Health anxiety

[Mvshrln]

Hi all,

I've seen a couple of health anxiety threads on here but they're all quite old/inactive and wondered if there were any more recent ones, or if anyone fancied discussing it via this new thread? It's helpful when someone else knows how you feel.

I really struggle with HA, the thoughts bounce around my head until I fixate on one and worry about it relentlessly. I can see why the anxiety has appeared (friends parent passed away, the covid-19 situation has terrified me, I'm getting older/have life events happening like buying a house, and I also work within the hospice sector). It's helpful to know why but it doesn't help with how to deal with it! I'm currently taking venlafaxine and CBT counselling via videocall but the worry takes up huge chunks of my day.

Nightmare! How is everyone else?

I’ve been feeling so good the last two weeks. A complete sense of calm but the last couple of days I can’t shake the worry about these stomach aches I sometimes get. No rhyme or reason for when they happen. I can have one a couple of times a month, or spread further apart. But they’re always in exactly the same place. It’s a dull ache. Feels really deep, and needs a hot water bottle if I’m at home but it equally doesn’t stop me from doing things. Just discomfort. I’ve googled everything relating to stomachs and bowels and intestines but someone said to me it could be scar tissue sticking - two c sections and appendectomy. Would make sense as the pain feels in the flesh rather than the stomach itself - though can be relieved with a visit to the loo or passing wind. So I know rationally I shouldn’t worry but every time I think I ought to ask the gp about it, I feel sick at the thought of all the others who go thinking they’re fine only to then get bad news.

Morning @Lib3rtine hope your doing ok, I had a good old prod around in the shower this morning. I think I can feel the same on both sides and I’m going to try my hardest to leave it alone now. It’s so sore. I’m going to try not to give it any attention... easier said than done. During the night I woke up and started prodding too only then to realise I was prodding in the wrong area and what I was feeling was totally different to what started my original fear. My head was all over the place.

I’m off work today so going to try and get some fresh air, I need to regain some perspective I’m stuck in this daze.

@PowerslidePanda I really don’t think you need to worry at all. I know I know look who is talking :) but honestly anything worrying it hard to miss. I understand why you’re worried as that’s the health anxiety creeping in but honestly you don’t need to worry. I would love to give you advice on how to dampen that worry but I’m in the same boat as you. I’m trying to stay distracted when I can and that sometimes helps x

@takethegirloutofwales sorry to hear your worrying too. I get a lot of stomach pains and was panicking about it just last week. I get pains before period pains when I ovulate sometimes just random pains. I do suffer With Ibs. I don’t think you need to worry in the slightest and the stress may well be contributing. Since I’ve been stressed about this lump under my arm my stomach has settled. Typical.

I think it’s your Health anxiety making you overthink and spiral. Sounds like typical Ibs symptoms to me which is made worse by stress. X

Hi, I'm a bit late to this thread but just wanted to say I'm glad I found it! I have several health conditions which have made me clinically extremely vulnerable and have been sheilding. I never let my conditions rule my life but in the last 8 months they have just taken over. The constant battle of thinking about it has taken a toll on my mental health and I've ended up with health and social anxiety.

I am struggling with simple things like holding a conversation with someone who isn't in my bubble. I can chat over the phone but really struggle with face to face conversations. Even going out for a walk by myself is an issue, it's knocked my confidence. I've spoken to my GP who has been amazing and referred me to some counselling (he's known me for 18yrs so knows that I'm usually never one to give up). I've had 3 sessions so far and it seems to be helping but it's slow progress. I really hope I can get back to my old self again 🤞

@Begonias hey there, so sorry to hear about what you’ve been going through. I think this lockdown has made life so much harder for folk like us. It’s understandable that shielding for this length of time would create anxiety. Even people with no prior mental health issues have struggled badly with this lockdown.

I find I love being in the comfort of home. Meeting up someone although I know would be good for me feels like a chore as I have to put on an act most of the time.

