Health Anxiety - part three!!

[MrsWhites]

Hi ladies, back again for thread number 3!

@StooriMidori don't worry, I completely get it! I knew exactly what you meant. I definitely feel my left breast more, it feels more uncomfortable in my bra, and I feel much more aware of it. It's really hard to explain exactly why though, it just feels more definitely there.I've had so much boob anxiety these last few days, I have completely exhausted myself with it. I do completely get it.

@StooriMidori I do think that it's important to remember that so much gets lost in translation when you read it online. If someone says their breast being firm was the only symptom they had of the big C, I would very much expect that that meant the breast was very firm In a way that feels completely different to what you have.

This sounds completely mad, but does anybody ever wish that there was some kind of health anxiety breast clinic that you could go to, and meet lots of other women that feel the same, obviously you would have all the scans et cetera, but you would also maybe get to feel a fake breast which had different types of lumps in it that felt more like breast cancer. It's hard to explain, but I almost want to go on a breast Boot Camp.

Thanks so much @Skyliner001 I know exactly what you mean! That's a great idea about the clinic. I mean, we are told to check but not really given much info on what normal feels like. I've learned more on this thread! :)

@StooriMidori my right breast is definitely firmer than my left and slightly larger also! X

I know!! Also, I've never felt any boob but mine, no idea what normal is. 😳

reads @tmh88's reply aaaaand breathes

Thanks, I know they say reassurance seeking just makes things worse but it does make life easier in the short term 🙈

Hi all,

I also find that deciding whether or not to call the GP about something takes up about 80% of my worrying. At the moment its much worse than usual due to covid, as I worry that if I tell the GP about my tight chest, for example, he will want me to go into the surgery and get tests in hospitals and I'm really worried about getting covid and also being in the whole process of having tests increases my anxiety massively in itself. But then I worry I am being really irresponsible about not telling the GP about my tight chest and that if I fall down dead of a heart attack its my own fault!

What helped was my online CBT therapist who said that tight chest is a classic symptom of anxiety and that if I had heart problems I would have other signs, and also helped me identify that the tight chest was worse when I was anxious and got better when I wasn't. Once I accepted that it was due to anxiety I have barely had it since!

I have a lot of breast pain, both sides throughout my cycle. Having had two recent scans at the breast clinic I am reassured and also fed up of worrying about breasts so have stopped for the moment!

Its weird how we all flick from one symptom to the next. I have been worried about my sinus pressure and mucus that had a bit of blood in it for weeks now. Then a few days ago I suddenly got really really dizzy. It feels like the vestibular neuritis I had two years ago. Now I have fixated on the dizziness I can't feel the sinus pressure and the mucus seems to have dried up!

Not sure if the dizziness is down to anxiety or is in fact vestibular neuritis. I've never had dizziness with anxiety before.

I also had a massive panic attack in the night as I could feel my heart beat all through my body. Weird right? Anyone else had that? I was panicking about being able to feel and see my heartbeat in my stomach and thinking I was about to have a heart attack. Told DH this morning, and he promptly laid down on the floor and told me to look at/feel his stomach and actually I could see/feel his heartbeat even stronger than mine! So hopefully that anxiety fixation is over...for a while anyway!

I think it was just a vicous circle of anxiety increasing my heart rate and then me fixating on my heart and then my heart rate getting even faster. Also got a weird vibrating feeling in my body, like when you get a muscle twitch but all over. Anyone had that? Again I think it is probably a side effect of the adrenaline created by anxiety.

@StooriMidori how strange I was literally thinking earlier this evening that my left is firmer than my right in terms of bumpiness!

@Skyliner001 get yourself on dragons den with this idea! I love it! I'd also love to feel a prosthetic breast to see what it feels like in terms of lumpiness

@KasparKat I totally get what you mean with the anxiety and tight chest - before I was diagnosed with anxiety my chest was incredibly tight and it was SO painful to the point where I could feel it in my back. Once I knew I had anxiety I was able to talk myself out of chest pains and even a panic attack by reminding myself it was anxiety and I could strangely feel the pains easing. The heartbeat I also feel when I'm extremely anxious, it's like I can feel it thumping throughout my entire body.

@MrsWhites exactly the same as you - when I'm busy, my mind is active and I don't have pains, but as soon as I relax BAM! The pains and the worry are back

@bumhug welcome! We've created some sort of support group/therapy session here so the more the merrier 😂

Tonight I've looked for dimples and lumps, and then worried that my occasional back and shoulder pain is linked now let's be rational. I'm helping my parents - who are in my bubble - move house and due to their age and health myself and DH have done all the heavy lifting) but of course, rationality doesn't mean anything 🙈

@dillydallydollydaydream7 I was on a dimple hunt today, laying all around the house in different lights, on different positions. 😳😳

@Skyliner001 well, I'm pleased it wasn't just me! 😂🙈 I then thought that smooth parts of my nipple where then something sinister because they were smooth and there were no bumps there 🙈

Thanks @dillydallydollydaydream7 I feel we have so many similarities! I have the shoulder & back pain too. You are postpartum aswell aren't you? My DC is 8 months.

