Scared

[Xoddam]

I thought I had this health anxiety thing under control but I don't. Ever since Dana Reeve died from lung cancer a few days ago I'm terrified that I could have it too. Yes, I've been coughing and my chest is tight but that could be from worrying. I'm afraid to go to the Dr.

I'm just tired of everytime I hear about a disease in the news all of a sudden I get the symptoms.

I started taking my Lexapro again but I even worry that pills can cause diseases not to mention that it probably won't help anyway.

Thanks for any help.

Xoddam

[molly15]

hi ther it is so easy to let our fears get out of control.i no wat u mean i too hav health anxiety and it is blooming awfull.lung cancer is rare and i very much doubt you hav it.in fact i could put money on u dont.go and see your doc to put your mind at rest.by the way who is diane reeve .i never heard of her.u will get through this . take care marciaxx

i have to do it for my kids if not for myself marciaxx

[Piglet]

It would be great if you could go to the doctors as it really helps to reassure you that all is ok and then you don't spend anymore time fretting over it.

Love Piglet

"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.

[tnt808]

Xoddam.

I loathe going to the Dr's but to avoid any long term icky feeling of what do I have? It truly is the only way. Plus, when you get the clean bill of health you will feel so much better not only for nothing is wrong with you but, you actually went to the Dr's.

[Meg]

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=symptoms

First Steps: First Steps to overcoming Panic and Anxiety (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=942)

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=healthanxiety

Avoidance or sensible? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5513)
media (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5609)
illogical fear driving me mad! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6027)
Its happening again ! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6094)
Its happening again ! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6094)
Feeling lonely (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6820)
Mind fixed on something ughhh (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7024)


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[Paddington]

sorry you feel so scared,such ashame about diane reeve[supermans widow]dry chest and coughing is a common anxiety symptom,i had lung cancer last week,the week before i had over active thyroid,you see where i'm going with this?i went to drs and had chest x-ray which was clear so when the tight lungy thingy comes back i know i am ok!it is good to talk these things thru ,reassuring to know we are all scared of being ill.it can get better,it will get better!love mary-rose.xxxxx

we are all in the same boat and can guide each other ashore

[Sheik N Shimmy]

I've heard that medical students sometimes 'develop' all the symptoms of serious diseases after reading about them.

If you are prone to worry then you can make yourself believe you have diseases too.

I hope you can now make yourself believe that you are in fact healthy.

If you are really worried you should go to the doctor and explain those worries get the reassurances you need.

E



Keep On Keepin On

[jackie]

xoddom, you will get there , you are in the right place for help, but as i am now aware , there are no quick fixes

take care
jackie

[CrazyCool]

I thought I was the only one.... I heard about her death also and then started worrying, not about lung cancer, but about every little ache and pain that I have. It's so hard sometimes to put your fear in perspective, but I know that I have gotten through every other time I felt so fearful, so I will get thru this time too.

Hang in there.

[Ma Larkin]

Hi Xoddam, I'm dying of a heart attack right now! Realistically I'm not, but that's what it feels like & don't you always feel like your symptoms are more realistic than anyone else's!! I hate this health anxiety with a passion, & I reckon that if I didn't have health anxiety, I wouldn't have anxiety if you know what I mean! I'm at the doctors tomorrow evening & (fingers crossed) I come out with just palpitations & nothing more sinister. Don't know how I'm going to cope through the night, but I felt like this last night & I'm still here lol!!

It was a real shame about Dana. Dana was Christopher Reeve's widow(Superman). They leave behind a young son & were too young to die. I always think that if celebrities die of a certain disease then everyday people like most of us have no chance. You always expect celebrities with money to have the best treatment available, it just goes to show this isn't the case. Don't be afraid to go to the doctor, I'm sure you'll feel better when you come out of the surgery.

Les

[sal]

Hi Hun

We are all here to help you. A thought is not an action or an illness trust me.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.


"Life is a distance and to travel that distance you were given the strength and guidance to do so".

[chevychaser]

Know exactly what you mean....isn't it amasing some of the little things that can trigger the health anxiety cycle...(not to say Dana's death was trivial but other things are) I can't even watch medical dramas or read health articles in case it starts me off. I loose all quality of life and enjoyment of everything when I'm on a roll with it. Chin up......you're DEFINATELY not alone......cheers

[LeighD]

One of the things that I have discovered about myself is that I totally take on board bad things that happen to other people. In other words, the shock you feel you hear that Sheryl Crow has breast cancer, or Kylie, or Dana Reeve dying of lung cancer, or even someone's mom whom I've never even met.

It literally sends me into shock, and then I start obsessing. I discussed this very thing with my sister the other day - why do I stress about other people's problems, and add to the worries I already have?

The outcome of the discussion was the realisation that s...t happens in this world. There will be plane crashes. There will be people who get cancer, or get hit by cars, or die of strokes on the treadmill. But we can't take it all on board. Just because it happens to other people doesn't mean that it will happen to you.

I really blame the media big time. Having recently moved to Australia I am astounded at the publicity given to cancer. Literally not a day goes by without some TV programme, news item or ad talking about some form of cancer or other. I am not used to this, coming from South Africa where we didn't get bombarded with this all the time. And 9 times out of 10 its a scare story.

Now, I'm by no means an expert on this but I firmly believe that people would be a whole lot better off not being too knowledgeable - Ignorance is Bliss and all. Think of how carefree you were in your childhood or teens - when a stomach ache was a stomache ache, and a cough was just a cough, because the seed of other possibilities hadn't been planted yet. I am striving to get back to this stage. To empathise with someones bad story, but to move on without dwelling on it. To think of all those old ladies in their 80's and 90's and to think about how I am going to reach that age.

My sister quoted Dr House (from the TV programme House) who told a girl who was obsessed that she had cancer "You need a break and cancer seems like a good holiday". This girl needed to be told she was suffering from a life threatening illness before she could start living. By the way - she didn't have cancer!

I guess this made me realise that my health anxiety is actually very deeply rooted in something else. That I am not living the way I should be, or want to - and that drastic change is needed. So I need to empower myself, be brave and start living the way I want to. I bet this will help my anxiety.

Wow! Sorry to go off like that - it just kind of happened. But I hope that what I am getting across is - you are not alone. Hang in there. Many of us have been there.

Leigh