Health Anxiety - part three!!

[MrsWhites]

Hi ladies, back again for thread number 3!

Wow so many replies about costochondritis! Not even sure it's what I've got, but if you rule simply everything else out...will check those videos, thanks @TheSilentStars

@onlyreadingneverposting8 I have been through the menopause (no HRT) and so far it's...ok. A few sweats, some aches and pains, some feeling down. Think I'm out the other side and I just feel like I need to look after myself a bit more than before...

@Bonnielassie21 Nobody's too old for Mumsnet! Sorry, no info on BPD, but welcome!

Watched this morning how to give yourself a health check and now terrified myself! I don’t know why I do it to myself, really don’t

@tmh88 deliberately didn't watch her this morning after she set me off a couple of weeks ago!! Having just had a baby I consider myself or have been somewhat checked out. I really wish they'd do a segment on health anxiety!!

@onlyreadingneverposting8 I didn’t just watch it I rewound it and watched again! I really can be my own worst enemy! I was having a good day too would be great if they did a segment on health anxiety x

Thank you for your reply Squirrelfan

@TheSilentStars thank you for the video suggestion I’ve just had a look they are very good, will be sure to try the exercises and it’s reassuring to know it’s a relatively common thing.

@tmh88 I deliberately didn’t watch this morning today because I heard that was coming up and also talking about HIV testing. I just knew they would set me off. I avoid all daytime television during October when they do breast cancer awareness month too! Lorraine Kelly is a bitch for triggering my anxiety 😂

@MrsWhites I have just done some yoga and feel relatively calmer again now, going for a walk in an hour or so too, so hoping that helps! Yes I’m the same think I’m going to never watch daytime tv again! I don’t know why I watched it once never mind twice

@tmh88 glad you're feeling a bit calmer! @MrsWhites I avoid all the breast cancer awareness too!! And the baby loss awareness also! Basically any cancer awareness I now avoid. Ch 4s stand up to cancer is a major trigger for me!

@StooriMidori did you have any side effects on the propranolol? I'm always scared of taking any new medication, especially as the GP was really reluctant to describe and said it wasn't a "proper" medication for anxiety even thought the psychotherapist from my online CBT was the one who suggested it! She thinks
I should only need it for a short time to get on top of my physical symptoms but can then take it as and when needed, as you do now.

I'm also the same with big events. Wondering if I'll still be here by Christmas etc. I hate looking at calendars for the same reason as I might look at e.g. May and wonder what disasters might have happened in my life by then! Its such a negative way of thinking and strange as in other areas of my life I am an optimist!

I spoke to an old friend today who is 70, let's call him Bob. He has been having some health problems and the doctor called him into his office the other day and said with a very serious face that he only had about a 25% chance of surviving for the next 5 years. What was Bob's reaction? He jumped up in excitement and said "thank you doctor!". The doctor was completely confused and Bob said "you've just told me that I have a 75% chance of still being alive in 5 years!".

I feel so much better after my chat with him this morning! I am ruining my life worrying over miniscule risks of symptoms being something life-threatening while he is jumping for joy and in gratitude at being told there's a 25% chance he will die in the next 5 years, purely because he chose to focus on the 75% and not the 25%. I really want to be like that too!

I have a dentist appointment this afternoon. Feeling a bit nervous of catching covid while I'm there. I wonder if NHS dentists and staff have been vaccinated already?

Oh god I'm glad I missed that!!

The massive problem is that none of us really poke our bodies every single last little bit, so if they suddenly turn around and say you need to check your elbow for something, I can guarantee that I am not going to know what my elbow is meant to feel like. I have no benchmark at all…

This is pretty much what happened to my cervix, and also to my dress, I literally haven't touched them other than briefly for about 10 years.

Sorry just read that back and realised I explained it wrong. The doctor said Bob had a 25% chance of dying in the next 5 years, and he saw it as being good news that he had a 75% chance of surviving for the next 5 years!

Love that @KasparKat I agree on the big event thing as well, I'm terrible for that, whenever I Packaway Christmas decorations… I'm like, oh well when my partner is unpacking these he'll feel sad… As in when he's unpacking them the following year. Because obviously I would've died by then.

Also, just on the whole thinking the worst is going to happen thing, it's really good to speak to you guys about it, as when I hear that other people have these intrusive thoughts about their own health and mortality, and not being around, I realise they are not premonitions. Or at least they are likely not to be, I don't even feel comfortable saying they're not in case I tempt fate. But I always tend to think, or maybe I'm having this thought because I'm actually having a premonition…😬🙄

@Skyliner001 I know exactly what you mean! That and that thing where they say a feeling of dread is a premonition - I have a feeling of dread loads!! Haven't been correct yet! X

Well the dentist was OK except that she wore her mask under her nose and I was too much of a wimp to say anything!

