Health Anxiety - Part 4

[polkadotpixie]

I hope no-one minds me starting a follow up thread. I know some people were waiting for me to update so I thought I would but happy to ask MNHQ to delete if one of the long term posters wanted to start it 😊

Oh yes google!!! I'm the same!!!

@KasparKat

Yay, that's great news *@polkadotpixie*. Keep reminding yourself of what you just said, you can stop worrying now!

I had my ecg this morning and convinced the nurse to see what would happen when I stood up. She was a bit reluctant but did it and my heart rate went from 75 to 112 as soon as I stood up, which she said was abnormal. I understand that for a Pots diagnosis it only need to go up by 30 bpm and mine went up by 37. I'm sure it's normally much higher than as well. So she said to make a telephone appointment with the doctor for today. I hope it means he will take me more seriously as when I told him the oximeter registered my heart at 66 to 120 on standing he just said that oximeters aren't very accurate. I find it so frustrating to be dismissed like that. Although to be fair to him he did order the ecg and blood tests. I hope he's not going to be annoyed at the nurse who let me see what happened when I stood up. It just seemed pointless to me to do a lying down ecg when the problem happens when I stand up!

Although I do think a large part of my problem is often thinking that I know better than the GP. I know that's not healthy but as I have been right in the past and the doctors have been wrong I find it really hard to trust what they say if I think differently 🙄

Good for you for having the guts to say to the nurse to let you stand up and show her the jump in heart rate! I had no idea this was even a thing btw, mine sitting down is about 85 and when I stand up it goes to about 105 I do believe even standing creates more work for your heart but as you say 37 extra beats per minute is a large jump!

@Iamsodonewith2020

Posted elsewhere before finding this thread. Does anyone get dizziness, headaches, weak hands,nausea in head, pins and needles and smell weird smells when they have a particularly bad anxiety episode? I am lying here sobbing as I think I have a brain tumour?

I get weird smells!! I don't think it's anything to do with my anxiety though, I figure it's either something to with reflux or sinuses, or maybe because I am a smoker. I absolutely hate it as the smell can last for days and they're so yucky they make me feel nauseous. I walk around with a tissue sprayed with perfume in my pocket looking like a weirdo sniffing it.

Just got my stool sample back, negative for h.pylori bacteria which means I can start the reflux medication they gave me. Now I'm nervous about that, I am actually fed up with myself. Medication that I've never taken before and don't know how my body will react to scares me. I always have to read up on potential side effects so that if I get one I know what to blame it on instead of going straight to "I'm ill" thoughts.

Just spoke withGP. After 20 years of feeling like this but not verbalising I hoped for for reassurance I think. She is prescribing me Amitryptline to help my mood but thinks there is nothing to worry about re brain tumour. She thinks the smell thing is covid related and the dizzy thing is a condition I have had before. She doesn’t need to see me and said she will speak to me again in 4 weeks. That’s it. I feel so deflated. I was literally on the phone for 3 minutes.

@Skyliner001

Small achievement for me this last couple of days. I've managed to rest my hands on my breasts when in bed without checking, also had baths without bubbles and washed without the shower puff and without digressing to checks. Baby steps but I feel good about it!

That’s a massive achievement. More than I can do - I still very much struggle with showers etc and have to use a puff and count out loud whilst I’m in there, I don’t know why the counting helps, I think it might be because I know the higher I count the closer I am to being done. I also have to get dry really quickly because not having a bra and clothes on is just too much temptation to start poking 🙈

So well done you!!

@Iamsodonewith2020 So sorry that you had such a disappointing appointment, it's a horrible feeling when you feel you have been rushed. Do you think you will try and get another appointment?

I've had a fairly decent day, randomly I decided today to worry about armpit fat on the left hand side being more thing on the right… Bigger.

Then although I did have a nice bath, I worried that my nipples are not identical!

Thanks @MrsWhites 😊🥰

How is everybody doing with their breast paranoia? Just wondering as that has been where I have focused my most attention recently! I think I might of ovulated today though, a bit late!

@Skyliner001 my boob obsession is ongoing but it has been for about 5 years so I don’t think that’s going to change soon. But today inspired by you I put down the shower puff and showered using my hand...I did linger probably a bit too long but it’s still progress.

