New to this

[Sproutly]

Hello all,
I had a baby 5 months ago and my dr has just diagnosed me with anxiety, and says it's connected to me being post natal. The reason I post in the health anxiety board is that is where it stems from. I lost my mum to pancreatic cancer 8.5 years ago, and several other family members to cancer. It's crossed my mind from time to time in the past, I've even had a cancer scare myself but it's never bought on anxiety. Since having my son I've had overwhelming anxiety that I have cancer. Mainly the cancers my families have had, but if I have a pain, then I start googling. I was diagnosed with pelvic girdle pain 3 months after birth, it's not going so I've convinced myself I have bone cancer! And of course all the physical symptoms of anxiety I'm experiencing im worrying they're something more too. Some of my anxiety symptoms are:
Faster breathing
Prickly skin
Muscles tension & aches
Head aches
Derealisation
Extreme tiredness
Lack of 'get up and go'
Blurred vision
No appitite
Lump in throat
Nausea
Are these all normal for anxiety?
My dr has prescribed duloxetine. Has anyone else been on this? If so how long until I should notice a difference? Also, even when I'm not having anxious thoughts, I still have all the physical symptoms. Is this normal? As at the moment it's just feeling my cancer fears.

[Skkyee]

Yes those are all anxiety symptoms! Welcome aboard! Yes you can feel all kinds of physical symptoms even though you anxiety feels to be Under control, it's lurking under the surface! I guess that's what makes it worse, "I don't feel anxious, but I do feel all these horrible symptoms, it MUST be something else" it's usually not, not in my experience. But it doesn't stop you completely convincing yourself you have a serious illness. ..... It's the nature of the beast! Try to relax and certainly work on fully accepting that you have health anxiety, that was the breaking point for me, as soon as I believed the diagnosis, many of my symptoms disappeared!! But still I get stupid relapses :-( currently I have a specific symptom convincing me I have a specific awful ailment, my rational mind is so bored and irritated.... But my anxiety is running wild. Hence why I am posting on here at 1.30am :-(

[cmclarke]

I had all those too, and I was fine. Anxiety was my culprit. My advice is to get up and go on walks with your baby! Meet out with friends. Get your mind out of your BODY. Also, get therapy and meds if possible.

I have a cancer fear too, dealing with it right now. but it will pass, like it has before. Welcome to the club, and I'm sorry you are dealing with it.

2 rules in my house.
1. NO GOOGLING SYMPTOMS PERIOD, EVER, EVER, EVER. You are not a doctor.

2. wait 2 weeks to go to the dr for a symptom.