You know, DH mentioned that while I'm still anxious and have shit days, he thinks I've been better the last few weeks and I agree. It's coincided with finding this thread. I can talk to him and some friends about my HA but I never knew anyone else with HA I could talk to and have them be like, YES! Me too! But now I have you all and it makes it a little easier to deal with. Thanks team ☺️ xxx

bumhug I also get the bum pain, I call it "bum daggers!" I used to get it in my vagina a lot during pregnancy but I also get it in my bum now as well, tbh I just ignore it as it's not frequent enough for me to get obsessed over but just wanted you to know you're not the only person this happens to!!

I've kept up listening to the dare app that I posted about. One of the tips was when you get a symptom or sensation, as soon as your mind starts saying "what if...." Change it to whatever or so what instead and every time a what if question pops in keep doing that. I tried it last night for the first time, it did actually help!

@StooriMidori glad I have helped!! I’m the same, hope it gives you a few days peace!

Went to sleep about 1am as I just couldn’t sleep through a headache I’ve had like never before made me feel sick, my nose this morning is so so blocked! So think it’s like sinusitis or a cold!

Morning everyone.

Dimple hunting made me laugh...I’ve spent many hours shining a torch on my boobs, in various positions with various mirrors - you know in case one can see something another one can’t! 🙈

@bumhug I also get bum daggers, get them up towards my cervix too. I have prolapses after having my youngest so i’m never sure if it’s them causing it or something else.

Another weekend looming for us all, I’m hoping to do better than I have during the week! Fingers crossed for you all!

@StooriMidori so good to hear, I think this is helping us all!

As I was saying before, I think one of the biggest challenges for us is accepting that everything we think is wrong with us, is not always the case, and is part of anxiety.

Even if we can't symptom match exactly with each other, it's the routines, and the obsessions, and the behaviours that ring so true.

Wishing you all a good day, I've managed to dodge the morning bullet, I always check where the cyst was, and then obsess about the thick lumpy tissue above it, which I know has been scanned.

But I've managed not to do that today, got dressed and avoided mirrors too! 😊

@Skyliner001 that’s amazing! My therapist said to stand in front of the mirror naked and just note in my head all the parts I like about my body.. I decided I have quite a nice face.. and that’s about it but might help others who usually look in the mirrors for lumps/bumps etc!

@Skyliner001 you are spot on! It's almost like there is a denial there that it is anxiety for many of us.
Our minds are ridiculously powerful and since I was told the lump in my neck is not a concern, the pain has disappeared

I'm sure I will move onto something else shortly but for now, enjoying the peace!

Hope you're all having a good day.

Hello! Hope everyone is ok. Symptom wise I've not got any triggers today (yay!)....so I'm worrying about getting symptoms that will be triggering...(not yay!).

The bum daggers - yes I get those on occasion - I think it must be to do with piles?? @MrsWhites I also have some prolapse but it generally doesn't cause me any issues. I don't think I'd win any "designer vagina" awards though! 🤗🤣 and there was the slightly mortifying occasion when I asked the GP to assess it and she asked me to squeeze my pelvic floor and she asked whether I actually was....when I was squeezing as hard as I could!! 🤦🏽‍♀️

Oh ladies I went back on a dimple hunt and tired myself out.

I was having such a good day and then as it was so good I though some bad thoughts and that led me to boobs again.

Determined to be good tonight.

How are you all?

@Skyliner001 horrid migraine here (I'm overtired) fortunately migraines don't trigger me!! Other than that I just want the day to end - I just feel exhausted and feeling really done with lockdown today!

Hello, can I join this thread. I have suffered heal anxiety most of my life, more so since my DC were born.

I've recently been having breathlessness following a positive covid and was sent for a chest x-ray, which has since come back clear but I keep thinking they have missed something and I have cancer. I've had a panic attack this morning and I am constantly crying. Does anyone know, would cancer have been picked up in an x-ray? It's taking over my life and I'm considering starting medication for my anxiety.
to everyone else suffering

Welcome @justgivejackie to the thread.

Just rushing to do the washing up but wanted to say a bit 'yes' to cancer appearing on X-ray. I've had lymphoma with many chest tumours and neck as well. They were very clear even to me with no medical training.

Totally get the obsessing over something being missed, we're all in the same boat here. Hope the thread helps 😊

Hi @justgivejackie I think it would show up on a chest X-ray too. Welcome to the group!

@Skyliner001 sorry the dimple hunt has struck you too, so hard when you do one in one sense but then the what if’s get you. Hope you have a better night.

@onlyreadingneverposting8 I think it’s probably piles for me too. My prolapses don’t cause massive symptoms, just stabbing twinges and constipation but they are getting a bit worse too, I probably should see my GP but I really don’t want surgery and they seemed to think that was the only solution last time it was mentioned!