PDA

View Full Version : Pregnancy and health anxiety - a nightmare combination



Snoozy
02-03-11, 19:04
hi

I've lurked about reading this forum for a long time, but I've finally plucked up the courage to join.

Sorry if this is longwinded, but I need to provide background.

My health anxiety really started about four and a half years ago after the birth of my first child. Within weeks of the birth, I had convinced myself that my husband was ill (cancer, naturally), and I would be left a widow with a small child. I struggled with this for over a year, and then with the help of counselling, I sort of moved on. But, the counselling was expensive, it had to end. And within a few months, the anxiety was back but this time focused on me. I've spent about three years convinced I have cancer of some sort (breast cancer, ovarian cancer, throat cancer, lymphoma, and my current 'favourite', bone cancer). I had a brief respite from the cancer for a couple of months when a young relative died suddenly of a heart condition, and what do you know, my terror of cancer disappeared and was replaced by terror of sudden cardiac arrest. In between all this, I have reverted to worrying about my husband, and of course my child.

Anyway, yesterday I found out that I am pregnant again. This is a much wanted baby (by me, anyway, but thats another issue!) and I should be excited, but when I saw that blue line I just felt utter terror. I'm terrified of being pregnant, terrified of being ill, and of course, terrified of being pregnant and ill at the same time (cancer being the fear, naturally).

I'm just hoping that by posting here, I might find someone who has been through this before me.......

scaredstiff695
02-03-11, 19:09
hi
yeah hunni i can defo relate. i started with anxiety before my first and i had a really ood pregnancy untill the end then i got ill. i suffered mildly with anxiety for next 2 years but when i got pregnant with my second i ws petrified i would get ill again. the worry its self made me ill so try o stay relaxed huni try to plan your weeks full of things i.e when you get further on one week is spent buing a certain thing or someting set dates in your head and we are always here.
you will be fine hunni xx

Snoozy
02-03-11, 19:25
I was really ill during my first pregnancy, and I suppose that doesn't help (although that was partly due to a specific condition that has since been treated and cured)......but if I'm honest its the constant cancer phobia that is doing my head in. All I can think is 'if I've been so terrified for the past three years when I wasn't pregnant, how am I going to cope now?' I replay these scenarios in my head, you probably know what I mean, the sort that starts with a doctor saying 'we're really sorry but.......' and ends with him saying 'but chemotherapy (or whatever) is out of the question when you are pregnant'.

The rational me knows that I'm being overly dramatic, but I don't really need to explain to anyone on this forum what the health anxiety me is saying, you probably already know......

bluetopazgirl
02-03-11, 20:35
Hi sweet, first of all big deep breath!

your post just completley mirrored me!!

Im a mum of two now (have a son whos 4 in april and a 4 1/2 month old son) i have suffered with anxiety on and off since the death of my dad at age of 12 (im 24) but my health anxiety reached its peak after finding some lumps. I have convienced myself i have Lymphoma. i did also convience myself i had Leukemia as this is what my dad died from but after plenty of blood tests throughout pregnancy (i had preeclampsia) i know i haven't got lukeamia. how ever lymphoma i convienced myself that i have got it!!

I come on here to let it all out because alot of people in my life joke about the condition and think im silly - i however battle with it everyday!

your not alone hun and we can help you through it the best we can, congratulations on the pregnancy too xx