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 glad the doctors appointment wasn't too bad! They do know their stuff so hopefully you will feel a bit reassured about the spot on your hand. And yep, dark wee can absolutely be caused by that and it's good that they double check your scans etc to confirm there wasn't anything to be investigated further.

I think a lot of people feel a bit icky after being in the doctor's surgery, particularly at the moment! I imagine they are pretty strict on the cleanliness of the toilets as well.

Hope cutting the grass lets your mind zone out a bit :) And yes, have something nice to eat! High anxiety can cause adrenaline so it may take a bit of time for the anxious feelings to ease, and then you may feel a bit tired as it's exhausting worrying all the time xx

@Mvshrln thank you, it does seem to have gone now! Also thanks for good luck wishes - it was a job interview which I got quite a breakthrough as I have been unemployed for a while!

When I could be rational I realised that the pain really did seem to be a pulled or strained muscle rather than anything too serious, although it did hurt quite a bit and made it hard to concentrate on my work.

This talk of skin cancer - it's something I've recently started worrying about too! Had this mole on top of my breast for years, and about eight years ago it did change a bit and I got very worried but my parents said it looked normal to them. It's not changed again recently but it's one that I look at every now and then and think I really should just get it checked with a doctor. Especially considering it's in a place that does see the sun a bit - I always make sure I wear suncream but somehow still usually manage to get burnt.

@Sojo88 ahh congratulations! maybe keeping extra busy with work might help keep the unhelpful thoughts at bay :)

It's odd isn't it how the topic of skin cancer seems to have popped up recently? I had a full mole mapping session done a few weeks ago (I'm very fair, lots of moles and burn easily) and they checked a few specifically but said they weren't worried about them but their usual practice is to have the doctor look at them to make sure. I haven't heard any results though so I'll have to chase that up. Tell you what though, it's SO interesting seeing them scan the moles up close and it's surprising what they see as normal whereas I'd look at some of my moles and be like "what the fuck is that" haha.

My mum has a birth mark which is a cluster of moles, and without fail she will put a large plaster or wrap a scarf or something round that area when she is out in the sun. She says she doesn't care if it looks silly because she wants to ensure it isn't exposed to the sun.

I think moles are worth checking, just to get rid of that niggling bit of worry in the back of your mind. It must be helpful to know yours hasn't changed at all recently though :)

Thank you! That's a good point - hadn't even occurred to me that my health anxiety will probably start to subside a bit, now I'm kind of scared about this new job and my worries will be focused on that! It involves relocating away from my family so I'll have a lot more new fears!

My family think my mole looks normal but I think it looks slightly darker in the middle and the edges aren't as smooth as they could be. I never really know how skin cancer/moles work - are moles the cancer or do they just indicate it? Is it worse if the sun shines on the mole or is no worse than it shining on other parts of the skin? And if the mole changed 8 years ago does that mean at some point in the future it could be skin cancer or would the cancer have been happening at the time it changed? Don't worry, not expecting answers but have always found skin cancer very confusing for these reasons!

Your mum sounds very sensible. I always tell my family to wear suncream - this summer every time we've gone out I've told them firmly to wear suncream or I've brought it with us and made them put it on, and then I've been the only one getting sunburnt! Still, I guess so long as I'm trying, that's what counts! Thing is, there are so many things I'd like to check with the doctor, but probably won't check any of them as I'd feel like I was fretting over nothing...

@Mvshrln thank you, you’re much kinder and more helpful than my GP! I’m more than happy to pay for private counselling if it means this gets any better so I did some research and sent off some enquiries today. A little step in the right direction but at least it’s something! I think I’ve hit the wall and know something has to change.

Hi,

So glad I’ve come across this post!

I was just wondering what are some of the psychical symptoms everyone has experienced from health anxiety? At the moment I’m struggling with it and feel like the symptoms are feeding the anxiety, my symptoms have been tingling in hands, burning sensation in mouth and eye strain.

I have spoken to the GP and been prescribed sertraline which I’ve only taken once (last Friday) and it made me feel worse, I know it takes a while to work but trying to get the courage to take it again.

Sorry for the long post and hope everyone is doing ok

X

@Sojo88
I am the exact same with one of my moles. I get poor dh and dm to look at it every month or so and they're adamant it hasn't changed and is fine. I've had it looked at a few times by doctors before, and they've also always said it's okay, but I also still think "I should get that looked at again" sometimes, despite no changes either

@Mvshrln
Hearing your mother does the same has made me feel a bit more normal after walking around today with a jungle-themed plaster over a mole on my leg

Just checking in to see how everyone is - I'm loving reading about all the positive news in terms of everyone's worries have been checked out by the GP and nothing sinister is lurking.

@Mvshrln that stabbing pain you've mentioned further down, that's exactly what I used to get when I thought about it, the days I was too busy to think about 'what if it's this...?' Etc I never felt the pain. Is it constant?

