Health anxiety ruining my life...will I ever feel normal again

[AfternoonTeaInLondon]

I have crippling health anxiety. It is taking over my life and has got much worse the last couple of months. I wake up thinking I have something wrong with me and I am going to die. they probably are physical symptoms of anxiety; diarrhoea, chest pain, stomach ache, pins and needles in arms, pressure headache. I've been to a&e before with it and bloods and most observations were within normal limits. I've been to the gp, I've tried medication (citalopram) which doesnt agree with me and made me feel Worse.

I wake up with a dread every single day. I just want to be back to my normal self but can't ever see that being me again.

Has anyone managed to over come this..it's ruining my life

I absolutely understand where you are coming from and how you are feeling. I had my first major episode of health anxiety 7 years ago and it was debilitating. I had all those physical symptoms you described and I didn't leave the house for 3 months other than every day to the GP because I convinced myself it was something sinister. It wasn't.
I had CBT, did meditation to calm myself, walked every day and took meds (which I am still on now) and with that support of my family and friends I got through it. And so will you. I promise you.
I still have health anxiety.... It never leaves you.... But I know what to do to try and help myself more now.
Have you spoken to your GP? x

Sorry I see you have spoken to your GP. I self registered online for CBT. Have a look x

Hi OP,

Yes I believe you can overcome health anxiety - but I also think you need to practice self care forever more to full overcome most forms of anxiety.

I first began suffering from panic attacks after I had my second baby about 7 years ago. At that point I had low level health anxiety triggered by the frightening symptoms of the panic attacks. Nothing significant though.

In 2015 by eldest child became seriously unwell - won’t go into details but we nearly lost her. It was incredibly traumatic. Within 12 months of this a close relative was diagnosed with two very serious conditions. Added into this my eldest also has a longer term condition that causes low level daily stress and anxiety….I basically ran out of reserves. And for me this caused me to suffer from health anxiety.

At this time my anxiety was awful. It’s never been as bad since but I’ve had “blips”.

I am not an anxious person generally - no generalised anxiety for example. It all seems to be about health for me.

I accessed CBT through my GP and I have to say this was the best thing I could have done. When you do CBT you get out of it what you put in - I worked very hard, did all my homework and more. It won’t work if you just turn up every week and then don’t practice the strategies. It was a turning point for me. That and joining a Facebook group about health anxiety recovery. I had to implement very strict rules - no Google, no body scanning, no prodding, no reassurance seeking. And it all worked.

As I’ve said I’ve had blips. I’m having one now - I lost my mum 3 weeks ago after an incredibly stressful year (stressful 3 years really but this last year has been awful)

I truly believe you can get better but you need to work really hard at self care.

Sending you lots of strength - DM me if you need to but also happy to chat here

I am sorry to hear you're struggling with health anxiety OP. I have struggled with it on and off for many years, sometimes it's easier than others but its always there to some extent. I understand the waking up with a feeling of dread too. harverina Can I ask how you manage not to body scan? Do you now assume that if there were ever to be anything wrong you would just notice it, rather than thinking you have a responsibility to check obsessively for things?

I know how you feel. I suffer myself. Mine is around dying and leaving my dd alone.

I find that a gentle walk every day helps. I also take sertraline.

I also stopped monitoring things like heartrate etc because I find it makes things worse.

I really feel for you, it's awful.

@MakingASilkPurse

I am sorry to hear you're struggling with health anxiety OP. I have struggled with it on and off for many years, sometimes it's easier than others but its always there to some extent. I understand the waking up with a feeling of dread too. harverina Can I ask how you manage not to body scan? Do you now assume that if there were ever to be anything wrong you would just notice it, rather than thinking you have a responsibility to check obsessively for things?

@MakingASilkPurse I do monthly breast exams but other than I don’t check anywhere else - unless in a blip. And when I am I set myself. Dry strict rules. So at the moment I have set myself a goal not to feel / prod / scan the area I am worried about for 7 days. I promise you it really helps

harverina Thank you. I'm sorry to hear about your mum. It was when I lost a parent that my problems started. And your traumatic experience with your eldest child must have been horrendous. You sound very brave, and well done for tackling the health anxiety as you have.

I know this feeling Health anxiety is just awful I too have had bloods that come back fine yet I’m adamant their wrong I’m currently on week 4 of CBT and the no seeking reassurance bit is the hardest part for me I would definitely say go for it you have to put in the work in 7 months I have only felt myself for overall 5 days out the whole time it definitely is crippling I hope you feel better soon

Thank you 💐 I don’t feel very brave. I’m all over the place at the moment - jumping from one health condition to another. Some days I worry about multiple things at different times of the day. It’s ridiculous. I assume it’s linked to recent stress and grief. I worry that I’m focusing so much on HA that I’m not letting myself process my grief, but who knows, time will tell.

Hope you are doing ok.

@Motherto

I know this feeling Health anxiety is just awful I too have had bloods that come back fine yet I’m adamant their wrong I’m currently on week 4 of CBT and the no seeking reassurance bit is the hardest part for me I would definitely say go for it you have to put in the work in 7 months I have only felt myself for overall 5 days out the whole time it definitely is crippling I hope you feel better soon

Hi Motherto, just to say, I felt worse before I felt better when I was doing CBT. I remember spiralling completely and being quite out of control with my checking, prodding and reassurance seeking. I went to see my GP and told her how anxious I was, explained what I was anxious about, yet I then made her feel my glands!!

But it did help in the longer term I promise

How old are you, op?