Jas your health anxiety got worse since a bereavement?

[cerridwen]

Hello all

I haven't posted for a while, I suppose I have been ok. In fact, my anxiety has been expressing itself as a set of physical illnesses; acid reflux, IBS etc. for a couple of years now and I haven't really been obsessing about my health much. The thing is, my Mum died in June of breast cancer and since then I have had a massive surge in health anxiety. OMG!!! I have read a lot of the posts on this HA board and what I see is lots of people looking for reassurance that they don't have something seriously wrong with them. I am desperately trying hard not to seek reassurance, as I don't have any symptoms of cancer but am very much on alert again about my health since Mum's death. I feel trapped in my own brain.
Has anyone else experienced a surge in HA after a death of someone close? I feel like I am going mad sometimes. It would just be good to hear the experiences of someone else because I feel pretty isolated with it and scared, if I am honest. So scared, I can't watch anything on TV remotely to do with health and I have a routine check up coming up at my GP surgery and I have decided not to go. Some advice would be great.
Thank you
Cerridwen:-)

[chickpea]

So sorry to hear about the loss of your mum. It's no surprise you're suffering with HA.
My dad died 6 years ago, following 6 months in ICU. I started to suffer anxiety about 8 months later and was then diagnosed with Crohn's (I think stress triggered it).
I have been fine for the last 4 years, but 6 weeks ago a friend died of breast cancer at 38. She had previously beaten it but it came back last year and she was told it was terminal. Her death has triggered my Crohn's and anxiety again, I am certain - it has really affected me.

Have you thought of having bereavement counselling? Grief does lessen with time, but you sound as though it would be helpful to have some support to work through it.
Xxx