My latest Health Anxiety journey nears it's end, hopefully

[Paul84]

Hello all, I hope everyone is well.

I've had a quite a good stretch without Health Anxiety but since I had covid a month ago, HA returned but I think I'm naturally getting to the end of it.

However, I wanted to put down what my thought pattern has been over the last few weeks and I would be eternally grateful if people could emphasise the level of irrationality I've been reaching, or not...

This is probably a bit self-indulgent so I accept it may bore people, but thanks for reading if you do.

I know with anxious people, thought processes can be skewed but is any of the below waffle something I should be obsessing over or even thinking about at 38 years old?

Week 1, I caught Covid; Felt unwell, disturbed sleep, couldn't eat, breathing difficulties, hacking cough... no anxiety at all, just rode it out.

Week 2, the worst of it had passed and I was testing negative. I was still tired, sinus issues and had a niggly cough but I knew that might happen and could last for weeks/months. I returned to work.

Week 3, the cough continued but I've been looking for a new job and managed to land an interview at another company. The cough was persistently annoying so I decided to get to the chemist for something stronger - They suggested Pholcodine Linctus so I began taking that.
The stuff is obviously magic as it basically stopped the cough, apart from the occasional throat clearing, but this is strong stuff so I was conscious that I couldn't take it for a long period.
It made me a little dopey and tired and I think effected my digestion.

Had the interview but did not feel myself, had serious brain fog throughout and subsequently didn't do enough to get the job. This kind of bummed me out if I'm being truthful and may have gave my anxiety a boost.

This is where the anxiety began to go mental...

I'd accepted the cough as being a covid thing but read that it could be caused by Acid Reflux - Something I'd never really given a 2nd thought to for the last 38 years. I've had an occasional slight bitter taste at the back of throat, during this period and thought "That must be Acid Reflux or Silent Reflux?" - no chest pain or discomfort.

I read that untreated Acid Reflux can lead to the most serious of issues so immediately panicked and thought, "Is this something I've had before now and not done anything about?"

For context - I've had Heartburn, maybe, once to my knowledge - and from speaking to people, you know when you have heartburn.

I began taking Rennie occasionally after meals. This is something I've rarely ever done so immediately I began thinking "Well, shouldn't I have been taking Rennie more often to fight reflux in the past, particularly as I'm nearly 40".

Then I moved onto Barrett's Esophogus Syndrome - which is caused by reflux damage. Immediately thought to myself, "Well, I'm a dummy and haven't been vigilant enough and this is what I have or will have"

In 4 weeks I've gone from No Anxiety, to Covid, to Lingering Cough, to Reflux, to Barrett's Syndrome to EC... I don't smoke, rarely drink and don't tend to over-eat - I'm about 4kg overweight at 84kg. When I write this stuff down I can see how irrational it looks but this has been me for a week or 2.

I made the rookie mistake of googling stuff, thinking I was safe with "irritating cough". It sent me down the rabbit hole.

Feel like I've lost a couple weeks and haven't been present for most of it, including my job interview.

Things that have helped to ease the anxiety

I spoke to my Father-in-Law last weekend and mentioned reflux and he was so matter-of-fact and said "Yeah, we get that sometimes so we take Bio-Kult tablets and peppermint oil, particularly when we have a flare up"...
The difference in mindset was stark - Here I am thinking, I've been ignoring reflux and have given myself a life-sentence and my FIL is like, oh yeah, we just take this stuff and get on with it.

I spoke to my best mate at the Football, and explained to him the things I've been thinking and diagnosing myself with and I could sense how irrational I must have sounded. He told me to call him If I'm ever having strange thoughts.

I spoke to my wife and she was amazing as always.

[Catkins]

I've had reflux for a long time and since my early 40's have taken PPI medication. After having Covid at the end of last year and a persistent lingering cough I was treated for silent reflux by upping my PPI for a period of time and then reducing it back down again. Now I still cough now and again and I did cough more when I had covid again, but it's mostly manageable.

Have a chat with your GP about it.

[Paul84]

Thanks Catkins, I will try to get into see a GP. We have a small window of time to ring in the mornings to book appointments for that day.; constantly hitting re-dial.

If you don't mind me asking, what does Silent Reflux actually feel like?

I'm confused by the science in which Acid Reflux/Heartburn can cause pain in the middle of the chest but silent reflux bypasses that and gets to the throat.

[Catkins]

Because I get reflux anyway the only thing I had that was different was the cough.

[Paul84]

Because I get reflux anyway the only thing I had that was different was the cough.

Ah OK, so the cough was different to your usual reflux symptoms.

