Health Anxiety

[ChampagneBox]

I’m really bad tonight been prodding my toenail with scissors all day and broken the nail then I noticed I have a freckle on the side of that toe, not near my toenail but still I’m freaking out that it’s cancer that’s spread through my skin into my nail I googled it and now I’m so so worried I’m in a bad place this evening and i tried ringing the doctor but they phone lines are down because of a technical issue so I’ll go online and try to book first thing tomorrow

 

[Youre a wizard Harry]

I have GAD but health anxiety is a big part of that.
A few years ago I spent several months convinced I had bone cancer in my leg, ended up having an X-ray and it was clear. I have also thought I had an unruptured brain aneurysm, skin cancer among other things. Any slight niggle that isn’t a cold/stomach bug turns into me constantly checking it to see if it goes away. My mum had a cancer scare 5 years ago (Hodgkin’s lymphoma- thankfully she didn’t have it) but since then every time I scratch my neck I start feeling for lumps.
I haven’t worried as much as I thought I would have about catching Covid, my worry has been that I’ll end up with something seriously wrong but not be able to get treatment for it.
hate my brain sometimes

 

[ChampagneBox]

I have GAD but health anxiety is a big part of that.
A few years ago I spent several months convinced I had bone cancer in my leg, ended up having an X-ray and it was clear. I have also thought I had an unruptured brain aneurysm, skin cancer among other things. Any slight niggle that isn’t a cold/stomach bug turns into me constantly checking it to see if it goes away. My mum had a cancer scare 5 years ago (Hodgkin’s lymphoma- thankfully she didn’t have it) but since then every time I scratch my neck I start feeling for lumps.
I haven’t worried as much as I thought I would have about catching Covid, my worry has been that I’ll end up with something seriously wrong but not be able to get treatment for it.
hate my brain sometimes

That’s my worry that I’ll have something wrong and not be able to get treatment for it

 

[openbook1]

I have had health anxiety and anxiety in general since I was a child. I was always worried I was sick as a child (even things like meningitis). I am not sure where it stemmed from. My dad left when I was young so perhaps the instability from that. I remember my first panic attack happened in Mark's and Spencer's and I was with my mum, was awful, luckily she knew what it was.
I am now 28 and til this day still get health anxiety. I have Endo and had surgery this year to diagnose and remove it so I am relieved that was done.
I also suffer medical vaginismus - I had a traumatic experience as a teenager and now need sedated to get pap smears done.
I find that as I get older my anxiety is about my family. I am scared of them getting sick and dying or my husband. It is a really awful feeling. Like many here, it seems never ending. Especially with the stupid pandemic.

 

[tialin]

My health anxiety has reared its ugly head again and I am so so fed up. This is no way to live I’ve convinced myself I have ovarian or bowel cancer as I have a little bit of bloating and feel constipated (sorry TMI) even though I’m not. I am ovulating and get this mostly every month for a few days. I’ve been feeling anxious about various things recently so thinking it could just be that. Why can’t my brain be normal

 

[ChampagneBox]

My health anxiety has reared its ugly head again and I am so so fed up. This is no way to live I’ve convinced myself I have ovarian or bowel cancer as I have a little bit of bloating and feel constipated (sorry TMI) even though I’m not. I am ovulating and get this mostly every month for a few days. I’ve been feeling anxious about various things recently so thinking it could just be that. Why can’t my brain be normal

When you say you feel constipated but you’re not, do you mean it feels like you still need to go even after going? Could be haemorrhoids, I have the same x

 

[tialin]

When you say you feel constipated but you’re not, do you mean it feels like you still need to go even after going? Could be haemorrhoids, I have the same x

yeah that’s right! I read someone experiencing the same the other day and now I’ve got it! It’s not all the time just when I’m not busy and have time to get anxious about it x

 

[ChampagneBox]

yeah that’s right! I read someone experiencing the same the other day and now I’ve got it! It’s not all the time just when I’m not busy and have time to get anxious about it x

Yeah I get that! I know it’s easier said than done but when I was worried I was going to the toilet 5 times a day, now I don’t think about it it’s back down to 1, it’s crazy what your body can do when you’re focused on one thing!!

