View Full Version : Post Covid Anxiety
My husband and I recently contracted Covid and whilst we had a bit of a rough time we are both well on the road to recovery although still with some fatigue and a bit of a cough and reduced sense of smell and taste. My problem is I am beyond terrified that we will suffer some horrible effects in the future after having Covid e.g. cancer or dementia or something else horrible and my anxiety is so bad it’s causing me to have panic attacks. I’m so scared. Please someone give me some reassurance. Xx
Please someone give me some reassurance. Xx
I'm glad to hear you and your husband are one of the positive statistics. I hope you both continue to get better. The thing is, this isn't some irrational fear in light of evidence to the contrary. Your fear is actually warranted. No doubt the experience was scary. The problem is, there's no real data at this point to give you the reassurance you seek. This is a new virus and we're at the tip of the iceberg in learning about it. The initial reaction and subsequent recovery and side effects are extremely varied. Heck, even the therapeutics aren't a given at this point.
All you can really do is take it one day at a time and try not to allow it to consume your life. Sending....
Positive thoughts
Thank you. I understand the points in your answer but there must be something positive I can focus on when the anxiety gets overwhelming. Whilst no one knows for sure there’s a good chance it’s the same as any other flu virus right and we will make a full recovery and not have any repercussions?
We have a young son and I
am beyond terrified for him. I can’t spend the next 10-20 years living with this fear. I suffer from health anxiety anyway and the last thing I need is something like this to completely tip me over the edge. It’s not worth living such a miserable existence and with this fear, it really isn’t.
We have a young son and I
am beyond terrified for him. I can’t spend the next 10-20 years living with this fear.
He can't spend the next 10- 20 years living with your fear.
You need to address your health anxiety now.
I suffer from health anxiety anyway and the last thing I need is something like this to completely tip me over the edge.
I went over the edge and had a nervous breakdown. That was 3 years ago. My HA is in control today, despite my health currently giving me lots of 'scary' symptoms for my mind to go orbital with, except that I'm calm and rational. There is hope for you.
It’s not worth living such a miserable existence and with this fear, it really isn’t.
That kind of negative (and defeatist) self-talk feeds directly into health anxiety, and as a result, you can expect many more symptoms from your adrenalised body...
Yes, it's miserable, but you can overcome this.
I'll reframe something for you..
I'm not saying you will have a breakdown, but I did, and sometimes by reaching the bottom, we can push ourselves back up again.
When I was on my knees with HA, I wanted to read about people who had been every bit as ill as me (or worse) and had got better, so feel free to read my posts because I am one such person. There are also many really informative posts on this forum written by people who understand because they've been there.
But I can summarise it all in a few sentences...
You stop running from fear.
You turn around and you face whatever it is that scares you whether it's dying, death itself, or leaving your child before they've reached independence (which was my fear)
You ask for help, and once it's given, you engage.
You do whatever it takes to get well. Try anything and everything and don't give up after the first few hurdles...
Recovery starts with a thought: I am going to get myself better.
Not, I will try. You have to let your mind know that you mean business!
All the best to you. X
nomorepanic
19-10-20, 12:19
Hi
This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.
This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.
Please also read this post:
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239
I think the positive here is that you have contracted Covid and survived with minimal side effects. You can torment yourself with thoughts of what the long term risks are but chances are that having loads of CT scans for HA reassurance purposes will do you more harm in the future than exposure to a virus which, granted, no one knows much about but you have to put things in perspective for the sake of your own mental health and for that of your son's. Why would you get cancer or dementia from covid?
Thank you. Sometimes I need someone to point out what an idiot I’m being. I suffer from sever health anxiety so my mind runs away from me and follows a thought down a rabbit hole...
There's always a way back up out of that hole though and a thought is just a thought, not a fact which is a whole different matter. Concentrate on fact not HA fiction?
The fact is that you've both had covid and survived,albeit with mild lingering symptoms which are to be expected. You can choose to overthink and ruminate on all sorts of speculative stuff or you can be relieved that covid is done and dusted and maybe now it's time to face up to your HA and challenge it before the next episode?
