HEALTH ANXIETY IS RUINING MY LIFE!!

Jadelise92 · ‎23-11-2017

Since I was 15 (I am now 25) I have suffered from anxiety. Not the kind of anxiety where you avoid people or places or are afraid of crowds etc, but the type where I am constantly convinced that I have a terminal disease or a disease/illness of some sort.

I have had cancer/brain tumors/ brrast cancer/ cervial cancer/heart attacks/ brain anurisms everything bad that you can think of I have thought I have have it multiple times.

I was going really really well for a long time but recently split up with my partner and its been a nasty and stressful breakup. Then started to feel dizzy, lightheaded and gotten chest pains amd heart palputations.

Anyways that has subsided BUT NOW I have a new thing that I get nearly all day everyday and I am so convinced that something is terribly wrong with me, I get this tingling feeling all over my tongue, nit like pins amd needles but that weird feeling you get before it like you have just had popping candy on your tongue....when I get super stressed its worse and then when I relax it eventually goes away...but when its constantly there I freak out and worry about why its happening and what it could be. Its not painful at all just annoying. It has been happening for about a month now.

Has anyone ever had a tingly tongue?

Its always something new for me and I feel like i cant live a happy life because I am always scared and it makes me depressed.

I am on medication and have been since 2013. I am going to the doctors in the morning so they can tell me I am worrying myself stupid and tell me I am not dying

distelfink · ‎23-11-2017

As much as I hate knowing, I can say that you're not alone. I too am going through health anxiety. Just as I get a break or symptoms disappear (as they do when I'm distracted until I search for them)... something else pops up and bam. I'm straight back on the wagon. I have recently had the tongue thing, it bothered me so much I made sure I always had chewing gum handy or something close by to try and focus on something else. It's gone mostly away now, but if I think about it or scan for it, my tongue feels like I've burnt the taste buds.. until I'm distracted and then everything is fine. You're not alone.

I finished my period beginning of last week or the end of the week before and yesterday and today I started getting pains in what would be a period pain. I've never gotten period pains before, so it's so strange that for the last few periods I get the normal person period pains but I get them AFTER my period. This time around it's bothering me. (even though my friends have all had this pain, I, of course, think I'm dying...) Straight away that's where my brain goes "You've got cancer, you're going to die"... unfortunately, I'm terrified to go to the doctor... I'm trying to get the courage up to go... scared to go alone, scared to go with someone.

I'm proud that you are going to the doctors. I'm proud that you've been able to post on here. It made things a bit better for me until today but then I found myself coming back and being able to talk about it. (which is better than keeping it in I suppose)

Keep posting. You'll find comfort hopefully, in knowing you're not alone and this health anxiety is vicious and our minds are very powerful. We become hyper-aware and then focus on it so much that it actually feels like it's getting worse.

KMTE · ‎23-11-2017

You sound just like me! I have convinced myself ive had all those things you just listed and now it seems im working my way around them all for a second time. Yea i get tingly tongue at times especially when i seem to be looking for it. Im constantly moving my tongue anr trying to see if it feels different and then sometimes i convince myself its numb which flows on to thinking maybe i cant talk (i can) its always something with me you are not alone

I also find whem i focus on a new illness/disease the symptoms from the one i previously thought i had, dissappear

Jadelise92 · ‎23-11-2017

I had the exact thing with my period!! I never usually get pains!!

I had my first migraine with an aura few months ago once a week for 3weeks and I was cinvinced I had a tumor or was getting epilepsy! Lol

I laugh because its sounds so silly but people like us honestly think we are dying!! I even went and had a ct scan that came back normal and I stopped worrying the day I got the results!

Then I had a lump in my boob and I was convinced it was cancer!! Got an ultrasound and therewas nothing there!

Now its the tongue thing!my tongue tingles in the middle like alll day...like only 5 minutes ago I had it bad and then for some reason worrying abput having a seizure crossed my mind!! Like whaythe heck?!I seriously cant catch a break!

I also get vertigo often and unbalanced which I have always experienced but Istill worry whyI get it....

It controls my life honestly! And then I get bad eye twitches and heavy eyelids at times, tingling in my hands and arms and thdn I think I am going to have a stroke!

