Evolving Health Anxiety

[Bulldogbobby73]

Hi everyone,

I am in the process of having my anxiety change symptoms every few days - it is so exhausting and annoying.

I go from chest pains for a couple/few days, I get a handle on them, then I will be breathless for three or four days, then that will mysteriously disappear, I then wake this morning and worry my heart is beating fast, for no reason and now have spent all day worrying my heart is beating fast.

Does anyone else get this as it seems, if on any given day I am not anxious about something, I wonder why and question why I feel relatively normal.

I’ve had health anxiety on and off all of my life, up until a few weeks ago it had not surfaced for a few years.

I remember being at primary school (9-10 years old) and worried I had a brain tumour cos I had a headache for a couple of weeks and remember being distressed.

I am now 47 and still worry most of the time about my health, have had ECG’s blood tests and stress ECG last week and shows I’m okay, just take meds for high bp.

All I want is to feel free of anxiety and enjoy being with my kids and wife instead of being too anxious to enjoy being with them.

I am so tired sometimes, I want to sleep for a week…

[james1]

Hello Bulldogbobby73,

I'm sorry to hear you are struggling with these changing symptoms. It sounds incredibly exhausting and I'm sad to hear that it's reappeared after being gone for a few years.

I do not have health anxiety myself, but from hearing about other people's experiences, and in my own experience of depression and anxiety, it seems that changing symptoms is a common occurrence. Unfortunately, this just adds to the overall challenge of anxiety by not letting us ever feel like we're on top of it or can manage.

What do you find helps you get on top of symptoms as they appear? I wonder if you can adapt from there, and find a mindset or technique which lets you 'bounce' from one set of helpful solutions to another, as your symptoms change?

When I was struggling a few years ago, I found that I developed a large set of techniques that could help in different circumstances. While it was still very challenging to deal with the way my mental illness evolved, I got to a place where I felt like I was on top of it because of the different ways I could combat it.

James

[Sophie_M]

Hi Bulldogbobby73, 

We can hear how exhausting that would be. Even if you are familiar with your symptoms, we understand that doesn't make them any less difficult for you right now. We are really sorry to hear you are having such a tough time and we want you to know that we are here for you. We hope you can find some comfort, understanding and advice from other forum users, many of whom have shared similar experiences. 

You might find some of the management strategies on the anxiety section of our website useful. Some of these are really good to use when experiencing physical symptoms. You might also find some more methods for managing anxiety symptoms in this previous thread. We’d definitely recommend asking your GP or psychologist about management strategies that could help ease, or distract you from physical symptoms, if you haven't already. 

If you would like to talk to someone we'd encourage you to reach out to the Beyond Blue Support Service. We are available 24/7 by phone on 1300 22 4636 or you can use our webchat or email. One of our friendly counsellors will be able to talk through these feelings with you. 

We're really glad you've had the strength and courage to come this community for support. Please keep coming back to the forum and touch base with us, whenever you feel comfortable to do so. 

Kind regards,  

Sophie M 

[Petal22]

Hi Bulldogbobby73,

Sorry you are feeling this way, I had severe anxiety OCD it was exhausting! I too experienced it on a health anxiety level I would think I had someone wrong with me medically I’d obsess over this thought I’d even go to the doctor they would tell me everything was ok but I’d still obsess over it…. I would perform compulsions to try to bring my anxiety down eg…., seek reassurance , google symptoms……….

My OCD would also be about other intrusive thoughts……. The thoughts would consume me…. I was unable to function sometimes due to OCD…. I was constantly in my head……

At the time of all this happening I didn’t know I had OCD……

I seeked professional help I saw my gp we did a mental health plan together, I then saw a clinical phycologist and psychiatrist……my psychiatrist diagnosed me with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder… it’s a anxiety disorder……. This then led me to a clinic that specialised in OCD I did an 8 week therapy there …… this is we’re I learned to master my OCD……. I’m now recovered from the condition for 4 years going strong….

OCD is a vicious cycle it’s exhausting……. I felt like I was living in an internal hell……

With OCD we question a lot, have a lot of what if s…….

Have you had a diagnosis from a health professional?

There is light at the end of the tunnel…. Hang in there

im here to chat to you.,,,,

[Bulldogbobby73]

Hi James 1 - I found that a few years ago it got to the point where I was so sick of panic attacks and feeling rubbish all day every day that I ended up not caring anymore and it went away, as I said for years, doesn’t seems as easy this time.

Petal22 - It is very exhausting isn’t it, I’m in the process of visiting my GP about a mental health plan and visiting a psychologist, the one I’m seeing at the moment through my work isn’t working out, I just don’t feel he listens properly. It is great that you have conquered it, you are a beacon of hope for anyone who suffers from this.

And thank you Sophie M for pointing me in the direction of the services available, I shall take a look at these and see if they can help.

[Petal22]

Hi Bulldogbobby73,

Well done for visiting your gp and doing a mental health plan……… maybe when you see a psychologist see if you can see a clinical phycologist rather than a normal psychologist……. A clinical psychologist can diagnose a normal can’t diagnose….. I feel if it is OCD you are experiencing you need to see some one who is knowledgeable of the condition……. Some psychologist don’t know the full cycle of OCD…… so you can receive the correct help….. it’s such a vicious cycle and yes it’s exhausting! It was constant….. until I was taught the tools I needed I was for ever stuck in its vicious cycle……… thanks yes it feels good to be on the other side of OCD……… there is Hope that you too can learn to break free…….

We we’re taught how to challenge our thoughts….. I think this would be very useful for you……

We we’re taught meditation also, I believe this got me over the line…

I was taught so many helpful tools and got to know what my OCD cycle was, when I learned my cycle i was able to disengage from it before I got further into it……. The further I got into my OCD cycle the more my anxiety went up, it was horrible……

I understand what you are going through, so please chat to me when you feel you are in your cycle and need a bit of guidance to disengage from it… you can learn how to break free once you do you will begin to fly….. I’m glad I have given you hope… please hold onto it you too can recover!

My gp also put me on a antidepressant to help me to manage my anxiety………

With OCD in my experience….. we have intrusive thoughts…. Some of these thoughts seem irrational but they “ feel very real “……… the anxiety is intense…..

Hang in there 😊

[james1]

Hello bulldogbobby73,

Good on you for reaching out to your GP and looking to get a mental health plan. Sorry to hear your work-based psychologist hasn't been helping. I actually reached out to my work's mental health services once and found it didn't really work for me too - I am not sure if they have a different brief to what other psychologists have, or if it was just not the right fit. But regardless, I hope you have a bit more luck this time around.

Let us know how you go - it can be so exhausting having symptoms reappear and change constantly, so we are here to support you through this.

James