Really Need Some Reassurance

[lamentinglaura]

Three weeks ago I found out my sister-in-law has liver and pancreatic cancer and only has 6 months to live. I'm a long time sufferer of health anxiety and I'm finding it almost impossible to cope with this situation. I feel so bad for her and at the same time I'm obsessing on every pain and sensation in my body. I can't concentrate on anything and I can't sleep. I recently quit smoking and now I'm agonizing over lung cancer. I'm just a friggin wreck and I don't know how to deal with any of this. If anyone has any suggestions or encouraging words I'd really appreciate it.

Laura

[marge simpson]

hi,

im realy sorry to hear about your sister in law, that kind of news would shock anyone and i honestly dont no how i wud cope with finding out news like that. I suffer from health anxiety myself. Im lucky because i have never been in your situation and actually known someone who has a terminal condition but it doesnt top me obsessing over every desease i read about or see on telly and evry sensation or twinge in my body, thinking that i have got something horrible, terminal or degenerative desease. My worst fear is being told ive got months to live. I wdnt be able to cope, i think its quite a common fear, especially from reading these posts. The one thought that helps me is that you only get one life and if you worry constantly you are wasting it. be firm with yourself. Easier said than done i know but whenever you feel that panic when you feel an unfamiliar pain in a muscle or an unexplained headache or chest pain, just take some slow deep breaths and tell yourself that you are healthy to the best of anyones knowledge, if there was anything really wrong with you it would be more than a funny pain or slight shortness of breath. Make up your mind to enjoy your day and not let these thoughts beat you. Also, because this terrible thing has happened to someone close to you, statistically you are even less likely to have a serious condition. Try (i no its hard) to enjoy what time you have left with your sister in law. you can beat these feelings, you can control them not the other way around.

like i said thow, it easier said than done and when you do feel overwhelmed, just remember that you arent alone, there are loads of us on here who have the same scary thoughts and feelings.

hope this helps a little bit

clare xx:)

[lamentinglaura]

Thanks so much for responding Clare. You're right, a person wastes their life worrying so much. I try to enjoy my day but when this bad health anxiety hits it's like it takes over my mind. Although I hate to see anyone else go through this it helps to know I'm not alone and that other people understand.

[marge simpson]

hiya laura,

i no wot u mean, wen i start thinking those thoughts the is nothing i can do about it its horrible. At least u no that it is normal to feel like this and i think your rite, it does help to no other people hav the same thoughts and feelings. my family think im a complete nutter most of the time. yesterday i went to dye my hair and wen i opened the box the top had come off the colourant and some of it had leaked, i used it anyway but just as i had put it on my head i got really paranoid that it had been tampered with or gone off and that it was going to poison me! how ridiculous, even i can tell its stupid and it sounds funny now but wen u start panicking u cant stop! im having a bad day today coz i went out last nite for my mates birthday and got hammered. Everytime i have a hangover i have anxiety loads worse and feel like im going to die. does anyone else get worse wen they have a hangover? i dont drink much, just the odd niteout every couple of weeks but i do over do it sometimes.

clare xxx