Can't accept reasurrance!!!

[Sazziesaz]

Hi Everyone,

What a great website!! I suffer from health anxiety and have just looked on the internet to see if I am the only one and have just found you!!

I have just got back from hospital after convincing myself I was having a heart attack!! I was put on the ECG and told all was ok, blood test was taken and I was told that heart tests were okay, but blood tests on possible blood clot was high. Well as you can imagine I almost had a heart attack there and then!!! After having a chest xray and another blood test that would 100% rule OUT having a blood test, I was told all was okay and that I wasn't having a heart attack and I 100% didn't have a blood clot and I probably just had a virus as I had a cold about three weeks ago. I was sent home feeling very stupid and the look on my Husbands face said it all!! (will you be okay now until the next scare!).

Anyway now how stupid does this sound, but I am still thinking, maybe the results were wrong and why was the blood count high, I still think I am having a heart attack or have a blood clot. I just wish I was not so self absorbed in my worries and just could distract myself with my 5 months old and 5 year old!!


Sarah x

[carlin]

Hi there, my goodness what a day you have had! I am so happy things all turned out good for you. And they have! Of course, for the time being you will not feel convinced, you are still in shock, take no notice of hubby (and that's an order!) After a day or so you will begin to believe that things are fine, you are not stupid, if you are, then there are a lot of us here mate!!! Please read through all the information on this site, you will find it so helpful, give hubby a cuddle and then give him the kids, and have a long soak in the bath. xxx

[manmoor]

Hi Sarah,

Welcome aboard. I also suffer from health anxiety and I know exactly where your coming from with your test results. We constantly seek reasurrance and when we do get it it doesnt last long until we're off again wanting more. It's a vicious circle this old heaalth anxiety.

Take Care

Mandy

xx

[Sazziesaz]

Thanks Mandy and Carlin for your replies. This anxiety is horrible and sometimes makes my life unbearable. I always think I am dying from something, my throat closing up, cancer, brain tumours, heart attack etc! Does anyone every manage to stop these anxieties or is is something I am going to have to live with for the rest of my life??

[polly daydream]

Hi Sarah and welcome, don't feel stupid hun, you did the right thing getting checked out, you would have only been worrying if you hadn't. You are fine the docs know what they are doing, they would have found any abnormalitys straight away, so just relax now.

Best wishes,

Polly x

[Sazziesaz]

Thanks Polly, I will try and relax, it is just so hard sometimes!! Oh well I must remember, survive the bad days and cherish the good ones!!

[jenfen1982]

Hi, My name is Jenny, I am 23 can totally relate to everyone here. It just goes to show really that if we are all suffering the same then how can anything really be wrong with us?

Why if the doctors say there is nothing wrong wih me, my boyfreind says the same, family, friends blah blah... Why can't i accept it!

The reason being is the scary physical symptoms i have. There is no escaping them. I wish the people around me could understand.

I have had this since last September whilst i was on holiday... it started for nothing!! I have been too hospital loads, doctors, councelling..you name it ive done it! I want it to go away or for someone to give me a magic pill. I am constantly checking my pulse,I cant sleep, Ive even had panic attacks whilst being asleep. Im desperate for it to go away.!!

Jenny Fenner

[Sazziesaz]

Jenny,

The more you are desperate for it to go away, I believe (from experience) that the more your symptons get worse! I have suffered this (or recogonised that I have a problem) for about four years. Sometimes I actually have times when I am strong and all is sort of okay, but the more I fight it or try to put the thoughts out of my mind then the worse it gets. If you try to accept it it is supposed to help. Also the more reassurance from docs, hospital etc we seek then we are feeding our anxiety and it is true as the reasurrance only lasts until I get another sympton! I am at my strongest when I am able to laugh at myself, I get a heart pain and I joke to myself by saying 'oh this is the two hundred and eighty heart attack I have had this year'! Sometimes that helps. GOD I WISH I COULD PRACTICE AND BELIEVE WHAT I PREACH!!

I don't know if this anxiety actually ever goes away, I hope it does!! Sarah x

[saintdee]

hey there,

what a load of unnessasary stress we all put on our bodies! i mean i can not go a day without letting my mind, aches pains or anything horrilbe av affect on my thoughts. when will the day come i never experience the emotional destruction on this day to day level? well im pretty sure i can answer that question which is asked by us all, and that answer is never! and the sooner we all accept that the better i spose, live each day and enjoy the best you can.x

[lewis_k]

hi. i have health-anxiety too. maybe i am hopeful that we can overcome our health-anxiety because i am young and relatively new to this whole health-anxiety thing. tonight in particular i feel very anxious about my health (calf-muscle lump, see the two other posts i left about it if you're interested), but i do believe we have the power to take control over our psychologies: meditation, talking to people, self-counsel, professional counsel if necessary..etc. would it be wrong for me to suggest maybe some of us spend too much time in this health-anxiety forum? i am new, and i'm sure it has helped many people, but there is a point (i imagine) where dwelling on things here can become counterproductive, especially in an environment where other people are doing the same. to a certain extent we may feed off eachother's fears while we could be taking a nice walk and calming down. i do not mean to "diss" the forum, i appreciate that it is here and helps reassurance and communication among us loners; but we may get the wrong impression by only being around ourselves that we have to live like this forever.
i agree strongly that it is not good to fight against the anxiety, if you mean repressing it; but i do believe it is conquerable if we are patient.
feel better,
lewis

[Sazziesaz]

hi lewis,

I hope and do believe what you say that one day this health anxiety is conquerable! And to do that we need to not give into our anxiety and not try to control it but just accept it and not to be frightened of it. Everyone has these thoughts but it is the way we deal with them and blow them out of proportion that has to be conquered and that comes with time and recognising that I had that fear last month and nothing happenend.

As for this forum, I don't belive that it makes us worse, I personally am so relieved for finding it! I have read through past discussions and am so relieved to find my chest pains/flutters/throat problems and headaches are felt by so many others and it has 'normalised' my thoughts a bit. I think it is great and will defiantely use it even when I am having a good day, cause if I can normalise someone elses life with a comment that would be great!!!!

Hope you are feeling better today!

Sarah[8D]

[lass]

I agree (re this forum). It has given me an enormous amount of reassurance and relief that I am not the only one struggling with this. My husband keeps telling me that I am spending too much time on here and I'll only start imagining I have all the other symptoms people post about. But I don't and I won't! And I can be really strong and reassuring for everyone else. Just c**p at sorting myself out!

For me it helps to get advice from people that have been there, done it, etc. And I'm sure it helps those in the best position to advise, as they must feel of some benefit in being able to help.

Besides, if I spend 10 minutes reading someone elses problems and sympathising, that's 10 minutes less time I am spending looking for problems of my own!

Thanks everyone on here, for all the reassurance, advice and virtual hugs you send!

[gabes]

I feel like I've found a new home.