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newyork
01-09-14, 22:34
Hi all im new here and i suffer from health anxiety.

I have always been anxious about my health. Every bump on my head I thought was internal bleeding, every single day I would be scared of dying from random things. It didnt interfere with my life and I was a great student who worked, had a girlfriend, and had a normal life. Until Feb 2014 on my 21st birthday I was diagnosed with cancer. I had hogkins lymphoma and went through chemo and radiation treatment. I finished in august. Now because I got this disease I feel like I can get any disease. I had headaches and forced my doctor to get me an mri to make sure its not a brain tumor. Everyday I learn about a new disease thats worse than the last and I fixate on it. I cant tell the difference between whats causing my symptoms. Is it actual pain and an actual disease or is it my anxiety causing it. Right now I had muscle weakness and leg twitches (not a sideeffect from cancer treatment) and I think its als and i will not rest easy, focus on anything else, school related or social realted until i know its not als. Als is uncommon i know but after I become one of the 9000 out of 320 million ppl in this country to get hogkins i dont care about stats at all. I was already a victim and that makes me terribly scared. I was clinically diagnosed with severe anxiety and mild depression and I am taking klonapin twice a day and effexor for an antidepressant. However I cannot tell the difference between real pain and what my anxiety is causing me. I am sickly afraid of death and ALS is currently on my mind. Can anyone offer any advice?

Thank you

Rosiebee87
01-09-14, 22:38
I think with your diagnosis being very recent you are bound to have these fears.

Discuss your worries with your doctor. Maybe try cbt and/or medication.

Time to start enjoying your life, don't let health anxiety get the better of you. You just need the tools to learn to control it :)

newyork
01-09-14, 22:46
I am seeing a pysch and a psychiatrist and im on anti-anxiety pills and anti-depressants.

Rosiebee87
01-09-14, 22:54
That's good.

I think you need to give it time. What I'm learning is health anxiety isn't something that can be cured overnight. Unfortunately. Go with the motions and do what you can to keep your mind distracted from negative thoughts. Things you enjoy. Take it day by day.

I'm sure others will also offer some advice, I find this site really supportive.