View Full Version : Conjunctivitis-related fears
A couple of days ago I was diagnosed with conjunctivitis and prescribed antibiotic eyedrops (chloramphenicol) - already I'm driving myself slowly mad with panic. I was daft enough to read the side effects, and now I've convinced myself that it's going to give me aplastic anaemia (the odds of which are less than 1 in 224,000, so I know I'm being silly about this, but such is health anxiety!) Now I've noticed that today my neck feels rather stiff - I know that if anything, it's likely to be due to the fact that I spend so much time looking down at my laptop and my phone. I'm very prone to stiff necks, but that and the fact that my nose feels so dry is making me paranoid that the infection has spread and caused meningitis.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who's been through these fears when having conjunctivitis! I feel equal amounts silly and terrified for my life right now, and nothing seems to be calming me. I guess the one good thing is that the conjunctivitis is clearing up nicely thanks to these eyedrops, not that it's helping at all with the rest!
A couple of days ago I was diagnosed with conjunctivitis and prescribed antibiotic eyedrops - already I'm driving myself slowly mad with panic. I was daft enough to read the side effects, and now I've convinced myself that it's going to give me aplastic anaemia (the odds of which are less than 1 in 224,000, so I know I'm being silly about this, but such is health anxiety!) Now I've noticed that today my neck feels rather stiff - I know that if anything, it's likely to be due to the fact that I spend so much time looking down at my laptop and my phone. I'm very prone to stiff necks, but that and the fact that my nose feels so dry is making me paranoid that the infection has spread and caused meningitis.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who's been through these fears when having conjunctivitis! I feel equal amounts silly and terrified for my life right now, and nothing seems to be calming me. I guess the one good thing is that the conjunctivitis is clearing up nicely thanks to these eyedrops, not that it's helping at all with the rest!
I’ve had this a lot before. You will be fine [emoji847] you can message me at any time
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Well, I've finished my course of eye drops, and now I'm more worried than ever about aplastic anaemia. I've felt tired and off-balance for the past couple of days, I feel breathless today and while my dad doesn't think so, I'm sure I look pale. I don't seem to be any more prone to bruising than usual, but still, I'm feeling paranoid and terrified right now. I have a CBT appointment on Monday, so I'm going to mention it there, but in the meantime I guess I just have to try not to freak out over this!
I feel tired and off balance and it's because I don't sleep well. I also feel breathless because I keep hyper/hypoventilating from the anxiety so I look pale.
I really understand what it's like to be terrified like that as I've been there but try to remember this is a really rare disease and even more unlikely to happen from eyedrops you used for maybe a week? If you still feel like that in a couple weeks and can't get it out of your head go to the doctor and ask for a full blood count if you think that will help put your mind at ease! I'm sure you'll be fine and hope CBT helps!
That's true, and it's good to have that reminder that these symptoms are often caused by anxiety and panic (which I've been doing a lot of since I first woke up with conjunctivitis that day!) I'll see if it clears up after a good amount of relaxation, and if not, I suppose at least it's one way to practice getting over my needle phobia! XD
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