Health Worries are ruining my life!! HELP

[stacy1912]

Hi

Every day of my life seems to be rule with extreme worry about illness and dying! Since December I have been to the doctors ten times! I have had:

Headaches, convinced it was a brain tumour so saw an optician and GP all ok and since I have stopped worrying about them the headaches have gone!

Leg pains: DVT major stress and saw GP about this, they just said you are 35 things start to hurt more, two docs said the same!!

My biggest worry is cancer, this last month I have been totally obssessed with carcinoid lung tumour (very rare tumour) as I am always coughing, my shoulder hurts and I suffer with extreme facial flushing that seems to be getting worse. I initially saw DR Google and he diagnosed this so now I am totally convinced!!! I have seen the doctor who said the facial flushing involved with carcinoid would also cause stomach upset and wheezing. I don't have these so the dr said no way. My cough is just a tickly throat thing that can last months. I leave the drs feeling good for an hour or so and then WHAM I am at it again.............Flushing can be the only symptom I have read it, the doctor is wrong. Coughing for months is LUNG CANCER and they are just leaving me to die! I keep reading stories on the net about so many younger adults (30s) dying of lung cancer, utterly convinced it is me.

I am a single parent with two kids, the youngest is 5 and I spend my days stressing about how will they cope, who can help etc etc I see my death bed in my mind daily and I am fed up! At work google is always on with my latest pain/worry. I minimize the screen when anyone looks but I am on it constantly!

I am considering paying for a chest x ray to rule out a tumour but my sister said that is not the answer really as I wll just want the next part of me scanning, which I agree is true. I can't bankrupt myself on tests and the GP would send me if I was ill..............being rational there!! But this does not stop me crying, stressing and spending times when I should be enjoying myself worried about illness and death.

HELP HELP HELP

I am on mirtazapine which helps me sleep and I am seeing the Dr again on tuesday about the cough and stress etc

Is there anyone else out there who wakes up every day to the fear of some illness and having this takeover their whole day? any tips to cope?

Thanks

[mothermac]

I don't tend to worry constantly about my health but I do google if there is anything wrong with me to find out more info about it.I have a black mark on my toenail at the moment and I googled it and it came up with Melanoma of all things,so I went to the docs and she has sent me over the hospital to get it checked.I am absolutely petrified but know that I have to go through this to settle my mind.All my colleagues and family tell me I worry far too much about my health and it hasn't helped being diagnosed with ME last year.Getting back to you I think that it has turned into a habit which has spiralled into an obsession.We all live in a society now that constantly bombards us with health advice and we hear all sorts of horrible tales about accidents,illnesses etc on the news and in papers and magazines.My husband has told me not to buy Chat and take a break anymore as they are full with stories about cancer and all sorts of hideous diseases which is bound to affect me.I think you should say set yourself a time span,say a week where you don't google at all,if you can, get it removed from your computer and then you won't be tempted.After a week you will probably feel ok and know that nothing untoward has happened to you so you are fine and it's just worry spoiling your life.I read Dr Clare Weekes books regarding anxiety and fear and conquering them and I would advise you to get hold of them as they are brilliant.There is a section in there about worrying about illnesses and how to escape and I think you will find it helpful.

[scouser1959]

stacy i am exactly the same every single day 24 hrs a day!! all you have explained describes me to a tee!! i am now waiting for councelling, and right now my life is a complete misery.

[scouser1959]

im not sure if my reply is on here but stacy you have my sympathy im at my wits end thinking i have all kinds of illnesses

[Corinne]

I am the same way. As soon as my mind is relieved about some dread disease that I am "sure" I had, I go on to something else.

I was to begin counseling yesterday. They called and cancelled the app't because the doctor is going to be away for a while. I have to wait another month!

You are not alone in feeling like this. As you see, there are many of us. We could start a club.:)

[margaret jones]

:)Can i join the club please

[Vanilla Sky]

We are all in the same boat here, Lately mine has been constant like 24/7, it's tiring and draining. You are only feeding your anxiety by googling and somewhere in your rational mind you know that . Of course you will only be interested in the life threatening illnesses, your anxiety needs drama to keep going ! I saw my doc again today and I am being referred to a phyciatrist which i feel is what i need, if i get the anxiety under control hopefully the rest will follow. You didnt say how long you have been on your meds but give them time to work, and if you feel they are not helping you , go back ( yes again lol ) to your GP, Good luck Paige x

[Tinker28]

I am so the same way, I have thought of so many illnesses that I must have, and other people just sort of laugh about it, but yes maybe we don't have the illness that we thought we had, but this health anitety that is messing with our heads is making us not turn off our minds and keep focused on that really matters, living! Cause lets face it we only have one shot, but most of is know all of this but it's something that has a hold on us and we feel that we can't get out. I know I think to much, I find books help me, and I know that I need a theripist, but that will happen when I am ready. Good luck and im glade you are sharing your stories, it helps us all!

