Fear of getting an infection

[raspberry22]

Hi everyone I am new to the forums, I decided to join as I have been suffereing recently with some health problems which are causing me anxiety. I suffer with anxiety anyway, but being unwell has made me even more anxious.

I have athletes foot at the moment, I have had it since around August on and off, I am now onto cream number 2 in an attempt to get rid of it. The itching was so bad last week that I created a blister from all the friction. The blister is huge and I cannot walk which has made me feel really down, but with this came anxiety over getting an infection in my foot.

I have a newborn baby to look after but I am being slowly consumed by a fear of getting an infection in my foot. I don't know how to get myself out of this rut :(

I've had the blister for 4 days now and the athletes foot is also still there (I think its clearing up though), but I am spending 90% of my day sat on the sofa unable to move (not physically but mentally unable to motivate myself to get up).

How can I stop worrying about my foot and get on with my life?? :( Thank you for any advice.

[raspberry22]

I went to the dr's today and it would appear there is an infection so I have been given antibiotics :(

My anxiety is stil playing up, and now I am scared to take the antibiotics in case I go into anaphylactic shock... I've never actually experienced this before but for some reason I feel like it's something that could happen to me at any time as I seem to be developing more allergies as I get older.

I had antibiotics a couple months ago and came out in an itchy rash so I stopped them ASAP but what if I take this (different) antibiotic now and I skip the rash and just end up not being able to breathe???

I've not taken the antibiotics yet and I don't know what to do... :(

[Pamplemousse]

Hi,

I would take the antibiotics. If you don't mind my asking, what were you prescribed before and what have you got now?

[raspberry22]

Hiya :) Yes I really should just take the antibiotics... I think I'll start them this evening as you have to time it around food which is a bit of a pain.

The antibiotic I had a reaction to was trimethoprim and the one I've just been given is flucloxacillin.

I know they are a different type of antibiotic but what if I have an undiagnosed penicillin allergy?? :( I think I've had penicillin when I was younger but I honestly can't be 100% sure...

[Pamplemousse]

Looking it up, the previous antibiotic you were given has a known side effect of causing rashes but to be honest, most antibiotics do. The one you now have is penicillin-based. Penicillin, despite causing allergies in some people (I'm one of them and it's the full agony and photo-sensitivity with me) is a very effective antibiotic.

You can only try it and see, and if it can get rid of the underlying problem that's got to be good, yes?

[raspberry22]

Yes I definitely want any infection to be gotten rid of... but the thought of having a horrible reaction scares me so much. Especially because if you've never had anaphyalctic shock before you aren't exactly ready equipped with an epi pen. So if I was to have a bad reaction I'm screwed! :(

[Pamplemousse]

What makes you think you'll get anaphylaxis? It's very rare: the risk according to the NHS website is about 1 in 5000. That means you have a 4999:5000 chance, or 99.98% if you prefer, of being perfectly okay.

[raspberry22]

That's interesting! I didn't realise how rare it was... I just got it into my head one day earlier in the year, and since then I've worried about it on and off, but the anxiety is worse when I am faced with something that is known to cause allergic reactions (i.e. antibiotics)

[Pamplemousse]

There you go, glad to have helped :)

By the way: the jolly little fellow who's in my avatar is more likely to trigger such a reaction than an antibiotic.

[ruthb1]

hiya,

just to put your mind at rest I take fluxolaxicillian regularly for impetigo, and its the best antibiotic treating fungal infections, ive never had a reaction too it and has always cleared my infections up. hope this helps

[MyNameIsTerry]

Anxiety, especially obsessional disorders like those found in HA, are very good at looking only at the worst things that can happen. This is explained in Cognitive Distortions, something I believe are critical to learn in tackling these disorders.

Look how many people on here are worried about the slimmest of chances or the rarest of conditions/diseases?

You've seen the chances, it's the fight or flight trying to protect you from any possible threat but that's all it is. Take control of it, take the antibiotics (you probably will be a bit spiked in anxiety for a bit) but teach yourself it is safe.

[raspberry22]

I've just taken my first dose and I feel a bit panicky as if I've just taken poison :-( I know I'll be symptom spotting now which will make it worse and I won't know if any symptoms I have are anxiety or actual reactions...I think i might go to sleep for a bit (seeing as baby has just fed and is asleep too)

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yes, I know it well. I had major problems with supplements, meds, etc. I'm an asthma sufferer and even stopped taking my meds for that which resulted in a mild asthma attack later on. Starting my meds again brought anxiety.

You will detect it as a threat and feel more anxious. You will be on the lookout for changes in your body and the irony is that you will probably see some but they will be caused by the anxiety itself.

So, if you can do things to distract yourself right now, even the sleeping, it will help. Repetition is key here. The more you do these things, the less you will feel about them until they become normal to you. It's not easy, but you can do it. I went from a sofa-bound anxious mess to where I am now and I can take things now that back then made me anxious just thinking about them. You will gain confidence.

[raspberry22]

Thats great to hear how well you are doing now!! I think my anxiety is worse now as I've just had a baby so I need to find ways to deal with this higher than normal level of anxiety.