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 is it possible you could be irritating it by poking it! I’m guilty of poking at my lumps to see if they’ve changed and I think that’s part of the reason they are either going to stay like this forever or I’m keeping them up by constantly poking at them! I’ve set myself a challenge to not touch them for a week! Hoping with DP home it’ll be achievable

Your post could have been written by me. I'm going to try not too poke until after Christmas as my DH is here all day. Hope you are okay and not struggling too much xx

@tmh88 really sorry to hear about your mum, I hope she is ok. It is bound to raise your anxiety as I find traumatic things do but they really won’t have missed anything. Keep us updated on your mum x

@MrsWhites I get those random stabbing breast pains too! I then start prodding and poking and make them sore! The more I think about it, the more I’ll get the stabbing pains so I think a lot of it is my mind playing tricks on me x

@Hassled glad you’ve found us and sorry to hear about your mum, that must have been extremely hard to go through.
I’ve just started CBT and am starting to understanding what fetched it on for me but the thing thats helping me most is understanding my thought cycle and what I do etc. I don’t think I’ll ever truly be free of it as it’s a part of me but I hope to get to a stage where it’s manageable and not ruining my life x

@anotherdoghere sorry you’re going through such a bad time. I really do think it’s an internal pile from what you’re describing but I also know how my mind works when I’m overcome with anxiety so I know I’m probably not helping you but hopefully you feel a little reassured x

@anotherdoghere I’ve had similar concerns in the past, I promise it’s just piles, I totally know what’s it’s like though when your mind just keeps trawling through the whats it’s etc. Hope you’re feeling a bit calmer now, it will pass xx

@MrsWhites yep random stabbing shooting pains!! No idea if it’s my bra, hormones... I’ve just started evening primrose oil so will see if that helps

@anotherdoghere when you used the anusol did you use the applicator for internal application? The internal ones won’t go without that. I totally understand how you feel because even when the logical side of my brain knows what I’m worried about is something harmless, the anxiety part of my brain is almost like a little devil sitting on my shoulder saying to me ‘but what if it’s not’ and it’s very hard to ignore!

Thank you ladies for reassuring me about the stabbing pains, I wouldn’t worry about them but they happen more in my left boob! It does help to remind me that they are normal when I see that other people suffer with them too.

I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas Eve!!

Hi everyone, she’s being assessed tomorrow for further treatments she can have so it’s looking positive!

I have still restricted the urge to poke but it’s so hard!

@tmh88 that’s positive news about your mum, I hope she’s on the mend soon!

The urge to poke is strong in me too, I’ve just made my husband sit in the bathroom while I have a shower so I couldn’t do it, how embarrassing is that! Hopefully we can be strong and resist the urge together, well done for getting this far!! x

@MrsWhites I am just about to have a bath! This will be the real test for me! I also find myself doing it without realising I am also which I need to stop! x

My partner did joke this morning that I need one of them shock collars and he will press it every time my hands go above my waist really made me laugh!

@tmh88 good luck! That would actually be good for me I think 😂

I don’t know about you but I just can’t stand naked without thinking, ‘oh I wonder if I can still feel something’ or ‘should I just check that little bit again’ - anything to justify checking again! I get the quickest showers ever and get dressed at lightning speed 🙈

Whilst we are on the subject - personal question but does your health anxiety, particularly those of us who focus on our breasts, affect your sex like? I sometimes find myself getting anxious, thinking, what if he can feel something bad.

@MrsWhites I did well in the bath... (watched funny cat videos on YouTube ) the things you have to do!

Yes it does affect my sex life, not through fear of lumps though it’s just evenings is when my anxiety is at it’s worst and I just try my best to go to sleep to stop the feeling and wake up fresh in the morning! X

@tmh88 good news about your mum, really pleased for you!

I also have to get my husband to wait in the bathroom whilst I have a shower if I’m feeling really anxious! I daren’t have a bath, it’s one of my CBT goals as silly as it sounds! I also find myself prodding and poking and I’m not even aware I’m doing it!!

@MrsWhites I’m exactly the same, wondering if he can feel anything and would he tell me if he did! We all have so many things in common, I am still surprised at how many people gave the same thoughts as me!! x

Yep I’m with you ladies too!! Definitely effects my sex life, I worry that he will feel something and say what the hell is that!!

And when I’m in a spiral it’s the last thing I want to be doing!!

Hey all. I led with anxiety issues at my GP appt. He gave me a prescription but I'm not sure I can go through with taking it as part of my HA is a massive phobia of putting stuff in my body that might give me side effects. He did also give me a thorough checking over and referred me to a cardiologist as my BP was dodgy.

I don't know whether to panic more or be reassured.

@WitchSharkadder my bp was really high every totem I went to the drs a few weeks back. They ended up giving me the 24 hour monitor and it came back normal so hopefully your dodgy bp isn’t anything to worry about.

I’ve finished my cbt. Although it has helped and probably halved the anxiety I’m still having bad days - today being one of them. I’m so hyper alert to everything. It’s really putting a dampener on Xmas.

@Lib3rtine I could have wrote that, I also wonder if he’s felt something but just not told me! It’s so strange but reassuring that we all have the same thoughts sometimes.

@Goolies I agree, anxiety doesn’t exactly put you in the mood 🙈

Hope everyone has had a good day, I’ve been absolutely manic trying to get the house clean and tidy, last bit of running about and baking for our bubble tomorrow. Now I’m worrying that my kids haven’t had a good Christmas build up because I’ve been so busy today, they’ve pretty much had to entertain themselves! Mum guilt never ends!

Merry Christmas all! Wishing us all a happy and distracted day with loved ones and saying thanks for the past few weeks of support! Have a brilliant day

Merry Christmas all, hope j you all have a lovely stress free day and yes I second that @tmh88 thank you to all of you for being so supportive xx

Merry Christmas everyone. Hope you have a lovely day. Glad I’ve found you all, you’ve helped me so much xx