What have you been scared about, that you now aren't?

[LaNae]

I know health anxiety folks go through one thing after the other.

What illnesses have you at one time been terrified about or sure you had, but now they don't concern you as much?

[kinnygirl1]

What a great question!

So far I have been convinced I have got:

bowel cancer
skin cancer
a stroke
possible brain tumour

but not so worried about these now

And the one I am still very worried about

Some sort of undetected underlying fatal heart problem!

What are yours OP?

[LaNae]

I've only ever had anxiety issues on the contraceptive pill but keep thinking I was imagining it, going back on it, going crazy again and forgetting it is the pill :)

I've been off it 3 weeks now, slowly getting better.

In past times when I've been on it and had health anxiety I have been TERRIFIED of (at different times):

MS
Parkinsons
Breast cancer
Skin cancer
Szchophrenia
vCJD
Septicaemia
Cervical cancer
Heart issues

Off the top of my head :) To the point of panic attacks. I couldn't even read the words of whatever I was worried about at the time without getting anxious.

Now? Couldn't care less about any of them. Blah. Isn't it funny?

[bluetopazgirl]

Good thread!

Mine has only been lymphoma (cancer of the lymphnodes and lymph system)

I'm sure I'll develop another fear lol

X

[Em.ma]

heart issues x

[rosi]

Too many to mention but until last year it was Ovarian cancer. I would not wear light coloured trousers becuse I was convinced I was bleeding.

Now its breast cancer which I was never bothered about. Ovarian cancer no longer concerns me. I feel like I'm in a cage and can't get out. Its bad today.

Like to mention I have also had Hiv, MS, skin cancer scares. Don't fear any of those anymore.

[Mogwog]

I'm currently over these fears

Skin cancer
cervical cancer
ovarian cancer

but am still struggling with these

Breast cancer and my new fear due to a new symptom...MS and ALS

XXXXX

[Gemma T]

I started with heart troubles and strokes.

Then it was rabies, tetanus, and blood poisoning (these were short lived)

I then had an enlarged lymph node so it was lymphoma.

My moles changed so then it was skin cancer.

I worried i couldnt have children for a bit, wasnt even intending to have one but i was sent to the gynaeo about my periods and then it started.

Im always worried about side effects from meds inc the pill.

It went away for a year and a half and now its oral cancer. I tend to focus on one thing at a time.

Oh and HIV now and again

[Horse]

Looking at it from a slightly different angle, for me I think it would have to be dying!

It's not so much the dying but the way I go that's bothering me.

It no longer worries me as it will be a release from the many years of suffering. I've heard and read that in actual fact it can be quite pleasant once you're 'on your way.'

I've spent my entire life being scared of dying and have now got so used to it that if I don't snuff it in the end, then I shall be bloody furious!

Horse.

[Gemma T]

Looking at it from a slightly different angle, for me I think it would have to be dying!

It's not so much the dying but the way I go that's bothering me.

It no longer worries me as it will be a release from the many years of suffering. I've heard and read that in actual fact it can be quite pleasant once you're 'on your way.'

I've spent my entire life being scared of dying and have now got so used to it that if I don't snuff it in the end, then I shall be bloody furious!

Horse.

Couldnt have said it better. Although Ill like to add the fear of leaving what I have. Like my family and friends x x x

[swgrl09]

This was the funniest one that even I laughed at myself after:

I was terrified for months that I had tongue/throat cancer because one time I had pulled my tongue out all the way and saw what looked like a growth in the back that was not on the other side. I finally (after constant fights with my boyfriend) worked up the courage to go to an ENT. He looked at it for a second and said "it's a tonsil that grew back. you do have tonsils under your tongue."

I had my tonsils (all of them!) removed when I was 2, so I did not even know what one looked like, none the less that they occur under your tongue as well as in the back of your throat. I felt like such an idiot!

[PanchoGoz]

I used to have a phobia of tetanus. Not any more. That was like, for about 2 years but I don't worry about that anymore.

[cathycrumble]

Going to have my blood pressure checked. hate it. :ohmy:

cathy xx

[lizamoran]

Blindness
Heart defect
Brain... I don't want to type it out, but it's one of the more common worries (HA is the only area of my life in which I display any tendency toward superstition- I don't want to type, say, or hear certain words)
Schizophrenia
Leukemia
Thyroid problem
Skin c (actually, this one's current)
I've recently created a thread ('knot in stomach- please help') about my other current worry, and I'd be much obliged to anyone who responded to it. I think it's on the second page now, and hasn't had any responses yet.

