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 😊

My mother has HA too (I think anyway, she's never admit it). When I was a child she was obsessed with my health and would literally take me to the GP with every bruise I got (I was always falling off my bike/skates etc) convinced it was leukaemia. Then I started having headaches (I needed glasses) but she managed to get me a referral to neurologists anyway who did MRIs etc and finally diagnosed migraines. Problem is, by this point I had my glasses and the headaches stopped but she still insisted on me taking migraine meds everyday. I stopped as soon as I was old enough to understand.

As an adult, I went completely the other way for a while. I didn't think twice about my health, would take risks with it even and never go to the doctor or take any medication.

Then, after giving birth and getting very ill with pre-eclampsia, my HA manifested and I've been obsessed with my heart ever since. I try really hard not to be like my mother with my DC though. Which means I always defer to DH with their medical stuff but that causes it's own issues as I need to trust myself if there's ever an issue and DH isn't there...
Minefield!

@StooriMidori how much propranolol do you take? I've been told to take 10mg but when I had my panic this morning about my heart rate I didn't feel like it did very much. The leaflet it comes with says general dose for anxiety is 40mg twice a day. The GP (a duty doctor not my normal one) was very reluctant to prescribe it even thought it was my NHS CBT therapist who got me to ask for it so I'm wondering if he gave me a tiny dose because he said "it's not a real medication for anxiety, you'll be coming back asking for a proper drug soon" 🙄

@3boyshere I honestly can’t remember if polyps was mentioned (sorry my last surgery for it was about 5 years ago)

If it makes you feel any less worried, I had about 3 months of bleeding every time I had a number 2 and severe pain before I even got it checked out! At the time I was too scared to go in case it was something awful! Throughout the course of tests and treatment, I spoke to a very good consultant who said that many bowel/back passage problems are linked to stress and anxiety due to tension in that area, and I have definitely found this to be the case with me!

Good luck for your appointment. I’m sure you’ll find there’s nothing to worry about!

@Squibble84 thank you I will give you an update on Saturday x

Hi ladies, thank you so much for sharing, it sounds like we all have quite similar experiences, either long-term anxiety in general, which has changed to health anxiety, or peaks and troughs with health anxiety, often triggered by an event. It's interesting, I definitely feel that mine peaked in my mid 20s, and is peeking again now, but after a very definite trigger. I also feel that mine is worse when I have less to do.

Morning, hope everyone is having a good day I have started with bad health anxiety this morning think it’s because I’m waiting for the dr to call and trying to find problems on myself I can mention on the phone! 🙄

That sounds very triggering, I always find a call from the doctor really triggering! I wonder what it would be like to be married to a consultant, it must be so handy!

@Skyliner001 so do I! I also for some reason start doing this fake “it’s not that bad really” when actually I will of been worrying about it 3 months! 😂

@Skyliner001 mine is also much worse when I have less to do! There’s nothing to keep the mind from wandering!

@tmh88 waiting for a phone call is horrible! Hopefully it’s not a long wait for you! I do the exact same thing and downplay it, I guess hoping that will encourage them to say that everything is ok!

@Squibble84 yes hopefully not! 🤞🏻 Yes I’ve just seen furlough has been extended till September and I don’t think I can take that much longer at home!

@tmh88 what time are they due to ring?
Is it about your ear or something else?
I can't relax when the doctor is ringing, it takes up all your brain space till it's over doesn't it!

@ofwarren it is yes, I’ll ask about that feeling we both have and let you know what she says! Yes it’s exactly that! I’m just sitting and waiting! They start phone calls from 10!

@ofwarren apparently it is etd, there’s no real treatment for it she said and has prescribed a steroid nasal spray I’m to use for a month and if no better to get back in touch!

@tmh88 😔 Are they not even going to get ENT to look at it?

@ofwarren no she said it doesn’t sound concerning and that to use the steroid nasal spray and the nose balloon for a month! 🤞🏻 The spray works x

That sounds reassuring!

Can I join this too? My HA is high at the moment, started with pulsatile tinnitus worries due to watching greys anatomy 🥺 awaiting ent appointment for that and now found a lump in each armpit so have breast clinic next week. My neck is so bruised from checking for lumps constantly and I feel really alone in it all 😢

@Skyliner001 yes I’m hoping so! Feel calm now the phone calls done with anyway just making some potato and leek soup with a crusty roll now I feel like I can eat!😂

@AJ297 you won’t be alone on here I think between us all there isn’t a patch of body not covered with regards to lumps/bumps etc! I have several swollen nodes in my neck had an ultrasound and all Norma! I’m having some ear trouble at the minute but I’ve posted above what was recommended! So far they aren’t concerned over that either! It is scary the worries and I understand how horrible it is! (I will now dodge greys anatomy)

Just out of interest has anyone tried ear candling?

@tmh88 Enjoy it, I'm sure it will be lovely!

@AJ297 you are very very welcome here, nobody feels alone here, and we are all in the same boat. We have each others backs, and we are here to support each other.

Sorry that you find yourself here, as it's not a nice place to be, but as above there is not an inch of the body not covered here.

My major stresses relate to anything gynaecological, and breasts! I've recently been to the breast clinic, so here to support you on that!

There are lots of us here that feel for lumps in the neck, that's also a problem area for me.But really we have everything covered, you are among friends!

Thank you 💕 I'm just so sick of it controlling my life. The lumps under my armpit one has gone down and one appeared the other day, I had a rash last week and I know deep down in a normal mind it would be linked to viral but I've spent so many hours googling worst case scenarios. I'll have a read up re ear issues, I think mines linked to my chronic tonsillitis and the fact they've been left like golf balls.

I've tried ear candling before, your ears certainly feel emptier afterwards 😂

@AJ297 I completely understand! I think we will all get through it! My partner always says only worry when there’s something to worry about! I don’t know how he can be so laid back but he is! I make worries once I’ve solved one!

I’ll try the ear candles! dp had it done once and said it really did pull a lot of wax out

Sorry in advance for the too much information, but does anybody else get brownish discharge after their period?

I've done some googling, and apparently it's fairly normal! 😱 I've had it for absolutely years, but for some reason with this latest health anxiety I'm re-examining all of these previous things.

@Skyliner001 yes every period I do x

Thanks @tmh88 exits the google spiral