New here. Hypochondriasis/Health Anxiety

[MandySlade]

Hello,

I'm 30 years old, female, and I live in Florida. I've suffered from hypochondria/health anxiety my whole life. Lately it's been worse than ever. Just in the last week I have:

-Obsessed over the blacklights at my work (I work in a club). Heavy exposure to them over 4 years, so I must have cancer, right?

-Convinced myself the moles I've had for most of my life are cancerous (because of one of them is really odd shaped and raised) and that I'm an idiot for not having them checked out sooner (going in a couple weeks)

-Worried over all the times I've eaten microwaved food or stood real close to the microwave before. This will undoubtedly give me cancer one day, right?

-Worried that my dental fillings are poisoning me. Made an appointment for the dentist 10 days from now because I haven't been in a -really- -really- long time (no insurance).

-Obsess daily over mild/vauge physical symptoms like "feeling off" or slight tingling in my arms. If I don't remember something right away I think I have a brain tumor. If I have dejavu (which I have a lot) I think the same. I also worry about "really going crazy".

It's so bad now that I find myself worrying about all my worrying. Does it make me "nuts"? Can I ever really stop? If it's this bad now, where am I headed? etc. etc.

I drive my boyfriend bonkers with all the reassurance/questioning/etc. I worry that he will think I do it for attention or that he will stop ever taking me seriously. But, in reality I actually -am- terrified and I -do- feel these things and have these worries.

Tonight my obsession has been this:
About 6 years ago I had some mysterious swelling in my nose, so bad the "thing" was protruding almost out of my nostril. I was -terrified-. I went to an ENT who said I had nasal polyps and that I needed a cat scan. I couldn't afford the cat scan and so instead I went to see another ENT for a second opinion. By the time I saw the next ENT the swelling had subsided a great deal. He told me that the other ENT (basically) was an idiot and that the swelling was my turbinates. They are always swollen when I go to doctors, because of my allergies.

Well, the last couple of days I've been more congested than usual (I'm always congested on some level) and I get to thinking... what if the SECOND doctor was the wrong one? Why did I "trust" him instead of the first? What if the first was right and now I have massive polyps floating around in my head destroying my brain/eyes/whatever or worse... becoming cancerous.

Now, I've been to doctors various times since for colds and whatever else and at least 4 have looked up into my nose. They all mentioned swelling (i can always see the turbinates....if thats what they are)... but none mentioned polyps. You'd think that would have me relaxed.. but I keep thinking maybe the polyps are just further back in my sinus cavity now, like under my cheeks.


All this worry is exhausting. Sorry all of that was so long. I know it all sounds nuts.

At any rate, Hi!

:P

[Veronica H]

:welcome: Mandy. Glad that you have found us.You will find comfort and understanding here.

Veronica

[lorac]

Hi Mandy

Welcome to the site I think you will find some good advice and support on here from people who truely understand your worries.

Take care

Carol

[freelancejy]

Hi! I am right there with you! I find a new symptom to obsess over everyday. It's exhausting. Just hang in there and believe that you can overcome this!

[MandySlade]

thanks for the warm welcomes guys. :)

[Stressed32]

Mandy- I just want u to know that I have dejavu too. I was told it is a symptom of anxiety not brain tumors or you going crazy. It is caused by chemicals in your brain transmitting signals from left to right side. When ur stressed, those chemicals are wacky causing your dejavus. So, you are not alone! Welcome.

[dmckinney]

You're not alone! For a year now I have been battling with anxiety, I just recently found out what was causing the anxiety. After going to several dr and have several test ran with all the symptoms and doing my own research I decided to make an Appt with an ENT he was the first and only dr that looked in my nose, inside was redness, swollen turbinates. The turbinates were so swollen and flared (inflammed). ENT gave me antibiotics Augmentin taking twice a day for 10days after the 3rd day of taking meds I could not sleep and was constantly rushing back and forth to the bathroom until I finally placed a bag on the side of the bed to cough up all the phelgm. I NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS. There was so much mucous coming up I was scared to sleep thinking that I was going to choke. After taking the meds the dr sched a ct scan of sinus and after take meds I still had mucous in sinus so the dr prescrib nasonex and allegera after telling me that I have TERRIBLE allergies. I asked him about the PAs and he stated that PAs and chronic sinus infections are not related however I could have had PAs due to the way that I was reacting to not feeling well, the fact of not knowing what was wrong with me. This was back in April, and last week I visit the ENT again and he was like your turbinate will continue to be inflammed until I get the allergies under control, he recommended allergies shots , so I will finish the second round of augmentin and get the sinus infection under control and then try the shots. BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU A YEAR AFTER FEELING HORRIBLE ONCE I TOOK THE ANTIBOD I GOT MY LIFE BACK until recently the anxiety symptoms began slowly coming back. I still feel a little anxiety sweating hands and heart racing but I think its bc I cannot breathe properly due to the swollen turbinates (not much airway in nose). I do not want to write a story but if anyone is experiencing problems with sinus please read upon sinus infections and allergies, this will help you understand why you have the similar symptoms to PAs and anxiety

[Panic33]

Hi! I am right there with you! I find a new symptom to obsess over everyday. It's exhausting. Just hang in there and believe that you can overcome this!
I fully relate to this. I tire myself out thining of what is killing me slowly(in my head) only to get in to an awful panic attack then worry about the panic attack to bring on the next. I finaly convince myself the org issue isn't anything a few days in and the next thing I know I'm worrying about another one.

[Leboke jay]

Yeah,i think this all describes health anxiety,happens to me too,and am new on the site to introduce maself,leboke from south africa,been having anxiety aka panic disorder for 3 yrs now,and it really is horrible,and my symps change with time,cos i have a new symp that i worry abt and diagnose maself with the worst possible disease and panic for 2 days,then i convince myself,its not really that illness i think it is,then it goes away,then another one,thats what makes my anxiety everyday,feeling,diagnose,panic,get used,then it goes,a chain of that,but now,am really scared of aids,which makes me think,we all share the same fear,whether u fear cancer,or flu,what really scares us is the outcome of the illness,which is why we normally diagnose ourselves with the life threatening diseases,not colds,or headaches,so whats it that we really scared of is the question and think thats what we should look up to for an adress of,cos i think in these three years i been tryna convince myself am not sick,by doing all the possible tests for any illness,but why a change in my illnesses?if yesterday it really was cancer,today its brain tumor,tommrw malaria,so how many illnesses do i have???how did i got from having cancer to having malaria,how about the cancer i had yesterday???cos i never had any treatment for it,so its hiding somewhere in me right?which means i have a 1000 illnesses right?ok,this must mean we skipping schemes,the truth is we all scared of 1 thing,not the illnesses,cos they do change,to a point where we forget we had another1 yesterday,am 22 but feel like i have already had much,cos three yrs of anxiety have been like forever,but i believe we going to get over this,and i also think it takes us to overcome it