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?

@anotherdoghere

@ mvshrin Do you mind me asking what dosage you are on? I keep wondering if I should change

I'm on 75mg which I take once a day and I've been on it for just over 6 months - I'd say it has definitely helped :) xx

@Lib3rtine I get that monthly text too and it's a double edged sword isn't it - like it helps remind you but at the same time it can be scary. I was also at the stage where I was prodding, poking and pinching my boobs and the surrounding area to feel for anything. What I found helpful was to have a doctor sit down and fully explain and show me the correct way to chest breasts. Also I watched a few videos online to really see how it should be done. And as you've said a bit earlier in the thread too, it's good to check gently rather than really poking xx

@Mvshrln Yep, you're right. And the ridiculous thing is I know how to check them, had a doctor show me, a breast nurse at the clinic but I think when I'm feeling anxious all rational thoughts escape me and I do the exact thing I know I'm not meant to do! I can even see how irrational I'm being but can't stop! x

@Lib3rtine sorry to hear you are having a bad day. I can’t set myself a set day because I’d obsess about it coming up too much so I just try to check when I’m feeling stronger and then tell myself ok check again next month at some point. Good to hear that your CBT referral has been dealt with quickly. I think I could probably benefit from it but I shy away from discussing my anxiety with doctors, I’ve found it’s made it worse in the past by sort of acknowledging that it’s real but maybe I need to rethink that.

@chorusline79 I’m glad that CBT has helped you. Do you think you could share some of the techniques you have learnt if it’s not too difficult to explain?

@MrsWhites I completely understand where you are coming from. I felt exactly the same way and was trying to hide my HA from the GP but I was lucky in that I could self refer to a talk service, run through the NHS but separate from GP. They do notify your doctor that you are receiving CBT but it feels easier to talk to the CBT specialist as I feel like she isn't judging me and understood.

It's quite early days for me with the CBT but the other day I used a new tool called watching thoughts. It's sort of a guided meditation and talks about imagining your thoughts floating down a river, you are sat on the riverbank and you can see the thoughts, and acknowledge them but just watch them, sort of detached from them but sitting with those thoughts and accepting them. I did the meditation and have since tried to apply it if the intrusive thoughts start, and it does work for me to an extent. I think you should find something online if you google watching thoughts CBT.

The next module I get to it starts to get more specific about catching unhelpful behaviours, and facing fears etc

CBT might be worth a try? I am not sure it will be enough for me on its own but am trying it first and then thinking medication if needs be.

Evening all. I’m in a constant anxious state at the moment. I’ve had my second cbt session this week. I’m not convinced it’s helping yet.

Hey ladies so I’m already onto my next worry and I don’t know who else to ask. So when I press down on my areola it feels all bumpy underneath. What the hell am I feeling I’m starting to freak out again!

They feel like small hard bumps

@Goolies don't panic. I have that too! I've just checked!

@chorusline79 Seriously?? One of them feels very hard. And hurts a bit when I press on it. Feel like crying. :( feel panicky and thinking the worst again.

@Goolies yes I do too, I'm sure it's normal. You may be pressing too hard and have made it sore and tender now?

@Goolies I have bumpy bits under my nipple too! So hard when you just start get turn over one worry and before you know it the next one has come along!

@chorusline79 thank you for sharing. I might look into whether I can self refer too. I know a key part of dealing with anxiety is to acknowledge the thoughts but recognise that they come from a place of anxiety not a hidden signal or warning so the river idea makes sense. I will try that some time!

I’ve not posted on this thread before but I’ve just come across it and had a read through and can relate to so many of you. I’ve suffered from health anxiety from being a teenager. I don’t tend to talk about it anymore because I’m fed up of being called a hypochondriac or being laughed at as if people don’t believe it’s a real thing.

I’ve been particularly stressed in the past few months; relationship break down, financial problems, 2 family deaths in a short period of time etc. So I’m well aware of the triggers but haven’t really done anything to try and combat the symptoms. I won’t take meds (coz of what I’m about to say) and haven’t spoke to the doctor in the fear of being palmed off with meds.

So my thing at the moment is anaphylactic shock. I’m obsessed with it. I won’t try a food I haven’t eaten before, I’m very very reluctant to take a medication I haven’t had before because I’m so terrified I will have a severe reaction.

The only allergy I have is hay fever. I’ve never reacted to anything. I’ve never had anaphylaxis so I don’t know why I’m so terrified.

Also, not long ago I convinced myself I was having an eptopic pregnancy and when I was confirmed not pregnant I then convinced myself the symptoms must be a result of ovarian cancer. Also worried myself about DVT’s, strokes, sepsis etc. etc. It feels good to express it on here without being told I’m barking mad, so thank you for this thread.

@Goolies do not panic, I have that and on my right one, one of the little bumps feels bumpier than the rest if that makes sense! It’s over two years since I noticed and I’ve been examined by two doctors and a breast nurse and neither mentioned it, just said normal breast tissue.

@MrsWhites I don’t know why I checked, completely went against my own advice! I’ve strangely felt better since being open about suffering from it and people have been really supportive and not thought I was crazy which is what I was scared of!

Anyway, tonight’s drama is reduced baby movements so currently at hospital hooked up to monitoring machine and baby is now kicking away typically!

Thank you so much @Lib3rtine and @MrsWhites, honestly you don’t know how much it means to me. I don’t know why I felt the urge to have a press!!! I don’t know why I keep doing this to myself.

