Does this ever go away??

[flutterby]

I know and have been told numerous amounts of times i am suffering from health anxiety but i'm just wondering does it ever go away?

I've been getting pains in the middle of my chest and in my left breast and the top of my left arm is constantly aching also pains in my legs sometimes ache I always think that there is something wrong with my heart or my blood flow (sounds so silly when i write it), although i do smoke so that doesn't help me.

I can't seem to stop thinking that i'm going to die, i don't like being on my own during the day or at night in case anything happens and i can't see this ever ending, i just want to be able to get on with a normal life..............will these feelings ever go away???? i think i'd just like to know if there is any point to carrying on fighting this as sometimes i feel like there is no point...

[lass]

Hi Flutterby.

There is always a point in carrying on fighting - a friend of mine's Mum struggled with anxiety for years then eventually found the right medication and strategy for her, and she tells me it can be beaten! She still has off days but knows how to get herself out of it.

I live in hope of finding the right treatment for me. I have good days and bad days - on the bad days I forget that I DO get good days, and on the good days I can't remember how bad the bad days really are. I've "only" been like this for 6 months.

Talking really helps, as does knowing you are not alone. I've only been on this website for a couple of weeks but already it has done me a world of good. There's loads of people on here that can relate to how you are feeling and they are all at different stages so can offer loads of advice.

Take care,
Caroline
xx

[Two heads]

Hi flutterby!
It will go if you really try to work on these thoughts.I had the same ones a little while back and now and them they still try to pop in there.I felt just the same way as you describe and i known it really can get to you.
I even went to see acardio and think that helped me a bit.So maybe try that?
I also had a d-dimer done because i had aching legs and thought the worst.So you really are not alone on this one.You will be fine,theres nothing wrong its just tht anxiety again!
When these thoughts come,hum a song in your head so they go away.Good luckxx

[vernon]

Hi flutterby, I have felt the same as you so many times in the past and only we can make this go away. This is a post i just wrote to anther member with health anxiety.

Hi , I fully understand the way you feel I have suffered bad health anxiety on and off for years and at times real bad. I remember about 2 and half years ago suffering bad tummy pains, weight loss and passing blood. I went to one doctor who felt my tummy and didn’t seem too concerned. My tummy got much worst so I returned and seen another Doctor who sent me for blood tests and my calcium count in the blood was to high so she booked for me to see a gastro specialists and said she marked it urgent. This really put my anxiety over the top and I was fully convinced this was it. I did what I shouldn’t and started reading up on the net about raised Calcium in the blood, and it said raised calcium can be caused by cancer spreading to the bones, so here I was thinking its to late now its already spread to the bones. After reading this I returned to the doctor and asked was it true what I had read, and she said yes it could be but lets not worry and see what the specialist says. Anyway a couple of months later I seen the gastro specialist who ordered me to have more blood tests, chest x-ray, Barium enema and a sygmoidoscopy and to see me again once all these tests have came back. Anyway it took the best part of 12 months to get all the tests done and I returned to see the specialist, (I was so so scared and my stomach and bleeding was even worst by now0 I went in to talk to the specialist and he said all the tests where ok and the barium enema showed a bit of cramping in the colon and this was IBS, I asked about the bleeding and he said haemorrhoids, then I asked about the high calcium and he said the calcium was normal and it must have been misread by my GP. I felt so good to hear this and my anxiety really lifted, I have hardly had no tummy trouble or bleeding since, so it shows how really bad anxiety can make us feel, Since then My health anxiety hasn’t been as bad, It still tries to return but now after over 40 years of worry about health I got really fed up, Now I try to say to myself what will be will be and if we do get ill what can we do about it? We can worry for years and years and have a rotten life or try and just enjoy life and worry about these things when the happen? I know with health anxiety it’s so so real and we do feel really ill, but 99.9% of the time its something small that we make into a big mountain. I am 57 now and spoiled so many years of my life thinking I was going to die and am still here. You are still young don’t waste life like I did. When you feel poorly just get busy and keep telling yourself you are fine. Hope all the tests go ok, and hope you feel better soon. Take care, Vernon

[flutterby]

Thank you for the advice, still can't help but worry about every pain i have but i'm going to get more help from a councellor again!!

My doctor hasn't sent me for tests or anything as she doesn't think i need them, which my rational side should tell me that she is confident enough that there isn't anything wrong but i think my rational side is on holiday more often than not.

Like the fact i feel like my left (it's always on my left) hand is bruised but can't remember knocking it so i think the worst sometimes i don't even know what the worst is.

i have been getting these feelings for about 9 months now and really don't want them to be with me for years so i am going to have to fight this, it's just making me tired....