Health Anxiety

[fairypop]

Hiya

Just wondered if anyone else suffers from this? Mine comes and goes in waves. As soon as I have a symptom of anything, it is the worse thing ever and I am dying. My OH is getting fed up of having to constantly reassure me that it isn't whatever disease/illness I think I have...

It is worse since I had my son as I worry so much about not being here for him

A lot of people just think I am a hypocondriac, and take the mickey really. I wish it was that simple and I could just snap out of it. Doctors in the past have just offered anti depressants but I don't think they are going to help. I'm not depressed, I just worry about dying...

My latest issue is that yesterday, sounds silly when I write it down, I hit my head whilst putting my hair back, smacked my head into the bathroom door - have had a headache all day today and am convinced I am having a brain hemorrhage. I have sinus problems and in my more rational moments, I think my headache is due to the weather being so bad...

Google is definitely not my friend, as I always match my symptoms to something and think the worst.

My sister has the same level of health anxiety as I do which is strange, we don't live together and both appeared to develop this independently.

In the past I have ended up paying for all manner of private investigations for brain tumours, bowel cancer etc. Hubs uses those as an example and says, see, remember when you thought you had x and you didn't, well you won't have x either, but then I just start thinking I was lucky then, and won't be now.

My head hurts

 

[xoxsarahxox]

I've always been like this :-/ I will get a nose bleed and a head ache and crap myself that I have a brain hermirage...makes it worse that my grandma died from one so now I think I'm more likely to get one to....I have a condition called endometriosis which can possibly higher your risk of ovarian cancer... Which my auntie is currently dying from, so there's me on google checking the symptoms and would you believe I have the symptoms so there's me thinking oh god what if I have it??? Ill get a pain in my leg and think I have a blood clot... The list is endless, slightest thing and I'm panicking there is something seriously wrong with me

 

[loeylo]

Hey, I also have horrible health anxiety, like you, mines comes in waves and I have had it as long as I can remember. There is a very good forum called No More Panic, it has helped me hugely.
The best advice I can give is not to google! It never ends well!
Hope you are feeling better soon x

 

[sophxx]

I have this to it'd awful mines all centered around my heart. I've payef for 3 private echos olus had loads of ecgs 6,month ecg ect all perfect but I can't help but worry if I get ill I think I'll devolp complications even if I just have acild like now. x

 

[jenniferbabe2]

Aww, hopefully everything is sorted out!

 

[lindsmom12]

using google is the worst thing you can do! of course its just going to fill you with ideas of the worst. I'm not sure if you're religious but it always helps me to know that my health is in god's hands. try to think positive! glass half full

 

[AimeeM]

I have serious health anxiety and have just finished therapy. Everyday is a nightmare and every pain or ache I think is something very bad. I agree, have a look at the no more panic forum. It is great and shows how common this is. You are not alone x

 

[skookie]

Hiya

Just wondered if anyone else suffers from this? Mine comes and goes in waves. As soon as I have a symptom of anything, it is the worse thing ever and I am dying. My OH is getting fed up of having to constantly reassure me that it isn't whatever disease/illness I think I have...

It is worse since I had my son as I worry so much about not being here for him

A lot of people just think I am a hypocondriac, and take the mickey really. I wish it was that simple and I could just snap out of it. Doctors in the past have just offered anti depressants but I don't think they are going to help. I'm not depressed, I just worry about dying...

My latest issue is that yesterday, sounds silly when I write it down, I hit my head whilst putting my hair back, smacked my head into the bathroom door - have had a headache all day today and am convinced I am having a brain hemorrhage. I have sinus problems and in my more rational moments, I think my headache is due to the weather being so bad...

Google is definitely not my friend, as I always match my symptoms to something and think the worst.

My sister has the same level of health anxiety as I do which is strange, we don't live together and both appeared to develop this independently.

In the past I have ended up paying for all manner of private investigations for brain tumours, bowel cancer etc. Hubs uses those as an example and says, see, remember when you thought you had x and you didn't, well you won't have x either, but then I just start thinking I was lucky then, and won't be now.

