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?

@NastyBlouse welcome! I’ve had some sores on my gums recently, turned out to be an allergy to a sensitive toothpaste!

I agree that most people’s health anxiety stems from trauma of some description. Mine definitely does although I’ve always been a ‘worrier’.

Does anyone else get stabbing/shooting pains into their breasts or is that just me. I try to ignore them but they do freak me out!

@MrsWhites Hello! That’s really interesting, I’ve actually just changed toothpaste to a different sensitive one so maybe it’s that.

@NastyBlouse if it is sensodyne rapid relief I’d stop using it, my mouth ended up swollen and raw with patches of what looked like hives inside my cheeks! I stopped using it and it cleared up within a week. When I googled it apparently it is quite common!

Hi @NastyBlouse, nice to have another newcomer.

Yes, prodding definitely makes you sore. I've done it to myself so many times (not breasts as they've never been a focus of my anxiety but arms and legs when I've been convinced I've had a blood clot etc).

I agree it's a result of trauma. I think my mum was extremely anxious about my health as a child, to the point where I had numerous MRIs and stuff on my brain as she was obsessed with me possibly having a brain tumour. I never gave it much thought as an adult and was the type of person who would've had to have a leg falling off before I'd even take a paracetamol. Then I had a genuine big health scare 10 years ago (all fully resolved now) this happened at the roughly same time as my DS having surgery, a close relative having a major stroke and a friend dying. So bam, health anxiety kicked in and I've suffered on and off ever since.

I think I'm overly paranoid about not doing the same to my DCs though. Although I do get very anxious when they're not well I work really hard not to show it and make DH keep me rational.

I don’t know why I have healthy anxiety. I have an amazing childhood, no trauma.

I’m currently going through a difficult flare up. Started two weeks ago when I have blood when I went for a pool. Got diagnosed piles - no blood since but I’m not convinced I can feel a large tumour on the right hand side of my stomach. Logically I’m sure it’s either muscle outline or the shape of my colon as I’m quite slim - but of course my brain can’t accept a benign condition

Morning everyone! We had no internet most of yesterday so I was quiet!
Welcome @NastyBlouse glad you found us, it’s a really lovely group. Your post is really interesting, I’m currently having CBT and we are trying to get to the bottom of if there is something in my past that triggered it and we think it’s my uncle dying of pancreatic cancer.
Very interesting about Google, makes so much sense!

It’s also interesting how we all seem to have an area that our anxiety focuses on like mine is also my breasts like some other people have said.

Hope everyone is doing ok x

So I’m in a typical ‘episode’ and honestly I can’t cope. I just desperately want me brain to be normal.

Convinced myself I can feel a lump in my abdomen, as I said further up. Well I got a GP appointment today, who felt it, felt around and said it is basically my anatomy, my stomach muscles and colon etc. Told me it wasn’t a tumour and she really wasn’t worried etc.

Yes I still don’t believe her. Still think ‘what if she didn’t manage to feel it properly, what if she’s wrong’

Why am I like this. This is going to ruin my Christmas.

Oh Tunnocks I've done this, exactly the same as you with the stomach. I could feel a kind of hard, long tubey lump thing. I got worried, booked an appt. The GP had a good feel (!), rolled his eyes and said 'OK you're basically feeling your descending colon'. His mouth then said 'anything else I can help you with?' while his eyes were saying 'Please get out of my office.' This was several years ago and I'm still here, buggering on. Trust me, they know what they're looking for -- and they know when they don't find it.

I know what you mean about doubting the doctor though. I've done this too. I just try and let that one pass me by a bit, remind myself that they've done seven years' training plus goodness knows how many years' patient experience, whereas I've got a nervous condition and a search engine.

@MrsWhites Hm it is Sensodyne, although it's Pronamel not Rapid Relief. I'm planning to switch back to Colgate though and see what happens.

@Tunnocks34 hi, I’ve done this too and gone to the doctors saying I could feel a large lump in my abdomen. Doctor felt it and then asked me if I’d been to the toilet that day. I said no and she proceeded to tell me what I could feel was the contents of my intestine! Never been so embarrassed!! Honestly, they know what they’re talking about and what’s normal. Please don’t let it ruin your Christmas, everything is absolutely fine x

Thanks. I am starting to feel a bit better about it but I know it’s gonna take another week or so for this episode to pass. I just hate how my mind works!

@Tunnocks34 I’m just like this it’s really, really difficult to control your thoughts sometimes isn’t it!

I have had a really bad day! I didn’t want to post on this thread in case I worried anyone but my mums been in hospital since the start or December after having a heart attack and it’s sent my head into a massive spiral of doubt! I just feel constantly sick and worried and guilty like I should be thinking of my mum more but I can’t help thinking god what if my drs have missed somethings wrong with me!

@MrsWhites I get stabbing breast pains! Especially if I run it makes them throb! I am actually on the hunt for a decent sports bra as I’m assuming it’s from my poor quality one!

