Health anxiety.... PLEASE HELP

[SpideyMom]

Currently crying 😭

I am really struggling with it at the moment. Due to persistent and increasing hip bone pain and now into my side. Bloods have been tested for a variety of things all of which require no further action. Finally going for an xray tomorrow 'to put my mind at rest' the doctor says, but these last two days have been awful. And I am obsessively feeling my side.

My mind is spiralling and in struggling. I cry alot. I have a 5 year old DS and it terrifies me if something was wrong with me, and it terrifies me even more should anything happen to me at home and he be on his own. I realise these are the absolute worst scenarios but they terrify me.

I just don't feel happy now. I am terrified something isn't right. Pain meds and pregablin don't seem to be doing a thing.

I would be grateful for any advice of calming my mind, and hope that the anxiety will get better.

TIA xx

Hugs. You know how cars can sometimes get stuck in gear - well this is your brain doing that. The "it's ok, move on" switch isn't working right now, so you brain never feels calm, and because it doesn't feel calm, it thinks there must be something wrong, so then it tries to protect you by trying to work out what's wrong, only of course there isn't anything wrong, so it latches onto the first thing in front of it.

What all this means is that although you feel terrible (hugs!), you can reassure yourself that that doesn't mean things actually are terrible. Anything you can distract yourself with is good - music, TV, colouring in, heck even repeating one word over and over can work.

The next thing to do, if you haven't already, is to discuss treatment options for the anxiety with your GP. If they offer medication - consider it. I wish I'd started on it much sooner than I did!

Thank you so much for responding.

I had my xray today so I now have to wait for the results. I think I need to be really honest with my GP though as my anxiety at the moment is ruining me. If I could I wouldn't leave the house.

It just makes me so sad that I am in my early 30s and feel like this. I feel I am letting my little boy down.

You are absolutely right about needing something to distract me.

Are you OK any medication?

Happy to help! You are not letting your boy down, any more than you would be if you had diabetes or a broken leg! Definitely talk to your GP though as they can help. I'm on sertraline, which pretty much fixed my health anxiety. I don't know if it works this well for everyone, so I don't want to say it will do the same for you and get your hopes up, but for me it's been ace. Definitely worth considering. As is talking therapy if you can get refered for it, but I suspect the waiting lists will be long, so I would consider medicine first while you wait for a referral. Best wishes!

I have bad health anxiety and have done for years but worse now I'm middle aged. Everything sets me off. So know how you feel.

Please try not to worry. The bloods are all fine so that's really reassuring .i had terrible hip pain a year ago and was terrified, bloods ok, X-ray ok but turns out I have spiked hip bones which are causing a tendinitis around my hips, and the pain sometimes feels right on the bone.

I take analgesia at night, got a softer mattress topper and now see a physio. It's probably something which will get better over time . Hope the X-ray goes ok .

Evening guys. Your replies are greatly appreciated.

I feel my pregablin is kicking in now. I still feel uncomfortable but I don't feel like I am panicking. I am also going to sleep listening to meditation and for the first time in years I feel like I am getting a decent sleep.

My hip bones are extremely pointy. They poke out. I'm normal build and not skinny yet they still protrude. Sunday night was by far my worst. The pain radiated upwards and I started to obsess that it was now spreading.

I'm currently going on the basis that no news I good news with my xray, so fingers crossed that is the case

It's horrible isn't it , you could always ring the GP in the morning and ask how long X-ray result is likely to be, as you are worried, then it will give you an idea of time. I think mine took a week or so.

I think I'll turn to the Calm app tonight ..not well presently and as usual thinking the worst ...hope you sleep well .

Well I spoke too soon. The pain at every movement last night was awful and this morning is the same

Hi @SpideyMom just coming out of my viral haze slowly -just wondering how you're getting along ?

Hey @girlofthenorth

Well I think my pregablin is helping now. It's taken the edge off my anxiety thank god. I'm still in pain with my hip but the doctors are pretty confident that it is nothing serious following blood tests and an xray. I still can't get my head around it but I guess I have to trust them. But then the other day a doctor came into work and stressed I needed to push for an Mri, so that's fucked me up to be honest as the worrying has started all over.

How are you doing?

Hi @SpideyMom so what was the diagnosis ? Maybe if you're still in pain, and there is no diagnosis, asking for a scan wouldn't be a bad idea, just in case things don't improve. Did they say it was wear and tear, or musculoskeletal ?
I'm very post viral and tired, but trying not to let my health anxiety click in , it's a tough one..

Evening.

The diagnosis is trochanteric bursitis or now called trochanteric pain syndrome. It's going to take physio and if nothing helps steroid injections.

I've started supplementing magnesium and I have to admit I don't feel as exhausted. Don't get me wrong, I could still sleep alot, but it's not the painful kind of tiredness I used to experience where I'd cry wishing the hours away to be able to sleep.

Sorry to hear its not been easy your way. It's a real battle isn't it

Glad you have moved on . I think physio will help immensely! I have heard bursitis is really painful.

I'm trying to to imagine with every twinge that my chest infection is coming back - I think I'm thinking too much about it all....

I can't switch off about my hip either though. I can't process why it's still so uncomfortable and not getting better if something isn't wrong. I really hate how my brain works at times

Just wanna say I'm here for a hand hold and you're not alone. I am also early 30's with a 5yr old ds and my health anxiety and emetophobia is out of control. You're definitely moving in the right direction with the meditation music etc, I know it's hard when you constantly feel the pain it's a reminder every day that something isn't right, which is true but just because it's "something" doesn't mean it's something severe or life threatening or damaging. When your brain says "what is this, why is it happening, what does it mean?" answer your brain with "it's none of your business, I'm moving on" then get up and do something to distract yourself xx

That's good advice @Nogodsnomasters putting it in its place.