I just want to be normal!

Well done @Skyliner001!!! Honestly that’s amazing!! Such a huge step!! The shower/bath is always a trigger for me.

Had my mammogram this evening at half 6 on my way home missed a call from the hospital. I frantically called back and the lady said she asked radiology and nobody called me from there. I’m not thinking is she lying to me?! The lady that did the mammogram said that the consultant would look at it in the morning when she comes in.

Am I reading too much into this.

It’s stressing me so much.

I think so @Goolies, they wouldn't ring you that quick after an evening appointment. The consultant wouldn't even be in to look at mammograms. Try to get some sleep, let us know what happens tomrrow 😊

@Goolies I would think exactly the same as you but I don’t think they are lying, I imagine they dialled your number instead of someone else’s or something like that. I don’t think there would even be a consultant available to view the mammogram at that time, especially routine one after a positive ultrasound.

I’m sure it’ll be absolutely fine x

Thank you both. This is the worst thing that could happen to someone with HA!

I hope you’re right. She did clearly say the consultant would be in in the morning. Wish I had some control over his mind of mine! X

Hi hope its ok to join. Been reading the posts for a few days on her and am so sorry you all suffer with HA but am so glad to have found people who know exactly how am feeling. I have had health anxiety since having my first child 7 years ago and some times it really gets out of control. I have mager ocd about checking my boobs. That strated when I found a little lump 6 years ago had it checked and it was a little breast mouse harmless but I recently decided I was going to start poking at it again and ended up making it so sore so another trip to the breast clinic were I was checked again and they said its just the same thing that has grown a tiny bit probably from my poking. They said they will look at it again in 6 months but they aren't worried. They did say I have very lumpy breast tissue in both breasts which is completely freaking me out. I have probably over the last few years diagnosed my self with all sorts and its just so tiring wish I could make it stop. I constantly worry about something happening to me or my partner or one of my kids and it just consumes me. I have in the past been on antidepressants which really really helped but they were hard to come off and I was doing so well off them am reluctant to go back on them. Has anyone got on tips on how they manage each day. I have also had counselling but didn't find it much help. So sorry for the long post. Hope you all have a good day today x

@Skyliner001

It really is awful, and I wouldn't wish this anxiety on anyone! It's so hard to control, I also have days when I feel exhausted, and it's hard to get out of bed! I started taking sertraline in early December, and that has massively helped. I'm definitely a doctor avoider where I can be… I hope that your appointment goes well on Tuesday morning, and hopefully will give you some relief from the anxiety X

Took me all my time not to cancel The appt! Lol

@Dollsandfoo I'm so with you on the breast anxiety!

CBT appointment at 1400 😱

Those of you referred for therapy on NHS. How long did it take?

I am in the north-east, and it has taken five weeks to get my first appointment. A telephone appointment. It's cognitive behavioural therapy

Has anyone tried hypnotherapy? Am thinking about giving it ago x

Thank you. GP said there will e a long wait but I have no idea what that means. My long wait for ultrasound was 3 weeks whereas my long wait for wisdom tooth removal has been 8 months so far!

@Goolies how did you get on today?

Hey @Skyliner001 all clear!! Just got the call at 5pm! I was so stressed all day, didn’t get to enjoy the weather m, could barely move, just kept thinking they know it’s bad they just don’t know how to tell me. Thought about so many awful things.

As soon as I got the call I went out into the sunshine. Thank you all for your support you have no idea how much it helped I was in a pretty dark place.

So for those of you with breast pain I hope this can provide you with some reassurance. My left breast is lumpy, ridges, weird water ballon type stuff that I can feel. I get shooting type pain and some dull aches. Apparently it’s all very common.

Sorry everyone I’m behind on the thread! I’ll try catch up now! Over the moon for you @Goolies

I’m in a entire new world of anxiety! It’s not really been health today and yesterday but I’ve got it in my head that my partner doesn’t like me, I don’t know why?! I think I’m just making new worries and I keep worrying about getting married thinking he’s going to cheat or something! I really have no clue where these worries have come from at all! He’s done nothing to make me think this way but it’s all I have in my mind at the minute!