I think those were/are my main concerns. I also thought I had MS, for a while, but for some reason that didn't scare me as much (because, with the exception of the blindness- which was one of my first worries- and schizophrenia, I'm only terrified of diseases which are likely fatal. I'm afraid of dying while I'm still young, unhappy, unformed, unimpressive, naive, etc.)

[LaNae]

Brain... I don't want to type it out, but it's one of the more common worries (HA is the only area of my life in which I display any tendency toward superstition- I don't want to type, say, or hear certain words)

Wow. This is me, to a T. I can't even type out my current health phobia and threw away an object I had with some of the letters in the brand name :) Nutty, huh? I'm very superstitious when it comes to OCD. The mere mention of something sends me into a sweat- although it's funny, just a month ago I had a totally different disease on my mind, and now I could say it out loud, read it ... nothing.


I'm only terrified of diseases which are likely fatal. I'm afraid of dying while I'm still young, unhappy, unformed, unimpressive, naive, etc.)

Same. I have a life I want to live to the full, so many things I want to do... thank you, it's lovely to hear someone else say the same things that are in my head, it makes me think I'm not alone.

[miggymoggy]

Bladder cancer - had cystoscopy - clear
MS - had reflex tests - all fine
stomach cancer - had endoscopy - clear
pancreatic cancer - had ultrasound - clear
Ovarian cancer - had laparoscopy - endometriosis
Skin cancer - had mole removed - clear
Breast cancer - went to breast clinic and had lump drained and analysed, followed by ultrasound - was benign cyst
Brain tumour - Dr said just headaches, opticians said no problems

I have passed out numerous times with fear, especially after googling. Am now doing cbt.

Current fear - jaw problems - got referred to maxofacial consultant as mouth wouldn't open fully and jaw clicks - worried I had jaw bone cancer. Had mri and diagnosed with TMJ. Bones normal. Having a minor op on Thursday to try to ease TMJ.

[LaNae]

I have passed out numerous times with fear, especially after googling.

Thank you so much for this, it helps encourage me that no matter what I feel and how real I may perceive the threat to be, it doesn't mean there's any truth to it- it's just health anxiety and nothing more. I needed to hear this!

[MissD85]

This time last year it was lymphoma, symptoms were a lumpy neck & groin - ultrasound revealed all normal & just a result of weight loss.

I have been worry free for months (except for my flight phobia) & it seems autumn brings a new HA in the form of Breast cancer & a very worrying lump. Scan next week, hopefully it'll be ok.

I love this site, always helps so much.

[cassy1989]

Wow, loads of stuff to be honest.

Heart problems.
Blood clots.
MS.
Brain tumour.
Stroke.
Diabetes.
Aneurysms.
Cervical cancer.
Bowel cancer.
Bone cancer.
Lymphoma.
Brain abcess.
Blood poisoning.
Appendicitis.
Ectopic pregnancy.

So many!!

[xxlisaxx08]

The only thing I used to be scared of that I got over and hasn't came back is a brain tumour. Everything else I worry about on and off. I never used to worry about other types of cancer but for the last year it has constantly been on my mind. Bizarrely though the only cancer I don't worry about is cervical cancer even though that is the type of cancer I would be more likely to get. I haven't even went for a smear test even though I've been sent letters on a regular basis for the last 3 years to go and get checked out. It puzzles me why I don't seem to worry about this when last week I had a panic attack because I thought my fingers were shaped 'funny'.

Lisa x

[mel78]

Lets see....

In the past:
Brain Tumor (turned out to be visual migrane)
Bowel Cancer (IBS - still fear this every now and again)
Liver cancer - just some "spider nevi" veins on my face and hands - went when zapped)
Rectal Cancer (a "fissure" - just needed to drink more water)
Stomach Cancer (excess acid)
Mouth / Tongue cancer (mouth ulcer - a mouth ulcer for heaven's sake!!!)
Leukemia (reaction to swine flu jab, though possibly just anxiety now that I think of it)

Right now: (drumroll)... ALS!

The ALS thing has me sick with fear at the moment. Going to doctor on Friday and dreading it.

It actually makes me feel good to write this down, because in doing so, I realise that for every item on the above list I have been just as worried and fearful as I am right now, and it was mostly all in my mind. This time, I think I might actually mention to doc that I think I suffer from HA, which I have never admitted before.