I was hoping she would say that my wisdom teeth were definitely causing the sinus pressure but she didn't seem to think that was the case. She said it was more likely that it was due to my teeth clenching but that I should see the GP to get it checked out "to make sure nothing else was going on". Which of course is the last thing you should say to anyone with health anxiety! I am managing not to spiral though as I have spoken to the GP about it and they're not concerned and their next step would be to look at nasal sprays etc. anyway. So I am trying very hard not to go down that rabbit hole! I'm not even sure what I'm worrying about as even I don't think I have sinus cancer! I just hate the uncertainty of not knowing what is causing something.

@Skyliner001 I am the exact same! When I watched this morning.. (this morning ) I thought that the GP mentioning neck lumps was a sign/premonition for me!

@Skyliner001 I have the same thoughts about Christmas and stuff too! It's very reassuring to hear others do this and I'm not on my own, though obviously wish for us all to be free of them.

@KasparKat I had no side effects at all from the propanolol. They do help me a lot with the physical symptoms but not with the thoughts. I'm the same in regards to being nervous taking a new drug too!

@KasparKat I've had chronic sinusitis on and off for years. I find Sudafed nasal spray the best over the counter remedy. It stings like fuck when you spray it up but it really helps. I have had steroid drops a few times from the Doc and they're great for shifting it. Do you have allergies, or hay fever? Maybe try an antihistamine if you haven't already. I take cetirizine, just the supermarket own brand, and find they help.
I've had the symptoms you mention; especially the pressure and bruised feeling. I get post nasal drip giving me throat pain when I wake up. My face throbs sometimes and I get awful headaches. I can almost milk my under eye sinuses into my nose sometimes - sorry I know that's absolutely gross! It's always worse in the right side. Weirdly I find when my neck and shoulders get tight the sinus pressure increases. Once my DH was giving me a shoulder massage and it was almost like a plug being pulled and all the mucus/snot ran down my nose/throat! He didn't believe me but I swear it happened!

Sorry, me again. I'm prattling on today as I'm not working and have found a rare fifteen minutes where the youngsters are entertaining themselves!

After reading the threads I'd like to try taking vitamin D. Is there a multivitamin with high dose vitamin D? I'm also interested in the EPO/Starflower Oil for the boobs? What are your go to products that you find help with energy and hormone related issues?

Please include links if you can as I've never taken supplements (except the freebies from the midwife) so don't know where to start. Thanks xx

@StooriMidori thats really reassuring, thanks. What Sudanese spray is it? Is it the decongestant one or the saltwater one? I've tried sinus rinses but they don't seem to make any difference. My jaw is clicking a lot at the moment so I wouldn't be surprised if my teeth grinding is connected to the sinus pressure. If covid wasn't around I might go and see a cranial osteopath that one of my friends recommends.

I use a spray vit D as you absorb it better that way www.amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux-Vitamin-Daily-Spray/dp/B007DIJJ0O?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

This one has vit K in it too which helps prevent calcification of the arteries if you take took much vit D without enough vit K. If you're also taking a multivitamin you might just want the vit D one on top.

I get starflower oil either from Boots or Holland and Barrett, whichever I'm ordering stuff from. I've not found it has helped with the breast pain/cysts but then again maybe they would be worse if I wasn't taking it? I also take Omega 3 from Holland and Barrett as we don't eat much fish. I've actually found that skin is a lot better having started the Omega 3.

Sudafed not Sudanese!

@Skyliner001 I see everything as a premonition or tempting fate. When I was buying new Christmas decorations last year I remember thinking, I hope DH knows to look at photographs of the tree so he knows how to do it himself, enjoying something seems like tempting fate to me. Like you say though this thread has started to make me realize that we can’t all be having premonitions.

I still salute every magpie I see and touch wood all the time though.

@KasparKat I hate when people say, probably nothing but get that checked out....I can only focus on the get it looked at part. I’m sure your sinus pain is just the time of the year though, could even be being at home more with central heating on drying your sinuses out!

@MrsWhites I salute magpies and touch wood, I actually make dp touch wood too and if he touches like the kallax unit (fake wood stuff) I’m literally crazy enough to bellow “TOUCH PROPER WOOD, THE DOOR OR SKIRTING BOARD” poor, poor, man! honestly

Anyway I’m determined now to not prod until Sunday! I have slowly realised in my head that I deserve more in my life than ruining it for myself every day! As do all you lovely ladies! Does anyone want to join me? xx

@MrsWhites yep - enjoying = tempting fate! I remember when I just had 3 children - we went on our first family holiday (Disneyland Paris) . We were watching the parade the kids were having a wonderful time and I was literally on the verge of tears thinking what if this is the last time this happens! Honestly! I think I have got a bit better at deferring worry but only at times!!