Health anxiety and constantly need reassurance

Ace6913 · ‎09-07-2016

Hi there,

Im not new to health anxiety I suffered horribly about 4 years ago when I found lumps in my neck wich triggered anxiety and panic attacks at the time I was absolutely convinced I had cancer of course I googled and I had all the symptoms of the illness it just snow balled onto constant visits to the Drs and emergency because I felt no one was listening to me. It was just the one last dr I saw made me realise I had anxiety and everything I was feeling was anxiety itself not some life threatening illness . In time I moved on and accepted I had to make the change and I did . Now 4 yrs on I'm suffering again and once again found a hard small lump on my wrist whilst I was washing my hands straight away before I could take my next breath I fell straight into panic mode and then onto anxiety I was proactive straight away went to the Drs got X-ray done everything came back clear but alls I've been left with is fear that they missed something or the X-ray just won't show what it really is meaning I think it's cancer I can't believe I'm putting myself through this again 😔 I feel extremely disappointed in myself

Ace6913 · ‎25-10-2016

Hi to everyone hat has recently posted 😄 I find comfort in knowing I am not alone I wish I could give an upbeat positve update on how I'm feeling but annoyingly no my anxiety has gone to some extremes of late I have put myself through some pretty silly scenarios where I feel like something is so terribly wrong I visited 3 different Drs in one week because I'm just desperate to know why I feel so off . Now I know it's anxiety and the rumournating that is causing all of this mess but I have to say it is one of the most terrifying things I have ever been through 😔

sensitiveswan · ‎28-10-2016

Oh Ace, It is terrifying to go through and I feel for you. Medication can help (once I finally decided to take it - every time I got a prescription I googled the side effects and due to my anxiety, was too scared to take it. SO the cycle of anxiety continued). I hope your GP can help, and you can start to feel better soon.

I've had so many anxiety attacks over percieved health threats, and for a while I was too scared to go to sleep in case I didn't wake up. Once I did fall asleep, I woke up feeling fine and realised it was" just "anxiety. Then I went through it again the next night. You are definitely not alone in your health anxiety. It is hard for people who don't have it to understand, but I hope you find some peace and find someone who can help you xx

Ace6913 · ‎28-10-2016

Hi sensitiveswan thanks so much for your feedback I've been going through this since July now and I was doing cognitive therapy for two months and it worked great for a while but in the last 2 weeks my anxiety has sky rocketed which has led me to a psychiatrist who has put me on meds I didn't want to do it as I'm pregnant but the benefit it has on my body has calmed me so much I know this will help my pregnancy along and I won't be putting Bub through stress then me through more stress because I'm worried what I am doing to the baby . You are right though no one understands unless you've been through it yourself that's why i love the forums because it's a place where you don't feel alone 😄

Zeal · ‎28-10-2016

Hi Ace,

You have already received helpful advice from others, so I thought I would recommend this link on health anxiety: http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=53

Previous threads on health anxiety you might like to check out are below:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/anxiety/health-anxiety-and-constantly-need-reassurance-#qkznmnHzvGGEbv8AAOnT_A

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/anxiety/health-anxiety---how-to-undo-what-you've-googled-

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/anxiety/health-anxiety---ringing-in-ears

I hope this forum is a helpful and safe place for you 🙂

Best wishes,

Zeal