[HelenLouise]

Leukemia
Stomach cancer
Ovarian cancer
Cervical Cancer

Don't worry about any of them anymore. It's just the lymphoma fear i can't get rid of :(

xx

[Wotnews]

Hi
Great question..I didn't even know I had health anxiety until I found it on here. I think I've always had it! My main worries over the years, heart problems,ovarian cancer,brain tumour and now because of my age breast cancer and brittle bones. Sometimes my level of worry has been immobilising. I can't tell you how much it helps to know
I'm not alone!

[Abby1]

My health anxiety is mainly Schizophrenia,probably because i dont seem to be getting better from the anxiety/depression (despite trying ADs etc etc) and also as my Dad was diagnosed with it in his forties-im 45......Ive had health anxiety for about 4 months now-it all started all of a sudden....

[miss polly]

Schizophrenia
Bowel cancer
Breast cancer
Throat cancer
Skin cancer
Oesophageal cancer
Stomach cancer
Kidney disease possibly cancer
Blindness

I'm not going to go on because I believe the list would turn into a medical dictionary! At the moment I'm in a fever pitch state of anxiety and believe I have either lymphoedema or dvt or tumour of some sort. I'm so so tired of this. I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow. Something I very rarely do as the prospect of finding out I really do have something awful is so horrendous I can hardly bear it. I'm a terrible googler of my symptoms and I'm realising that I should probably get rid of my computer. Before I turned to Dr Google I used medical books which I practically knew off by heart, but the internet has opened up a vast new world of ailments I probably have/will get.
I'm 50 tomorrow and no longer can I slightly allay my fears by reasoning that my youth means any of these things are highly unlikely. now they're all extremely likely ~ inevitable even.
My dad contracted oesophogeal cancer at 58 and died aged 60 and I care for my mum who has an awful neurological disease which has left her blind, paralysed, incontinent and suffering dementia. There doesn't really seem much hope for me.

[wiskersonkittens]

Horse -- I just love your response! I second that!

Dying is the biggest one for me, too -- not actually being dead, because I'm not going to know it, but the process in itself and from what? That will be my main fear.

Other fears I have had are:
heart attack
HIV
stroke -- my mind still wonders if I had one ...
currently afraid I've been having seizures, but not really knowing it for certain.
cancer
I also worry I have a fatal heart problem -- but my cardio ruled that out -- so it must be undetected.
That's the thing -- all my worries are from "undected" illnesses. No matter what the tests have shown or what the docs have told me, it is still "undected." It is the possibility of the unknown.
Some sort of lung cancer/disease
Something wrong with my brain due to weird head sensations at times, light headedness, etc.

I am over the heart attack fear, thanks to my cardio (never had one). HIV, over that, too -- I had to be tested when pregnant. Cancer -- a little more so after I had a benign tumor removed in my abdomen last year, but again, it was benign. Still, there is concern in the back of my mind. Lungs -- comes and goes depending if I can breathe or not. Brain -- still not 100% even though an MRI a couple of years ago and a CT scan the summer before that were clear. That was then -- this is now ...

I am sure I have many others, but these have been on the fore front of my mind from time to time over the last few years. My severe symptoms started due to grief, mixed in with stress of marriage, etc. Wanting to make changes in my life, but due to anxiety, am not there yet.

This is interesting --

Wiskers ~

[selphie]

phew ive been so worried through out the years from thinking ive got a illness to worrying bout getting an illness. firstly things i worried bout getting 1 blood poisioning 2 flesh eating bug 3 mad cow desease 4 bird flu 5 swine flu now for the things i thought i had. 1 heart desease 2 blood clot on the lung 3 brain tumour 4 aenurysm 5 sypiliss 6 aids 7 stomach cancer 8 bowel cancer 9 kidney desease 10 embolisim could go on and on and on i guess this is why the doctor dosent take me seriously been there so many times he just says its all anxiety related. ever heard of the boy who cried wolf??? that worries me that if there is something majorly wrong would my doctor belive me????xx:wacko:

[selphie]

oh and i agee totally never look in a medical dictionary worst thing i ever did. i got loads of em i soooo regret the day i got my first one that was the start of my worrys thought i had everything:wacko:

[mandshere2000]

My fear is will i ever be free of depression and panic and have been like this for 20 yrs and also fear of going mad:scared15: when in the grip of panic.

[mandshere2000]

Opps forgot to add to last post i feared i was going to have heart attack when ever got any pain in my chest, but that does,nt worry me anymore.

[Abby1]

Well said mandshere,i feel the same as well,i worry will i ever get rid of anxiety/depression or will i be stuck with it for life.....