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Original poster

Health anxiety

85 replies

GentlyGentlyOhDear · 21/11/2022 23:32

Anyone else suffering at the minute?
Mine flares up regularly and I go through a cycle of what I'm worried about.
Having a bad week :(
Seems to get worse from mid cycle onwards.

OP posts:
janicegarvey · 19/12/2023 18:52

RougeFraise · 19/12/2023 16:44

Anyone still hanging on this thread? My HA has been in overdrive for months now and I’m really struggling, just need a break from the physical shit so I can have a mental break. I don’t feel strong enough to get mental help right now, need a break from the physical stuff.

I'm still here !

I know you don't want to take medication but honestly beta blockers helped me so much

Another thing that helps is exercise and I know it's not for everyone 😂 but I try to run 4-5k a day

As an added bonus I tell myself it also protects a bit against getting ill

RougeFraise · 19/12/2023 18:55

I get worried about side effects of meds. I had to gear up to taking naproxen despite having had ibuprofen and diclofenac before!

AmethystSparkles · 19/12/2023 21:45

@RougeFraise I’m the same with meds….I ended up in A&E after taking three Sertralines and I think they thought I was crazy but I genuinely had a massive seratonin high after about an hour of taking the first tablet …it was lovely but unfortunately it all went downhill after that.

Have you tried a pill cutter? Just take a quarter dose and build up x

WhimsicalMoth · 19/12/2023 22:33

Health anxiety is single handedly the worst thing I've ever had to deal with. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
I'm not a "let's book a drs appt" person .. I'm a "let's worry myself sick that I have I have x ailment, but not book an appointment because what if they confirm my worst fears" type of person.
I don't know what's worse.
According to my HA- at the moment I have
Ovarian cancer
Endometrial cancer
Thyroid cancer
Breast cancer
And lastly.. melanoma (literally a mole I've had since I was a child that has NOT changed one bit)
When you write it all out like that.. it seems so ridiculous and impossible... but it feels SO real.
I feel for you all. It's awful

RougeFraise · 20/12/2023 09:06

@AmethystSparkles i was prescribed sertraline before and took a half dose for a day or two I think it was and I felt like I was losing my mind on it.

anx12345 · 20/12/2023 10:14

@WhimsicalMoth I feel you I'm suffering at the minute I've been had bad tummy problems for some time now been told I have ibs which has been about 8 years now, had a ct Scan and biopsy taken about 5 years ago and stil nothing Wil change tha everything was ok and clear, my mind is so bad at the moment I can't stop crying shaking every time I have to run the toilet I think oh my, stomach cramps I had a scan done about 3 weeks ago and found nothing, but had a gallbladder infection, don't no how much more of this I can take

ACCx · 20/12/2023 21:59

Oh yes I’ve been here! The notes section in my phone was full of reasons why I shouldn’t worry and notes to reassure me x

ACCx · 20/12/2023 22:01

I could’ve wrote this myself. One thing after the other. Sertraline has helped me x

RougeFraise · 21/12/2023 09:42

I have the same with my notes section too. And tracking lymph nodes, headaches.

I self referred for therapy yesterday.

AmethystSparkles · 22/12/2023 23:28

@RougeFraise have you tried other SSRIs? I read somewhere that some autistic people have naturally high levels of seratonin and I wonder if this is why I had such a high. That evening, someone said to me “You’re the most relaxed person I’ve ever seen” with absolutely no prompting! And I was that night and the following day. Then I woke at 5am (unheard of for me!) the next morning having a huge panic attack! Then an eight hour panic attack after the next pill followed by hours of nausea.

RougeFraise · 23/12/2023 10:14

I don’t really want to take medication. I’d rather deal with the cause than mask it with brain chemistry alterations.

I’ve just been added to the waiting list for intensive cbt and am going to have private talking therapy when I can afford it x

BighairandIdontcare · 23/12/2023 13:19

My health anxiety is terrible at the moment. It’s got to the point where im
scared to have a shower in case I find a lump when I’m washing and I try to avoid looking at myself naked in case I see anything bad. I hate feeling like this but too scared to go on medication. I’ve tried therapy and Hypnosis which helped a bit but hasn’t cured it. I’m so sick of feeling like this…

WhimsicalMoth · 23/12/2023 21:51

BighairandIdontcare · 23/12/2023 13:19

My health anxiety is terrible at the moment. It’s got to the point where im
scared to have a shower in case I find a lump when I’m washing and I try to avoid looking at myself naked in case I see anything bad. I hate feeling like this but too scared to go on medication. I’ve tried therapy and Hypnosis which helped a bit but hasn’t cured it. I’m so sick of feeling like this…

Ohh I really feel this. It's so awful. I bury my head in the sand about things that 'could' possibly be something (that literally are NOT anything)
I feel like the average person would actually laugh if we were to tell them the list of things we think are wrong with us , all at once, on a daily basis. But to us it's just so real. I'm sat here relentlessly running my fingers down my neck. Is it a lymph node? Was that there yesterday ? Is it an enlarged thyroid? Is it just my muscle, tissue, bones ?? It's got to the point where I will ask my partner if I can feel his neck to see if it's something that's meant to be there or not !!