My head hurts

Yeah. I'm a textbook hypochondriac. It's interesting you and your sister both have health anxiety. Did you lose a parent or have to see them suffer?

My mom had cancer and was very ill for most of my childhood, going through chemo, radiation, lost the use of her arm, eventually could not walk. She passed away when I was 14, which didn't help, but by then the damage was done. I remember as far back as an incident before kindergarten (I would have been five years old!) where I was absolutely convinced I was dying. It was some kind of pulled muscle in my stomach area.. lol. All through my childhood and into my teenage years I was convinced I had anything and everything.. AIDS, brain tumors, aneurysms, any cancer you can think of, any heart problem. I spent nights afraid to sleep thinking i would simply die due to an undiagnosed condition! I say it in the past tense but I am still the same. Right now I have a bladder infection with kidney pain (??!!) and I'm pretty sure these are my last days here on earth.. I don't want to be this way.. I wish it away all the time. It's such a waste of mental energy and time. but I sure do know a lot more about medical stuff and the human body than most of the people I know. And I typically know when my doctors are wrong about something (although I keep it to myself!!).

but, yeah, I hate it. I'm with ya.

 

[PinkGlitter87]

I have suffered from health anxiety since OK was a child but this was only diagnosed a few months ago so its nice to finally have an answer (how long I believe this for is a different matter! Its only a matter of time before I start to think that I am in fact dying and its not in my head ha ha) I am lucky to have a great Dr who has sent me for every scan going, ultra sound, MRI etc on the condition that if all was well I would try cognitive behavioral therapy as it was obvious the issue was psychological to everyone but me! My health anxiety mainly centers around fizzing and cracking in my neck which I can convince myself are ms, mind, going to lead to a stroke or a blood clot if I'm having a bad day.
I try and think positive about life now and try and think things through logically. It also helps if you have someone who can 'talk you out of what you are thinking and make you think more rationally' my husband does this a lot.
At the moment I am feeling well but feel like I'm always waiting for the next time I get myself worked up x x x

 

[fairypop]

Thanks for all your replies.
I have used the no more panic website, when I had a brain tumour fear - and it did help me, although I tend then to read everyone's posts and start to panic I have those symptoms too.

My GPS have never suggested CBT but then I am paranoid about if they realise that I have health anxiety, then I will be labelled and then they will never take me seriously. My last gp did put Somataform on my notes, which I looked up but I moved practices when I moved house 6 years ago.

I do find I go through phases, some months are worse than others, or if I am stressed about something else and unrelated then a new ailment pops up.

My husband is really good, he tries to talk rationally about things, the poor man - sometimes he can't do right for doing wrong, he'll say something like, well let's monitor it over the next few days and if x persists, then lets book a doctors appointment, to which I jump down his throat, you think it's x don't you, you think it is going to get worse etc etc, the if he tells me not to worry about x, I say, you just don't take me seriously atall do you...
He has a lot of patience!

At the moment it seems to be particularly bad, I think as my parents are splitting up (even though I am mid thirties it still bothers me, long story, but my dad is gay). - so I think that is why it has got worse..

I had two teeth out before Christmas, which made me panic I had then got a jaw infection which was going to spread and erode my whole jawbone. To be fair, one extraction took over two hours by an incompetent dentist, so that didn't help!

I then had the banged head incident,which made me think I had a haemorrhage and spoiled Christmas Eve.

I then had neck ache, and was convinced that I had a broken neck, my best friend had one last year that had lain undiscovered until she paid for a private scan and was told she was weeks away from paralysis - so now that is a big worry...I.e. what if I get that too, hubs tries to reassure me how rare such an occurrence is and for two best friends to get the same, the odds are crazy...

Then eye ache, and a twitching eye over the past few weeks, so told hubs I was going blind and was in a major panic about it...

Argh.... I have been better over the last year till December so hope I can get it under more control again...