[Tinker28]

I would like to join the club please to!!:)

[kats]

stacy i am exactly the same every single day 24 hrs a day!! all you have explained describes me to a tee!! i am now waiting for councelling, and right now my life is a complete misery.
hi, yes me too to a tee, im actually in therapy for it , its helps talkin bout it to her, but diff story wen i leave bk to my self im always at the docs, think there fed up we me now:)

[mel1972]

hi stacy i am exactly the same i am a single parent too and my anxiety fear is heart attacks i am overweight and although i've lost a lot of weight i constantly worry i am going to leave my kids early! I have to keep thinking its this crappy illness and i am fine, easier said than done sometimes but I can't wait to start enjoying life instead of dreading the worse!

[Rosalind141085]

This is exactly me! I wake up with a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, and everywhere you turn there are adverts to do with health, I find it utterly exhausting!

You are not alone!

:)

[mikhail1028]

DR. Google was the trigger for my HA about a month ago,, convinced me i was so sick and i got the disease

Ill surely sign in for the club

[Brianthesnail]

i under stand about dvt , you can let it run your life,but you must no let it, i have had them .thets dvt about 10year now and you must take one today at a time.like i said to one parson on the site , think when you get up,make the best of that day you do not no when you talk to other around you how you will be help other. it may be you will see how you have help one parson that or may be over a long time. but be posative each day.
tc brian

[stacy1912]

thank you all for your replie. I have had a good couple of weeks and mirtazapine has helped me. BUT the health worries are back!! Had blood tests at the doctor and even though she said all ok I am stressing that she has missed something!! I get told I am ok and I feel fine for an hour or two and then WHAM I am back thinking I have every vile disease known to man. Crazy days!! I have been refered to a psychologist but I am scared to go down this route as I am a single parent and I cope fine with my kids, house etc but it worries me that if you are under mental health care it can go against you as a parent. I am also hopping to become a social worker so again concerned it would go against me. I funcition fine in life other than my mind is constantly monitoring every bloody twinge!!

[scouser1959]

:)Can i join the club please
count me in to please- infact make me a life long member!

[~glowly worm~]

Hello Stacy :)

I'd be in that club too :/
In fact it completely took over my life for so long i missed many years of fun :( Its still there and quite badly but i find the best thing for me is distraction.

It doesn't make the fears go away, just helps because your tricky brain cant cope with focusing consciously on too many things at once :) So finding soemthing that absorbs you whenever you can might help you too? I do things like come on here, take photos, make things, talk to others but you might find something helps more, it works best if its an activity that requires focus or (for me) is repetetive and even better if its enjoyable as that will absorb you more.

Regarding getting help, i have no children and dont know but imagine services would encourage you to get help rather than the other way round, anything that means you are more able to enjoy life with them and they with you :)

And re the social work studies it can really be a plus! These days they tend to see having experience in mental health problems yourself as a good thing! Im going into the mental health profession eventualy altho not social services and had similar worries but have been reassured by my mental health team it will be fine (and ive been in and out of therapy for 15 yrs!). If you are still worried it might help to contact a course provider for social work and check? Also, the mental health teams themselves would be able to advise.

Hope this helps and glad the citalopram is proving useful :) x

[beaniepudblue]

this is me at the moment :( :( :( its completely taken over my life right now :( :( sending hugs to you all xxxx

[~glowly worm~]

* huggles beanie* xxx

[kay1986]

hi stacy i am exactly the same i am a single parent too and my anxiety fear is heart attacks i am overweight and although i've lost a lot of weight i constantly worry i am going to leave my kids early! I have to keep thinking its this crappy illness and i am fine, easier said than done sometimes but I can't wait to start enjoying life instead of dreading the worse!


HI mel, i am single parent too and my biggest fear is lleaving my precious little gorl without a mummy, to love her and wipe away her tears of sadness!!!!!, if you dont mind me asking how long have you suffered HA and did you find it got worse after having a baby???

[Jeanine25]

I have had leg pain and convinced myself it is pulmonary embolism which is after affect of DVT

Headaches within the last 2 days and i've convinced myself its a tumor too...

my latest being a stroke where I have psyically felt my left arm go numb and start flopping about uncontrollably (this happened after I thought about that particular symptom) and as stupid as this may seem I have been doing "tests" to make sure my brains functioning properly, ie: standing on one leg with my eyes closed.


Apparently those with issues in the brain cant manage to stand on one leg... i've since convinced myself that my slight wobble means I have a serious problem


Its ruining my life too :(