Health Anxiety and feeling things that 'aren't there'

[snowflake293]

Ok so this is a bit strange but bear with me if you can...

I had a bladder infection and possible thrush (lucky me eh) about two weeks ago which has now pretty much cleared up. It was BAD though I must add and I needed two separate types of antibiotics to clear up the bladder infection.

Anyway this was two weeks ago now and on and off I have been experiencing a burning sensation down there, but it tends to be in the evenings more (evenings are worse for my HA worries!)

Anyway, I don't actually think the burning is that bad - I think I am just 'conscious' of the sensation being there if that makes sense? I am just confused as to whether or not I may be almost imagining the sensation? It is really bothering me cause it seems to be coming and going. I did Google, I know I shouldn't, but it actually reassured me as I read something that said the burning can carry on even after the infection has cleared up.

I had a strange experience with all my health worries earlier in the week, my Dad was rushed into hospital with a suspected heart attack and I was beside myself with worry not just for him but for my Mom too who was in pieces - all my own health worries seemed to go away as in I couldn't feel the symptoms! As soon as my Dad got the all clear and was back home and better my symptoms came back?!

Has anyone experienced anything similar to this?

Thanks

xx

[graeme joy]

Yes i had the same thing. My dad had a stroke in front of me it must have number everything then he recovered and now i think same will happen to me.

[snowflake293]

I am sorry to here that :( It is extremely stressful for anyone to see another person have a stroke, especially if it's a close family member. I understand what you mean about worrying the same will happen to you... I am not worried I will collapse like my dad did, but I am worried I will have breast cancer because my mom has had it. It was my mom being so poorly with cancer that triggered my health anxiety I think although I love her so much and would never tell her that.

I am at a turning point now with my anxiety and really feel like I am coming out of a very dark period. I had about a month of panicking, feeling sick every single morning (sometimes it was so bad I was heaving over the toilet) and obsessive thoughts over death/dying/illness/loss but I got help (CBT and medication) and thank God I found this forum too as it has been such a massive source of support and encouragement for me.

I do think my own physical symptoms feel 'worse' when I think about them. I was just wondering if anyone else gets this too, or recognises it as a symptom of their health anxiety?

xx

[clairejayne]

Hi snowflake.
I can relate to where you are coming from, I have had experiences in the past similar to you. I seem to struggle daily with anxiety issues, I do manage to keep working full time and keep our house in order but it grinds 99% of the time, but when things have happend like my partner was very poorly last year for a few weeks and it seemed as if my own anxiety had disappeared, as I was worrying about him, I think it just went to the back of my head as I was thinking of something else. But when he started getting better bang..... It was back again.
Hope my experience helps in some way....
:)

[snowflake293]

Hi snowflake.
I can relate to where you are coming from, I have had experiences in the past similar to you. I seem to struggle daily with anxiety issues, I do manage to keep working full time and keep our house in order but it grinds 99% of the time, but when things have happend like my partner was very poorly last year for a few weeks and it seemed as if my own anxiety had disappeared, as I was worrying about him, I think it just went to the back of my head as I was thinking of something else. But when he started getting better bang..... It was back again.
Hope my experience helps in some way....
:)

Thank you, the same is true of me - I manage to work full time and so far so good I have been ok to carry on working (although when work gets stressful my health anxiety gets worse and vice versa) I manage to keep my home spotlessly clean (although I am a bit obsessive over it...) and maintain a social life etc... but the worries are always at the back of my mind and it totally tires me out trying to stifle the feelings sometimes.

My boyfriend had a bad skin infection on his leg before Christmas and it is only just going away now and that was a HUGE trigger for me worrying about every little thing that could be wrong with him. I find I always have a 'number one thing to worry about' and it changes a lot. If I am busy worrying about him or a family member my own health worries aren't as obvious to me. I am more concerned for them, but as soon as they are better or my worries about them go, I go back to being paranoid I have some sort of cancer or deadly illness :(

[clairejayne]

Thank you, the same is true of me - I manage to work full time and so far so good I have been ok to carry on working (although when work gets stressful my health anxiety gets worse and vice versa) I manage to keep my home spotlessly clean (although I am a bit obsessive over it...) and maintain a social life etc... but the worries are always at the back of my mind and it totally tires me out trying to stifle the feelings sometimes.

My boyfriend had a bad skin infection on his leg before Christmas and it is only just going away now and that was a HUGE trigger for me worrying about every little thing that could be wrong with him. I find I always have a 'number one thing to worry about' and it changes a lot. If I am busy worrying about him or a family member my own health worries aren't as obvious to me. I am more concerned for them, but as soon as they are better or my worries about them go, I go back to being paranoid I have some sort of cancer or deadly illness :(


I can totally relate to you. When my partner was ill I never thought once about me just all about him. As soon as he was getting better it reared its ugly head again.
Our minds and bodies are funny things.. We have no control over these feelings, anxieties and emotions. I do take medication which I have for years which only takes away the physical symptoms not the ones in my head.
You Keep strong...

[snowflake293]

Thank you. I am sorry you have had a tough time with it, but it is comforting to know I am not alone in feeling like this.

I have been feeling so much better since I started taking medication, it has really helped me.

Good luck to you and thanks x