Hey @Sienna9522 welcome to the group, I’m so glad you found your way here. Health anxiety is hell, no one should have to deal with it alone yet so many of us do. I’ve had the sepsis fear before and DVT and trust me you’re not barking mad! Well if you are then so are we!

Do you know when your health anxiety was triggered? I’m not on any meds for it but I am so tempted, I’m also looking into private therapy as I feel like it’s trying worse week by week

@libertine really glad to hear little bub is kicking away again :)

@Ethellsmum hey there, so sorry looks like we missed your post. Welcome to the group, sorry to hear your struggling too. Feel free to share here everyone has been so supportive and you won’t ever be judged x

@Goolies no problem at all, glad you feel better about it. Honestly, forget all about it, it’s completely normal you can relax
Baby’s heartbeat fine and I’m now back home and feel much better and they were all so nice and reassuring.

@Sienna9522 welcome, glad you found us! Always someone here to talk to and we all completely understand what you’re going through. I’ve not had those kinds of fears before, mine all revolve around cancer but I can definitely relate to periods of stress bringing on the health anxiety. It’s really debilitating when it hits you, I have good days and bad at the moment but start CBT tomorrow so fingers crossed it helps me.

Morning all!

@Lib3rtine so glad baby is doing well, so worrying when you can’t feel them wiggling as much! I think they definitely start to run out of space to kick but always the right thing to get them checked out.

@Goolies I think we’ve all had that moment when we are feeling otherwise strong but then one little moment of doubt creeps in...for me it’s usually something like ‘oh wait last time I checked did I check the nipple properly’ or ‘what if that tiny wobbly bit has grown’ and that’s it then I can’t rest until I’ve checked them again - which usually always results in me finding something and so the circle starts again! I’m so glad that we can help on here though!

@Sienna9522 welcome to the group, sorry to hear that you are struggling, that sounds really scary. Perhaps you could try and stick with foods that you know you are ok with until you are feeling a little bit calmer and then add some other foods in slowly.

@Ethellsmum hi! It’s surprising how many people suffer from health anxiety, I think this thread shows it’s really more common than we think. This thread is really great for having someone to chat to and get all your worries out without judgement and with total understanding!

@Lib3rtine so glad to hear everything was okay at the hospital! Hope its put your mind at ease but bet you were super stressed at the time. I remember that panic every time i thought i had reduced movements it's horrible. Hope the CBT goes well let us know how you get on.

@Goolies hope you're reassured about the lumps you've felt. Mine are similar. But to be honest i think i just need to stop checking as i find something every time, but really hard not to!

Hello to @Ethellsmum and @Sienna9522 Although it's not nice to hear that more people are suffering it's reassuring in a way that so many people struggle with this and we're not all total weirdos.

My morning started with nausea and i've now also got wrist and shoulder pain to add to the back and hip pain that have been ongoing for months. Trying to resist the urge to waste the day googling about metastatic bone cancer in these places. Also worrying about autoimmune rheumatology conditions. I'm just convinced i'm going to be one of those people that go through months of different tests but when they eventually diagnose me it will be too late to do anything about it. Arghh!

Hey @Lolly12 I know how hard it is when the thoughts start creeping, trust me I know! I get so many random pains like you mentioned and I think a lot of people do. I promise it’s not going to be anything like what you are fearing. Hope you managed to enjoy your day I know how consuming and exhausting this can be. X

@Lolly12 are you ok? I hope your day got better?

@Goolies you're totally right, the random pains are annoying and exhausting. Long for life before HA.

@Sienna9522 welcome to the thread and hope you find it a useful place as we understand how you feel. Sounds like you have had a very stressful time indeed.

@chorusline79 and @Goolies thanks am okay feeling a little bit better. Did a bit of Googling, read a paper about multiple bone mets in areas I have pain for a type of cancer that’s hard to diagnose and often asymptomatic that freaked me out. Then did a bit of rationalisation and calmed down a bit. I always struggle on weekends more, not really sure why, so maybe just a precursor to that.

@Lolly12 really sorry you are having a bad day. I think when we read something online its easy to panic and think ‘oh no that could be what my symptoms are’ but we forget it could also be lots of other far less serious things too.

I find weekends worse too, i think it’s because I lie in bed when I wake up for a bit longer and the temptation to have a poke or to start thinking of things kicks in and then I have the whole day to think about it. Could you make a plan to get out tomorrow and keep busy? x

Thank you all for the welcome 😌 I weirdly kind of feel better already knowing that I’m not the only one going through this nightmare.

@Goolies I’m not quite sure when it was triggered but my guess would be in my late teenage years (30 tomorrow). As a young teenager, I used to wake in the night and tell my mum I couldn’t breathe, she took me to the GP and they said it was anxiety and prescribed me propranolol but I never took it. They prescribed me the meds but never really explained the physical symptoms of anxiety, chest pain etc. So I guess from a young age, not fully understanding the physical symptoms, I’ve confused those symptoms with concerns that something is seriously wrong health wise and that’s carried on in to my adult years. If that makes sense?

@Lib3rtine Yes, the stress is definitely exacerbating the symptoms at the moment. My friends are constantly talking me down but they just don’t understand, of no fault of their own. I hope the CBT goes well. I’m a mental health nurse (you’d think I could help myself 😂) so familiar with different therapies but never actually had any myself.

@MrsWhites Thank you, that’s what I’m doing at the moment. I know rationally that it is very, very unlikely I will experience anaphylaxis given I have no history of it but then the anxiety kicks in. Hopefully when the stress decreases I will feel better about trying other things.

@Lolly12 Thank you, sorry to hear you’re struggling at the moment but I agree it’s good to know that we’re not the only ones.