Anxiety when having to take over the counter pills?

[anxious_thoughts]

I think I have IBS so I decided to take a gas pill. But now my anxiety is high because I'm scared that I have something heart related or a brain tumour and it may cause something. :(

Any one else have this fear?

[RoseEve]

I don't understand. You are worried the medicine will affect your heart or brain?

[anxious_thoughts]

Sorry, Rose. I'm worried it will have some sort of side effect to both

[nomorepanic]

Highly unlikely to be honest

[anxious_thoughts]

Hmm really?
I used to be able to take over the counter medicine but now I'm too scared. Think like Advil or Tylenol really make me worried so I stay away from them. (Even though nothing bad has ever happened when I've taken them)

[Fishmanpa]

I've never known bodily gases to reside in the heart or brain so I think you'll be fine ;)

Positive thoughts

[anxious_thoughts]

Oh I know, fishmanpa! Yet...I STILL worry, lol:wacko:

[RoseEve]

I just worry when I take Advil and it doesn't help my headache but nothing bad will happen :)

[anxious_thoughts]

I bet they work for you. :)
And thanks Rose, it's already been about 40 mins since I took it and I'm still here, here's to hoping nothing bad happens

[RoseEve]

Nothing will happen. I could bet my life on it. The Advil works just a little sometimes not at all. I get bad long lasting tension headaches as you know.

[anxious_thoughts]

Well, it's been a couple hours now and nothing happened. Feeling a lot better now...although I still have IBS symptoms lol

Hmm..but are these headaches a daily thing?

[RoseEve]

I've had a headache for the last week. But I'm not panicking about it. I know it's anxiety and it's mild I can live with it.

[anxious_thoughts]

I like how you're thinking positive. I need to do that!

[cut_out_stars]

I get this kinda thing too! I had a bad cold recently and read the warning label and it said "do not take if you have an over active thyroid" and I thought "well what if I have an over active thyroid and I don't know and I take this and something happens to me?!" I did the same with hayfever tablets last summer, I was scared they would make me throw up!

I think it's just the nature of the beast with health anxiety. It's a pretty common thing. I'm sorry I can't really offer much help here but I can sympathise!! Xx

[emlica]

Yeah I think it's quite common to be afraid of side effects if you have HA. I've just started taking tranexamic acid for heavy periods and am convinced it's going to upset my stomach because so much seems to these days. Taken two doses so far and nothing bad has happened, though! Plus the vast majority of side effects will stop when you stop taking the drug, so if you're taking an OTC medicine and you think it's having an adverse effect, stop taking it! What are you taking for the IBS-related gas? I had some joy with something called Colpermin - no side effects apart from (TMI) a slightly, um, minty smell where you wouldn't expect one!!!!