Everything that goes on in my body I feel and I hate it! Wish I could be brainwashed to forget about it! Ita so disabling and people dont understand how bad it is!

I am scared to drive longdistances because I am scared Ill have a stroke or seizure of faint or that something bad will happen to me

startingnew · ‎23-11-2017

hi jadelise92

firstly welcome to the forums. i too suffer from health anxiety. the unfortunate thing for me is that miost of my suscpicions have been correct (cancer, pcos, a few other things but wont go into them now)

anyway i can certanily sympathise with you all. that instant moment you think something is wrong nd what do we do. PANIC and start making gp appointments, researching symptoms. sound familiar?

im wondering as we all have this here so ill try to make a suggestion that i think will help all of you.

have you considered doing thought challanging?

distelfink · ‎23-11-2017

YOU ARE ME!!

I NEVER got pains with my period. Ever. I'm 32 now and this year they've decided to grace me with their presence, but after the period? What even is that. I had the boob pain yesterday and that was the only thing that actually calmed me down. But the pain under my belly is driving me bonkers.

I too did the breast lump thing. There's no lump, this was years ago but I'm terrified to see a doctor, and I should. I need to get these things checked but I'm petrified.

I don't drive... scared of having a panic attack or fainting.

I get exactly what you're saying, to those who don't or haven't ever suffered health anxiety laugh at it... but we are so completely hyper aware. Even a shirt moving I can feel and think it's something severe. I try to explain it, visually, so people can understand and there's nothing. I feel like I'm losing friends or isolating myself because I can't explain what I'm feeling, or with health anxiety, I'm forever saying "omg i feel this, omg I have this pain" blah blah blah.

Please just know you aren't alone. The tongue thing.. have you tried chewing gum at all? Just to distract you? I choose a really minty/menthol-y one because then that's the only sensation I can feel and it gives me a break. I actually had a really cinnamon flavoured one which burns - took away the sensation but then deadened my taste buds. How bad is it? you just get a break from one symptom and then BAM another one comes and slaps you up side the head. At the moment I feel like I have a fur ball in my mouth that I can't get rid of. and the sligh throat burn that scares me (because in my head, i must have something really wrong... it can't simply be acid reflux can it? no not in my overworked head!!)

I am so completely blessed (ha.) to never have had a migraine. But every other pain in my head or body.. I jump to the worst conclusions and that's before I google! I don't like to google because it always tells me I'm either pregnant, dying or I have 4 arms.

This forum is quite amazing. The people are so lovely and it's reassuring to read that so many other people experience the exact same symptoms as you and the only thing we have in common, is that we suffer from mental illness. There has to be a relief switch... somewhere!

Jadelise92 · ‎24-11-2017

I will reply lengthly later as I am flat chat today! But the doctors are blood testing me for low vitamin b12...that causes tingling! I forgot to mention a few months ago I was fairly low on it! But I am one of those people who forhet to taske vitamins!! I was actually given a script to get shots of b12 haha!!

Anyway I waited in the doctor for an hour and had NO symptoms but as soon as I left here comes the tingle monster!! Haha..

Does anyone else get that feeling of protection when theyre sitting in the doctors or hospital? Im like well if I quickly drop or faint ill be safe hahahaha

KMTE · ‎24-11-2017

Omg yes haha i was at the christmas parade and an ambulance that was in the parade went past and i thought to myself atleast if i pass out or anything here i know theres an ambo close by and im safe 😂😂

Sammy_Turtle · ‎03-04-2018

Omg!!!the mouth thing is happening to me too!! Not just my tongue though but my back gums bear my molars too!!!

my mouth feels completely different

Veejay10 · ‎01-07-2018

I started my anxiety journey out of the blue with panic attacks in January. Dr put me straight on AD which made things heaps worse , esp insomnia. She kept me on until April. My tongue and mouth started tingling / metallic around the end of Jan and progressively worse. At times my whole mouth was on fire all day long. Now I’m on new med, I still get the tingles and awful taste and Dr /Psychiatrist don’t seem bothered. My anxiety is health related and it’s awful. Where has my life gone. I’m convinced my tingles are caused by something and waste hours thinking about it. Is yours any better ? Psych thinks it will go once anxiety is controlled. After so many months I think it’s here forever. How can I not focus on this ?????