@tmh88 that’s awful, I hope your mum is starting to recover. It’s no wonder you are struggling at the moment, it’s incredibly stressful at the moment to have someone in hospital! You should definitely post on here if you need someone to chat to x

Thanks for reassuring me about stabbing breast pains. I actually haven’t had any today probably because I’ve been running around busy all day so maybe I have had them but just haven’t noticed them!

I've found my people. I'm both pleased you're here and incredibly sorry that so many of live with this utter shite.

In my case, I know exactly why I have health anxiety - my mother died when I was young, and then in the 2 years that followed me outliving her, mid 40s, I had 3 different biopsies for 3 different issues - all fine, but the stress never went away. The root of it is that I can't bear the thought of my kids going through what I went through.

But understanding why I have it doesn't solve it. In my head I've had pretty much every cancer you can imagine, and then some that I've invented myself. My dread of COVID is totally disproportionate to the actual risk of death. I can rationalise all of it, but I just can't stop the obsessive anxiety.

@MrsWhites thank you I have been trying to decide whether to post something about on here since I started on this thread but didn’t want to scare people more! We don’t know much more from when she first went in really! Difficult trying to do everything over the phone as we obviously can’t visit! It has made me worry about my lymph nodes more so, this month thinking I hope they didn’t miss anything in my bloods and ultrasound! I know logically they won’t of but anxiety doesn’t work like that does it haha glad I have reassured you a bit! It can be really quite sharp when I get it so sometimes I wonder if it’s actually the muscle under the breast!

@Hassled I am the same! The anxiety side of my brain always wins the logical side even though I know the logical side is correct!

@tmh88 I'm sorry to hear about your mum, I hope she recovers well.

@Tunnocks34 hope you're feeling a little better now. I know how awful the episodes are, I couldn't function at all on Monday.

It's so weird how we all have a different focus. I often get pains in my breasts but I honestly never give them a second thought. I put them down to my cycle or an uncomfortable bra or running or whatever. I've never googled breast issues, I hardly even remember to check them monthly. But if something could possibly be interpreted as a heart issue I fall apart.

I'm nervous about my GP appointment tomorrow. I keep telling myself I'll discuss my anxiety. Then I go through the motions of thinking if I lead with HA, he'll dismiss my palpitations and pains etc as that and not thoroughly check them out.

@WitchSharkadder I agree it is strange.I find my anxiety is worse when dealing with symptoms that are obviously physical,’so when I had a blocked milk duct I was convinced it was breast cancer, I was also tired and I had a bad back so it obviously had spread to my spine (I had a new born and was carrying a massive car seat daily on the school run). I can rationalise things like heart palpitations, dizzy spells etc as stress but lumps/bumps/bowel issues etc I cannot

@WitchSharkadder thank you I’m hoping so too! Im phoning the hospital in the mornings at the minute as they never tend to know much at other times so I’m getting the run down from the dr the day later if that makes sense! Yes it so strange how we all have such different health focuses and things that terrify us and things we wouldn’t bat an eyelid at! But it’s nice we all know on here exactly how the others are feeling as we can relate even if the worry is over something different! Hope your appointment goes well tomorrow! I’ll check back in then to see how you’re doing! I think it will be worth mentioning your anxiety! I’m starting therapy in January which gives me anxiety thinking about it but I know it’s for the best

I have self referred today for another course of CBT.

Hello ladies I'm not having a nice time at the moment. I am still worried about the wobbly lump inside my bottom (tmi) I am starting to obsess about it again this is causing my piles to be sore on the outside. I feel very anxious about a possible lockdown. We are in tier 2 at the moment. I am concerned that my sons lovely girlfriend is in tier 3 bit only lives a short distance from us but is on the border of her city and ours. I'm sorry everyone is having a rough time at the moment I think Christmas magnifies everything xx

@Hassled hi, I’m so sorry that you lost your mum so young. I think the majority of my health anxiety stems from when my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, she survived but just the fear of her passing away was enough to leave me with health anxiety. I hope finding this group helps you.

@WitchSharkadder I agree it is really strange how our minds latch onto certain things, my anxiety all stems around cancers, mostly breast and cervical, I think that stems from the anxiety of waiting for smear test results. My grandad died young of heart failure but funnily enough heart issues don’t tend to worry me (at the moment, that could all change 🙈)

@tmh88 I hope you get some positive updates from the hospital about your mum soon! x

@anotherdoghere I’m certain that is an internal pile, did you try the anusol cream?

I am using the anusol they get better than I gave a little poke again! The lump inside doesn't seem to be getting smaller though. I have read that internal piles don't hurt as there is no nerve endings. I am trying really hard to convince myself that it is just a pile and the internal one will stay like that xx

@Tunnocks34 glad you’ve referred yourself for CBT, I think it’ll be a massive help, hope it all works well for you x