Thanks for listening xx

 

[fairypop]

Hiya

Just wondered if anyone else suffers from this? Mine comes and goes in waves. As soon as I have a symptom of anything, it is the worse thing ever and I am dying. My OH is getting fed up of having to constantly reassure me that it isn't whatever disease/illness I think I have...

It is worse since I had my son as I worry so much about not being here for him

A lot of people just think I am a hypocondriac, and take the mickey really. I wish it was that simple and I could just snap out of it. Doctors in the past have just offered anti depressants but I don't think they are going to help. I'm not depressed, I just worry about dying...

My latest issue is that yesterday, sounds silly when I write it down, I hit my head whilst putting my hair back, smacked my head into the bathroom door - have had a headache all day today and am convinced I am having a brain hemorrhage. I have sinus problems and in my more rational momjents, I think my headache is due to the weather being so bad...

Google is definitely not my friend, as I always match my symptoms to something and think the worst.

My sister has the same level of health anxiety as I do which is strange, we don't live together and both appeared to develop this independently.

In the past I have ended up paying for all manner of private investigations for brain tumours, bowel cancer etc. Hubs uses those as an example and says, see, remember when you thought you had x and you didn't, well you won't have x either, but then I just start thinking I was lucky then, and won't be now.

My head hurts

Yeah. I'm a textbook hypochondriac. It's interesting you and your sister both have health anxiety. Did you lose a parent or have to see them suffer?

My mom had cancer and was very ill for most of my childhood, going through chemo, radiation, lost the use of her arm, eventually could not walk. She passed away when I was 14, which didn't help, but by then the damage was done. I remember as far back as an incident before kindergarten (I would have been five years old!) where I was absolutely convinced I was dying. It was some kind of pulled muscle in my stomach area.. lol. All through my childhood and into my teenage years I was convinced I had anything and everything.. AIDS, brain tumors, aneurysms, any cancer you can think of, any heart problem. I spent nights afraid to sleep thinking i would simply die due to an undiagnosed condition! I say it in the past tense but I am still the same. Right now I have a bladder infection with kidney pain (??!!) and I'm pretty sure these are my last days here on earth.. I don't want to be this way.. I wish it away all the time. It's such a waste of mental energy and time. but I sure do know a lot more about medical stuff and the human body than most of the people I know. And I typically know when my doctors are wrong about something (although I keep it to myself!!).

but, yeah, I hate it. I'm with ya.

Nope, luckily we didn't have to see anyone suffer in our childhood. My heart goes out to you for your experience and loss xxxx

 

[bakeranm99]

Hi, I am in a similar boat with anxiety, panic, and PTSD.

With my first miscarriage, it was incomplete, and it led to hemorrhaging, ambulance, hospital stay, blood transfusion, and finally a D&C and being diagnosed as anemic from too much blood loss. Previously, I had another incident of heavy bleeding that led to me passing out (luckily at the hospital), so that is two bad incidents caused by heavy bleeding/miscarriage. Needless to say, I am afraid my lungs will stop breathing and my heart will quit beating. I worry about my blood pressure, since that can make you pass out, as I already have a low normal pressure (probably because I work out). I also am deathly afraid of dying of a blood clot, most likely because a week before I lost our little one, my husband's best friend died of 2 blood clots caused by a double hip surgery, and the hospital missed it when they scanned just a week before!!!

Some of the things I have done is gone to a few counselors, a spiritual based one and a secular one. I have created a worry list, in which I describe the worry, why I worry about it, explain if it makes sense/rationalize, determine if it is worth the thought and if I can control it. This has helped a bit! I also cut out most caffeine, smoking, and drinking. I eat well and exercise too. Lastly, I keep a journal of everything happening with my body that I don't recognize as normal, this way I can recognize patterns and what is normal. It has helped immensely! I have also become more demanding with my doctors. I know to ask how long should I bleed, demand blood work when necessary, and expect answers and monitoring when I am concerned.

