ever contemplated ending it all....however i can totally understand how any anxiety/depression can make a person feel like thats an option.

I was really bad after my 3rd child. Its such a horrible feeling to be constantly worried. My biggest worry is getting cancer and leaving my children.
I have just had my smear letter so now I'm working myself up into a panic that they will find something. I will be like this until i get the letter with results 😢 I'm also on citalopram, started reducing my dose as been on it for over a year.

Cancer is certainly my trigger also......i used to think i was the only one feeling like this but over the years have started to realise common themes, i.e cancer, fear of not being around for your children etc i feel like a nervous wreck having smears, dentist, GP, absolutely anything.... it makes you paranoid, untrusting and just miserable to be around ..... its nice to hear from others in similar situations xx

Oooooh let me join!
Currently self diagnosed bowel cancer, bene to the doctors, all fine, but in just waiting to die now.

You know when you get it in your head and even the professionals who train and have years and years of experience tell you you won't die and you just dont believe them?

Also always convinced I have a brain tumour every time I get a headache.

Also always convinced I have a brain tumour every time I get a headache

Yup. I have a bit of a sore leg. I mean like a tiny tiny ache. Could it be a bit of a pulled muscle? Absolutely not, it’s bone cancer.

I mean ffs brain.

I've got this really badly as well. Can anxiety cause weird sensations?

@gower4

Yes, definitely. I had therapy for my general anxiety. I learnt that anxiety causes physical changes to your body. For example, when you have a panic attack, your body goes into fight or flight, which sends signals from your brain to your body to realise everything that could weigh you dont in the event you need to run away, that is why people get nervous belts and feel.they need to go to the toilet.
You also sweat more when you are nervous or panicking because you brain send signals to your body to sweat, to make you skin slippery so if a predator got a hold of you are are slippery enough to slip out of a grasp and run away.

It's amazing what our bodies do.

Everything you feel with anxiety is completely normal and just knowing a bit more about how and why the body does these things has made me a hell of a lot calmer and I can manage my anxiety much better. I still have it, and probably always will, but its manageable.

Whenever I've had really bad spells I've developed what I was convinced were neurological disease symptoms, namely tingling, weird feelings on my skin etc. Then when I recover mentally they go away (or I move onto the next sorry!!). Could anxiety really be causing this??

100% I often get strange sensations when I have a bad bought. Also get tingling and a weird feeling I can only describe as tiny cold water droplets on my skin.

Your mind can play tricks on you on the best if days, let alone with anxiety. How are you managing, do you you cope ok?

I'm not managing too well at the moment, to be honest. Just trying to get through each day. I have an appointment with a GP that I really trust but not until next month. I definitely need to go back to counselling.

Counselling was a God send for me, I also need to go back at some point but I find it difficult taking the first steps.

If you ever need someone to talk it out with, I cant cure anyone of their anxiety, but I cant relate and it's nice to have a moan about it with people who understand. It's also nice to know I'm not alone in the boat.