Always think something is wrong!!!!

[panickyme]

As I recently have posted I have major health anxiety. At the moment (2years) at least I am consumed with the bad chest pains that I get. So of course its my heart, or lungs. I can be having a really good day a BAM I will get that pain. Then of course I go into panic from there. Then you watch, and wait, feel the pulse, cant breathe, you dont want to move in fear that it will make the pain worse, and then you imagine going to the hospital, and what they will do, and if you will make it, etc...Anyone with this can relate. I know with me I do, and can create the vicious cycle. Over the years its been many things that I focus on, and really believe I have it. my entire day is focused on whatever disease I am worrying about at the time. But there is always something. If its not my heart, its a tumor, or lung cancer etc... My entire life is a huge health anxiety. (none of which have killed me yet!!!! Notice I put yet, because I carry that black cloud over my head, that says something is coming. I could never be any kind of emergency doctor, because patients would say I am having a heart attack, and I would say omg me too!!! (if I hear anything bad, give me 10 minutes, and I will have it also) Sorry so long, but with that being said, I know I create this but, do you have any suggestions on how not to think this way, and if you could tell me some of your heath fears, maybe it would help me to realize I am not alone in feeling this way. :weep: Debbie

[Ella13]

Hi Debbie. What you have said described me and what i am like completely. My anxiety started 6 years ago (although I’ve always been quite a shy, nervous person since a young girl) when my brother died of Skin cancer aged 26. He came to live with us the weeks leading up to his death and what I saw has scarred me for life. I never want to be in the same position or see another loved one be like that.

You say you've had your anxiety for 2 years, is there something that triggered it with you?

I understand completely when you say your day is ruined by the constant fear you have some sort of disease or you feel a pain and worry its something serious. I am 100% the same and Its ruined my friendships and my work life as im constantly having to take time off work with stress/anxiety. Its such a vicious circle and I feel completely alone sometimes.

The thing with me is i do actually have a couple of very minor illnesses. I suffer with gastritis– but up until the point i was diagnosed i honestly thought i had stomach/bowel cancer and that i was going to drop down dead at any second. Of course i had the tests and everything was fine apart from i had a small tear in my stomach lining, a very common thing and i had antibiotics for a year to help fix it.
Another thing i suffer with is my sinuses, which gives me a lot of infections/headaches etc and every time i feel a headache coming on i convinced I have a brain tumor/Anurism and need to go to the emergency room (although ive never actually fully convinced myself to go).

My mostg recent thing is probably the one ive been most scared about. I read in a newspaper about a young girl who said she felt unwell with a slight headache, went to bed early one evening and just never woke up. I then made it worse by reading different types of stories with young Adults who are fit and healthy and then just drop down dead ofr no reason. It has something to do with your heart and the way it beats too fast or something, and ever since reading these stories (about a week ago) my chest feels weird, Im having more palpatations than ever and shortness of breath, I am also constanly checking my pulse to see if i still have one as ridiculous as that sounds. Theres not been one single person in my family history with any sort of heart problem yet I even have a doctors appointment next week to see if i can have some sort of test to heart test check im ok.

I know i need to snap out of it and i know i eventually will do, but only when i feel like another mystery illness will come along.


That probably hasn’t helped you in any way and i cant really offer any good advice as im going through the same thing you are. But one thing i can tell you is DONT isolate yourself. I’m sure youre the same in that when you feel an anxiety attack coming on you don’t want anyone to know about it, i try and do the opposite now and make sure my parents/sister/boyfriend/friends knows about it. Being around other people really helps me and takes my mind off things, its when im alone that these thoughts creep into my head and make me the anxious person i am.

Death really does frighten me, its not about having an actual illness, its the fact that I think Im going to eventually die (which of course everyone does, but youd like to think at an old age).



Does anyone have any other advice on how to snap out of thinking you have every illness under the sun?

