Convinced I have terminal illnesses

Hi,

I am a newish sufferer of health anxiety and really didn`t know anything about it.

I was diagnosed last year with underactive thyroid,asthma and acid reflux and until then never been ill however these 3 conditions require long term medication although none of them life threatening.

Since then I`ve worried endlessly about my health convinced myself I have lung cancer ( had a cough for years and years asthma and whooping cough as a small child) and various other terminal illnesses I actually feel well most of the time but I only have to think of an illness and I get it? I`m worried sick I will die and leave my 2 little girls who are my world.

I`ve started cbt etc etc but I don`t feel anyone understands me.
Is this all `normal` for health anxiety??? My husband is supportive but doesn`t really get it and my mum is great but just keeps saying you`ll be fine it`ll sort itself out!!!!

I would really appreciate some advice or just general comments on this horrible intrusion on my life!!!
Thank you xx

Hi

I know exactly how you are feeling, I have been suffering for health anxiety for about 14 years, I have had times in that time when it is a lot better and I can dismiss bodily sensations. I have only just started using this site again after 4 years, I have now worked out that my health anxiety is worse when I am stressed I tend to not deal with stressful situations very well and turn on my own health for some reason.

Over the years I have convinced myself that I have had ever serious illness going with very little support from my husband, he nods in all the right places but you can tell he is thinking, what is she going on about.

My health anxiety hit and all time high when my Mum died of MND 10 years ago, I ended up convincing myself that I had allsorts of neurological diseases and spend alot of time in hospitals having tests that showed up nothing!!!

I obsess about cancer now, I just think you hear so much about it in the media and everyone seems to know someone who has it. I am 35 and like you have an underactive thyroid which was dianosed after my some was born 2007, it took my dr so long to dianose it and even then he had me on the wrong dose I felt so ill for so long with it all, I have no faith in drs and this just made me even worse.

I have just been diagnosed with acid reflux and I don't believe my dr when he says that is all it is, I'm convinced it is something more, at the moment I am moving between esophagus, stomach, bowel and lung cancer, its very draining and no matter what anyone says even my dr I am 100% convinced there is something horribly wrong with me and I am going to leave my 2 children without a mum.

Health anxiety is very tiring and time consuming, I am currently seeing a counsellor because I think my health anxiety is triggered by stress and I hoping if I deal with issues I have never dealt with ie my mums death it will help with my anxiety, but CBT is very good I had that 4 years ago which helped me cope and have a good few years, going on to this site makes you feel less alone and release that there are people out there feeling the same.

You will have times when you aren't so focused on your health but I am in the process of trying to get there myself at the moment to don't have a quick answer on how to get there, but if you feel it is taking over your life you should speak to your doctor.

Take Care

I have acid reflux and an under active thyroid! I too believe its all something totally different such as cancer, brain tumour, etc it's just awful.


Lx

Thank you lambe, I too have 2 small children and am worried about leaving them with no mummy.My thyroid probs also went undiagnosed afteer the birth of my 2nd daughter although I kept telling them how awful I felt however my doc is lovely and believe me I feel we could be related I see her that often!!
I have seen the GP who advised me attend cbt courses but as yet I haven`t found they have done much good, also did one-one counselling for 2 sessions but didn`t like the woman and basically she told me not to be silly and to do the courses then I`d be fine hence I won`t be returning!!!

It`s good to know that it`s not just me and that there are other people suffering, I feel I`m missing out on so much with my darling babies and I don`t want to find in years to come that I look back with regret and sadness at wasting their childhood.

Thanks again for you reply and maybe we can help each other

SC xxxx

---------- Post added at 15:09 ---------- Previous post was at 15:07 ----------

Yes I know that all to wel and under active thyroid makes you feel so awful with so many things although meds are ok I still have very bad days which just fuel my anxiety I try not to use `dr google` but it is hard.
Hope you can work it out

SW xx

Hi and :welcome:

Have you read this at all?

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/healthanxiety/

I so feel for you. I'm going through the same thing and have been periodically all my life. As you don't want to leave your children, I fear I will die alone or struggle with a chronic alone. I think cause are deep seated fears and HA is the symptom.

Recently, I went to the eye doctor and my eyes for checked and they noticed inflammation so they are trying to figure out why (of course I think it's something systemic and bigger than it is..) Then I had GI issues so I have colonoscopy scheduled. I woke yesterday with a mark on my face, ran to the dermatologist who said it's allergic reaction to the sun. Now I am scared have cancer autoimmune dis. These fears take normal enjoyment in life. I've always been healthy and am approaching an age where things go wrong and it is reminding me of my own mortality I guess... I agree these episodes are stress induced as I seem to go through it badly every 5years or so connected to some kind of trigger. However, it is a very dark place to be in and feels like hell when your in it.

So I guess just want to say that you're not alone :)

Trust me, you're not alone. I'm going through it right now. I get these weird symptoms all the time and I have no idea what they are, but my bad case of health anxiety amplifies them. During my last episode of health anxiety 2.5 years ago, I had this light headed / dizzy feeling that wouldn't go away and I thought it was a brain tumor. I went to my doctor and he told me I was just really stressed out.

And now that light headed feeling is back. Why? Because I'm fixated on it and worrying about it. I've noticed that if I'm distracted and not focusing on what is worrying me, I don't even notice it. These things only bother me when I'm sitting alone stressing about them. I know it's so hard and it's so easy to say, but you have to try to get your mind off of it.

The mind is such a powerful thing. If I've learned anything about this form of anxiety in my life, I've learned that you can make yourself feel what isn't even real. When you fixate on things and you worry about them, it makes it worse than it actually is.

I know you'll get through this. So will I. We all will. It's only a matter of time. It's just another obstacle in this thing called life.. and when you do get through it, your eyes will be opened at how beautiful life really is. Right now it hurts, but when you get through it you'll be the happiest person alive.

Have a nice day :).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by supercooper

Thank you lambe, I too have 2 small children and am worried about leaving them with no mummy.My thyroid probs also went undiagnosed afteer the birth of my 2nd daughter although I kept telling them how awful I felt however my doc is lovely and believe me I feel we could be related I see her that often!!
I have seen the GP who advised me attend cbt courses but as yet I haven`t found they have done much good, also did one-one counselling for 2 sessions but didn`t like the woman and basically she told me not to be silly and to do the courses then I`d be fine hence I won`t be returning!!!

It`s good to know that it`s not just me and that there are other people suffering, I feel I`m missing out on so much with my darling babies and I don`t want to find in years to come that I look back with regret and sadness at wasting their childhood.

Thanks again for you reply and maybe we can help each other

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Hi Cooper, are you still around? Were you able to get over the health anxiety?