Here we go again! Anxiety bringing on symptoms????

[Melon1]

Hi All

I really don't know if I can fit everything inside my head on this page right now, but hopefully someone can understand how I am feeling.

I have had Health Anxiety since the birth of my second child about 5 years ago. I have worried about Ovarian, Cervical, Bowel, Bladder, Breast and had scans galore over this time. Each time I am convinced that I am dying and each time tests reveal nothing! I am fine! I just don't know where all the symptoms come from and really question whether my anxiety can really make them up?!!!

This brings me on to my current problem. Two weeks ago I went for my usual run and this brought on a headache which is not unusual. This headache then lasted for 5 days. It wasnt' particularly bad, just a bit annoying and dull. So, I went away on a girlie weekend and that is when things went wrong. We all drank far too much on the Friday night and I don't suffer hangovers very well. I get very anxious and panicky (always have) and on the Saturday my head was aching lots. This then manifested into a bloody awful headache which I still have now.

To describe the headache. It is on the left side around my eye, nose and ear area. It feels as if I have snorted water in the pool.. (best description I can think of). I feel a pressure behind my nose and eyes. When I pull funny faces my mouth and nose aches. My head aches constantly and the back of my head and neck area ache too. I feel so tense and CANNOT relax no matter what. I don't have a snotty nose which could point to Sinuses (as a friend suggested)

I went to see the doctor on Monday and she prescribed Cocodomol. She had a good look in my eyes and did the usual checks. I asked her if I had something awful and she said 'No, looking in the eyes will rule that out'. REALLY??? Anyway, the drugs didnt' work. Prior to this, I tried Nurofen, paracetomol, this also didn't work. So, I went back today and was prescribed a migraine medecine. She said it always works with migraine, so now I am so scared that I have a brain tumour as it HASNT WORKED!

I am going to have to go back tomorrow and see her as I will just be a wreck all weekend and a nightmare for my poor family. I presume the next stage is a referall which will scare me to death!

I am just wondering if I did indeed have a mild headache, but have made it ten times worse by worrying and tensing myself into a state. Of course, I am thinking that all the previous health scares were just good fortune and now this is the real deal and I have a brain tumour and am going to cark it!

I really am scared and have just got off the phone from my husband crying. Why does no pain relief work? What is going on inside my body? I just want to be pain free and happy again as I was two weeks ago.

If I am symptom free I am confident and happy. As soon as I get any symptoms, I don't want to do anything or talk to anyone, unless its reassurance for my ailments!

Is anyone else in the same boat? Can anyone relate to bringing on worse symptoms with worry?

Would really appreciate some comments.

XXXX

[Mindknot]

Yeah, I think it can probably bring on symptoms - or certainly make them worse if you already have it headache, could also be a tension headache for example.

Lots of people tell me I'm making myself ill with anxiety, and I know it's true, trouble is I think I need about a year of anxiety free sleep to fully get rid of all those symptoms now

[clover1201]

I had a headache which started out as sinus and then lasted 9 weeks! I finally got refeered and then it went 2 days before my mri. Havent had another one since (have had many other symptoms of crap though) x

[Melon1]

Thanks for your replies guys.

I am hoping that my anxiety is starting to subside today. My head still feels as is it is being crushed in a vice and the eye flickering is still annoyingly here.

I have tried some relaxation this morning, deep breathing and my hubby has the day off so gave me a head massage. That was lovely.

I am going to try to believe the doctors this weekend and absorb myself in family stuff. Hopefully, this will take my mind of things and then the symptoms will disappear. I will then be convinced that anxiety brought this on!!

I really find this forum helpful and it is comforting to know that I am not alone dealing with this hideous HA.

XXXX

[joyus]

hi melon1. I definately believe that anxiety symptoms can be made worse through worrying and stressing about them. i have experienced this recently when we were due to go on holiday. I had a little niggle in my tooth a couple of weeks before we were due to leave. i convinced myself that i was going to get an absess and the tooth would need to be taken out. i went as far as googling english speaking dentists in france and begging the dentist to give me antibiotics just incase. from the day we left for our holidy to the day we got back the tooth never bothered me. i was far to distracted to worry about it. hope this helps

[Melon1]

Hi. Update.
Having a rubbish day. Head still hurting, pressure at back of nose and eyes, neck ache and flickering eyes (right one now too!)

Spent today shopping with the family and all I wanted to do was disappear to bed. I can't bear loud voices, feel really fragile and tense.

Is this really anxiety? Two docs have looked in my eyes and said no to brain tumour. But what else can it be? A two week weird headache. No drugs touch it.

I am really concerned and don't think I can go on for weeks feeling like this.

It's weird how it's moved from a normal feeling headache into a full on painful, surreal, behind nose headache!

It got worse following a hangover. I have a tendency to get a bit anxious with hangovers sometimes. This could be me blowing things all out of proportion. Or is it????!

I wish I could either have a head scan right now or that I can just go back to normal.

Fed up. Anyone feeling the same or can give any advice? Hope so XX

[Nat99]

I try and distract myself too but every now and then in the day my stomach will start churning and its back again. Have u tried Kalm herbal tablets to try and relax tension, they sometimes help me but not all the time. Headaches are such a common symptom of anxiety and once u have a symptom that's all u concentrate on. Try to keep on doing what ur doing and distracting yourself. When u r anxious loud noises are annoying I know exactly what u mean. I take myself off to bed only to not feel relaxed at all so try and keep busy when u can and see how other people who are getting on with their life which helps me a bit x