Severe Health Anxiety

[Joey7]

I suffer from severe health anxiety and have for the past 6 years which all started after my son was seriously iill and we came very close to losing him thankfully we didn't. Since that time my anxiety has gotten a lot worse these past 2 years have been so bad with my physical symptoms worsening to the point I'm googling my symptoms all the time constantly thinking I have some disease that relates to the symptoms I have at the time. I guess I just don't believe that even though my anxiety is so severe it can cause these weird sensations and symptoms in my body which with having health anxiety the symptoms just escalate my anxiety and I can't function at all. I'm constantly waking up anxious hoping I won't have a the symptom that day then when I do it makes me so upset and frustrated I think I must have a serious disease for it to still be there. Can anyone else relate to this and has the horrible scary physical symptoms that go along with anxiety what did you do to help I don't want to be like this anymore the Physical symptoms are horrible. 

[cmc123]

Hi...I don't know if this will help you or not, but it really helped me. I read a series of books by Dr Claire Weekes (I know they are still available to buy). She wrote these books decades ago and has since passed away but the books are still very helpful for anxiety. They are a bit old fashioned but she really explains the physical symptoms of anxiety and why you get them. She helps you to understand what is happening to your body and how to relax and accept that the symptoms will go away once you give your body and mind a chance to heal itself. When I read the first book it was like a light bulb went on and I just decided to give it a go. That was many, many years ago and I've had a few setbacks over the years but she explains those too and I got over them. Reading those books was the best thing I ever did. As I said...it might not be right for you but it certainly helped me.

[Mum02]

I am. Exactly the same about the impending doom about not seeing my kids grow up, I too lost a sibling my brother . I have worked my self. Up. So much that I am. Having nerve trouble and breathing problems, but all come up clear. Told my Dr today that I am just not coping and crying at anything, even just looking at my children, cause I am so scared of something hideous. Now I am booked in for a psychiatrist. Good luck lovely x

[labradorlover]

I wish all my fellow sufferers of health anxiety the gift of some peace in 2019.

Asking myself this question sometimes calms me down: "Well, how do you know you have …………………………. You would be the only person on this planet with the astounding ability to diagnose correctly without ever gaining a Medical Degree".

[amirith_]

Oh my goodness, someone replied! ^^

Thanks so much for the response, I'll have a look into those books, and I'm happy to hear they helped you! I'll give those books a shot and see how it helped in a few weeks! I can't thank you enough ❤️

-Amirith

[amlo]

Hi Amirith,

You may also find the Centre for Clinical Intervention Anxiety Resources available.

https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/looking-after-yourself

-Amlo

[Cat67]

Hi anyone out there,

I am new to BB and this forum. It is very interesting reading everyone's posts on health anxiety. I am currently suffering with the same thing. Ever since I was a kid I was a bit of a hypochondriac....but then I'm a Capricorn and that's what we're like apparently! Since being prescribed something that disagreed with me back in December my anxiety has been through the roof. Like another lady mentioned I google every little thing that worries me and then I get convinced that's what I've got. Blessed were the days when you only had a medical Encyclopedia to look up....now we have Dr Google which just makes things worse! I have long living genes (Mum 97 still going, Dad 88 when he died, grandparents on both sides the same) so no cancers, heart attacks, nasty diseases etc yet I've convinced myself so far I have a heart problem ( at least) as I can always feel my heart thumping in my chest. My Dr says as I am a thin person I will obviously feel it more, but I've never been convinced. I've had about 5 ECG's over the last few years, a really thorough Stress Test where they said I was "remarkable for my age", and bloods all perfect. No High Blood pressure etc. I even convinced my Dr to give me a CT scan of my head last year as I was sure I had a brain tumor as I was smelling a strange smell all the time and I've always suffered from migraine. Of course...it was negative! I do get annoyed though when you just get fobbed off.....I know my GP thinks it's all anxiety, all my symptoms, and given my mothers history he's probably right, but other times he's been wrong. Like when I had gall stones (had to have it out) and he said there's No Way I could have them as I didn't fit the profile of " Fair, Fat and Forty". So, this doesn't always make me feel like he's got it right. However, with all these worry issues about EVERYTHING I think it must be anxiety as when my husband comes home from work and we have a glass of wine with dinner I somehow feel much better and back to being normal! So it's got to be anxiety right?

