Health anxiety and pelvic pain

[Hazel05]

Hi all

Long story short, for the last few weeks I have been suffering from dull pains around the lower abdomen/pelvic region. It all started out as a dull pain on the left side, and over time (and countless trips to the doctor and self diagnosing myself on Dr Google)), the pain has moved so it feels like it’s around the lower abdomen/pelvic pain in general.

I’ve been to the doctors countless times and done tests which have come back normal but the uncertainty is making my anxiety worse to the point that is all I am focusing on from when I wake up to when I go to bed!

I went back to the doctors yesterday and asked her to do every test possible to rule out everything! My fear though is that even though everything will come back fine that will simply not be enough to calm me down...I’m already thinking of the “what if the doctor has missed something”....

just wanted to come on here to see if anyone else has even felt pelvic like pain and if it is associated with anxiety?

[Dan97]

Hi Hazel

As a sufferer of health anxiety, I can relate to your situation. I’ve had numerous dull pains in my stomach over the years that never materialised to anything. I constantly thought the worse and my mind jumped to dramatic conclusions about these pains. As sufferers of health anxiety, we usually jump to the worse case scenario immediately when it’s a minor problem or even psychosomatic. A good trick is to differentiate the difference between the probability and possibility. It’s certainly possible that you have a serious ailment that your doctor has missed and the tests aren’t showing, but what is the probability of that?. It’s also possible a piano could fall from a building tomorrow and hit me on the head. But what is the probability?. The probability is that you’re doctor has examined you and found nothing serious, so it sounds like a classic sign of psychosomatic health anxiety. Try wait two weeks before worrying about a symptom as the thoughts usually go away within that time. Also do everything you can to stop googling symptoms. Dr google is terrible for sufferers of health anxiety. Remember think about the probability rather than possibility.

Take care

Dan

[Guest_342]

Dear Hazel,

I have suffered from crippling general anxiety in years gone by. Right now, and for the last few years, I have felt really good and anxiety has taken the sidelines to more important enjoyable aspects of life.

My anxiety has the tendency to latch on to anything it can - whether it be fear of incorrectly filling out a form (eg my tax return), getting a speeding fine, my family’s health and safety or my own health.

Health anxiety is really tough - I really understand well what you are going through. Yes, I have occasionally had pain in the region you are describing - eg near my hips and I thought I may have ovarian cancer, in my stomach and I though I may have bowel cancer, pain in my arms or chest or a panic attack and I thought I may have a cardiac condition. Every time I had a new romantic partner, I would be convinced I had contracted an STD. And the list goes on.

You’ve done the right thing to make enquiries with your GP about this pain because it’s good to look after your health. However, you have had this checked by your doctor and the results were good news. While I don’t discount your fear that the GP may be wrong, what I have found is that the struggle you get from the continued worrying far outweighs the tiny risk that your doctor is wrong. Doctors are so well trained in Australia. Have comfort in your GP’s advice and rest easy knowing that they have found you to be in good physical health.

I know from experience that anxiety can have physical effects, including pains. Whether these are imagined, I don’t know. Anxiety is a strange beast. Nowadays, if I have a pain, I generally let it go for a few days and I find it tends to disappear. I generally take comfort in the thought that, in all likelihood it is nothing to worry about.

Something you might find useful is, when you next find yourself worrying about your health, make an appointment with your GP to discuss your anxiety and how it is making you want to get excessive tests done and that you find it hard to be comforted with the GP’s advice.

Also, I find Dr Google causes me more harm than good in terms of anxiety.

Is there a trusted friend or family member you could confide in?

[Hazel05]

I am so relieved that I came on here for advice, for ages I thought I’ve been the only one to suffer from health anxiety, annoying doctors with countless trips for no reason etc!

I think the anxiety still kicks in because of the wording the doctor says. For example, the other week I was treated with antibiotics for something minor and completely unrelated. When I asked her could this have formed something worse that relates to the pain, she said highly unlikely, but it’s that 1% that gets me every time!

im exactly the same. I think I have self diagnosed everything under the sun! But this time around it it’s gotten to the point where I am spending my entire days obsessing over this pain. It’s exhausting!

ive been speaking/crying/stressing countlessly to my family, and no matter what they say to calm me at that point, lately it’s only been a short term resolution.

im going for an ultrasound and blood test hopefully tomorrow (if I can get in) to get this over and done with. The sooner I can get these results, the sooner I feel like I can focus on getting back

[Samsonsam]

Anxiety can meddle with your hormones as well. I personally have health anxiety and have been having panic attacks multiple times a week. One of my first symptoms was pelvic pain and now I have it on my shoulders. From the research I've done constant stress and anxiety can cause inflammation. Best thing to do is try reduce your anxiety and stress through meditation, medication and whatever else you can. Try not to Google an answer based on shmptons when you get tempted to just remind yourself that no matter how much research you do you'll never get an answer because there are 1000's of conditions and each one needs to be tested. Trust your doctor and if you are still worried get a second opinion