Feeling frantic with anxiety

[Beckybecks]

I'm so anxious I can hardly function anymore. My problem is health anxiety. But it seems that no sooner have I stopped panicking about one symptom than another one appears.
I had a month of anxiety aggravated ibs and now another 'problem ' has replaced that.
I have one sore nipple. I'm beyond panic about it. I've been on forums, googled, etc. Which just makes it all worse. There is no redness, no swelling, no lumps. I'm past menopause so I don't think it can be hormonal. But this has now taken over my life completely with the worry of what's wrong.
I vaguely remember that my dog pawed me to wake me up last week and I felt a sharp pain so her claw must have caught my nipple. But there's no mark and the pain only came on a few days later.
I know I should go to a doctor but I'm terrified of further tests. Plus its very expensive (I'm in South Africa ) and most of my doctor visits have been a waste of money because it's always down to anxiety. So I told myself I'd wait a week. But this is so hard, I'm burning up with anxiety, can't eat or really function very well.

[BlueIris]

What help are you receiving for your anxiety right now?

[Beckybecks]

I've had HA for 25 years. I've taken anti depressants, did a CBT course, seen numerous psychologists, done guided meditation. But it seems the only thing that calms my anxiety is reassurance from a doctor. But I can't see the doctor every time I get a small symptom that sets of my panic. I should have married a doctor!
The only thing that helps is lorazapam but I don't like to take them too often, especially if I have to go to work.

[BlueIris]

It may be worth giving mindfulness another shot.

[Beckybecks]

Thanks I will try. I think I've just reached a stage where I can't concentrate on anything. I just need reassurance that I'm ok

[BlueIris]

Okay, the first thing to do is stop feeding yourself negative messages like that. Words have power, and if you tell yourself that you can't do something it reinforces the neural pathways in your brain.

Be kind to yourself, and accept that recovery is possible.

[Beckybecks]

Thank you.
"Accept that recovery is possible"
that's something to remember :)

[Lana]

Dear Beckybecks,

Now I see what you meant when you kindly responded to my post - it seems that you and I are of the same kind when it comes to health anxiety. It also seems that we are not far from each other in terms of age, because I am also post menopause. But the damned anxiety never lets up.

As to the nipple, I can assure you it is literally nothing. Firstly the pain in breast , including nipple, never means anything, I was told this by a breast specialist years ago. But, what I know is if I focus on something, for days, the sensation turns into pain which is completely psycho somatic. There is no end to the number of times I went through things like that. I can say this fairly reasonably to you , but not to myself. I am dreading today's visit. Just try to remember what I told you.I wish you all the best.

[Beckybecks]

Oh thank you so much for your reply Lana I can't tell you how much relief its given me.
Yes it seems that this anxiety increases with age. My husband said to me, you can't carry on like this because as you get older there are more and more aches and pains that come with old age and I know he's right.
I'm using some guided meditation for health anxiety at the moment, it brings some relief but it's only temporary.
Please feel free to pm me. Maybe we can talk some sense into each other!