New to this, health anxiety problems

[Rainboww]

Hi everyone,
I've been having problems with anxiety for the last year. To cut a long story short I had a bad year last year in regards to my health... I have been taking antibiotics every day for nearly 6 months for interstitial cystitis and think my anxiety has developed from this. My first really bad panic attack started two days before Christmas and anxious feelings lasted for a few days - I convinced myself I had a brain tumour. Started with twinges in the back of my head and then started to feel weak and dizzy (probably because I was feeling anxious). After a couple of weeks my feelings of anxiousness went away for a while - turns out I had just pulled a muscle in my neck rock climbing:blush:. Since then it seems to have gotten worse. I find myself constantly googling symptoms and reading articles on types of cancers - whenever something like cancer is mentioned in the news I get myself in a panic.
I am a nursing student which makes matters even worse. I can't get away from health issues. I had a lecture on HIV last week and spent nearly 3 hours googling symptoms and working out the chances that I may have it. I have met so many inspirational people during my training so far - who are fighting these illnesses and it makes me feel lousy that I waste so much time worrying about whether these things are going to happen to me :( I can be worrying constantly for days on end and its exhausting. I've spoken to my boyfriend and family about it and I cant help but feel they think I am pathetic. I don't want to go to my doctors if I can help it. Im worried that a diagnosis of anxiety might cause problems in the future if there is anything seriously wrong with me and the doctors will just think 'oh shes got anxiety, theres nothing wrong with her'. I know for a student nurse its bizarre to think like that - I know that I cant be discriminated against in theory, but I have seen it happen to patients.
Sorry for the long-winded post, needed to get it off my chest...

[overhead_drums]

Hi,

I suffered from health anxiety nearly two years ago and it was hell, I had about 3 months off work and felt horrible and like nobody would understand. Fortunately my GP did, and various other GP's I saw to check me for my various cancers i "had"....

I would defiantly urge you to talk to a GP. There is so much out there to help you. With a combination of med's, exercise and CBT i can honestly look back now and think "what the hell was i worried about!?". I took fluoxetine which really helped me get my life back on track and get back to work, that drug really worked for me and got me through that period.

Currently I'm now back on fluoxetine (increased dose 40mg daily) as after my wife having our first baby my anxiety went through the roof, 2 weeks on I'm feeling much better and it might be a long road but that for me just goes to show the importance of seeing someone about it pronto! :)

You will get out the other side, I did even though there seemed to be NO light at the end of the tunnel. Anxiety is a B**** but you can do it :D

[Round in circles]

That's such a long time to be on antibiotics. Fortunately I've never had to be on them for long, but the times I had to take any they really threw my body out of whack. That could be the cause of your original symptoms.

The thing you need to remember about google is that it only throws up the worst case scenarios rather than present a more realistic picture. It can have its uses, but also a lot of drawbacks.

[Rainboww]

Thanks for posting. I know I should go and speak to someone about it. So far I've only had a negative reaction from everyone around me. I told my mum I had been worried about things - we used to be close and I'd tell her about problems - she just doesn't understand this! She tells me I'm being overdramatic. I told my boyfriend too. He has been a little more supportive but he doesn't get it either. I just feel like I'm going mad!
I've made a doctors appointment - the next one is in a months time. Whether I grow some balls and speak to her about it I don't know...:wacko:

[Lucym681]

I feel the same. I think my health anxiety started because of a few things. I started my job working in a doctors surgery and hearing about deaths, and people being diagnosed with cancer on a daily basis makes it the norm to me. I had also banged my head, and suffering badly with concussion for around 6 weeks, I had convinced myself I had a bleed to the brain. Even after a ct scan I still couldn't stop thinking what if. Now I just worry about everything and feel like my doctors dread seeing me!

[Rainboww]

I feel the same. I think my health anxiety started because of a few things. I started my job working in a doctors surgery and hearing about deaths, and people being diagnosed with cancer on a daily basis makes it the norm to me. I had also banged my head, and suffering badly with concussion for around 6 weeks, I had convinced myself I had a bleed to the brain. Even after a ct scan I still couldn't stop thinking what if. Now I just worry about everything and feel like my doctors dread seeing me!

It's nice to speak to someone who understands how I feel. I've worked with people who have cancer and illnesses like it. I've worked with dying people and I know how awful it is. Reading articles doesn't help either. Problem is I can't get away from it - I have to research health and illness because its my job :( I love my job, but I really need to find a way to manage my anxiety otherwise I'm worried its going to make me go mad. :weep:
At the moment I'm checking my breast a billion times a day. I just can't convince myself that there is nothing wrong with me..