 

[Callmemaybe]

I have massive anxiety at the moment that led to me going to A&E Sunday night because I thought I was having a slow heart attack. Its worse at night, I'm having pain in my chest and in my left arm. The docs assured me I am fine but right now my arm is killing and I'm sure its all in my head. I am really panicky and can't lay down because it makes it worse. I am sleeping only a couple of hours a night at the moment and I really don't know what to do

 

[Gembo]

I have massive anxiety at the moment that led to me going to A&E Sunday night because I thought I was having a slow heart attack. Its worse at night, I'm having pain in my chest and in my left arm. The docs assured me I am fine but right now my arm is killing and I'm sure its all in my head. I am really panicky and can't lay down because it makes it worse. I am sleeping only a couple of hours a night at the moment and I really don't know what to do

Can you call your Dr? It’s reassuring that the hospital couldn’t find anything but I know when you have this kind of anxiety that can sometimes leave you feeling worse thinking they’ve missed something but I am sure they have not. If it’s effecting your sleep I do think it’s time to speak to your dr and I am sure that they will want to help xx

 

[ChampagneBox]

Does anyone else compulsively check moles and skin things?

 

[Tommyb]

Does anyone else compulsively check moles and skin things?

Yes when I was suffering big time. I would check so much that I would literally scratch them off and then worry because they were bleeding and would scab over. Its endless and exhausting.

I have had health anxiety for around 5 years now .. 1 and a half of them VERY bad. I really spiraled and didnt know what was happening. I would make myself so sore constantly checking lumps and bumps everywhere. Doctors didnt cotton on to the fact I was up there so much and it took my mum telling me she knew something was wrong for me to tell her. Luckily we are super super close and she took everything I said seriously. She spent hours and hours with me reassuring me, checking things for me over and over again without making a big deal. Shes also the only person I trust to tell me the truth.

I read a blog once by a woman. It was called something like 'I'm a hypercondriact' and she said something so simple that helped me. She said what helped her the most was simply not dying. This time 3 years ago I though I was dying because I had breast cancer. I'm alive, no breast cancer. I had to realise everything I felt and all the checking was a symptom of health anxiety and not the disease I thought I had.

Sorry for the long post but I read these posts here and its heartbreaking. Takes me right back to my worst days.

There is light everyone. It took 2 years of hard work but iv got to say the last 2 years have been amazing. I no longer suffer with health anxiety in the same way. Maybe 2-3 times a year il have a small blip. As soon as I feel something wrong I go straight to my mum and tell her. I do not google. I'm now also able to take the 'wait and see'approach instead of letting the issue consume me and rushing to the doctor. I have an immediate 5 second panic but can now talk myself down which I'm so proud of.

 

[LLJ]

Yes when I was suffering big time. I would check so much that I would literally scratch them off and then worry because they were bleeding and would scab over. Its endless and exhausting.

I have had health anxiety for around 5 years now .. 1 and a half of them VERY bad. I really spiraled and didnt know what was happening. I would make myself so sore constantly checking lumps and bumps everywhere. Doctors didnt cotton on to the fact I was up there so much and it took my mum telling me she knew something was wrong for me to tell her. Luckily we are super super close and she took everything I said seriously. She spent hours and hours with me reassuring me, checking things for me over and over again without making a big deal. Shes also the only person I trust to tell me the truth.

I read a blog once by a woman. It was called something like 'I'm a hypercondriact' and she said something so simple that helped me. She said what helped her the most was simply not dying. This time 3 years ago I though I was dying because I had breast cancer. I'm alive, no breast cancer. I had to realise everything I felt and all the checking was a symptom of health anxiety and not the disease I thought I had.

Sorry for the long post but I read these posts here and its heartbreaking. Takes me right back to my worst days.

There is light everyone. It took 2 years of hard work but iv got to say the last 2 years have been amazing. I no longer suffer with health anxiety in the same way. Maybe 2-3 times a year il have a small blip. As soon as I feel something wrong I go straight to my mum and tell her. I do not google. I'm now also able to take the 'wait and see'approach instead of letting the issue consume me and rushing to the doctor. I have an immediate 5 second panic but can now talk myself down which I'm so proud of.

This is amazing x

 

[ChampagneBox]

Yes when I was suffering big time. I would check so much that I would literally scratch them off and then worry because they were bleeding and would scab over. Its endless and exhausting.

I have had health anxiety for around 5 years now .. 1 and a half of them VERY bad. I really spiraled and didnt know what was happening. I would make myself so sore constantly checking lumps and bumps everywhere. Doctors didnt cotton on to the fact I was up there so much and it took my mum telling me she knew something was wrong for me to tell her. Luckily we are super super close and she took everything I said seriously. She spent hours and hours with me reassuring me, checking things for me over and over again without making a big deal. Shes also the only person I trust to tell me the truth.