Warning: typos might flood, as well as abbreviations, I'm in the middle of a panic attack related to exactly the same thing (Covid) and it's the first time since the beginning that I get panic from it because I wasn't exposed to that reality firsthand (getting my results in next few days but have a lot of the symptoms). I came here looking for success stories and anyhow… let's get to you:
I totally understand your fear, apprehension of possible future catastrophic events. I can tell u one way I cope with that. It doesn't always work but it's better than not trying anything at all, along all the other mental coping tricks. I can tell you're looking for positive reassurance, and some good points that @NoraB brought up are very valid, for she (I'm guessing She, no offense) "I wanted to read about people who had been every bit as ill as me (or worse) and had got better" and that's always what I've searched for myself, thinking "if that person lived this (whatever issue) to equal or superior degree, then my chances are very good".
Thing is, though, some people will invariably have had the worst experience with anything (as we were searching for them) and what would THEY do in such circumstances? Also, a lot of really bad cases (whether actual disease or "simply" panic attacks) will not even go documented -- a grandma who's not familiar with forums, someone who got better and just didn't bother coming here or some place similar. I myself have often not documented every time something horrible happened. But that's not the trick I was proposing:
Like it or not, and this is the same thing I tell myself, so it's in no way intended as coming off insensitive: really bad things happen to a small percentile of the population.
1 - On the upside, good things happen (good recoveries, no long-term effects, etc) to a much larger group of people
2 - Take things that are equally dangerous but that don't get you into a panic. One of mine is getting run over dead or left paralysed by a car or truck, or (leading to serious complications or death) automobile accident while in a vehicle.
If this one you ARE having issues with, take another analogy. But if you're like me, the probability of a "future catastrophic event" such as being run over by a car does not create any anxiety in me, does not hinder me from crossing the street, or driving places, yet there are a significant percentage (although quite small) of people to whom it happens. My only logical explanation for why that is is because having a car accident (and I've had a few, even got hit on my bike in a hit and run last year, yet no fear grew in me) is that people with health anxiety won't focus on such possible events because they are not related to initial health. Yet, the outcome can (in a small percentage) be the same.
There are so many other examples of those 1 in XXXX will suffer serious complications yet we generally don't put our life, or at least our sanity, in constant struggle over them.
Back in May, to further support our wrong approach about this (I know, it is VERY HARD to put into practise, but it takes practise and patience and just "letting go" (no matter how hard), trusting positive outcomes -- I went to the ER because I was having a gallbladder attack. It was heavily infected, necrosis, etc, and you can imagine the panic that brought on, especially when I had to get an emergency surgery to get it pulled out to avoid death (literally) I had to sign a waiver that said there was 1 in 2000 chances the surgery (including every step such as general anesthesia) would end in serious complications leading to death. As you may have guessed, I'm still alive. As for your post-covid complications fear, while the fear you are living is valid, EVEN IF they had a very minimal chance of happening, you can't indulge yourself in that fear.
Again, I know what it's like, I too often do the same. Just a few hours ago, as I did quite a couple times since yesterday when the fever kicked in, coughs, difficulty breathing, etc, I had these catastrophic scenarios of calling the paramedics to go to ER because my situation would deteriorate like some stats suggest (although way less frequent than the success stories of recovery from Covid), needing to be intubated, having heart complications, etc, the whole nine yards, but then I had to repeat to myself what I mentioned above.
You probably know this but the "WHAT IF's" are the worst. They're almost never valid to begin with, and I only added the "almost" because of course if you're hiking on the edge of a cliff on a windy day, the "what if I fall off" observation is more plausible.
This is not based on years of science for this novel virus, but in your position, I'd *try* to focus on trusting that 1 - you overcame it, so the chances of complications down the road are very slim to non-existant. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but upon all the readings I've done on Covid, nothing suggested subsequent cancer or dementia. Stay strong :)
Twisted-Melody
21-10-20, 09:07
Hey, whilst I haven't caught covid, last year I experienced terrible side effects from the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. It caused over 30 different symptoms, the worst being inability to walk/ stand, horrific nightmares, worse anxiety/ depression, weak arms etc. I won't go on, but it's a rare side effect and barely understood by any doctors, hence I draw comparisons to covid at this time...
The good news is covid WILL get understood and soon there WILL be research on long-term effects, if any. I think it is highly unlikely it will cause cancer or something serious, but maybe a little more likely it may have set you back a bit...nothing that a bit of TLC, destressing, exercise and good diet won't fix I'm sure.
Anyway, I thought I'd comment because I have HA and having a rare side effect to medication means I don't know what my future has in store anymore...but, with time and letting yourself grieve, I hope you'll find some peace in the unknown. We really don't know what will happen to us in future, but I'd try to view covid as another of life's "accidents", like breaking your leg or having rare side effects to meds. Sometimes shit happens to good people, but I definitely believe you can build your body back up and get healthy again :) Please try not to worry to much, easier said than done I know!
