constantly worried i have something wrong

[Jo1981]

I suffer badly with health anxiety and i am constantly searching my body for signs of things wrong with me..if i find a spot i think its skin cancer if someone tells me they have had some sort of cancer i start to think could i have the same..its driving me mad and really need to talk to someone about it,i never go to the doctors with my symtoms because i fear i will be told the worst when really i know its nothing i just have to talk myself out of these things..x

[Dazza]

I'm the same as you in that I obsess about symptoms that I have and scan my body for things.

I'm the opposite of you however when it comes to visiting the doctor. I often visit the doctor to set my mind at ease, as I think to myself 'it's better to get these things early on' or 'prevention is better than cure'. I've made I don't know how many trips to the doctors and A&E (ER) in the past 3 1/2 years since my health anxiety started.

I'm happy to say that until now all symptoms have been due to benign things, and many caused the the anxiety itself.

Hug.

[Clow]

I do the same thing mate.

This is currently my biggest fear.

I keep finding all these spots that im not sure of being there before and i immediately think skin cancer or leukemia. Ive been getting lots of back aches/soreness as well..

I cant get the thoughts out of my head and it's making me crazy!

[happycarrot]

Welcome to the club :) I think almost all of us here do exactly what you described. If I hear about some horrible cancer, I immediately think I have it too. And the worst thing you can do is Google it! You can find websites that link almost any symptom you could possibly have to cancer, but in reality it's far more likely that they are caused by something else that isn't serious. So many cancer symptoms are also symptoms of much less serious illnesses, or even of anxiety itself. I think we all know that we're unlikely to have any serious problem and that it's really the anxiety taking over, but sometimes knowing that doesn't help to stop the worrying. I usually do not go to the doctor for all of my worries, but if I have an appointment for something else, I ask all my questions then. I'm sure it makes me unpopular at my doctor's office :)

[Jo1981]

Hey thanks for the replies guys and sorry to hear that we all feel the same..i sometimes think it takes over my every day life..i was never like this untill i had my two children,but now all i do is panic constantly!hate it..i wish i could feel better soon and stop worrying and panicking..good to talk with people going through the same thing x

[anitaa]

me too:shrug:

i was never like it before my two children either! as i get older its getting worse, i go to doc for any little thing, dont know why because when i get there i dont belive what they say anyway:D im always convinced its something far worse and ill ahve it forever.... untill something else comes along to worry about!

[shanlynn1012]

Same for me, same thing too not until i had my kids, at least i do not do it to them. So annoying.

[Jo1981]

Yeah it is so annoying I get so mad at myself for being like this I wish I could just stop it and wen I think I'm ok something else pops up! X

[shanlynn1012]

I know me too it really sucks, i think it has something to do with that we are really worried about our kids but our mind cant bear that worry so it gives us this crap to worry about.

[b4eve]

Lately the worry has tended to be that there's something wrong with my children rather than with me and I think that's even worse! It isn't fun either way round. This has been a repeating theme for nearly two years now and I almost went to my GP this time last year but because I've not (yet) become so near to non-functioning as I had with earlier bouts of anxiety, I cried off, thinking that I could manage. It's only getting worse though and it's suddenly struck me that as I'm more isolated than I've ever been before it'd be a ridiculous disaster if I left things until I couldn't function so I'll be seeing my GP next week (if I don't freak out and get an emergency appt sooner)

[Jo1981]

It's so horrible feeling like this isn't it..I have also worried about my kids in the past and got myself worked up that there is things wrong with them..I'm glad I have found this forum it's great chatting with ppl that are going through the same thing..hope we can help each other x

[b4eve]

When I was younger (and suffering HA and general anxiety too) I used to practically live at the GPs' :D but now I'm quite reluctant to go there. I don't like to go for myself because whatever I think the problem is it always seems to end up with them getting all excited about my white coat hypertension and/or tachycardia. I don't like going with my littlest boy because he's autistic and liable to get upset and then they don't even examine him properly 'cos he won't co-operate, so what's the point? I've taken the older boy in though for some shamefully minor things when I've been off on one :unsure: This time though I'm going in, I don't care what happens with my blood pressure, and I'm going to get some treatment because my kids deserve a mum who's more on the ball and less freaked out than I am presently. I hope we can help each other too, I intend to report back on how I get on

[shelley1813]

Hello every1 nice to hear im not alone. I have been told i have H A for over 12 mnths now. It started after my boss died suddenly of a brain hemorage. Since then i went google crazy.
Symptoms were
Tingling
Burning/water sensation in head
Dizziness
Weight loss
Weak left side
Memory prob
They are to name a few. Had councelling worked at first but now awaiting an appointment for CBT xx
Any advice as feeling a cant cope any more with this :weep:

[b4eve]

Hi Shelley, have you looked into CBT? I got a whole load of self-help CBT books last year and I can see how it should work but I just think I need someone to add the odd insight and make me do the exercises - it really looks like a great approach. As well as the books, like you I also tried some counselling last year and it didn't really help but CBT is different and I feel quite hopeful about it (assuming my GP will refer me and I don't have to wait forever). HA is a horrible thing but you can cope, even without treatment you'd probably find that this current bout would fade out but the thing is to get the best tools to get it away and keep it away.

---------- Post added at 22:38 ---------- Previous post was at 22:19 ----------

I wonder if anyone on this thread has experience of SSRIs? Last time I went to the GP with anxiety they were still really only being used for depression but I expect to be offered them this time and I just wondered what others thought about their effectiveness.

[jessicalittler79]

I feel same as u all .. Everyday allday is a struggle but I just started cbt and I hope it works take care all and I can say it does. Away hang in there

[karentia]

me too !! im the same as all u guys . constantly worrying about my health morning noon an night :blush: ive had a 7wk course of CBT but it was in a workshop with like 12 other people :ohmy: tbh it hasnt helped me ,probably because most of the 2hrs we sat there each week we ended up listening to others in the groups problems not soley concentrating on cbt if that makes sense ! i also have GAD so worry about everything :weep: . im on citralopram 10mg (any higher dose spaces me out lol ) . I so wish i could get up 1 morning an feel ok just ok no worrying no symptoms no omg ive got x y or z :doh: i so dont want my 2yr old growing up like me , constantley at the drs etc

[Jo1981]

Yeah I worry it will reflect on my kids,I really need to try and stop it now..half the time I know I'm being silly and I just read up on things to much and think that's what I must have..I don't like to go to the doctors though in fear I will be told the worst thing ever but I know if it was really something to worry about then I would go..I think I drive my family and friends mad constantly asking if my symptoms are normal and what they think,so I get reassurance grrrrr I want to feel normal again and enjoy my life with my kids and husband instead of waking up each day thinking what is it going to be today..so glad we can help each other just by chatting on here x

[karentia]

i drive my partner mad too , my mum is more sympathetic but tbh she probably dont help just worrys me more lol jo1981 thats how i feel every morning i just want it to stop ive been like this my whole life 32 yrs of worry grrrr

[shelley1813]

Nice to hear from you all. I 2 knw i am having an affect on my 8 yr old, every time she sees me on the laptop she says mummy are you worring bout your health again?
Not started CBT yet but im praying it will work for me.I to would just like to stop worrying that im about to die any minute,just for a day or 2 x
Take care every1 and my thoughts are with you all xx