If it's not one disease.... it's another!

[Cusper]

So the most recent disease is ovarian cancer. Actually, I thought had this disease a couple of years ago and went to emergency to get a scan which came out fine.
But the last week I have had terrible anxiety again. (I have also recently had abnormal cells removed from my cervix and I worry about them spreading)

So over the course of the weekend I was reading everyone's posts with anything related to ovarian cancer. I went and read the threads of the people who were worried they'd had it. Funnily enough, I had begun to notice a distinct pattern of concerns over certain diseases. This was the thing I wanted to see.

Because as much as I believe... "well this time it's finally true!" I had noticed that a lot of other people on this forum had the same thought pattern. Although they had been worried about several other terminal diseases in the past, this is particular worry will be the one that gets them.

It was kind of an "ah Ha" moment for me. Not to mention the actual diseases we obsess over. I noticed that most people who were worried about the same particular diseases. Pancreatic, bowel, throat, ovarian, cervical, brain, als, ms, parkinsons.

There were more connections I noticed to. Especially the left ribcage pain was also a popular complaint. (i have this too)

My point being is that noticing these similarities in my obsessions helped me realized that I was just doing the same thing over and over again. I know this logically but I have also noticed that when I have time on my hands my anxiety gets much worse.

We had a busy weekend with people over and I have to say I didn't feel any symptoms. Not long after everyone left that I would then start to feel the odd symptom resurface. My suggestion is that if you have HA go and read other people's posts... Look at their threads. You might be able to relate and realize that it is probably just HA.

Especially to those who's doctor sees them often. Mine, I am convinced gives a little sigh when she sees me coming....

[Sam123]

Hi Cusper, I agree with everything you've said. When i first developed health anxiety( I didn't know it was anxiety) therefore thought i was dying! I would google everything, and one day came across this site for my symptom at the time, when i started checking i realised that there were so many people worrying like me over the same things, with the same thought patterns.

I checked the articles on the home page for Health anxiety, and i couldn't stop laughing when i was reading this :roflmao: because it was as if the article was based on my life! It really did help put my mind at ease somewhat

[sully82]

Cusper, this is great observation. My current worry is ovarian cancer as well due to a cyst and GI troubles. Before this it was Pancreatic Cancer, MS, and slight worry of a brain tumor. What brought me to this forum was a google search for health anxiety and twitching (which I thought might be ALS). I know way more about terminal diseases than I should and my calf just twitched as I was typing this. It seems like many of use worry about the same diseases.

[Cusper]

Thank you for your comments! If there were a game show solely based on guessing diseases by their symptoms I believe that there would be some stiff competition from the people on this site! I am a stay-at-home mom with young son and the combination of becoming a new mother and not going to a job everyday has increased my health anxiety. I used to work at a crazy busy hotel before this and didn't have time to go to the bathroom let alone focus on every little twitch or pain.

So I know that part of the problem is just forcing myself to go out and connect with as many people as I can on a regular basis. It's being at home and access to this stinkin computer which makes it worse.

[VickyC]

Cusper you're absolutely right. My HA obsession is with pancreatic cancer, and whilst I would not wish HA in anyone, it does help to read other posts where people are fretting about the same issues and following the same patterns.
One doctor I saw said pancreatic cancer (along with other incurable diseases like ALS) is a fairly common fear amongst people with HA. It's also common to develop HA once you have children (I know that's what is at the root of mine and sounds like you're the same). It's the total fear of having something terminal which then starts the vicious cycle of googling, obsessing over every ache & pain, disbelieving professional medical advice etc.
I doubt a common cold bothers most of us on here! :-)

[swajj]

I try to avoid google and at times have also made a concentrated effort not to read this board. I recognise that it offers a great deal of support to some people when they are desperate to have their fears listened to by someone who will understand. However, it can also lead you down another path that is far from healthy. I have pretty much overcome the worst of my HA. I know I'm almost back to my pre HA days. It has taken me a long time this time. I just hope it never returns but if it does I think I will be better able to deal with it before it gets a hold.

[Sam123]

Hi swajj that's great that you have beaten health anxiety, it such a difficult and confusing journey. I can't say i'm clear from anxiety but definitely in a much better place now, it feels good to be able to give advice and relate to peoples worries here too.

[swajj]

Fear of dying. That's what my psychiatrist puts it down to. He told me to talk to some people over the age of 70 and ask them if they were afraid of dying. According to him those people would say no because people reach an age where they accept that they are going to die. People with HA need to accept it too and when they do they will overcome their HA. Anyway that's according to my psychiatrist who also told me 3 months ago that I didn't need to see him anymore because I was better. And yet here I am...:winks:

---------- Post added at 01:06 ---------- Previous post was at 01:02 ----------

Hi Sam and thank you for your nice words. :)

[Sam123]

:roflmao:

Most definitely a fear of dying, i'm some what a control freak and obviously death is a certainty and out of my control(to an extent) a fear of the unknown. My gran bless her soul is 94 years old, she lost her husband 7 years ago and since then has been struggling with a whole host of illnesses, now she has lost her vision too. She said to me she is ready to go now, i asked her if she was scared and she said no.

To me that is incomprehensible as someone who fears it so much, that there will possibly be a time when i don't. But it's nice..

[swajj]

She sounds like a lovely lady Sam and it kind of gives me faith in what my psych told me.

[lyndau63]

Hi,

Ovarian cancer is my main worry too although I also have a big fear of breast cancer and occasionally other types. I too have a cyst and it nags at the back of my brain. I have posted my gyni worries under 'female health' but have had no replies yet. I do sympathise with your anxieties and those of sully82.