I read a blog once by a woman. It was called something like 'I'm a hypercondriact' and she said something so simple that helped me. She said what helped her the most was simply not dying. This time 3 years ago I though I was dying because I had breast cancer. I'm alive, no breast cancer. I had to realise everything I felt and all the checking was a symptom of health anxiety and not the disease I thought I had.

Sorry for the long post but I read these posts here and its heartbreaking. Takes me right back to my worst days.

There is light everyone. It took 2 years of hard work but iv got to say the last 2 years have been amazing. I no longer suffer with health anxiety in the same way. Maybe 2-3 times a year il have a small blip. As soon as I feel something wrong I go straight to my mum and tell her. I do not google. I'm now also able to take the 'wait and see'approach instead of letting the issue consume me and rushing to the doctor. I have an immediate 5 second panic but can now talk myself down which I'm so proud of.

Thank you for sharing

 

[Tommyb]

This is amazing x

Thankyou! And if you have questions feel free to ask. I know how it feels x

Thank you for sharing

Of course! I hope it helps people reading! X

 

[Welsh1]

I definitely suffer with this. I used to lie awake all night when I was a child constantly worrying about my family getting a really terrible illness and leaving me, I'd go to school every day after about 1 hours sleep a night so suffered terribly with exhaustion and its stayed with me my entire life but now it's more focused on my own health. I recently had a colposcopy, biopsy and treatment and before that convinced myself that I had cervical cancer. It wasn't thank god but even the thought of it made me quite ill. I think its getting worse as I get older and worry over leaving my child so may have to speak to someone about it soon.

 

[Cantstandspanj]

I think I have health anxiety. I feel like I’ve always had it to an extent but it has massively increased since having a baby last year.

I worry all the time about getting cancer, all different types and think to myself that if it happens now while my baby is young it would be better for her as she won’t remember me.

Every little ache, pain, blemish I relate to a cancer diagnosis. It’s totally irrational and I'm so lucky as no immediate family members of mine nor close friends have had a diagnosis so I don’t understand where this fear comes from. I feel like I can’t switch off from it at the moment and it’s totally consuming me.

 

[ChampagneBox]

I think I have health anxiety. I feel like I’ve always had it to an extent but it has massively increased since having a baby last year.

I worry all the time about getting cancer, all different types and think to myself that if it happens now while my baby is young it would be better for her as she won’t remember me.

Every little ache, pain, blemish I relate to a cancer diagnosis. It’s totally irrational and I'm so lucky as no immediate family members of mine nor close friends have had a diagnosis so I don’t understand where this fear comes from. I feel like I can’t switch off from it at the moment and it’s totally consuming me.

I didn’t want to just read and run, I’m sorry you’re feeling like that at the minute. I don’t have children yet but I feel the same about worrying about cancers. Might be worth checking in with a health visitor to see if you can arrange some phone counselling? Counselling has helped me massively you can also talk to Samaritans free, either phone or email, that helps me inbetween counselling sessions when I need immediate help

 

[Cantstandspanj]

I didn’t want to just read and run, I’m sorry you’re feeling like that at the minute. I don’t have children yet but I feel the same about worrying about cancers. Might be worth checking in with a health visitor to see if you can arrange some phone counselling? Counselling has helped me massively you can also talk to Samaritans free, either phone or email, that helps me inbetween counselling sessions when I need immediate help

Thank you for your response. I will definitely look into counselling. I know I’m at a stage now where I can’t ignore it any longer! I’m so glad that you’re doing well and feel supported!

 

[ItsEmmie]

Yes mine is so bad I actually won’t go to a doctor or dentist! I have had so many issues over the year where I’ve waited to die from cancer, I thought the other week all my lungs were collapsed etc honestly loads! I have a lump in my neck now which I am OBSESSSSSSSED with (my mum says it’s a gland because I’m under the weather right now but I am convinced it’s cancer!) I actually think I MAKE myself get symptoms of stuff I focus on it so much. I don’t deal with it because I’m just an anxious ball of stress about it.

No one in my family has had cancer so I am CONVINCED I will be the first, I’ve had it since I was young I remember when I was 7 I sat on the toilet after my brother and I waited 3 years thinking I was going to have a baby (thankfully I don’t think that now lollll)