will it ever stop?

[ImogensMummy]

I think I have health anxiety, went to the doctors last week, she gave me a questionnaire to fill in on anxiety and depression, I scored 12 on the anxiety (over 11 is highly significant) and 5 on the depression (not significant).

I am fed up of worrying constantly, and feel like it's never going to end, I have this horrible fear of me having a horrible illness and leaving my daughter without a mother. It's getting to the point where it's taking over my life, and this worrying is making an otherwise happy person somewhat down. I can't see an end to it and it scares me.

[neon_skyline]

health anxiety is horrible because it's so difficult to reverse the negative thought patterns once they start. i am constantly convinced that i have a serious illness or am about to have a stroke or heart attack and picture myself in hospital or imagine my funeral. the thoughts are so nasty and terrifying and i am now slowly learning to let them go (as i would with any other thoughts) rather than letting them take over my life.

please know that you are not alone - plenty of people have these fears and the best thing you can do is find a treatment/therapy which works for you. it's a hugely long process which i'm currently in the middle of myself, but i keep believing that one day i'll be able to switch these thoughts off and get on with my life.

good luck and if you need any support feel free to pm me because i know how you feel.

sally xxx

[Amanda3266]

You're far from alone Imogen's Mummy - I am exactly the same - your post could have been written by me. Come here for support when you need to - everyone is friendly and supportive - above all nobody will laugh at you as we've all been there and understand how miserable this type of anxiety is.

[ImogensMummy]

Thanks, it's kind of comforting to know I'm not alone, but also sad because I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. One thing that worries me is that doctors won't take me seriously about any concerns I have because they will just think I'm a hypochondriac?

[belle]

Hi...
I'm another worrier. I frequently have super morbid thoughts of dying and even seeing my name in the death notice section in the paper...and that is horrible. I can be all fine and then woosh, the feeling of death just smothers me almost. I hate hate hate it.

I'm sure my doctor thinks i am a hypochondriac. My sister told me once that when she worked in a doctors surgery there were patients who suffered with "Health anxiety" and it was plastered all over their files that is what they had wrong with them.

My main concern is just dropping dead with a brain haemorrhage or heart problem.

x

[neon_skyline]

my doctor wouldn't examine me a few weeks back when i said i had a slight loss of feeling in my leg because she said it would feed my health anxiety. at first i thought she was just dismissing me as a hypochondriac but then i realised she was actually doing it because she completely understands my condition.

she told me to come back in a few weeks if i had the same problem so when i went back she did examine me and tested my reflexes. she explained to me that she would never refuse to examine me unless she knew it couldn't possibly be something serious. turns out i have nothing serious wrong - seems like a minor nerve problem or something like restless leg syndrome. it has since almost gone away completely.

my therapist said in this situation you have to remember that if a doctor refused to examine you, they are putting their whole career on the line. they realise the importance of your mental health as well as your physical one. they will examine you when they think it is necessary, just like any other patient. you have to remember that most people without health anxiety don't go to the doctor for every little thing like us sufferers do!

sorry for the ramble but i hope it's helped you see that doctors would never take the risk of not examining you unless they knew you were fine, the same as everyone else. if your doctor simply dismisses you as a hypochondriac, then find a new one. mine is completely sympathetic, and partly because she doesn't worry me when she knows i'm fine by caving in to every little feeling i have.

hope you're feeling better in yourself soon.

sally xxx