Health Anxiety Has Taken Over My Life

HelpsAlwaysNear96 · ‎08-01-2020

Hello,

I have had anxiety related to my health for nearly 4 years now, but these last 6 months or so it has gotten to the point where I’m starting to lose hope that I’ll ever overcome this and my days are being consumed with my fixations on physical symptoms. This stops me from getting other things done and doing things that I used to enjoy.

I go through phases of being concerned about varying medical emergencies and diseases or conditions. In a normal week I am at the doctors at least once, more commonly twice. I also go to lots of different doctors because I feel like if I keep returning to the same one they won’t take my seriously. I’ve spent a lot of time and money on lots of different tests for different conditions. This has included MRIs, blood tests, eye tests, monitors and more. I also spend hours googling symptoms, which always gives me a dire diagnosis which sets off even further anxiety.

My heart is something that is always of concern. I check my pulse over 100 times a day and am constantly at the doctor about it. I’ve had ECG testing and the 24 hour holtier monitor, as well as general blood tests. The doctor said my monitor does show minor ectopic beats but apparently they are nothing to be worried about. Despite the doctor reassuring me, I still can’t get through a single day without thinking I’m having a heart attack. I even get other physical symptoms like shortness of breath and left arm pain. I’ve presented to the emergency department multiple times but they never find anything wrong. I have episodes of very fast heart rate multiple times a week, which I’m guessing are panic attacks, but I worry it could be a heart rhythm issue.

I do see a physiologist, but even with her reassurance that anxiety can manifest itself in many physical symptoms, I can’t seem to accept this and move on.

Does anyone else suffer from this kind of anxiety because I feel like I’m the only one and that I’m just crazy. Is there any advice for overcoming it?

Thanks for taking the time to read my long post.

Amy1234 · ‎08-01-2020

I haven’t experienced this but do suffer from anxiety and had a thought that keeping a journal might help with reassuring yourself that your heart rate is within normal limits. If you were to write down your results when you check your pulse each time and at the end of the day you can see all of your results and know that these results were all fine and that you made it through the day ok. Also writing down what you were doing when you experience shortness of breath or arm pain so that you can identify possible triggers for this. Hope that helps in any way!

romantic_thi3f · ‎08-01-2020

Hi HelpsAlwaysNear96,

Welcome to the forums and thank you for being here.

Honestly, your post makes me tired! I can only imagine how exhausted you must be dealing with this day in and day out. While I know that you're not alone with your health anxiety, it sounds like yours has taken over 100% of your day with no room left for anything.

I am glad though to hear that you are seeing a psychologist (I think that's what you meant), even if you haven't been able to take her reassurance on board. She is right though in that stress and anxiety itself can cause so many different reactions in the body; there's no physical symptom that I've seen that can't be explained by stress.

I noticed though that you said you can't seem to accept this, and yet here you are - posting in a mental health forum with the title of 'health anxiety'. This means to me that there's a part of you that does believe that this is anxiety - because if all of you didn't, you wouldn't be here and probably be back seeing the doctor. Can you tell us about that part of you? That part of you that recognises maybe you aren't actually having heart attacks or don't have a serious medical issue?

Also no, you're not crazy! I encourage you to have a search at the other threads here to get some extra support.

rt

HelpsAlwaysNear96 · ‎08-01-2020

Thank you. This is a really good idea that I will definitely try.

Tugboat · ‎13-01-2020

Hello

I totally hear what you are saying and sadly I suffer form health anxiety. I have suffered on and off for over 30 years and could not tell you how many times I thought I was dying! I have months when I am ok but as soon as something changes health wise that’s it my mind starts playing up and the anxiety and depression both kick in! I try as much as I can to be positive but some days it’s all to hard.

Ddaavvoo · ‎15-01-2020

Hello,
This sounds exactly like me to be honest, i get it almost everyday and it hits without any warning.
I have found that keeping my mind busy really helps even if it is just playing a game on my phone or reading a book, also found that meditation works very well.
Also you're not crazy, i know myself and a few other people that suffer from the same thing.
And i know that it can get very hard sometimes but chin up and just know that it will get better.

HelpsAlwaysNear96 · ‎15-01-2020

It’s so hard isn’t it. Thank you for telling me about your experiences with health anxiety as well, I wouldn’t wish these feelings on anyone but it does give me hope knowing there is a community of us going through this and hopefully by sharing our experiences we can help ourselves to reduce our worries. The problem will never be gone for good, I’ve made peace with that, but I hope we can all do our best to keep it under control as best we can. Sending my best wishes to you.

HelpsAlwaysNear96 · ‎15-01-2020

Hello! Yes keeping the mind busy is key but sometimes I find i overwhelm myself so much with the physical symptoms that I simply can’t focus on anything else. I’ll try and find a good game for my phone! Thank you for sharing your experiences with me, I appreciate it. Best wishes to you.

Ddaavvoo · ‎16-01-2020

Have you tried any medications? I felt slightly better while i was on them although it was very difficult to find the right one for me, plus going to a psychologist reguarly has helped me abit.
Best to find a doctor that specialises in mental health like i did, made me feel alot less stupid for going to the doctors nearly every day and he has been a huge help unlike the ones before him.
Anyways,
Hope you can get past these horrible feelings 👍🏻

Hazel05 · ‎16-01-2020

Hey there, another fellow health anxiet-ier.

Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone! I have suffered from health anxiety for some time now but the last three months have been the most overwhelming I have ever felt where I feel like this is never going good to end.

It all started with a short dull pain in my lower left abdomen that’s been around for the last three months. I have since obsessed and focused my entire time on this pain and trying to work out what “triggers” it. I have gone to 3 doctors, gotten multiple tests, tried acupuncture, hypnotherapy etc and no luck! The doctors brought it down to muscular issues due to extreme stress.

The worst thing I could have ever done/do is constantly checking google for my symptoms. My anxiety flared up to a level 10 before Christmas when a friend suggested a colonoscopy and I looked up why it was needed. I completely broke down and now am petrified as the doctors reassured me that after having a stool test come back negative I am not at risk of anything sinister such as the “c word”. But I can’t seem to get this worry out of my head to the point im thinking should I get it done for piece of mind. My other worry is when will this ever end? The last test I did (ultrasound) I assured myself that once that was done if nothing sinister showed up to put my mind at ease and move on but I am still here. I just feel if I do such an invasive procedure, will it end there; probably not!

Does anyone have any strategies other than not look at google, dealing with anxiety this high is truly exchausting!