Think alot of my thoughts have been manifested in my head, without cause, as I'm not even sure i have reflux.

[Carnation]

Reading through your post Mark, my immediate thoughts were you seemed to be more concerned with the acid reflux than covid (the potentially deadly virus that people fear tenfold). It's also apparent to me that your anxiety escalated after Googling. Always remember that any symptom you look up will give you the worst case scenario and this is to cover themselves legally.
The other thing I was going to point out was how common it is to have an anxiety spike after an illness. While you are recovering your mind is already building up into an anxiety state and your aim is to be well again, as quickly as possible. So by the tail end of recovery you are already hyped up. Then the mind goes into overdrive if you have a lingering symptom causing most people to Google. (Even myself at times). It's only natural to want to find out what is wrong with you so you can fix it. And because we have a built in mechanism of survival, you will notice the worst case scenario rather than the most common explanation because of your survival instinct. And there you have your anxiety in full flow, sometimes causing more symptoms until you calm the mind and a simple comment from your father n law can put it all into perspective.
Understanding anxiety and our thoughts can also be the answer to our freedom from it.
As for the job, 'it wasn't meant to be', and you are destined for other things or to stay where you are. :winks:

[Paul84]

Thank you Carnation :D

From past experience, I know that avoiding Google is Health Anxiety 101 but thought I'd be safe this time.
When I'm in the midst of anxiety period, I always go down the same path...
What is it
Google It
It could be this
it IS this
I should have noticed something sooner
I'm Doomed.

After all of this flapping, I still don't think I even have reflux. I just decided I must have it and I've been ignoring it.
This is no exaggeration, I've had heartburn once and probably taken 30 Rennies in my lifetime, maybe a dozen gaviscon. Usually for indigestion purposes.
I got it in my head that someone of my age naturally would be popping these types of tablets regularly.
I get the occasional burp after food and I'm thinking, is that reflux which is causing damage and I've been ignoring it.
I know that most people don't think like this and I'm embarrassed.:blush:

[Carnation]

It's just being hyper vigilant about your health. It doesn't mean to say that anything is wrong. It just becomes super aware of everything! A burp, a hiccup, a twitch, a pain, a mark.
A cough does take time to go completely after illness. But you can also cough through cold air, ventilation, allergies, and from being nervous.
If you generally feel well, that's the most important factor.
Never feel embarrassed for wanting to look after yourself.

[Paul84]

It's just being hyper vigilant about your health. It doesn't mean to say that anything is wrong. It just becomes super aware of everything! A burp, a hiccup, a twitch, a pain, a mark.
A cough does take time to go completely after illness. But you can also cough through cold air, ventilation, allergies, and from being nervous.
If you generally feel well, that's the most important factor.
Never feel embarrassed for wanting to look after yourself.

Thank you.

I'm beginning to take some vitamin supplements which should give my immunity and mood a boost for the winter.
I managed to go my whole life not thinking about acid reflux and its been an obsession for the last 2 weeks, only because I read it on some website.

[Carnation]

I suffer with acid reflux and you would definitely know if you had it. There's many symptoms that go with it.
Sometimes reading information can be a negative. It opens up the mind to all sorts of possibilities. Most of them imaginary.

[Paul84]

I suffer with acid reflux and you would definitely know if you had it. There's many symptoms that go with it.
Sometimes reading information can be a negative. It opens up the mind to all sorts of possibilities. Most of them imaginary.

That's what people have been saying. My in-laws said as much this afternoon - they asked me what my symptoms were and and I said "no chest pain, no burning sensation moving up to my throat but a Mild, occasional bitter taste and phlegmy throat ..."

I've had the lump in the throat feeling today but I think it's anxiety driven. I've just done some neck rotations and heard tiny bubbly popping - Neck and shoulder tension built up over the last fortnight.

[Paul84]

I suffer with acid reflux and you would definitely know if you had it. There's many symptoms that go with it.
Sometimes reading information can be a negative. It opens up the mind to all sorts of possibilities. Most of them imaginary.

So, I went to the doctors today to tell them what I'd been "feeling" and thinking.

She took my pulse, temperature, gave me an exterior exam, chest, neck etc... and couldn't find any issues.

She said she regularly gets people with a lingering cough, post-covid. Offered a Chest X-Ray but I declined that for now.

I mentioned my obsession with reflux and explained that I didn't have the burning or pain in the chest but a "slight" occasional sensation at the back of the throat.

The doctor said there's a 1000 reasons for coughs but offered to prescribe lansoprazole in case acid is causing it. I accepted that.

I guess it's case of waiting and seeing?