Health Anxiety

[Aligeorge]

Hi all.
Health anxiety is taking over my life. It’s seriously getting out of hand. Some days aren’t as bad as others but most are plagued by such a huge dread that I’ve got something seriously wrong with me. The problem is the health anxiety creates real symptoms which fuels the health anxiety…
Headaches, eye twitches, muscles spasms, nausea, bowel issues, pains all over the body, tense muscles, sore throats, back ache, tiredness, numbness, pins and needles, heart palpitations, shivering, hot flashes. The list is endless. I feel tense/on edge all the time. Over the years I’ve had so many tests. Suffered with bowels/nausea since a child the newest thing at the moment is mucus occasionally when passing stools not in them but around them sometimes quite a lot. Currently waiting on blood results and really struggling expecting the worst. It all started around 9 years ago when I had blood after passing stools had a colonoscopy said just internal hemmeroids just after that I had my first abnormal smear had another since. Has anyone received counselling for health anxiety? I’m on a waiting list as I’d much rather try this then tablets ( I have health anxiety o we taking pills incase I’m allergic) I know crazy as I’ve never had allergies. Would you say the counselling helped ease it. Health anxiety is such a hard thing as for so long you was labelled a hypochondriac when it really does take over your life. Sorry for the long post I just really needed to get it all out.

What has helped me recently, is going through the long list of serious diseases or complications I thought I had - brain tumor, kidney disease (even though my blood and urine test were normal a couple months before!, diabetes (even though bloods were normal, heart attack (even though im slim and 38, leukemia, lyme disease....so now I just kind of think through my list when a new thing comes along and try to talk sense to myself....it has actually helped a lot.

I have a friend with OCD and mild health anxiety. She's been through all sorts of scans and takes so many vitamins and health foods. She found therapy useful. As with all mental health, she's not "cured", but she can live with it. She gets flare ups of the OCD, this is more prominent, but from the little I know I'd say there is hope!

Hopefully MN can give you more advice. You're on the right track @Aligeorge, sending you all my best!

Yes I've had counselling for severe HA - we talked through it, reasons why there was a flare in my anxiety (eg a close friend dying suddenly), and also used techniques to help bring my thoughts back to the present and help rationalise (but not feed into them). I'd recommend the website "getselfhelp.co.uk" (search for health anxiety on there) as it's got lots of useful and practical tips. Perhaps look on the BACP website for a counsellor who specialises in HA - often their fees are means based so can usually be affordable.

I've spent a fortune on private tests (MRIs, bone scans, ultrasounds etc) and when one test result was fine I'd move onto the next worry! I second @SamPoodle123 s approach of going through the list of things you've thought you'd had as it helps rationalise the mind!

Counselling alongside venlafaxine tablets helped me a LOT. I also had an abnormal smear, which triggered my HA, so I can understand how you feel and it is ruuuuubbish but there is hope for healing, I promise xx

I go from one thing to the next, focusing on it and worrying, but then realise when I move to the next issue to focus and worry about the other issue goes away or barely noticeable. For example, fatigued legs, eye floaters, head pressure etc.

Thank you for all the reply’s it really helps knowing you’re not on your own. Yes the mind is a scary thing that it can play such huge tricks on you. The fixation is so real that’s exactly how it is for me. Breast lump - scan fine move on to the next. Mole darker than the rest doctor checked said it was ok when in reality I knew this as it hadn’t changed for years. Back pain this is a major one for me. Which doctor has said nothing serious most likely posture from working from home or tension. I remind my self daily to relax and it does help the pain. I had an infected wisdom tooth recently and convinced my self I had sepsis (CRAZY I KNOW) these now need removing. I’m currently waiting for blood results so it’s at a real high at the moment. I feel it took me a really long time that it was actually health anxiety I suffered with did anyone else find this? Not sure how long the wait is to receive counselling I’ve been on the waiting list a while so hoping it isn’t too much longer.

I have severe health anxiety, just like above it has become an obsession for me to overly self check, google, check symptoms and repeat. I’ve seen multiple GPS & private doctors for the same issue since September as I struggle to believe what they say is true or convince myself I’ve gained new symptoms since I’ve last seen a healthcare professional. I’m just about to start CBT - really hoping this works as I’m driving myself mad!

This time a year ago I was really struggling with health anxiety. Mine was triggered by the sudden death of a loved one in first lockdown. It started with palpitations, and then I became convinced I had various cancers and was so anxious I couldn't sleep and was awake much of the night with chest pain and panic attacks. CBT helped me as some of the techniques were very useful and I also banned myself from google as everything I read convinced me it was cancer! Not googling symptoms really helped me. You have to put the work in with CBT but in my experience it was worth it.
I also started a new job which took up so much time and gave a focus. I still have wobbles and am currently suffering with digestive issues so I am fighting to keep the HA under control but there is definitely hope as I'm so much better than I was and when I was really bad I thought I would never get past it. Definitely get some help and I wish you all the best to overcome it as I understand how debilitating and lonely it feels.

Have a look at this video -

It explains exactly, and in great detail, what goes on in the body when it's under stress (whether real or imagined, the mind can not tell the difference between the two) and why you feel the way you do. Knowing that your physical symptoms are completely normal (and beneficial in the event of an actual threat to your safety) can be really reassuring.

For health anxiety the evidence based treatment is CBT (not counselling). I’ve nothing against counselling, it’s extremely helpful but anxiety disorders need a more structured approach that helps you deal with unhelpful thinking and behaviours that maintain cycles of anxiety. This is best done with a properly accredited CBT therapist not a counsellor who uses CBT approaches. The professional body for CBT is the BABCP and accredited CBT therapists can be found here cbtregisteruk.com/ for private practice. If you’re on a waiting list for help through IAPT you should be on the CBT waiting list. It can be a very long wait as the recent Covid situation has increased demand. You might find this book a useful resource while you’re waiting @Aligeorge www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Health-Anxiety-David-Veale/dp/1845298241?tag=mumsnetforu03-21 good luck!

Hey - I’ve just stumbled across this page. I’m too suffering with health anxiety & although I’m sorry to see so many of you suffering - it’s kinda helped knowing I’m not alone. I have had numerous tests brain scans , heart checks, I pay private each time and I do this because deep down I know it’s HA. So it’s my way of justifying to get these checks. I actually have a hard lump on my ankle and I’m convinced it’s a tumour. I have 2 small children & tonight my little girls tooth fell out. I was there and I just had the most awful intrusive thought. I thought I hope I’m here to see all her teeth fall out as I’m convinced the lump is cancerous. I broke down when she left the room. I know it sounds so silly. But all this stress I wonder if it will trigger an actual illness. I’m starting therapy again Thursday as I don’t want medication. Sorry to rant. Wishing you all healing health & happiness

Hi.
I’m currently going through CBT had a few sessions, not much change yet but know it isn’t a quick fix. We’ve been going through challenging the thoughts and distractions. Health anxiety is really awful. Mine is really bad at the moment as I’m having a lot of bowel issues(mucus mainly) so I’m in a really bad spiral. I worry that much about dying and not been with the children that I’m not really present. I mean physically I am but the anxiety really takes over. I’m really hoping I can get this under control and start to live a life of not worrying every second of the day. Some days I feel like I’m getting somewhere and really challenge the negative thought other days I’m just consumed. I really hope you start to feel better soon x