@Etty89 mine were/are chest pains, back pain, pain in the area I'm worrying over, palpitations - chest pain can also be a sign of low iron too

@Sojo88 that's often the thing with anxiety - one worry soon replaces another! I guess that's why coping strategies are so useful, as well as understanding your thought process. E.g. I've had a set back with my house move today so I immediately began to catastrophise but then I was like "no, this is catastrophising and letting the story run away with you". Sounds like big changes for you though, really really exciting!! :) I know what you mean about having a lot of things you want to check with the doctors. What I found really helpful was having my full health check up but equally I imagine booking a double slot with a GP would help, so you have plenty of time to talk. The doctor was v patient and kept saying "is there anything else you'd like to discuss?" and I was like welll we will be here all day! And he was like "that's fine, we have time" and he let me talk through my concerns. With the mole worries, I totally get what you mean about it being confusing. I think that's what a lot of health anxiety sufferers struggle with - the unknowing. We want to be informed, and I think that's fine because we want to understand our bodies and what is normal. But that's where it gets tricky cos we try to seek this info from Google which is totally not helpful.

@Ashmarie I'm so pleased you've been able to investigate counselling! It does hit that point where you're like "something has to change". I hope the enquiries go well :)

@Etty89 welcome! it's really interesting to talk about the physical symptoms. Where I've been an anxious person my entire life, I've always felt tense, on edge, and like I'm frowning lol. When the anxiety gets severe, I felt short of breath and my vision goes blurry. I think how you feel is definitely a physical symptom of anxiety though, it's mad how it shows up in our bodies. Sorry to hear the sertraline made you feel worse :( with medication it def can take a while for it to stabilise and help.

@DownThePlath oh yeah, my mum has put on all sorts of plasters and coverings, but it's worth doing for sure!

@dillydallydollydaydream7 it's not constant, just every once in a while and is sort of a twinge? but yeah when I think about it (and any other bodily sensation I'm worrying about) then I do generally feel it. Did you ever find out what yours was/did it just go away?

I had my mole mapping results back and all is good. Moles can be "atypical" and be absolutely fine which is interesting. My gynae scan is tomorrow, feeling increasingly nervous. I just hate that area of my body, ever since the dodgy cells a few years ago I've been really wary of that part of me.

@dillydallydollydaydream7 & @Mvshrln Thank you both for a response, sometimes just talking about it makes it so much easier to deal with and its comforting to know we're not going through this alone and others are dealing with similar symptoms of anxiety too.

@Etty89 absolutely, talking about it helps so much! that's what this thread is for really, so we can all share and hopefully feel a bit less alone a bit more able to deal with this bizarre form of anxiety!

Sorry I forgot to add to the above post!

Can I also ask how others have gotten on with Sertraline? How long did it take before you started feeling more like yourself again?

Hope everyone is keeping well :)

I have felt terrible the last three days, feeling very sick, a huge pain in in my stomach, unable to eat much. Woke up this morning at 4.30 and it was still there, and just lay in bed until I could phone the surgery. I was right at the end of my tether thinking I can't go on. And that the thoughts in my head just weren't going away.

I am obsessing over the results of my bladder cancer investigations, which came back all clear, but I still think there is still something hiding there which wasn't found in the scan. Mainly because I had my CT without contrast, and sometimes this doesn't pick up all the growths, so I wondered why a scan without contrast was deemed suitable for my case. I discussed this with a doctor last week, and he wrote a letter to the consultant there and then for his opinion. And now I am really scared again.

Talked to a lovely GP this morning and explained everything. She said we can't do anything until we hear back from the consultant, but in the meantime we'll up your lorazepam dose for a week, and then I should really consider a long term anti-depressant. I told her I had been on Sertraline and had to come off it because of the side effects. She said that she would find something different. I have a friend who didn't get on with hers, and the doctor put her on Fluoxetine (Prozac) instead which she found much better. Not feeling too bad now, and going to try something to eat.

@Etty89 sertraline took me a while to get used to (I can't remember specifically though as it was years ago that I took it). I remember it being v helpful with helping with my anxiety though.

@Proseccoagain hello again! Sorry to hear you aren't feeling very good. I expect the consultant will have had an understandable reason for choosing that type of scan. The doctor probably couldn't give you an answer as they don't specialise in that area of health, and so hopefully when you hear back from the consultant it will all make sense. I'm glad your GP this morning was lovely, it's so good when they take the time to listen. I've been on fluoxetine and I found it to be very good. Do you reckon some CBT would be helpful too? I only ask as sometimes when we just can't believe a doctor/the results, there may be an underlying concern (e.g. perhaps your worry about the scan is masking your worry about loss?). Part of the reason for my health obsession is that a friends family member was very ill, and I tried to support them, and ended up taking on a lot of their grief. I needed to let go of the responsibility and really take time to grieve about something. Good idea to have something to eat, I think I will do the same and have a break from work!

@Etty89 Welcome I find anxiety gives me quite typical symptoms such as nausea, dizziness occasionally, lots of stomach aches! Also sometimes pain in chest, or if I'm worried about a specific illness then anxiety will kindly give me all the symptoms to help me believe I'm ill!! Usually manage to calm myself down a bit by googling "anxiety symptoms" as most sensations and feelings I get can be linked to anxiety. Although as I get really nervous about being or feeling ill, the anxiety symptoms alone can be really hard to handle.