[Lisa.w1979]

I think the onset of my HA was following the death of my grandad. My nan passed away a few years before but had been ill for years so it was kind of expected. But although my grandad was old, he was healthy and active. Here one day, gone the next. It made me realise that even healthy people can die. Now I constantly worry I'm having a heart attack. I used to obsess over cancer and brain tumours but now heart attacks. I constantly check my pulse, time my breathing and check my temperature.

[Lucym681]

Yeah. I go to my doctor and they say I'm too young to have cancer, but I see people getting younger and younger being diagnosed with it. My glands are swollen in my neck and have been for 3 months. They keep telling me it must be because of multiple infections, and I keep saying I'm not even ill! I feel like I'm going round in circles. I wish I could forget about it, and think, yeah it's just normal, but then the the other half of me says what if they find something and then it's too late and nothing can be done. I also love my job, it's just our jobs expose us to illnesses that assume are common, because that's all we see. X

---------- Post added at 20:25 ---------- Previous post was at 20:23 ----------


I think the onset of my HA was following the death of my grandad. My nan passed away a few years before but had been ill for years so it was kind of expected. But although my grandad was old, he was healthy and active. Here one day, gone the next. It made me realise that even healthy people can die. Now I constantly worry I'm having a heart attack. I used to obsess over cancer and brain tumours but now heart attacks. I constantly check my pulse, time my breathing and check my temperature.

The death of my grandad also has had an impact on my health anxiety. He was really ill, and kept being turned away by medical professionals saying he had the flu. When they discovered he had leukaemia, it was too late and he died.

[Lisa.w1979]

:hugs: im so sorry to hear about your grandad. my grandad had a heart aneurysm. he phoned an ambulance but it never turned up. i think though that he was an exception and generally HPs are to be trusted. but in saying that, ive only recently started trusting my gp. i had to see 4 or 5 in my surgery before i found one i trusted but i love my doctor now, she's awesome. i had a bit of a panic today so phoned and she called me right back and reassured me.

[Marie36]

Hey..I am exactly the same..my GP said us health professionals can often be the worse! I am a nurse and being surrounded by illness can be tough at times..all I know is google has killed me off several times so I have tried to pack that up, meds have worked for me and meditation. This year I have had heart disease, ms and now just getting through hiv! I make everything a catastrophe of every 'illness' I have when in reality as a single mum of two I would fight every step of the way if I were actually to get ill. No answers I'm afraid but I do understand x

[Lisa.w1979]

oh, good old dr google. i too have died several times according to him lol.

[Rainboww]

Hey..I am exactly the same..my GP said us health professionals can often be the worse! I am a nurse and being surrounded by illness can be tough at times..all I know is google has killed me off several times so I have tried to pack that up, meds have worked for me and meditation. This year I have had heart disease, ms and now just getting through hiv! I make everything a catastrophe of every 'illness' I have when in reality as a single mum of two I would fight every step of the way if I were actually to get ill. No answers I'm afraid but I do understand x

Hi Marie, thanks for posting. Its been reassuring to come on here and find that there are lots of health professionals with health anxiety issues. I almost felt ashamed that I get so anxious when I'm training to be a nurse and in the back of my mind know I'm being ridiculous. I'm still trying to pluck up the courage to talk to my GP about it. I've 'had' HIV too.. we had a lecture on it last week and it made me feel 100% worse. I feel like a right muppet.

[Marie36]

Definitely talk to your GP..mine has been brilliant..I always feel like I am wasting their time but have never been made to feel that way. I think for me the physical symptoms are so great at times I struggle to believe it's anxiety but this site reassures me regularly that these symptoms are common. Definitely consider meditation...it's been a godsend for me..xxx

[Rainboww]

Definitely talk to your GP..mine has been brilliant..I always feel like I am wasting their time but have never been made to feel that way. I think for me the physical symptoms are so great at times I struggle to believe it's anxiety but this site reassures me regularly that these symptoms are common. Definitely consider meditation...it's been a godsend for me..xxx

I know I really should, its just with all my cystitis problems (previously kidney disease) and I now think I'm wheat/gluten intolerant (as apposed to pancreatic cancer) and I'm just worried they are gonna get sick of the sight of me.... I have always been an anxious person - I worry about losing my job all the time too, even though I haven't done anything wrong. At the moment it just seems to be manifesting itself into health worries.
Will definitely think about meditation though - I do feel exercise has helped me in the past...

[Marie36]

I'm the same..If my kids are late home..must have been an accident..I also think I am going to lose my job. Have you considered CBT?

[Rainboww]

I'm the same..If my kids are late home..must have been an accident..I also think I am going to lose my job. Have you considered CBT?

I have thought about it... but that would involve me taking the huge step of actually going to the doctors and talking about it.. I have an appointment with her next month.. Hopefully I will pluck up the courage!