Warning: typos might flood, as well as abbreviations, I'm in the middle of a panic attack related to exactly the same thing (Covid) and it's the first time since the beginning that I get panic from it because I wasn't exposed to that reality firsthand (getting my results in next few days but have a lot of the symptoms). I came here looking for success stories and anyhow… let's get to you:
I totally understand your fear, apprehension of possible future catastrophic events. I can tell u one way I cope with that. It doesn't always work but it's better than not trying anything at all, along all the other mental coping tricks. I can tell you're looking for positive reassurance, and some good points that @NoraB brought up are very valid, for she (I'm guessing She, no offense) "I wanted to read about people who had been every bit as ill as me (or worse) and had got better" and that's always what I've searched for myself, thinking "if that person lived this (whatever issue) to equal or superior degree, then my chances are very good".
Thing is, though, some people will invariably have had the worst experience with anything (as we were searching for them) and what would THEY do in such circumstances? Also, a lot of really bad cases (whether actual disease or "simply" panic attacks) will not even go documented -- a grandma who's not familiar with forums, someone who got better and just didn't bother coming here or some place similar. I myself have often not documented every time something horrible happened. But that's not the trick I was proposing:
Like it or not, and this is the same thing I tell myself, so it's in no way intended as coming off insensitive: really bad things happen to a small percentile of the population.
1 - On the upside, good things happen (good recoveries, no long-term effects, etc) to a much larger group of people
2 - Take things that are equally dangerous but that don't get you into a panic. One of mine is getting run over dead or left paralysed by a car or truck, or (leading to serious complications or death) automobile accident while in a vehicle.
If this one you ARE having issues with, take another analogy. But if you're like me, the probability of a "future catastrophic event" such as being run over by a car does not create any anxiety in me, does not hinder me from crossing the street, or driving places, yet there are a significant percentage (although quite small) of people to whom it happens. My only logical explanation for why that is is because having a car accident (and I've had a few, even got hit on my bike in a hit and run last year, yet no fear grew in me) is that people with health anxiety won't focus on such possible events because they are not related to initial health. Yet, the outcome can (in a small percentage) be the same.
There are so many other examples of those 1 in XXXX will suffer serious complications yet we generally don't put our life, or at least our sanity, in constant struggle over them.
Back in May, to further support our wrong approach about this (I know, it is VERY HARD to put into practise, but it takes practise and patience and just "letting go" (no matter how hard), trusting positive outcomes -- I went to the ER because I was having a gallbladder attack. It was heavily infected, necrosis, etc, and you can imagine the panic that brought on, especially when I had to get an emergency surgery to get it pulled out to avoid death (literally) I had to sign a waiver that said there was 1 in 2000 chances the surgery (including every step such as general anesthesia) would end in serious complications leading to death. As you may have guessed, I'm still alive. As for your post-covid complications fear, while the fear you are living is valid, EVEN IF they had a very minimal chance of happening, you can't indulge yourself in that fear.
Again, I know what it's like, I too often do the same. Just a few hours ago, as I did quite a couple times since yesterday when the fever kicked in, coughs, difficulty breathing, etc, I had these catastrophic scenarios of calling the paramedics to go to ER because my situation would deteriorate like some stats suggest (although way less frequent than the success stories of recovery from Covid), needing to be intubated, having heart complications, etc, the whole nine yards, but then I had to repeat to myself what I mentioned above.
You probably know this but the "WHAT IF's" are the worst. They're almost never valid to begin with, and I only added the "almost" because of course if you're hiking on the edge of a cliff on a windy day, the "what if I fall off" observation is more plausible.
This is not based on years of science for this novel virus, but in your position, I'd *try* to focus on trusting that 1 - you overcame it, so the chances of complications down the road are very slim to non-existant. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but upon all the readings I've done on Covid, nothing suggested subsequent cancer or dementia. Stay strong :)
I often think along the lines of 'you're more likely to die in a car crash' or 'you're more likely to get run over by a bus or a big hulking truck', rather than die of Covid. Also the likelihood of being caught up in terrorist attacks or being attacked by a random stranger in the street for no reason is often trumped by road-related hazards, yet most of us don't live in constant fear of travelling in motor vehicles or being struck by them, either through poor sense of road safety or in the worst-case scenarios, careless drivers running over pedestrians due to their driving without due care and attention.
