Rough time ☹️

[julieG]

Hi folks. Struggling at the moment. My family had covid last month. My husband was really ill at home then spent 10 days in hospital with it. I was scared beyond belief. He came home and was still quite unwell. I stressed about him for about a month. Now he’s on the up, I feel awful.

I had bad health anxiety years ago and now it’s retuned with a vengeance. I had back and chest pain last week, saw the GP and he said I was fine, just muscular. The pain left then I started to get pain in my shoulder blade. It was really bad. Again the GP spoke to me by phone and said no cardiac signs. I was convinced I was having a cardiac event. I have pain in the other side of my neck which I’m sure is a tumour. This is so unlike me these days.

I’m scared to move in case I get another pain and start worrying about that. I have no motivation to do anything or go anywhere. I feel really weepy and I’m convinced something awful is going to happen to me. I need to get back to being me again and I don’t know how.

Sorry this is so long. Just having a really bad time of things right now x

[pulisa]

You've been through a lot of trauma with your husband's illness, Julie. HA will creep in when you're exhausted and at your most vulnerable to suggestible symptoms. You're also very low and anxious.

Mental pain and distress translates very easily into physical pain as you know. Your GP has assessed you as being physically in the clear but mentally you are still on high alert and expecting more bad news and a sinister diagnosis.

We tend to cope whilst giving support and holding it all together..When things begin to improve often our mental health takes a nosedive and we go down as our loved one recovers. Do you think this could be happening with you? Do you fear that it's "your turn" now for bad health? x

[NoraB]

I had bad health anxiety years ago and now it’s retuned with a vengeance. I had back and chest pain last week, saw the GP and he said I was fine, just muscular. The pain left then I started to get pain in my shoulder blade. It was really bad. Again the GP spoke to me by phone and said no cardiac signs. I was convinced I was having a cardiac event. I have pain in the other side of my neck which I’m sure is a tumour. This is so unlike me these days.

Hi Julie, it's really common for anxiety to kick in as HA when somebody close us is ill or dies - as was the case with my mother. She died suddenly and the HA which had been dormant for several years came back with a vengeance. Heart symptoms are one of the most common anxiety symptoms. My first symptom was severe chest pain which I had to have an ECG for. I'm not sure how you are associating a pain in your neck with a tumour, but it's most likely to be tension related. Do you tense your jaw? Because that affects the neck muscles too.

You've been through something very stressful and the stress hormones will have been flowing during that time. It will take your body some time to settle down - and that's providing you don't add fear to these normal anxiety symptoms. If you do fear them, then this ride will be a lot longer and will possibly take you to places you don't want to go - believe me.

Practice self-care and relaxation. Hubs is back and I take it that he's on the mend? Time to look after yourself now. X

[pulisa]

I'm sure you've forgotten what self care is when you've been under such strain, Julie but you must take your foot off the pedal now and acknowledge that your HA flare up is understandable under the circumstances but just a sign that you are mentally exhausted and your body is reacting with physical symptoms of anxiety.

[Kalie galea]

I'm suffering too with really bad anxiety and panic attacks been a sufferer for 20 odd years medication used to control it now they stopped working so been put in venlafaxine been 16 days took 36.5mg for 5 days 75mg for 7 days then upped again to 112.5mg 4 days I'm still waking up thinking I can't breathe my hearts going to stop beating like something is seriously wrong with me it all came in really bad 3 weeks ago when tested positive for covid 19 and since then I literally thought I'm going to die and been like that for the past 21 days I've had 5 ambulance call outs a visit to er had bloods ecg xray done all was perfect yet I'm still thinking I'm going to stop breathing and going to die all symptoms of covid went about a week ago I took another test a week ago hoping if it said negative my mind go back to knowing I'm ok and it's not going to get me but it came back positive again and that started me off again just want to feel me again scared I'm going to be like this forever makes me feel so ill

[NoraB]

medication used to control it now they stopped working

Medication deals with physical symptoms, not the cause of the anxiety. What therapy have you had. if any?

