View Full Version : Worried Sick
Hi Everyone, I will get round to posting an introduction of myself on the introduce yourself soon. For now can I just babble about health anxiety. My main questions is probably aimed at woman (sorry guys[^]).
I wont be to graphic as its a mixed site, but I do need to know if any woman has the same thoughts as me.
I do suffer from bad health anxiety. The normal stuff we all suffer from, especially fear of cancer and looking for illnesses in every symptom. I am also on the internet doing research all the time. Then I end up with a self diagnosis, usually cancer, then death.
The past few months, I have had low abdominal pain/aching. The normal ovulating stuff, discharge, need the loo all the time etc ( I think its around ovulating, not sure though, as im always looking for a problem or symtom. This time I have missed a period. (I have had the Mirena coil for 13 months). Plus Ive got 5 children, 14,12,9,2.5 and 16months. Run a business after hubby was made redundant and decorating a house. (PHEW)
I have done some research and I have come up with ovarian cancer and all cancers possible, that tie in with my symptoms and a womans area. Doctor doesnt seem worried. Said the missed period could be the coil. Everything else could be stress. ( Ive told her different symtoms at different times over the past few months, so I THINK she has forgotton some of it. Hence not tying it all in together to form Cancer, even though I have mentioned this to her. Any excuse to worry I guess)
But me being me, im not convinced and its messing my life up all this. Has any other woman suffered or do they suffer with the same problems, when it comes to a womans body.
December I was put on 20mg of prozac, which has now been upped 2 40mg a day. I got 2mg of Diazapam to take when needed. Not to oftn though. I also see a councillor.
There is alot of history to my life and anxiety etc, but it would take forever to write it down and probably bore you all[xx(]
Im not sure where to post this, or if I should write personally to someone. I hope I havent gone into to much detail. HELPPPP please and good luck to everyone here. Together we can beat this. Although I dont feel like it at the moment.
Thank you all for your postings, they have helped me on many occasions, now I need to get mine in the open.
Emma xx
Hi emma,
i understand how u feel when you are worried that the doctor has forgotten some of what you've said because there always seems like so many symptoms to tell them!
Im not really sure but i have had low abdominal paina nd the constantly needing the toilet and it was just cystitis so have you had a water test? Cranberry juice can help if that is what it is-or u can get a cranberry liquid solution from the chemist. Try not to worry-if this doesnt work and it continues ask your doctor for a test for a water infection if you havent already had one.
Looking up symptoms on the internet or medical books is a nightmare- i have often found the symptoms in all sorts of nasty things! But, you have to remember that thes symptoms could be caused by many simple things. I know it is easier said than dont but i hope you get the reassurance you need.
Take care
Em x
Hi Emma,
I hope you don't mind me replying but my sister went through EXACTLY the same thing last year. She started with this clicking feeling from her hip which started her initial worry. As time went on she had elaborated and started to worry around period time. She got so wound up about things, she was convinced she had ovarian cancer. Through her severe anxiety that had been building up, her periods had become completely irregular, very late and/or very heavy. She would always analyse her discharge and was convinced that it was abnormal.
It's the first time I'd ever seen her "like me" with anxiety and she was utterly petrified. After a long chat with me and then her hubby, she went to see her GP and had a full examination and blood test and all showed to be clear but this didn't seem to be enough for her. Her GP has put her on anti depressants and about 6 months on she is doing really well and has calmed down a lot! She is just taking her finals for her psychology degree and is half way through her exams so it just shows that things can look up and more importantly change!
I hope this helps,
Kind Regards,
Mark x
hi Emma,
Firstly, try your hardest NEVER to look things up on the internet. All this does is scare you even more by putting false ideas into your head!!
I often get abdominal pains and my periods can sometimes be very irregular mainly due to stress. I also need the loo all the time - normally every 20min!! Anxiety can have a huge effect on your body and all these things are just symptoms of this..
If your GP isn't worried then it's very likely that you're making a mountain out of a mole hill..
Sarah :D
Hi EmmaJane, I am not female but can relate to this health anxiety big time. I have suffered anxiety/phobias and panic for about 40 years and the symptoms change so much. But lately I have a much bigger health anxiety that really makes me so ill. Last thing was stomach real bad for 2 years, I had barium enema, Blood tests, Chest x-ray. And a sygmoidoscopy only to find it was IBS, which isn’t helped by anxiety and worry. After seeing specialist and having all these tests I did feel much better, but here I am now worried about breathing problems. There is always something lol. Any new rashes, lumps bumps ache or pains and they freak me out. Hope u feel better soon. Vernon
Thanks to all who have replied.
Yes I have had my water tested Em and it is clear, no probs at all. I had a thryroid test, kidneys and liver function test about 8 months ago. All tests were clear and LFT couldnt be anymore middle of the road than you can get.
Doctor felt my pelvis and stomach when I told her of my fears and she said she cant find nothing abnormal.
Its very hard to stay off the internet when I feel theres a compulsion to check things out.
I guess now I have registered with this brilliant site. I can talk to anyone anytime. It feels so good knowing you are all there.
Thank you
Emma x
Hi there, and welcome,
sorry you are having a bad time right now, firstly, as previously said, please do not look up symptoms on the internet, it will put your mind into overdrive, and won't help any anxiety at all. You must try to be re-assured that you have been checked out by your gp, they don't miss too much, especially things like ovarian cancer etc...I'm 50 years old and a mum of four, i can say that over the years i've had different pains, aches, discharges, smells (sorry!) periods, the list goes on, a lot of it is to do with hormones, you obviously have a lot going on right now, lots of children, working and so on, and as you say things have happened in the past, try to be kind to yourself, enjoy any time you have to spoil yourself, i know how hard that is with lots of children though, and no more internet researching. i used to do that, but now i try just to look up things that interest me and delight me, cooking gardening etc.. gosh i sound a right creep don't i take care and keep in touch
No Carlin, you dont sound like a creep. That has really helped me and nearly brought me to tears, as im just coming out of my depression. I am actually grabbing 5 minutes now. Hubbys stripping ( wood work that is :D) and kids are eating dinner that I actually cooked for them. I have just asked them to wash up. [8)]
I will keep in touch and hopefully can answer some other postings tonight to help people.
Emm x
Emma,
As your worries are to do with contraception you could make an appt with a family planning clinic where you will see specialist nurses and doctors rather than your GP - even if you see your GP for this you can still go to one of these clinics. I've done it in the past...
**I am also on the internet doing research all the time**
But you're not doing research - you're cruising for anything that fits a key words search criteria...
The www is fab but not for HA, also the real research documents are not in the public domain - you'll need to be reistered and subscribed to appropriate medical journals to really be in the know
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...
Thanks for replying Meg.
I know what your saying about the internet, I am trying to look for sinister things. I guess in
a way because I believe its something bad, I have to fnd the worst case.
The contraception is fine, I guess the missed period, started my thought process off again. As I had already got over the ovarian cancer thing...
I just wondered if any other woman had similar thoughts, regarding my anxiety at the moment. I suppose if someone says yes, then Ill know its not just me with those problems. :(
Emma,
I get those worries all the time. If it's not cancer, then it's something else. It is just the anxiety getting the better of us and all we can do is tell ourselves over and over again that we are being ridiculous and sooner or later, we will start to believe it..
Sarah :D
Just thought i'd let you all know i've been to the doctors and she gave me a through check over and answered ALL my questions. I'm now a lot more happier, thank you all for your help.
Emma x
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