So worried and sad

[SadguyFL]

I Have a very long history of health anxiety going back over 20 years. My latest panic is stomach cancer. I’ve had many endoscopies and colonoscopies. My last endo was 2 years ago and my doc said I shouldn’t worry there was nothing concerning. But I’m in pain and have nausea and bloated all the time. I worry I have fluid in my abdomen due to cancer. I just had a cbc done a few months ago and all was normal. I’m spinning out of control and my meds aren’t helping. I don’t want to leave my kids without a dad. I’m in my mid 40s. I feel like I’m not gonna be here for my family.

[Catkins]

It sounds like your anxiety is affecting your stomach. When I'm anxious my whole digestive system is up the creek.

Are you having any help for your HA?

[SadguyFL]

It sounds like your anxiety is affecting your stomach. When I'm anxious my whole digestive system is up the creek.

Are you having any help for your HA?

I am on Lexapro but it seems to not be working very well the past year or so. I have tried to find a good therapist but haven't been successful.

[SadguyFL]

I don't know if I can go through this again. I feel very hopeless.

[Catkins]

If you think the medication isn't working go back to your doctor and discuss it. Also keep trying with the therapi6 - there are good ones out here.

[NoraB]

I Have a very long history of health anxiety going back over 20 years. My latest panic is stomach cancer. I’ve had many endoscopies and colonoscopies. My last endo was 2 years ago and my doc said I shouldn’t worry there was nothing concerning. But I’m in pain and have nausea and bloated all the time. I worry I have fluid in my abdomen due to cancer. I just had a cbc done a few months ago and all was normal. I’m spinning out of control and my meds aren’t helping. I don’t want to leave my kids without a dad. I’m in my mid 40s. I feel like I’m not gonna be here for my family.

I've been where you are lovely. I had HA for about 43 years until I grabbed that sucka by the danglers...

Anxiety generally hits the gut first - IBS.

Have you ever had a 'near miss' and felt like you've been punched in the guts? That's the fight or flight response.

If there was anything in your digestive system that shouldn't be there, the camera would have found it, and you're clear - so this is most likely IBS.

Medication can account for nausea bloating, and a whole load of unpleasant symptoms - as can anxiety itself.

Some things to try...

Look at your diet and eliminate gluten and dairy - not at the same time though - and see if there's a difference?

Drink ginger tea for nausea (it really works) and peppermint tea for bloating (also really works)

Also worth a look at your Vit B12 levels for bloating as a deficiency can cause this symptom too. As we get older our B12 levels drop - especially women so it's worth looking into..

IBS bloat is not the same as fluid and the doctors absolutely would have seen ascites, so you can forget that one..

This reads as classic IBS lovely and nothing will change until you stop tormenting yourself with imaginary diseases and start to get proactive on the anxiety.

[SadguyFL]

Thank you for the advice. I really appreciate it.

I've been where you are lovely. I had HA for about 43 years until I grabbed that sucka by the danglers...

Anxiety generally hits the gut first - IBS.

Have you ever had a 'near miss' and felt like you've been punched in the guts? That's the fight or flight response.

If there was anything in your digestive system that shouldn't be there, the camera would have found it, and you're clear - so this is most likely IBS.

Medication can account for nausea bloating, and a whole load of unpleasant symptoms - as can anxiety itself.

Some things to try...

Look at your diet and eliminate gluten and dairy - not at the same time though - and see if there's a difference?

Drink ginger tea for nausea (it really works) and peppermint tea for bloating (also really works)

Also worth a look at your Vit B12 levels for bloating as a deficiency can cause this symptom too. As we get older our B12 levels drop - especially women so it's worth looking into..

IBS bloat is not the same as fluid and the doctors absolutely would have seen ascites, so you can forget that one..

This reads as classic IBS lovely and nothing will change until you stop tormenting yourself with imaginary diseases and start to get proactive on the anxiety.

[Gizmo1946]

Hey Sadguy,
i am like you my anxiety goes back over 30 years.One thing that brings us all together are some old posts on here from 2007 they are still very relevant today,i recommend you read the posts there are lots of them from people just like us read [NO MORE PANIC THREAD 16357] it will come up as [HEALTH ANXIETY SUFFERS]read them and you will find there are many out there with all the worries we have.
Good luck to you.