Health Anxiety - Part two

[MrsWhites]

Hi everyone, it seems we have reached 1000 posts on our original thread which is amazing, just shows how much support we have been able to give each other.

I thought we would benefit from part two!

Please ring them. It’s someone for you to talk to and they know what we need to do to get better. Don’t be embarrassed. One in four people suffer and of that less than half get help. A lot of people have anxiety but it’s something that can be managed with medication and therapy. Don’t suffer in silence. X

Welcome @Jericha! I saw your other post! I had something similar. Rubbed it and made it worse and it eventually just went away.

Anything breast related sends me crazy.

@CCD7133 Hope you are okay now. Prior to setraline I was getting bad panic attacks. Dizzy, racing heart, pins and needles in legs 😔

Also@CCD7133 Also I don't feel medicated, just feel like my old self. A rough couple of weeks in the beginning though!

@Lib3rtine So get that!!

@Mammy1981 Hope the next medication works 😊

@Skyliner001 I think I’ll give it a go, I know so many people who are on it who really feel that it benefits them :) ah thank you for saying I’ve done well, I really appreciate it. Also beads is an excellent way of describing it, I wish mammograms were available from say age 30 rather than waiting

@Lib3rtine I did thank you, I was out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow! It’s good that you’re already exploring options for after your little one is here

@Goolies hope once you were sorted and got out the house you felt more settled!

How have you all got on today then? I’ve had a little feel and can’t feel anything so I’ve calmed down a lot thankfully

@dillydallydollydaydream7 Feel proud, a better day than yesterday. Three profs of a breast area but whole busy. It's near under arm!

A couple of prods of probably shotty node.

I never felt out of control though. All prods felt calm.

A better day than yesterday. Had some happy moments!

*but while busy

How did everyone do?

I’ve not poked and prodded today but had a rough day with anxiety in general! Think a big one today is the thought of possible nursery closures and having to deal with all the legal side of my mums death with 3 year old in tow

Hey ladies, I’ve had a really busy day today so have done well in terms of not prodding but because of all the prodding last night and this morning I’ve made myself sore.

So whilst I was out if I made a certain movement and it caused me pain in my breast I felt a wave of anxiety hit me but I tried to keep telling myself ‘ you’ve been prodding at night and in the morning of course it’s going to hurt!!’ Logically seems so simple but good old anxiety tries to turn it into a worry!!

@tmh88 Awesome a lit not poking or prodding but sorry to hear about your anxiety. It's an uncertain time 😔

@Goolies Bad thoughts Will always pop in but sounds like you dispelled it quickly 😊

Hi, I’ve done quite well, been a couple of times where I’ve automatically gone to check out of habit and stopped myself!

@Lib3rtine Amazing! How did it feel!
I feel a bit like it's like holding your breath the urge is so strong.

@Skyliner001 yes definitely! Today is a day where I’m allowing myself to check as much as I want which is what what my therapist told me to do and strangely I’ve not got the urge to!

Good morning all and thanks for the welcome. That's great you were able to stop yourself.

I've just emailed my GP for an appointment today. I figured if I allow my anxiety to run rampant for certain justifying reasons then those reasons are good enough to seek medical advice.

Good luck @Jericha 😊

That's interesting @Lib3rtine , would love to hear how you get on!

How is everyone's day going so far?

I'm doing okay, just had a massive urge to check if there was any lumps behind my nipples. Which meant I had to check immediately.😳😨🤫 Good job I'm working from home...

Other than that it's been a good day.

When you have a day where you don't check does anyone else have to deal with the underlying feeling of doom?

I described it before as if you are holding your breath. It's like the lack of checking, and then potential relief that can bring causes a low-level anxiety which persists. It's somewhere in between the negative trough of the checking, and the euphoria of the diffusing of the worry…

It's very confusing. I haps that relates to OCD? I was reading online that compulsive behaviour to diffuse OCD thoughts can give you comfort. Which I think is what happens a lot with my checking.

Hi @Skyliner001, I’m doing ok I think, haven’t checked my boobs as much in the last couple of days but I think most of that is because my mind is occupied with my swollen gland in front of my ear. I have got a tiny bit of a low level cold so I’m trying to remind myself that it’s just my lymph nodes doing it’s job. On the bright side though it’s painful to open my mouth wide and to eat so I’ve been snacking less 😂

I think I know what you mean by impending doom, I get that and also a feeling of restlessness when I’m not doing as many checks, I struggle to concentrate or stay focused. I definitely agree that health anxiety is closely linked to OCD. That pattern of checks bringing short term relief but then the self doubt and impending doom bringing the whole circle back around again!

I'm having a difficult day as I'm getting a lot of sinus pressure, particularly on one side. I keep telling myself it is probably due to LPR which I have and can irritate sinuses or from my teeth clenching at night. I've had it for at least 6 weeks now and managed not to Google as I figured there isn't even such a thing as sinus cancer but caved in this morning and apparently sinus cancer does exist...argh!

So hard to think about anything else when you have a physical symptom. I keep thinking that if DH had this he first of all probably wouldn't even notice, and if he did would think nothing of it, and definitely wouldn't be worrying that he is about to die of sinus cancer!

Does anyone else just get really frustrated with themselves? Its like I'm causing my own health problems by worrying about them and I get so cross with myself but just can't seem to get it out of my head.

@MrsWhites Glad that you have not checked your boobs, but sorry to hear you are still worried about the lymph-node. The lymph nodes will come and go, and I think we need to work out a way to live with them. But I appreciate it's massively hard!

We hate them when they do it, even when they are doing their job. That's great news about the boobs though!!

I poked my left one so much last week that it actually went numb, but I'm doing so much better this weekend and week so far.

Apart from the frantic nipple worry. 😨😳. But that was very fleeting…