Need to stop researching, health anxiety

[emilylouisex1]

I've had a bad virus now for over a month. On steroids for the wheezing, slowly getting better, I've been bed bound a lot because I've genuinely been so unwell. I developed chest pain badly and wheeze was still very prominent so I went a&e who gave the steroids. Chest pain was inflammation they said, bloods were all good.
When I was in the a&e waiting area, I developed a pain in my right calf, like a dull deep muscle cramp. I wasn't worried at first, when I saw the doctor he felt my legs (he said it's probably not related to my chest pain but just wants to see) and went 'hmmmm ok' and then asked other questions but that was it...now the pain is still in my calf I'm wondering whether it is a clot and I should be in a&e AGAIN😭 it's like a throbbing cramp, maybe I sat awkwardly or something? This health anxiety is really getting the better of me I'm so scared all the time. There's no swelling, redness or heat. Just pain and I can walk around as normal

Honestly I've watched so many. They never help.

If the pain disappears when you're otherwise occupied, it isn't anything to worry about.

Yeah I didn't think about it at all when I was out, it was once I got back indoors and sat down it came back 🤦🏻‍♀️

I had something that sounds really similar to this. Started as wheezing and coughing, diagnosed with viral bronchitis by my GP. I developed really awful chest pain and later cramping in one calf, so bad I could barely put weight on it. No redness or swelling and the pain came and went. I was sent to A&E by my doctor for a lung x ray and scan of the calf for suspected DVT. Both were clear and over a few weeks the symptoms went away. In my case I think it was a really weird virus. The Dr in A&E said with a calf DVT the pain would be constant, rather than intermittent

Pain did go eventually 😀

Does anyone know a reason why I would have consistent chest pain? A&e said I was ok but it's still ongoing like sharp stabbing pains randomly

One of the major symptoms of HA is asking for reassurance, even after a GP/Hospital have given you the ok. If HA is overwhelming you see your GP for help? CBT is helpful for HA and in some cases medication is the answer to help break the cycle. HA is horrible, don't suffer alone. X

Health anxiety.
If you've been checked and told you're okay, you must be glad, surely?

But still getting the pain means you don't really believe that A and E are right.

How often do you go there?

Agree with Blackcat. If you have health anxiety then no amount of reassurance will help. You need to treat the anxiety itself.

I'm currently doing therapy, I don't think it helps much though. I also cannot handle medications right now for it, the physical symptoms when starting gives me more anxiety I cannot stand the sensations it gives my body it makes me feel worse, I was hoping therapy would help a bit but not so much yet

@TheShellBeach oh absolutely, I don't want to be sick! I just worry.
Tbh, often. But that is only because when I call 111 for advice, they just fob me off with a&e. The doctor will call back and say it could be this and that. One time I threw up after taking an anti biotic within 30 mins, pharmacist said reaction to the anti biotic and 111 doctor said a gastric ulcer and a&e immediately. Rationally I knew a&e was not the answer and didn't go but this is my own experience, they always say a&e so I worry, I wish I wasn't like this and felt normal when it comes to health but I don't :(

@emilylouisex1 regarding your leg, you said 111 advised to treat at home. Now you say they always advise to go to A&E if you think you need A&E, then go to A&E.

Would you make all these calls and trips to A&E if there were a £25 charge I wonder?

Regarding your leg, is there any data regarding a an embolism giving intermittent and peripatetic pain with no hotness or redness. Can you view it logically as if it happens to one in one thousand people, it does not happen to 999.

Also if it didn't hurt when you were shopping, can you do some hobs to take yiur mind off things.

HA can and does result in pain all around the body. I suffered HA for 15 years and chest pain/gastric issues were one of my main symptoms.

I was unable to take medication as part of my HA. The thing with HA is the constant arguing with yourself in your own head. Doing this long term creates a stress response and in my experience centres on the area of concern. So the things that I do to help are:

Acknowledge the worry but I designate a time to do it. So if a thought pops in my head, I will accept it is bothering me and I will think about it at 6pm. If I am still really bad I may write it down.

I bought some strong smelling essential oils and I sniff these. They help trick my brain.

I do the 3 threes. The NHS have fantastic CBT videos that go into detail about this.

I pinch myself. It redirects the pain receptors away.

I do deep diaphram breathing. This really works to ease pain.

I'm not talking about my leg. I'm talking about past experiences with 111...there's been many many instances where I will be put through to a doctor and 111 will say to go a&e, I'm not the only one with this experience I've seen so many people say 111 doctors always advise a&e to 'cover their back'

I love the idea of that but sadly I cannot convince myself not to think of it, it will just make things more louder in my head, I'm not sure how I can stop the worry constantly, even now it's a different thing I'm now worried about. My health anxiety is very very intense 🥲

Health anxiety is really really awful and I think people underestimate how much of an impact it can have on someone's life. One thing that helped me when I was in the cycle of googling symptoms, body checking, etc etc was to google the symptoms of health anxiety rather than whatever health anxiety was convincing me I had. I would tick off all the symptoms of that which helped break the cycle for a bit.

@BlueWhippets honestly, I can't catch a break from it! Any little pain I focus on so bad and think the worst, now I have lower abdominal pain and keep rushing to the loo I now believe I have a UTI. It's never ending and I'm so drained.

@BlueWhippets just to add to that I've had lower abdominal pain before and the need to constantly go toilet, I think it has something to do with my menstrual cycle as it always seems to be around 12 days before when it does happen...but my mind is telling me I have a UTI that will develop into a kidney infection ✌🏻🥲

I hear what you are saying. I suffered badly and had to leave my job because of the issues HA caused.

The thing is, it never leaves you. I believe that some people are just prone to having an over reacting nervous system. The only thing you can do is use self-help techniques to minimise / interrupt the thought process or take medication. Personally for me, medication is a last resort as I have OCD in this area.

One thing that really helped me was realising how the Google search worked. Different answers are given depending on your input. People who suffer with HA are more likely to input a phrase that will bring up the worse possible scenario first because they are only focusing on the symptom. Like "sudden onset of pain in chest" where someone with HA might be more inclined to focus on the cause and put "chest pain after eating".

This helped me to stop relying on Google for answers and to start listening to my body. You really need to break this cycle if you have any hope of getting better. HA in itself is an illness that you need to treat. It is a long process and will not be fixed overnight. Some symptoms might linger for many years. (I am 22 years in) but it will help you to have a normal life.

Thank you. I believe I've had health anxiety for a good 5/6 years now although before I remember it was very mild, I was fixate for a bit then get over it most of the time, now it is jumping from one thing from the other consistently.