[Frankie123]

Like you I have severe health anxiety and it has ruined my life. People are constantly telling me to live for the moment and not to worry about tomorrow. O if only I could do that. I so wish I knew of a cure so that I could turn my life around. Every time you turn the TV on there is an advert telling you to look out for symptoms so of course you have them and now Channel 4 are advertising a whole evening about cancer and keep constantly telling us that 1 in 3 will get cancer. Also every magazine or newspaper has stories of how brave people have been when dying from the desease.
The only thing have relieves my symptoms is to be with people and not to spend to much time alone when I have lots of time to think.

[panickyme]

Thank you so much, it's nice to know you are not alone!:hugs:
Frankie, thanks for the smile. I know people can't say stuff like that to us, (live like today is your last) enjoy! How do you enjoy when you panic all day,thinking it is your last.
Ella, thank you, I have had anxiety all my life, since I was 18, but for the last 2 years I am convinced I am going to die from a heart attack. It is so sad that I waste each day worrying about this. I'm sorry you feel bad also. I am lucky if I have a day, when I can go 5 minutes without worrying. I don't quite know why I think everything will happen to me. This heart thing I think is to do to many people having heart attacks young around me. I am so sorry you had to see your brother so sick, and so young. I am petrified of death, I'm not ready to go yet. I know that would of put me in a panic.

[Eek]

I totally know how you feel. I go through a gamut of symptoms and illnesses every week, my HA rules my life. I just wish I could take the view of living for the moment and not worrying, but when you suffer with HA it is very difficult. I try and occupy myself as much as possible so I'm not thinking about it, but my mind always wanders back. I too have had anxiety most of my life since I was about 14, though I've had spells of several years where I've managed to keep it at bay. I find it gets worse as I get older though, I feel that as I get older I'm more likely to contract something fatal and like you I'm terrified of dying.

This site does help reading through other people's experiences and knowing that I'm not alone.

a big :hugs: to all of you.

[panickyme]

:ohmy: you said it perfectly! The older I get, there worse it gets! I feel like death is knocking at the door. I am 45, and you might think that I am 105 the way I make myself feel.

[katielou80]

panickyme!! i could have written that post myself!! EVERY day i worry about some illness, usually fixated on one for like 3 or 4 months then another comes. its horrible. i wish there was a magic wand!! :(

[heather1985]

It is so good to read these posts and realise I'm not alone in how I'm feeling.I am a fantastic google doctor and so far this month I've had everything from lung cancer to heart disease.I am at the point where I am consumed with thinking about my health all the time and don't enjoy myself anymore.I visited the doctor today who has prescribed sertraline but I'm worried about taking them too!just wondered what everyone else takes?x

[Ella13]

I'm not on anything at the moment, Ive always been a bit wary about taking anything to, just wondered has anyone been offered some sort of therapy for anxiety and if its any good?

[heather1985]

I have been put on the list for therapy but have been told to expect a wait of at least 12 weeks which is why she gave me the prescription as well.I am scared to take anything have even stopped drinking caffeine and alcohol...anxiety sure makes me boring!!x

[Ella13]

12 weeks seems like a long time, mind you i suppose we expect to wait for these things on the NHS. I think i might enquire how much it is to go private. Probably something i cannot afford.

Yeah I've completely stopped drinking alcohol and cut down on caffeine too, Im even scared to go out and even try to enjoy myself any more incase i have a panic attack and cant handle being sober. Anxiety really does suck.

[panickyme]

Heather you did make me laugh, I as sooooooooo the same. I google and have it all also. What is wrong with us! I can not shake this, and everyday I hear about someone else having a heart attack young. Now I know it's gonna be me, I am just waiting. (isn't that so dumb) I am also petrified to take med's so I really just suffer. THIS STINKS!:mad: Katie, thank you. I know right, where is that magic wand. I just want to have fun. I don't even have to have fun. I just want not to worry all the time. I am not even comfortable in my own house. People talk to me and I don't even know what they said, i am so focused on something being wrong. (but its funny I hear every word, when it's something I am afraid of) Doesn't make any sense! Ella you said it my friend anxiety sucks!!!!!!! I hate this.