Me and my dad were actually discussing the seatbelt thing yesterday, funnily enough, and how said legislation was met with a fair amount of derision back in 1983 when it first came into force, but now whenever we get into vehicles we just belt up straight away without even giving it as much of a second thought.
I do think that many who break laws and rules in general (both Covid-related and otherwise) often do it simply because they get kicks out of rebellion and indeed trying to look 'ard!!
Same with those who partake in other risky 'daredevil' activities such as walking along unguarded high parapets, cliff tops, etc.
The 'forbidden fruit syndrome' I guess.
Me and my dad were actually discussing the seatbelt thing yesterday, funnily enough, and how said legislation was met with a fair amount of derision back in 1983 when it first came into force, but now whenever we get into vehicles we just belt up straight away without even giving it as much of a second thought.
Nice observation!
I was also thinking about a past event some few months back when some people were (and still are) saying wearing masks in enclosed public spaces like the grocery was taking away their civil liberties. I was thinking: wearing masks, not for life, but for some months / max 2 years, is no big deal in contrast to reducing one of the greatest pleasures in life: sex. Yet in the 80s, there was this whole new dynamic to condoms, other than for birth control, when the HIV/AIDS thing happened. And now, even if HIV is not a huge problem in developed countries, we don't even give it a second thought.
Yes, sometimes we might play with fire and ask that partner if she's been tested lately (other sexually transmitted diseases too) or hasn't been very active other than a stable partner for the last few years and vice-versa, but if one of both is still uncomfortable with the idea, no one flinches, we are not put off by it and it's just common sense. Yet, "wearing a rubber" has way more impact on reduced pleasure than having to cover your breathing holes when in public.
Nice observation!
I was also thinking about a past event some few months back when some people were (and still are) saying wearing masks in enclosed public spaces like the grocery was taking away their civil liberties. I was thinking: wearing masks, not for life, but for some months / max 2 years, is no big deal in contrast to reducing one of the greatest pleasures in life: sex. Yet in the 80s, there was this whole new dynamic to condoms, other than for birth control, when the HIV/AIDS thing happened. And now, even if HIV is not a huge problem in developed countries, we don't even give it a second thought.
Yes, sometimes we might play with fire and ask that partner if she's been tested lately (other sexually transmitted diseases too) or hasn't been very active other than a stable partner for the last few years and vice-versa, but if one of both is still uncomfortable with the idea, no one flinches, we are not put off by it and it's just common sense. Yet, "wearing a rubber" has way more impact on reduced pleasure than having to cover your breathing holes when in public.
Another interesting analogy from you in return about sexual intercourse, condoms and their protection against AIDS/HIV, which most certainly makes sense.
Warning: typos might flood, as well as abbreviations, I'm in the middle of a panic attack related to exactly the same thing (Covid) and it's the first time since the beginning that I get panic from it because I wasn't exposed to that reality firsthand (getting my results in next few days but have a lot of the symptoms). I came here looking for success stories and anyhow… let's get to you:
I totally understand your fear, apprehension of possible future catastrophic events. I can tell u one way I cope with that. It doesn't always work but it's better than not trying anything at all, along all the other mental coping tricks. I can tell you're looking for positive reassurance, and some good points that @NoraB brought up are very valid, for she (I'm guessing She, no offense) "I wanted to read about people who had been every bit as ill as me (or worse) and had got better" and that's always what I've searched for myself, thinking "if that person lived this (whatever issue) to equal or superior degree, then my chances are very good".
Thing is, though, some people will invariably have had the worst experience with anything (as we were searching for them) and what would THEY do in such circumstances? Also, a lot of really bad cases (whether actual disease or "simply" panic attacks) will not even go documented -- a grandma who's not familiar with forums, someone who got better and just didn't bother coming here or some place similar. I myself have often not documented every time something horrible happened. But that's not the trick I was proposing:
Like it or not, and this is the same thing I tell myself, so it's in no way intended as coming off insensitive: really bad things happen to a small percentile of the population.
1 - On the upside, good things happen (good recoveries, no long-term effects, etc) to a much larger group of people
2 - Take things that are equally dangerous but that don't get you into a panic. One of mine is getting run over dead or left paralysed by a car or truck, or (leading to serious complications or death) automobile accident while in a vehicle.