Google is a great tool, but sometimes I have to say, "No, I don't really want to know the answer to that, so I am not going to read that" because if you look hard enough you can find "proof" of anything on the internet.

Maybe some of these will ideas will help. I hope you get well!

 

[skookie]

Hubs uses those as an example and says, see, remember when you thought you had x and you didn't, well you won't have x either, but then I just start thinking I was lucky then, and won't be now.

i'm the exact same way!!! my husband is really reassuring, but if i'm in the "zone" then he can say absolutely nothing that will help, unless he were to actually do a bunch of research and tell me about how it's practically impossible for me to have _____ (which is the only thing that really helps me). But if he were to do that every time i get afraid, he would have no life. but i do appreciate his reassuring words, and when he tells me "I won't let anything happen to you." It sounds crazy but it does kind of comfort me!

how's your head?

i am a chronic headache/migraine sufferer yet almost every time i have a headache i am extremely concerned it's an aneurysm or a brain tumor. i have thought maybe i should start journaling when i am "sure" i'm going to die. then i can look back on it later and realize how many times it has happened and 100% of the time it has never come true.

 

[bakeranm99]

A serious mental problem. You can go to a psychiatrist for medication.

Combined with cognitive behavioral therapy! Medication only treats symptoms, not your thinking.

 

[skookie]

Thanks for all your replies.
I have used the no more panic website, when I had a brain tumour fear - and it did help me, although I tend then to read everyone's posts and start to panic I have those symptoms too.

My GPS have never suggested CBT but then I am paranoid about if they realise that I have health anxiety, then I will be labelled and then they will never take me seriously. My last gp did put Somataform on my notes, which I looked up but I moved practices when I moved house 6 years ago.

I do find I go through phases, some months are worse than others, or if I am stressed about something else and unrelated then a new ailment pops up.

My husband is really good, he tries to talk rationally about things, the poor man - sometimes he can't do right for doing wrong, he'll say something like, well let's monitor it over the next few days and if x persists, then lets book a doctors appointment, to which I jump down his throat, you think it's x don't you, you think it is going to get worse etc etc, the if he tells me not to worry about x, I say, you just don't take me seriously atall do you...
He has a lot of patience!

At the moment it seems to be particularly bad, I think as my parents are splitting up (even though I am mid thirties it still bothers me, long story, but my dad is gay). - so I think that is why it has got worse..

I had two teeth out before Christmas, which made me panic I had then got a jaw infection which was going to spread and erode my whole jawbone. To be fair, one extraction took over two hours by an incompetent dentist, so that didn't help!

I then had the banged head incident,which made me think I had a haemorrhage and spoiled Christmas Eve.

I then had neck ache, and was convinced that I had a broken neck, my best friend had one last year that had lain undiscovered until she paid for a private scan and was told she was weeks away from paralysis - so now that is a big worry...I.e. what if I get that too, hubs tries to reassure me how rare such an occurrence is and for two best friends to get the same, the odds are crazy...

Then eye ache, and a twitching eye over the past few weeks, so told hubs I was going blind and was in a major panic about it...

Argh.... I have been better over the last year till December so hope I can get it under more control again...

Thanks for listening xx

you sound so much like me. :-/

 

[Katteh]

I could have written your first post.

Every time I have a niggle or anything like that, I always convince myself it's something much more serious. I find mine is very closely related to my cycles, and I'm currently pregnant and it's making it a lot worse.

My husband is so good and he helps me gain perspective, but I do feel bad constantly seeking reassurance from him. I did a course of cbt therapy which definitely helped as it made me realise what I was doing to aggravate it and how I can help myself, but it's sometimes not so easy to put it into practice.

I read a lot of my mums weekly women's mags when I was growing up and it's made me so aware of all this obscure illnesses and the whole 'I had a headache, it turns out I had a brain tumor', which I think contributed to it.

Ive got a two and a half year old, before she was born I was a bit of a worrier but not anywhere near as bad as I am now, like you, I worry that I'll die young and won't be there to see her grow up.

It's nice to know I'm not alone xxx