I've had 5 ambulance call outs a visit to er had bloods ecg xray done all was perfect yet I'm still thinking I'm going to stop breathing and going to die all symptoms of covid went about a week ago I took another test a week ago hoping if it said negative my mind go back to knowing I'm ok and it's not going to get me but it came back positive again and that started me off again just want to feel me again scared I'm going to be like this forever makes me feel so ill

What's happening is that your body is hypersensitive and these NORMAL anxiety symptoms feel very unpleasant and overwhelming to you. I know exactly how you feel because I've been there. However, in this climate with an NHS which is on it's knees as it is - patience will wear thin if you keep calling out ambulances for panic attacks. I did two visits - one by ambulance and the other was a walk in. On the second one, I was seen by the psychiatrist after being given the all clear by the docs (again)

You're not going to stop breathing. You're not going to die. It just 'feels' that way, and that's not how dying works.

What's actually happening is that your body is doing exactly what it's meant to. This is the stress response, and it's meant to keep you alive.

I had a breakdown with my HA, and, like you, I couldn't see a day where I wouldn't feel like I was dying, but I got myself out of that hole by understanding anxiety and accepting that life sometimes deals us shit cards, and by working my arse off to get better. Plus, I did it without meds because I have chemical sensitivity! So, if I can do it - anybody can. X

[julieG]

You've been through a lot of trauma with your husband's illness, Julie. HA will creep in when you're exhausted and at your most vulnerable to suggestible symptoms. You're also very low and anxious.

Mental pain and distress translates very easily into physical pain as you know. Your GP has assessed you as being physically in the clear but mentally you are still on high alert and expecting more bad news and a sinister diagnosis.

We tend to cope whilst giving support and holding it all together..When things begin to improve often our mental health takes a nosedive and we go down as our loved one recovers. Do you think this could be happening with you? Do you fear that it's "your turn" now for bad health? x

Thanks pulisa

What you say makes total sense. It’s the kind of thing I would say to someone who feels the way I do! How ironic I can’t talk to myself this way at the minute. I’ve been so well with my HA for so long and I just feel I’m back to square 1 ☹️ When I feel like this I struggle to believe the docs even though I know I should. It’s so hard x

[julieG]

Hi Julie, it's really common for anxiety to kick in as HA when somebody close us is ill or dies - as was the case with my mother. She died suddenly and the HA which had been dormant for several years came back with a vengeance. Heart symptoms are one of the most common anxiety symptoms. My first symptom was severe chest pain which I had to have an ECG for. I'm not sure how you are associating a pain in your neck with a tumour, but it's most likely to be tension related. Do you tense your jaw? Because that affects the neck muscles too.

You've been through something very stressful and the stress hormones will have been flowing during that time. It will take your body some time to settle down - and that's providing you don't add fear to these normal anxiety symptoms. If you do fear them, then this ride will be a lot longer and will possibly take you to places you don't want to go - believe me.

Practice self-care and relaxation. Hubs is back and I take it that he's on the mend? Time to look after yourself now. X

Thanks Nora. I’m sorry about your mother and your bad time afterwards x. My neck problem is an issue as I’ve never had this kind of feeling before. It’s not muscular and it’s been there for over a month. I am trying my best to stay positive and not get back on that horrible road. Yes hubby on the mend thank you and thank god 🤞 x

[julieG]

Hi kalie It’s awful that you feel this way. Please know that you can still test positive up to 90 days after being confirmed positive. We need to believe what the experts tell us. Hard I know x

[julieG]

I'm sure you've forgotten what self care is when you've been under such strain, Julie but you must take your foot off the pedal now and acknowledge that your HA flare up is understandable under the circumstances but just a sign that you are mentally exhausted and your body is reacting with physical symptoms of anxiety.

Thank you pulisa. I know you are right x