anxiety 24/7

[Charlee123]

anyone else feel anxious for absolutely no reason all day?!
Im on sertraline atm. 150mg.
I feel like im not here, no one understands and i also feel constantly on edge, i have nasty butterflies in my tummy and i just dont feel right atall. I have CBT friday, but in my opinion, i still dont think this is anxiety. I must be ill.

[Annie0904]

I have just called my doctor and said surely this must be something more than anxiety but no it is anxiety...I feel so ill and weak today.

[Charlee123]

i just feel weird if that makes sense. like, im not me, im someone else and i have this awful feeling of dread throughout me. Ive convinved myself now that i have a tumour in the part of my brain that controls hormones. i hate this!

[Thumbelina]

Hi charlie,
It most definately is extreme anxiety, if it is telling you that something is wrong with you.
If the doctors told you that you are ok, than you should rest you mind.
"Something is not right, something is not write with me, i dont feel right" - is a pure anxiety talk...
Hope you will feel better soon.

[Charlee123]

ive been worried about having a brain tumour for about 6 years. doctors have said i would be seriously ill now, or even dead, but i still think i have one. why else would i feel this way? i feel constantly weird, butterflies in tummy, waves of hot, then cold, tingly, my vision is bad and i have tinnitus. All doctors and a neurologist who i saw about 4 years ago assure me im ok, but i STILL worry. There has to be a reason for a constant feeling of dread, when i have no reason too. Is this anxiety?

[Annie0904]

ive been worried about having a brain tumour for about 6 years. doctors have said i would be seriously ill now, or even dead, but i still think i have one. why else would i feel this way? i feel constantly weird, butterflies in tummy, waves of hot, then cold, tingly, my vision is bad and i have tinnitus. All doctors and a neurologist who i saw about 4 years ago assure me im ok, but i STILL worry. There has to be a reason for a constant feeling of dread, when i have no reason too. Is this anxiety?

It is anxiety, I am just the same at the moment. Your doctor is right about the brain tumour, you would be a loss worse by now (I know 2 people who had brain tumours). It IS anxiety making you feel like this and I know it is the most horrible feeling. I have every symptom you have and more. :hugs::hugs:

[Jen Sat]

Anxiety can show in many symptoms, once the doc has said that there is no physical problem, accept it as anxiety. I thought I had a brain tumour because of the dizzyness and even flew to USA for a brain scan, needless to say that came back normal, that was 11 years ago and I still get the dizzyness. I have many other symptoms and it is so easy to work yourself up about every twinge/ache/sensation that it prolongs the anxiety. I know this is an awful problem to deal with and so cruel. Mine also comes out of the blue even when I do not have anything in particular to worry about, the fear appears and I am on edge waiting for the next wave of panic. It takes your confidence away....

[joebloggs]

Hi. Charlee. You have health anxiety, a very common problem in nervous illness and one that you most certainly can recover from. The first thing is to totally accept what the medics have told you. These days, contrary to popular belief, they rarely make mistakes. These people have spent many, many years studying various illnesses and completing medical degrees so we should not second guess them. ALL the symptoms you describe have been experienced by most of us here and are classic anxiety symptoms. The feeling of dread, of dis-integration. depersonalization are all from the same source; fear. Fear of what may occur. The old man said", I have had many terrible things in my life. few of which ever happened". It is 'thinking makes it so'. (To quote Shakespeare). Now I am going to suggest two things. First, get Dr. Weekes book, 'Essential help for your Nerves', it will be the best £10 you will ever spend. Then try and accept for the moment, how you feel. This is not easy but it is the opposite to fighting which is self destructive and brings more fear.. Any recovery will take time, and this is difficult to bear, but it is the only way, coupled with acceptance. Stop fighting; wondering; looking over your shoulder waiting for "IT" to appear. It will certainly do so if you remain apprehensive. You will come out of this if you treat it in the right way. Good luck to you. joe.

[Charlee123]

yes my grandad died of a brain tumour 7 years ago, veru suddenly he collapsed, and 3 weeks later died it was that fast. My fear and anxiety definately isnt to do with that, however i do panic i COULD end up like that, or, be told its terminal and its too big to operate on. My family are fed up of my constant crying and worrying, yes, it ruins your life. Iv just had a bath, and the whole time, thoughts went through my head that i need to go to hospital or get a scan or something. Some days are worse than others, and the past 3 days have been bad. I just feel detached from the world, and think, how can everyone else just get on with things and i cant? I just cant accept this is anxiety. Maybe because i was fine one minute and then suddenly end of september, i woke up having my very first ever panic attack, and since then, ive been this way. Can it just come on like that???

---------- Post added at 11:21 ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 ----------

the only was i will stop this, is by having a scan, but the doctors wont as i have no neurological symptoms that they would class as worrying.

[Annie0904]

Try to take reassurance from your doctor, they know what signs to look for. You have anxiety and that gives all sorts of symptoms. :hugs::hugs:

[Thumbelina]

I also suggest leave it for later, do the test but not now, sometime later...
If doc said no need - and your grandad died of it, it makes sense that your mind is overprotective over you.
Just disregard it - or tell yourself - ok will dothe scan sometime when i am not busy...

[missybct]

Hi hon.

All the symptoms you have are classic anxiety, like the others have said. It's easy for people to just dismiss them because they are "psychological" and not physiological, but I refute that - the symptoms are very real and it's not surprisingly that so many people feel that something catastrophic is happening to them. You've felt this way for six years, and like others have said, had it been a brain tumour you would certainly had more problems by now.

But please be reassured by your doctor - they have spent many, many years training to where they are, as well as having to take a whole bunch more exams after they graduate. Yes, there are stories that doctors do get it wrong - but the instances of that are incredibly low and is very unlikely to happen to you.

I'm not sure how much your doctor knows about this health anxiety - you said you were on medication so I am guessing they have some idea. It might be worth mentioning to he or she about the opportunity of having some kind of therapy to challenge your thought processes.

[Charlee123]

yea they wont do a scan, as there no reason for one.
I am starting CBT friday, and im on sertraline atm, but i get getting dosage increases and im on day 8 of 150mg so past 3 days havent been that great x

[missybct]

I'm glad you are getting CBT. I would advise you to write down your sessions after you have them - you normally get a bit of "homework" to do in your own time but I had a friend who wrote down verbatim (or near enough) what she and her therapist spoke about in their sessions and it really helped her in moments when she felt bad again. She also had health anxiety and is now more or less "recovered".

Stick with the sertraline - increases always make you feel a bit out of sorts but hopefully it'll work in the long run. Good luck.