Gemz847 · 29/12/2023 19:08

I hope you all managed to enjoy Christmas and are doing ok xxxx

IJustWantItToStop · 29/12/2023 20:45

I've just come across this thread and I'm so relieved there are others like me! I also have a phone full of notes as to my worries and why I'm fine, reassurance for when I'm spiralling

I had a 2ww this year in Sept, after a lump was found during an ultrasound. It turned out to be a fibroid but that was a horrible horrible time

I convince myself daily that I have different types of cancer. Most recently breast, stomach, pancreatic and lung.

HA is relentless, unending and like OP says, I don't know how others go about their days not worrying about things

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 29/12/2023 21:10

Health anxiety is single handedly the worst thing I've ever had to deal with. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy

Concur. I have a blood test every three months and an appointment with my oncologist so she can check my results and tweak my medication. This month I was told to come in a couple of days early so naturally I went to 'OMG! they've seen something serious they need to tell me about and it can't wait!!'

Nope. She was covering holidays, rejigging her appointments and getting the easy ones that would only take 10 minutes out of the way first.

WhimsicalMoth · 29/12/2023 22:15

Does anyone else find they get it worse at certain points in their cycle ??
I'm always 10x worse for general health anxiety and body checking the week before I am due a period.
I've heard others say a similar thing before. Maybe there is some form of correlation. I've not looked into it (surprisingly)

nopenotplaying · 04/01/2024 08:51

WhimsicalMoth · 29/12/2023 22:15

Does anyone else find they get it worse at certain points in their cycle ??
I'm always 10x worse for general health anxiety and body checking the week before I am due a period.
I've heard others say a similar thing before. Maybe there is some form of correlation. I've not looked into it (surprisingly)

I would agree with this. My anxiety peaks the week before my period and during 🥺

janicegarvey · 04/01/2024 12:05

WhimsicalMoth · 29/12/2023 22:15

Does anyone else find they get it worse at certain points in their cycle ??
I'm always 10x worse for general health anxiety and body checking the week before I am due a period.
I've heard others say a similar thing before. Maybe there is some form of correlation. I've not looked into it (surprisingly)

Yes same

Apparently it is a thing

Gemz847 · 04/01/2024 13:35

WhimsicalMoth · 29/12/2023 22:15

Does anyone else find they get it worse at certain points in their cycle ??
I'm always 10x worse for general health anxiety and body checking the week before I am due a period.
I've heard others say a similar thing before. Maybe there is some form of correlation. I've not looked into it (surprisingly)

Definitely! X

Original poster
GentlyGentlyOhDear · 21/01/2024 21:16

Just checking into this thread as I am struggling again at the minute. I'd had a few worry free months and I'd forgotten how distressing the constant worry was. Now its back and I am catastrophising terribly. Ugh.

OP posts:
IJustWantItToStop · 21/01/2024 21:22

Sorry to hear you're struggling, I'm not having a good time either and keep spiraling

Sending big hugs x

Gemz847 · 21/01/2024 21:26

GentlyGentlyOhDear · 21/01/2024 21:16

Just checking into this thread as I am struggling again at the minute. I'd had a few worry free months and I'd forgotten how distressing the constant worry was. Now its back and I am catastrophising terribly. Ugh.

Sending hugs too! It's the worst! Xxxx

janicegarvey · 22/01/2024 08:05

GentlyGentlyOhDear · 21/01/2024 21:16

Just checking into this thread as I am struggling again at the minute. I'd had a few worry free months and I'd forgotten how distressing the constant worry was. Now its back and I am catastrophising terribly. Ugh.

Is there anything that has triggered it ? X

janicegarvey · 22/01/2024 08:06

I'm really struggling too atm, I'm waiting for some test results

I did another thread here ->

To be freaking out waiting for womb biopsy results ? http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/4987010-to-be-freaking-out-waiting-for-womb-biopsy-results