It’s really good to hear that counselling is helping. We are all here too to chat whenever you feel like it. You’re not alone trust me. It’s shocking how many of us are suffering and feeling so isolated with it. X

@Goolies Yes, definitely leave it alone, the sorer it is, the more pronounced it will feel as well. I've done the exact same as you before, woke up in the night and prodded and poked half asleep and scared myself to death. Really try your hardest to go a full weekend without touching it and I really think you'll feel a lot better on Monday. One thing I've started doing which has made me feel better is not allowing myself to do any checks Friday to Sunday as doctors are closed so I cannot do anything anyway and it has really made me enjoy my weekends a bit more. I always do my monthly breast check on a Monday morning so that if there is anything concerning me I ring doctors straight away and its the beginning of the week. Hope you enjoy the fresh air xx

@takethegirloutofwales I really don't think you have anything to worry about but I know from how I get its easy for someone else to say that. Stomach issues go hand in hand with anxiety, when my flare up started about 5 weeks ago, my stomach was terrible, one day I'd be constipated and the next it would be the other way. My husband also has bad stomach pains when he is stressed. I hope you're feeling a bit more reassured.

@Begonias Hi, sorry to hear you're struggling. Lockdown really does have a massive impact on mental health. I definitely know its been a contributing factor for me being home alone all day with too much time with my thoughts. Sounds like you are doing well with the help you're getting, I'm currently waiting for my CBT referral to come through so I hope it works for me too.

there's a few of us on here who are always happy to listen and help so don't feel alone, we understand what you're going through x

Hi everyone, hope everyone is doing well.

Lockdown has definitely been hard on those of us with mental health issues, shielding must have been incredibly difficult!

I’m having a mini meltdown today. I came down with a red patch of raised spots on my side on Sunday, I assumed it was just a reaction to something at first or even shingles but it’s not followed the pattern of shingles and it’s not faded despite antihistamines so of course today my anxiety has got hold of it and diagnosed me with all sorts of blood disorders etc! My mouth also feels a bit raw on the inside of my lips/gums too with a bit of a metallic taste too so along with that I’ve decided there is obviously something terrible wrong with me! 😢

@MrsWhites Sorry you're feeling anxious today. Have you used anything new on your skin or new washing powder etc? My skin is super sensitive and I find I get various rashes and spots every so often that goes after a few days. It won't be anything to worry about but I know what its like when panic takes hold, I've done the exact same thing before but you really won't have anything to worry about x

@Lib3rtine I haven’t used anything new that I can think of but I know it’s probably something like that, it’s just when your mind latches on to something it just gets out of control! I haven’t done very much today and I think I’ve given myself too much thinking time because it wasn’t really worrying me up until today!

Hope you are doing ok today anyway x

@MrsWhites Absolutely, we've all been there, you have a day where you're feeling a bit low and you latch onto something that on any day you wouldn't give a second thought. I was the same last night, I had a tiny scab on my leg the other week and picked it and it bled a lot for something so small and now where its healed I've got like a spot of blood under the skin so I was messing with it last night and started googling stuff, when really it is the tiniest thing ever and no other person would even give it a second thought I doubt!
I'm feeling ok today so far but I have a growth scan for the baby on Tuesday so think thats taking up my anxiety capacity at the moment! x

Hi everyone I've suffered health anxiety since I was a little girl.

I remember my mum shouting at me because I was so worried about a mark what was left on my arm from one of the vaccinations we had at school
I've always been a worrier.
I remember going to the doctor about something and he said I had nervous asthma and told me to relax and that was it.

I sometimes get a tight throat feeling which I hate.

This year my anxiety has been increased too.

@Lib3rtine how long do you have to go with your pregnancy? Is the growth scan just to check on predicted birth weight?

@Riv12345 Hi, if only it was as easy as ‘stop worrying’ hey. I think this year has rammed up so much anxiety, especially for those of us with health anxiety. That’s why this thread is so great, we can all really relate to how the others are feeling. To anyone without health anxiety our worries must seen so trivial!

This thread has definitely helped me get some perspective on the bad days!

@MrsWhites I’m nearly 33 weeks so not long! It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, I was measuring small, sent for a scan and baby’s tummy measuring big, had to have another scan and had then dropped in weight so now I’m going back! Just hope all ok this time so I don’t have to go again! x

@Lib3rtine fingers crossed for your scan then. Pregnancy is such a stressful time and it must be even more so at the moment with all the hospital guidelines around Covid. Snuggly newborns are so worth it though! Is it your first baby?