I feel like this sometimes - It made me feel better to write a will and make arrangements If something were to happen to me. Then I concentrate on getting better x

girlofthenorth thank you, my therapist always told me your thoughts are not facts and every intrusive thought you have should be challenged or "told off", sounds stupid written like that but it is helpful if you do it consistently, doing it once doesn't do much.

How are you doing @SpideyMom ? I've decided my health anxiety has gone on long enough , and I can try some CBT but I've decided after Christmas I'm going to long for some trauma therapy . Sounds deep but I know my mum dying in her 40s is massive for me and I think the only was I'll get past this , is to try and interstate that girl who saw all that with who I am now . Oh it is going to be tough !!!!!

Evening guys

This is meant in the nicest possible way, it's nice to know I'm not alone in this.

I've been keeping myself busy but it's causing my hip pain to be worse. I'm having the same thoughts as in, this is something serious, just without the panic that usually follows. The biggest change is my exhaustion. Its crippled me for years to the point I'm in tears wishing the day away as it hurts to stay awake. It really must be the supplements helping with that. The exhaustion for me has always been at the core. It's how it all started and it never went away despite having no real excuse to be as tired as I was. Then the bones pain started. But feeling less exhausted has defo helped my mood, as well as keeping busy. But the thoughts are still there sadly.

Sorry to hear about your loss @girlofthenorth. One of my best friends lost her mom in her 40s and her dad in his 50s, then her sister was diagnosed with cancer. She too worries about dying young. Is that your trigger?

What is everyone else's triggers?

Ultimately for me it stems from my son having the birth surname of his absent father. Totally absent for 4 years and his only 5! When I made my will it was to give me peace of mind that if the worst happens my DS is cared for by who I wish. I was informed my Will wouldn't guarantee guardianship due to his dad's name on the BC and it honestly petrified me. It would be like my son going to a stranger. Even thinking of it makes me feel sick. How can that even been allowed? To be absent most his life yet a name on the BC dictates where my child goes. It really makes me so sad. I do everything in my power to give my DS a loving, safe and stable life. It could be taken away all because I was foolish and gave him the surname of his Dad who I should have known wasn't going to stick around (it was a highly abusive relationship). That's my main trigger, then the persistent chronic exhaustion for years, and long term pain in bones. Then I'm not gonna lie, every spirals. I was out walking around the park earlier and started getting pains down below. Unfortunately my mind went straight there, to cancer.

Although I feel stable-ish I need to overcome this once and for all. I've brought myself some books about self care, mindfulness, overcoming fear etc. They are all reviewed highly so I hope then have an effect on me.

Hope everyone is OK x

Hello everyone I’m so glad I found this thread! I’m suffering pretty bad just now with health anxiety (a mole on my stomach) this is just one in a long line of health issues I obsess about. I wish I could stop feeling like this and I truly believe the internet has not helped my anxiety as I start looking up symptoms and then get into a complete panic! I tell myself not to do it but before I know it I’m on having a “quick check online” which usually ends up with me looking up things for hours sometimes and getting more anxious instead of better! I think after Christmas I need to face up to it and see my gp about helping with this as the older I get the worse I’m becoming! It’s a kind of comfort though to read your posts and know I’m not alone in feeling like this x hope everyone has a good day today

Hi everyone, how are you all getting on lately? Have you had a nice Christmas?

I've not been too bad. Maybe because I have been so busy I have barely been able to sit down. I'm finding though that once afternoon hits my hip is killing me. I'm not having the panicking dread so much, but I do feel totally deflated. Maybe thats my pregablin, I don't know?

One thing I am really happy about is how much more energy I have. I'm not talking bouncing off the walls, but I've spent years so exhausted it's been painful. I remember passing out from exhaustion a few times whilst out shopping. I've been out with my little one and within minutes I am so overwhelmed with tiredness I start crying wondering why this is happening to me. I've probably mentioned all this before so sorry if I have.

Recently I have been able to get through the day! I usually get to work and for the first time in years my first words aren't 'I'm so tired I could cry'. I've been waiting to feel like this for so long. I have been supplementing so I am putting this improvement down to them. Hopefully it continues and will help me start to keep calm when I worry. My chronic exhaustion has always been a massive trigger for me as there has never been a 'found reason' for it.

I need to really keep everything under control. I can't have another year filled with feeling like I have and worrying over every single thing

Hi sorry been absent from thread , my DF got taken into hospital with a chest infection just before Christmas and it's been an awful time . He's out now and recovering . Yes SpideyMom that is my trigger, my mum . It's hard for my kids to see me like it . I have tried to hide it from them but this time I have been quite badly ill and they could see how scared I was , it was awful .
I'm sorry you have that problem with DC birth certificate , I hope you find some way round it .
Glad you have a bit more energy ! Yeah debglen06 the internet is a big hole that should be avoided ! My current obsession is being post viral , I'm still having temperatures 3 weeks on , just small, and they don't last long but enough to make me feel rubbish plus I'm so tired , have no energy . I had bloods taken 2-3 weeks ago which were all normal, so trying not to go down that hole, but will go back to GP if I feel bad in another week.
Looking after my DF has been a distraction !!!
I am going to get help in the NY for my anxiety fro definite and also I have started doing yoga everyday , it helps my energy levels . It does hurt my hips spideyMom so not going mad but I have found one that you can do if you have hip probs . I'm going to see if that helps. The one I watch tells you to do affirmations as well, so saying you are well , your immunity is good. I'm sure all that will help .