If this one you ARE having issues with, take another analogy. But if you're like me, the probability of a "future catastrophic event" such as being run over by a car does not create any anxiety in me, does not hinder me from crossing the street, or driving places, yet there are a significant percentage (although quite small) of people to whom it happens. My only logical explanation for why that is is because having a car accident (and I've had a few, even got hit on my bike in a hit and run last year, yet no fear grew in me) is that people with health anxiety won't focus on such possible events because they are not related to initial health. Yet, the outcome can (in a small percentage) be the same.
There are so many other examples of those 1 in XXXX will suffer serious complications yet we generally don't put our life, or at least our sanity, in constant struggle over them.
Back in May, to further support our wrong approach about this (I know, it is VERY HARD to put into practise, but it takes practise and patience and just "letting go" (no matter how hard), trusting positive outcomes -- I went to the ER because I was having a gallbladder attack. It was heavily infected, necrosis, etc, and you can imagine the panic that brought on, especially when I had to get an emergency surgery to get it pulled out to avoid death (literally) I had to sign a waiver that said there was 1 in 2000 chances the surgery (including every step such as general anesthesia) would end in serious complications leading to death. As you may have guessed, I'm still alive. As for your post-covid complications fear, while the fear you are living is valid, EVEN IF they had a very minimal chance of happening, you can't indulge yourself in that fear.
Again, I know what it's like, I too often do the same. Just a few hours ago, as I did quite a couple times since yesterday when the fever kicked in, coughs, difficulty breathing, etc, I had these catastrophic scenarios of calling the paramedics to go to ER because my situation would deteriorate like some stats suggest (although way less frequent than the success stories of recovery from Covid), needing to be intubated, having heart complications, etc, the whole nine yards, but then I had to repeat to myself what I mentioned above.
You probably know this but the "WHAT IF's" are the worst. They're almost never valid to begin with, and I only added the "almost" because of course if you're hiking on the edge of a cliff on a windy day, the "what if I fall off" observation is more plausible.
This is not based on years of science for this novel virus, but in your position, I'd *try* to focus on trusting that 1 - you overcame it, so the chances of complications down the road are very slim to non-existant. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but upon all the readings I've done on Covid, nothing suggested subsequent cancer or dementia. Stay strong :)
Thank you so much. I hope you are doing ok. Did you get your results back yet??? How are you feelin? I also lay there when I was ill worrying about if I was suddenly going to turn for the worst and need to call for an ambulance. The media does nothing to help with the anxiety totally focusing on al the negatives and deaths. So much of what you said has made sense and given me some blessed relief. Thank you for that. I hope in return you are on the mend and got a negative result. Take lots of Vit c, d and fluids xxxx
Thank you so much. I hope you are doing ok. Did you get your results back yet??? How are you feelin? I also lay there when I was ill worrying about if I was suddenly going to turn for the worst and need to call for an ambulance. The media does nothing to help with the anxiety totally focusing on al the negatives and deaths. So much of what you said has made sense and given me some blessed relief. Thank you for that. I hope in return you are on the mend and got a negative result. Take lots of Vit c, d and fluids xxxx
I certainly agree with you about the media.
It would be nice if they focused on more positive aspects of the current situation, such as how many have recovered from Covid and progress with the vaccines and other potential treatments, etc, but sadly it's the same old, same old Armageddon-type narratives over and over again!
Pamplemousse
25-10-20, 10:46
I certainly agree with you about the media.
It would be nice if they focused on more positive aspects of the current situation, such as how many have recovered from Covid and progress with the vaccines and other potential treatments, etc, but sadly it's the same old, same old Armageddon-type narratives over and over again!
There's a reason for that: if that was done even more people would think it's all over and behave even more irresponsibly than they do now. Regrettably you have to use fear to get through to some people.
I keep hearing people talking of a "Post-Covid landscape". There's no "Post" - it's here and it's now and to suggest otherwise is nonsense.
There's a reason for that: if that was done even more people would think it's all over and behave even more irresponsibly than they do now. Regrettably you have to use fear to get through to some people.
I keep hearing people talking of a "Post-Covid landscape". There's no "Post" - it's here and it's now and to suggest otherwise is nonsense.
That did cross my mind PM, but sadly it seems regardless of whether the media overplay or underplay the risks, many of the so-called Covidiots still think they're untouchable!
On a more positive note, the much-feared 'second wave' of panic-buying just over a month ago so far doesn't appear to have materialised, at least not in my area.
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