@DownThePlath It is hard that no matter how much people are trying to reassure us, we can still worry so much about these things - I've not even had my mole checked but as it's been the same for years now I shall just keep an eye on them in case they change anymore.

@Mvshrln Thank you! Very exciting and scary...had forgotten what it feels like to be employed!

It does make a world of difference having such an understanding doctor, and to be fair I think my doctor would be very understanding - I guess part the problem is trying to decide which of my many worries to talk to him about! Glad to hear the results of your mole are positive . Sorry you've had a setback with moving house, hope that'll be resolved soon? Sounds like things are quite exciting for you at the moment? Totally agree it helps not to catastrophise - I've often majorly catastrophise!

@Sojo88 Ahh I wish you all the luck with the new job! will you be wfh or able to go into work? I'm still wfh and it's driving me nuts. I've been writing down my health concerns in the notes section of my phone. Sometimes writing them down methodically helps me feel calmer, and then decide what I want to speak to the doctor about. Things are exciting atm but the setbacks definitely make me wobble! I think the change in rules surrounding covid have made me feel wobbly too. I haven't cried in ages but I feel very weepy today for some reason!

@Etty89 I’ve been on 50mg of sertraline for about 3 years now and I think they fully started to kick in around 6 weeks. It has definitely helped quieten anxiety and made me feel abit more braver however I feel like I could now up the dose but I’m apprehensive because i feel like it would be harder to come off them when I eventually feel ready if that makes sense? The only down side I’ve found since taken sertraline is the weight gain😩

@Pinkmonroe thank you for the reply did you find it helped with the psychical symptoms of anxiety too?

Yes I totally understand it's one of the reason I'm apprehensive to start it but I feel like I may need to try take it again soon.

It really is a tough time we're all living through at the moment and I guess we need to find the balance that works for us.

Hello, thank you for your kind comments everyone.
I suppose I am not really satisfied with the doctor's diagnosis of the red spot on my arm, to me it could be a basal cell carcinoma. So I am making enquiries about an appointment at a local private hospital. I have also just noticed a cluster of red/brown marks on the inside of elbow. My DD does not like the idea of a private consultation, and is trying to talk me out of it. But the consultant is very well regarded in my area, and if I have the means to pay, then why not. I hope she comes round as I rely on her to drive me. I would rather be safe than sorry. And it makes me feel better doing something about it.

Woke up feeling fine, after going back to my increased dose of lorazepam, and had slept until 7am which is really good for me.

Hope you all have a good day.

@Proseccoagain I'm glad you managed to sleep well :) its v difficult isn't it when you don't feel satisfied with the doctors response. It's so hard getting the balance between being reassured by the doctor, and then seeking further reassurance, and I think this is something some health anxiety sufferers struggle with as there is that compulsion need which drives us to seek further reassurance. However, I think a second opinion can be very helpful in terms of diagnosis and reassurance, if you feel you need it, and I certainly seek that myself.

My scan is this afternoon.

Thank you Mvshrin. Trying to keep calm and push it to the back of my mind. But glad I have made the initial enquiry despite what DD thinks. Will wait now to hear back from the consultant.
Good luck with your scan.

@Mvshrln that's exactly what mine was like, the consultant had a good feel and said everything felt normal and after that I felt like I was worrying less and less so the pain was less and less and now it's just gone, which makes me question if it was ever 'real' in the first place.

Every time I felt the pain I would force myself to concentrate on something else because I realised I was subconsciously thinking about that area of my body. It's so strange how it all works

@Mvshrln thank you so much will mainly be wfh, yes, but as it's a community job will need to pop to people's houses occasionally - but I think that will only be when necessary! Would you rather be going into work then, rather than wfh? I'm actually quite excited about the idea of wfh, I've never done it before!

Totally understand about the change in rules re covid upsetting you - they're frustrating me so much. I am trying to have quite a positive outlook on how things will be re covid - whether I'm right or not, I think the rules the government are making are v drastic! Makes me feel quite depressed. How did your scan go?

Hello again. Mvshrin hope your scan went well.

I now have another worry. Had some medication delivered yesterday; normally they put it into the enclosed porch, ring the bell to let me know it's delivered and then walk away, and then I pick it up. Yesterday he rang the bell, didn't go away, didn't put it into the porch, but waited till I opened the inner door, and then he opened the outside door. No mask on, no social distancing! And then proceeded to talk to me. I told him to shut the door. Speaking through a crack in my door I told him to put the medication in the porch which he did and then left. I think we were about 6 feet away, and he definitely didn't cough sneeze or splutter over me.

Now I am worried that he might have had the virus and had given it to me. All the fear has come back and I feel right back to square one. Got to wait through the incubation period now to find out. Which will be hell and never ending! Well two weeks at most.

Usually my porch system works very well, and delivery people and the postie do as they're asked. DS has suggested I keep the front door locked so that I have more control.

Oh, I forgot, rang the private hospital yesterday and they said they always need a GP referral before booking a private consultation. So rang the surgery who asked a different GP to look at the photos I'd sent; she said that it didn't look suspicoous, but has booked a face to face appointment for next week.