worried about health :(

[grace17]

Hello everyone, I'm really worried. What it is, In may 2011, I started feeling dizzy and shaky and I kept thinking there was something wrong and was regularly visiting the A and E and the doctors and had extensive testing and I feel like this again that there's something wrong :( I feel constantly worried. The Dr said I shouldn't worry that there's nothing wrong with me physically that I have severe anxiety and depression but I can't seem to stop thinking I have something wrong. What's peoples thoughts?

[andrea15]

Are you new here? If so welcome.

The worry you are feeling is normal for everyone here. If the drs have told you you're fine you need to try and believe them but I of all people know how hard this is. If you read some other posts on here you will see that we are all in the same boat. Feel free to read mine. When I read mine back I sound crazy!

Everyone here has good advice and a great way of expressing their opinion on what you're going through. I hope you find it helps.

Andrea x

[Brazil Bill]

Health Anxiety is a self-perpetuating syndrome that is often completely beyond the control of the sufferer (otherwise, we'd just choose not to worry :)) - the symptoms that are felt during a panic attack will feel completely real, and in your mind you will convince yourself that there has to be a physical cause, and that the cause will never be spotted in time for a cure. Nobody is going to take you seriously. Nobody is going to find out until it is too late.

So, we mitigate this risk by making sure we are always checking ourselves, checking symptoms online and making sure the GP doesn't ignore you this time (What do you mean it's just anxiety?? How can it possibly be something like that when I actually feel what's going on and you don't??). There's no telling what triggers the anxiety spikes, and in some cases (like mine) the panic was always there - my internal dialogue was consistently about health and I still get caught unawares by thoughts of critical illness. Most people dismiss these thoughts quickly but in health-anxious people, these thoughts do not just go away.

Statistically, HA sufferers think a LOT. We think at a 1000 mph and often our thoughts descend into a panic as we try to fight natures flight response from, what is in effect, a monster in your head. The brain is a hugely complex organ, and is extremely effective at changing the way your body performs. Feelings of dizziness, buzzing, palpitations (awareness of heartbeat), Insomnia, overwhelming panic, sweating, itching, buzzing, temperature changes, awareness levels, bowel functions, blood pressure, vision and a range of physical symptoms that affect just about every part of our bodies are commonly a manifestation of panic and anxiety.

Of course, no matter how many times we read this, the thought persists - but what if I really DO have something wrong with me? - well, sure, there's no guarantee in life and, yes, a sufferer can never feel 100% reassured (I have imagined cancer of all forms and more infectious diseases than I can recount, even following a full-body MRI scan after repeated GP visits).

How do you get better? Well, each person has their own coping strategy somewhere. Suggestions of counselling and/or medication are often met with resistance from sufferers because they KNOW they are suffering and covering it up just wastes time in finding a real cure.....but the journey has to start somewhere. The fact you're posting here is a solid indicator that at least some part of you entertains the fact that if only you could manage your anxiety levels, your life would improve. My advice is to use this site, actively, and share. Nobody will think any worse of you for it. When I get a bad day (which still happens, and I have suffered HA for over 20 years) I find getting it out there is often a good first step.

Try not to resist your symptoms or try and work out where they're coming from - so easy to advise, so hard to do - or one strategy I use is to actually face the fear a bit. Next time you think you've got #insert illness here# actually let yourself get very anxious about it, don't fight it at all, go right to the point where you are literally overwhelmed and then imagine it washing over you like a wave. Let it fall away and say goodbye to it. One more panic closer to getting better mentally. It may not work for you, but it does for me.

I know, I'm rambling....

When you feel dizzy, don't beat yourself up about it. It isn't a critical illness. It is a symptom of your system being flooded with Adrenalin (or Noradrenalin) or your Seretonin getting eat up through...panic. Let yourself be dizzy and even try and accept it as a normal phsyiological response, which it is.

I hope some of this helps :)

[helenclaire]

Hi,
I am going through something familier at the moment.

I have been feeling dizzy all day, i have had it on occasions before and always been ok but at the time it is really scary and you imagine its being caused by something serious and its hard to think rationally when you feel ill, it makes my heart race and i get jelly legs which i know are symptoms of anxiety.

I know this is not any help to you but i wanted to let you know your not alone and i guess its only natural to worry about your health when you dont feel well.

Take care
Helen