[AMMoverthinking]

I have always suffered from anxiety. Not that I knew that was what it was as a kid. Since having my twins four years ago it has blossomed into health anxiety and it is really out of control. I have the biggest fear that I won’t get to see my kids grow up and someone else will get to raise them. I am constantly fixated on one health issue or another. I then feel those symptoms. I obsess about it and can barely function until I get it checked and then once I do and get the all clear I switch straight over to something else. I really am struggling to function. I spoke to my doctor and he wanted me to go see a psych but as someone that also has social anxiety the idea of speaking to someone makes me feel worse. Currently I’m stressing I have breast cancer. I do have dense breast tissue that was checked late 2017 but now I’m focussed on it again. It sucks. I really hate not being able to control these thoughts. When I get like this just looking at my kids upsets me because I think of dying and leaving them.

[Ash81]

Hi, I replied to your post on the other forum I think? I hope you’re feeling a little better but I completely understand if you’re not. I’m going through something similar; no lump but pain and itchiness and tingling sensation of my nipple and one feels different than the other.. I had an ultrasound last September which was good thank goodness. Now I know the only thing that will make me feel better is another one.. but then I’m terrified of having it I shake and cry when I get it done! I’m bed ridden and don’t eat.. please know you’re not alone. We can all help one another hopefully..

[Benny10]

Hi

i am needing some advice.

i constantly feel like I have something wrong with me, had boood tests and everything always says I’m fine. I found a lump last night go scared so took myself to ed the doctor wasn’t worried only if it grows.

i just feel like I’m letting my health anxiety take over and I really don’t know what to do.

I just constantly worry, google and am studying to be a nurse so it doesn’t help when I find out about a new illness everyday and then I diagnose myself with it.

would appreciate some advice x

[ozsheila79]

My health anxiety started in my twenties when a doctor said my weight could cause a DVT and death. He was trying to scare me into losing weight but it had a counter-productive effect. Soon after I had my first panic attack - I stayed up all night thinking I was going to die from a heart attack. Years later another doctor said he was irresponsible for saying that, because weight alone wasn't a cause of DVT - but it always stayed at the back of my mind. With all the messages out there that being overweight is bad, the thoughts just got worse. I felt like my body was the threat and I couldn't escape it. Whenever I asked doctors for help, I'd just got told to lose weight. Sounds simple - but at the time, my stress from my job was really bad and I was drinking and smoking to cope - which all made me gain weight. I was stuck in a neverending cycle and I was in despair. When I reached 30 the negative symptoms started - mostly digestive (reflux) but feeling wonky, faint/dizzy and forgetting things - I was afraid my bad choices had caught up with me. But despite all the tests, nothing really came up health-wise. That's when I realised it was health anxiety. I finally stopped googling and starting accepting the symptoms and this was a blissful time in my life. I left my bad job and started to make lifestyle changes, so many of the symptoms subsided. Now the weight is the final mission! So I recently went to a dietician for help, as you do. But he found an inflammation marker (CRP) was really high and he said it was a risk of heart attack and stroke. Suddenly all my positivity stopped and my fears returned ten-fold - its like I'm traumatised . Constantly on edge, stressed and easily agitated - and my weight loss stalled which is stressing me out too. He did more tests and couldn't figure out what causes the inflammation - probably because he's not a doctor!!! So now its up in the air! I'm really upset because I was doing so well - I'm annoyed because I went looking for answers and found problems instead 😞 Its been hard for the past few weeks, but after reading this forum, its helped put some perspective back and I feel better - so thanks all! I can't control anxiety, but there's things I can control - like diet, exercise and doing fun, enjoyable things. I've noticed that diffusion is good for that intense anxiety - like laughter or grounding - so FYI. I just need to self-care, so thats the plan! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your stories and good luck everyone...