Health Anxiety... returns.

[somewhereovertheraincloud]

Anyone else suffer?
I had it horrendously about 18 months ago. Started on sertraline, was on a steady 50mg dose and felt on top of the world for almost a year.
Reduced dose to 25mg and I've been ok for the past 6 months.
But the health anxiety has returned with a vengeance.
I've got aches and pains and I'm convinced there's something seriously wrong.
I've got heartburn and reflux and my throat feels tight.
Parts of my body feel numb. I've got the shakes.
It's so hard to tell what's real and what's caused by anxiety.
I've upped my meds back to 50mg and it's been around 10 days and I still feel awful.
Considering upping to 75mg for the first time, but can't even get hold of a GP to find out if that's ok.
I've put on 4 stone in 18 months on sertraline and just feel utterly crap, down, anxious and fed up.

My ribs are so painful. I've had it before and it's been diagnosed as costochondritis. But this time I keep worrying that it's not that and I've got something seriously wrong with my bones.
I had a sports massage by a physio and she said I had swelling in areas on my back and to keep an eye on it (the worst thing you can say to someone with HA)
I keep googling all my symptoms and obviously awful things come up.
I keep panicking I can't swallow properly or breathe deep enough, but when my mind is occupied I'm fine.
I'm sick and tired of it.

I hate HA, it's eaten me up for too long, but it can get better as you know. Hang on in there.

Firstly, it's an anxious time right now, everyone's more anxious than usual, so it's not surprising.

Can I ask, how old you are? Some of the symptoms sound a bit like peri-menopause, which can also cause anxiety to go off the scale, as I am living witness. Magnesium can help with this, as can anti-depressants.

Also, costocondritis is a bastard, I've had that too.

Mid 30s. So hopefully not peri-menopausal, but you never know.
I'm just sick of feeling like this.
My ocd is coming back too and I keep tapping stuff. I feel like I'm going crazy.

I’m so sorry you’re suffering OP. I can relate to several things you’ve said.

I have health anxiety on and off. I’d been fine for ages and then a couple of days ago it was as if a switch was flipped and I felt hugely anxious about a health issue that’s been in the back of my mind. As you said, I googled stuff and it made me feel even worse. I was shaking, unable to think straight, such a horrendous feeling of fear. I have a medical appointment booked soon but I think people can tell how anxious I am when I go and it seems as if I’m a bit ‘off’. I find myself seeking reassurance too much and repeating questions because I want a simple, positive answer.

Sending support and good wishes. I hope you feel a least a little bit better soon and please know you’re not alone in this 💐