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View Full Version : New here... Constant health anxiety



kayc
19-02-07, 11:37
Hi everyone

I'm 28 years old, a mum of a beautiful three year old boy.

I came across this site today whilst yet again googling my various aches and pains trying to find out what terminal illness i may have now, and i'm hoping that knowing there are others going thru what i'm going thru will help me finally sort myself out.

Looking back I think I probably started suffering with panic attacks when I was about 22. An electrician was in my house doing some work, I was suffering from flu and I fainted in front of him. For a long while after that I was terrified of fainting and/or vomiting in public. Work suffered, I couldn't sit in meetings as I was petrified that I was going to pass out or throw up in front of everybody. It got to the point that I wouldn't eat all day if I knew I had to go into a meeting so that my stomach would be empty and I couldn't be sick, the fear made the symptoms worse, I'd feel lightheaded, hot, pins and needles in my hands, palpatations and a strange feeling of not really being there. My GP diagnosed panic attacks and gave me some information about them and techniques on dealing with them, he didn't want to start with medication until i'd tried some other methods of controlling them. Knowing what they were, I learned various relaxation and distraction techniques and this seemed to help me slowly and gradually get over them.

Then I had my son. The birth was pretty bad and I ended up having a blood transfusion and spending nearly a week in hospital. This was my first experience of being in hospital and I hated it. I know lots of women go thru the same thing and as it goes, a blood transfusion is pretty common following giving birth, but I guess to me it was really scary and maybe I thought i was going to die. Now, I have terrible health anxiety. I constantly suffer from aches and pains. I am convinced that I have some form of terminal cancer. If I see anything on TV or read about any illness, I convince myself that I have the symptoms of this illness. I constantly do "body checks" in my head, working from top to bottom and listing in my head where I ache, hurt, feel strange then google the symptoms to see what they could be. Yesterday there was an article in the paper about ovarian cancer ("the silent killer"). Today I have lower back pain and a bloated lower abdomen...the classic symptoms of very early stages of this disease and have spent an hour this morning looking at different websites. Realistically I know I probably don't have ovarian cancer. I'm not in the typical age range, I've been on the pill, I've had a child, I eat a healthy diet, all of which reduce your risk factor... God I need to get a grip!!!

Doesn't help that I work in a hospital and see medical records and information all of the time. I guess ultimately my fear is of dying and leaving my son, I can't bear the thought of him growing up without me.

Sorry to ramble...I'll shut up now, lol !!!

K xx

wobily_lin
19-02-07, 12:41
elo K,

A big welcome to the site hun...great support n advice here...n make some great friends too..

God, I have post traumtic stress disorder 4 yrs now from a bad experience in hosp n I too also worked at a dif hosp. lol...n i came outa bloomn mess with panic atts.anxiety ect....
dont you worry..ye didnt ramble..ye posted you're story n what is on ur mind..long r short all story's are important and read..
ty for sharing with us..we all understand so you're in a safe place now..
I totally hear where ye comin from hun..
Big hugs and look forward to gettin to know you on site okies..lol
And pls ramble away lmao..

trac67
19-02-07, 13:38
Hi,

Welcome to the forum, you will get a lot of good advice here and make some new friends,

Take care

Trac xx

russ
19-02-07, 14:25
Hi Kay!

I'm much the same as you!

Firstly you break the golden rule that everyone states on health anxiety, DO NOT GOOGLE SYMPTOMS OR ILLNESS! I know you work in a hospital and it is hard, but remember all the case you see there are WORST case. Perhaps in the long term a job change may help?

Yes any of us can get ill, but we cannot live life thinking we will get ill, or else we are wasting what little time we all have. The former must sound all sensible, I don't take my own advice often, I know how hard it is!

I try and think of it like this, the amount of tests I have had and the knowledge I have, i.e. on diet, illness etc makes me more healthy than most who don't have health anxiety and don't give a stuff ( i.e. the 40 somethings who drink, smoke, are overweight, no exercise, bad diet etc ). Health anxiety is awful, but it does have a positive in terms of us trying to lead a healthy life, which will actually give us a better and longer life. The key is to reduce the stupid thoughts we get on all these remote illnesses, while keeping the positives we have learnt on eating a good diet, exercising etc.

We all get aches and pains, the chances they are a serious illness is so remote, we are more likely to get killed on the roads on the way to seeing a doctor about them, I bet !

So welcome and take care.

debbsi
19-02-07, 16:07
Hi
Welcome, this site has stopped my symptoms getting out of control. now i know im not alone i dont feel scared to ask for help.
I too work in a hospital and suffer panic attacks, general anxiety (but mainly health) and palpitations.

manmoor
20-02-07, 00:52
Hi Kay,

A big warm welcome to you. I too suffer from health anxiety and know how tough it can be. Everyone here is lovely and will make you feel at home. xxx

nomorepanic
20-02-07, 18:06
Hi Kay

Welcome aboard and lovely to see you here.

You will meet some lovely caring people and gets loads of support and advice.