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’m just reading these posts, hope everyone is feeling ok this morning. I suffer with HA and emetophobia, I had some online modules through talking therapies for the emetophobia a couple of years back but I had two little ones under 4 at home with me and I didn’t have time to complete them. My HA has been much worse than the emetophobia this year though, not even really covid, just generally awful since the summer I’m going to RTFT later.

@TheSilentStars I can completely relate so much, I literally prod and poke all the time! My husband has got prostatitis and I feel really bad as my health anxiety as rubbed off on him a bit and he was convinced he had prostate cancer whereas a few years ago he would have trusted the doctors and not gave it a second thought!
As others have said, repeat smears are pretty common so try not to worry (I know easy for me to say) I got my smear letter the other month but can't have it due to being pregnant so I'm also stressing about that as it'll be about 6 months late by the time I can have it.

@TheSilentStars I’m pretty sure repeat smears are normal and can happen for so so many innocent reasons.

I’ve been stressing today as I have pain in my ribs now I don’t know if it’s a heart thing a breast thing a muscular thing... it’s never ending. :(

Can I please join in. Covid started my health anxiety but its been about so much more than that. So anyway but little boy now has covid and is doing really well, but I'm penfriend im going to get it and die. I sound stupid im aware but its so stressful.

Thank you all for being so understanding. It's lovely to feel understood.
Hello Astrid, I'm new to this thread but been made to feel very much at home hope your little boy is better soon.

Evening all - popping in has had a rubbish day.
I’m practicing the cbt and challenging my thoughts but I feel like I’m in too deep for it to help today.
I’m tempted just to go to bed but I’m scared of waking up feeling the same tomorrow.

Welcome @AstridAv. Sorry you are having to join but hopefully you will find it a useful place to be.

Hi @AstridAv wrk cine to the group, hope your little boy feels better soon. How long have you suffered with HA? X

@Ethellsmum I feel your pain I’m the same already in bed and had a rubbish day. Can’t think myself out of it all today.

Welcome @AstridAv please come here and share whenever you need. I’ve felt very welcomed since I joined in and less of a freak knowing there’s a lot of similar folk out there.

@Ethellsmum and @Goolies sorry you’re both having bad days. I’ll join you though as I’m really struggling today. My shoulder is still playing up and wrist is also sore. So adding those to the lower back and hip pain my mind is swirling with bone metastasis. Just in pain and worried and not a lot is going to change that quick. Might try and look up CBT tomorrow as can’t go on like this.

Thanks everyone. Ive had health anxiety for a long time but its always been a manageable level. Since April its been awful. I felt like I was doing better but now there is covid in the house. My son is doing really well thank you. His temperature only lasted 2 days and he only has a slight cough now. So I think he's had a very mild dose. Im now just convinced im going to catch it and do really badly. I think my health anxiety stems from fear of leaving my children.

Hey @AstridAv I’m exactly the same. Leaving my son is my biggest fear. The thought of it totally consumed me and when I’m spiralling with a health issue it just paralyses me.

I’ve been waking up feeling so much doom n gloom. Can’t seem to snap out of it. I’m sta
Dying private therapy in Jan as I’ve been waiting so long on the NHS.

*starting

@Goolies im glad you're getting therapy its so tough. I'm sorry you're struggling too!

I'm about to leave for my covid test as I have now developed symptoms

@AstridAv welcome to the group. Hope it helps you as much as its helped me. Everyone is really friendly.

@Goolies how are you feeling today? I've just had my second CBT session and I'm feeling quite positive about it so hope the feeling lasts over the weekend!

@Ethellsmum sorry you had a bad day, hope today is better for you

@Lolly12 how are you doing today? hope you managed to calm the negative thoughts

xx

@Lib3rtine I'm okay today thank you. Still up and down a bit. Going to have a massive glass of wine tonight and see if that helps. Good to hear the CBT has made you more positive! That sounds very promising and hope it continues.

@AstridAv sorry to hear you've developed COVID symptoms. Really hope you get the results back quick and the test wasn't too awful.

Weirdly I'm not worried at all about (me getting) COVID. Funny how how brains latch onto particular things and not others.

Hey @Lib3rtine I’m ok thank you, so glad to hear the CBT is helping you I can’t wait to try it, feel desperate for something to help now!

Morning everyone, haven’t had much of a chance to post the last couple of days. Period is due over the weekend so always a bad time for me.

Glad to hear that the sessions are helping you @Lib3rtine. Can’t be long to wait until the baby comes now, did you have another scan or is that coming up?

@AstridAv welcome, like others have said, this group has been really helpful for me so I hope you find it as useful!

Hope everyone else is doing well!

Good morning everyone. Ive just tested positive for coronavirus

@AstridAv oh no, I hope your symptoms are only mild and that your son is on the mend too. Try not to worry, I’ve known a couple of people who’ve had the virus and they have all been absolutely fine x

I’ve recently started with health anxiety about September time I found swollen lymph nodes, I’ve had bloods and ultrasound all normal/nodes normal on ultrasound! Yet I’m convinced they must of missed something! I’ve never had this before and it’s horrible! Sorry there is so many feeling the same as me

Should add I’ve booked to start seeing a private therapist in the new year so trying to keep myself busy with distractions until then

Hi @tmh88, it is absolutely horrible, something as simple as a swollen lymph node can cause huge anxiety. I’m glad you’ve taken the steps to get some therapy. I’m still struggling with speaking up about my health anxiety so I haven’t been able to take that step yet so well done, I hope it helps!

I’ve been reading some CBT information this morning on the internet. What resonated with me was talking about uncertainty, how health anxiety sufferers struggle with the lack of certainty that they are healthy and will be ok. I think that is definitely the case with me, for example I have a lumpy area in one breast that I am pretty much obsessed with, it’s been that way for a couple of years I’m sure - just an area of sort of flat (ish) wobbly round bits. Most of my checks revolve around this and trying to find something the same in other areas of my breast or the other breast to reassure me that it’s normal but ultimately I can’t have that 100% certainty so after feeling better for 5 min there will always be a ‘what if’ and the whole thing starts over again!

Does this make sense? Is it just me that thinks this way?

I’m the exact same at the minute @MrsWhites I have a spell of a couple of hours of I’m fine! Then I have another poke around and the what ifs start again! I think it’s just the way our thought process works it’s draining! When my scan results came back fine I lost all my physical symptoms (clearly was anxiety symptoms) as I felt relief and now they’re all back i logically know it’s anxiety but I think what if it’s not

@tmh88bqbd @MrsWhites I’m exactly try same!! It’s the what it’s that scare me to the point I can barely move. Any type of reassurance is so limited whether that’s asking my husband, having a prod around or even getting a medical tests