@MrsWhites I hope you’re feeling a bit better now, I promise I’m not just saying but I’m always getting random rashes that appear and then disappear. When my mind has nothing else to worry about it will turn to them but honestly you don’t have anything to worry about.

I think it’s so common with the amount of allergens we are surrounded by.

I hope you are feeling somewhat more at ease with it now xx

@Riv12345 I’ve had that throat closing feeling too I hate it, I bought a finger pulse oximetry Just to check i am actually getting enough oxygen and that often reassures me ( for a while)

@Lib3rtine thanks for your advice, I had a really busy day today and managed to stay distracted other than when I would move my arm in a certain direction and it hurt from all the prodding. I will try behave on the weekend too. I wish I could a breast check like a normal person. I’m too scared to do them now, last 3 times I did I ended up freaking out. I don’t know what’s nornal for me my breasts changed a lot after breastfeeding for 16 months. My left breast is naturally quite lump so I’m guaranteed to freak out.

Oh and @Lib3rtine I hope you’re scan goes well when is it? X

Goolies

Thank you for your message

Yes it is horrible the tight throat
I also use a monitor to check oxygen
It's always ok it the tightness in throat and around my rib area is horrible.
I do breathing exercises which helps sometimes
It's just hard to relax sometimes.

@Riv12345 wow I get that tightness around the ribs too! The gp just said to relax? so it’s stress related? I’ve not been wearing a bra when I’m at home but it didn’t make a difference. I find sitting down and leaning forwards a bit can help. I’ve not mentioned mine to the gp I have so many issues I’m worried about and only allowed one problem per appointment so had to go with the one that bothers me the most!

@Goolies glad to hear you are starting to feel a bit better and checking less, I hope you have a better weekend with a clearer mind.

@Riv12345 I don’t get tightness in my chest personally but I do get a racing pulse and almost like a heat rising up my body until I feel very panicked. I suppose they are almost like mini panic attacks, the physical symptoms of anxiety are awful!

My spots seem a little bit less red today so I’m thinking maybe the antihistamine is starting to work but I did notice last night and during the night that I’ve been getting a zapping type pain in them so now I’m wondering whether I’ve actually got shingles. Not much I can do about it now as apparently antiviral medication for shingles is only useful within a couple of day’s of the rash coming out. I’ll just have to ride it out and keep taking the antihistamines and see what happens!

Hoping you all have a good weekend. I’m going to watch some football, Christmas films and hopefully put some lights up on the house x

Thank you @MrsWhites, yes I’m trying very hard. Getting out the house and being busy is key. Im god the spots are looking less red, the fact they are already fading would imply it’s nothing to worry about :) Sounds like you have a wonderful day planned ahead :). X

@Goolies I dread doing it every month but make myself. Mine are really lumpy too which doesn’t help!
I’m glad you managed to stay distracted yesterday and you did really well to not do any checking. Hope you’re feeling ok today.
My scan is Tuesday, thank you, I hope so too, just want to relax for the last few weeks of it! x

@Goolies distraction is definitely key. I’m hoping it will be easier next week once lockdown is over, will be glad to be able to get out a little bit more, even just to be able to do a little bit of Christmas shopping!

Thanks all - I can't actually feel anything lumpy myself (which is saying something, because I have no difficulty imagining lumps!), so hopefully whatever the doctor felt is normal for me, rather than a recent change.

@takethegirloutofwales - Sorry to hear about the stomach aches. With those sorts of things, I try to remember that anything serious wouldn't come and go like that - it would be persistent and get gradually worse.

Glad your spots are improving a bit now, @MrsWhites

Good luck with your scan, @Lib3rtine

This is totally out there but I've suffered from HA my entire life (pretty much as long as I can remember). Nothing has ever helped. Not CBT, not hypnosis, not medication, not counselling.

Last year I was diagnosed with adult ADHD at the age of 33 and was put on meds.

HA=gone.

How is everyone doing today?

My spots started to blister yesterday and are quite painful so from my description they think they are actually shingles but it’s too late for any treatment so I just have to wait for them to dry up.