I know I'm posting again but I'm worried about my eyes

[Chlobo]

Helenhoo?

FMP

Who or what is Helenhoo?

[Carys]

Helenhoo?

For your reference Chlobo, FMP is drawing comparisons with another long-term poster. I have to say, they aren't necessarily helpful though.

[Chlobo]

Well if everyone in here wants to have a laugh at my expense then go ahead.
I just hope you don't experience health anxiety to the level it affects your entire existence and sometimes all you can cling onto is forums like these to hold onto some sanity

[BlueIris]

Nobody's laughing at you, Chlobo, and as I've said repeatedly, a lot of us have been where you are.

The reality of HA is that it IS ridiculous, though. Can you honestly say you'd have given your eyes a second thought if it wasn't for your friend? I was there a few years back, checking my eyes every half hour because one acquaintance and the relative of a colleague both had brain tumours. My pupils were irregular and I totally lost it.

[Carys]

I'm not laughing, in any way...AND.... as I said above, I don't think FMP repeatedly making the 'Helenhoo' comment is that helpful.

I just hope you don't experience health anxiety to the level it affects your entire existence and sometimes all you can cling onto is forums like these to hold onto some sanity

I have, for years, to the point of hospitalisation - before forums existed.

Sometimes though, you need to be reminded that this is something that is illogical, and you need to put effort in.

[Chlobo]

Nobody's laughing at you, Chlobo, and as I've said repeatedly, a lot of us have been where you are.

The reality of HA is that it IS ridiculous, though. Can you honestly say you'd have given your eyes a second thought if it wasn't for your friend? I was there a few years back, checking my eyes every half hour because one acquaintance and the relative of a colleague both had brain tumours. My pupils were irregular and I totally lost it.

I have always been triggered by my eyes, my brother had a brain tumour which fishmanpa knows about so eyes and brains are a huge trigger for me.
I've always had to avoid my eyes as a rule because If I start to check them I go down a shit road but with my friend and her health issues and my own pupil sometimes also being irregular I've lost it many times too.
I get what everyone is saying, trust me I do. I get cross with myself but my eyes HURT and I can feel the sensitivity to light. It's shit and yes it has suddenly come on since my friends eye problems. But my anxiety is crippling. I'm barely over my last bout of health anxiety with my breast. It's cruel. I just want to enjoy the Christmas with my children and instead I'm walking round the house feeling anxious and trying to fight panic attacks over my friend and her health and then my own health. The best thing to do would be for me to go to the eye doctor and get them to check my eyes but again the fear factor is stopping me. I am just as fed up of myself as everyone else on this forum is, I just need support and I don't get that much in real life apart from my friend who is now unwell herself so it isn't fair to even go there with her right now.
When I was scared of IBC my breast was literally burning, so I'm trying to tell myself okay maybe my eyes are going goofy because of my anxiety but that nasty little voice oh you might have swollen optic nerves too, your friend might have a brain tumour.
Honestly I cannot go through watching another person I love go through a brain tumour. It broke me before and it would break me again

[Pamplemousse]

This is reassurance seeking. What should you have learnt about that from your other thread ?

You had absolutely NO CONCERN about your eyes or pupils until hearing of your friend's medical referral. Doesn't that tell you something ?

This is a question I am asked in my current counselling session questionnaires, to do with health anxiety - to wit:

http://www.gpwebsolutions-host.co.uk...entory-HAI.pdf

Question 9 applies here, which is multiple choice and reproduced below:

a. If I hear about an illness I never think I have it myself
b. If I hear about an illness I sometimes think I have it myself
c. If I hear about an illness I often think I have it myself
d. If I hear about an illness I always think I have it myself

FWIW I have every sympathy for Chlobo and none for those who post unhelpful, snide and sarky comments.

[Carys]

It's cruel.

You are being passive again, with no recognition that you can control this and work at stopping it.

[pulisa]

You are being passive again, with no recognition that you can control this and work at stopping it.

Absolutely. I've been hospitalised too. You can't think of yourself as "broken". You DO have control over this and can't allow your HA to affect how you look after your children.

[pulisa]

I have always been triggered by my eyes, my brother had a brain tumour which fishmanpa knows about so eyes and brains are a huge trigger for me.
I've always had to avoid my eyes as a rule because If I start to check them I go down a shit road but with my friend and her health issues and my own pupil sometimes also being irregular I've lost it many times too.
I get what everyone is saying, trust me I do. I get cross with myself but my eyes HURT and I can feel the sensitivity to light. It's shit and yes it has suddenly come on since my friends eye problems. But my anxiety is crippling. I'm barely over my last bout of health anxiety with my breast. It's cruel. I just want to enjoy the Christmas with my children and instead I'm walking round the house feeling anxious and trying to fight panic attacks over my friend and her health and then my own health. The best thing to do would be for me to go to the eye doctor and get them to check my eyes but again the fear factor is stopping me. I am just as fed up of myself as everyone else on this forum is, I just need support and I don't get that much in real life apart from my friend who is now unwell herself so it isn't fair to even go there with her right now.
When I was scared of IBC my breast was literally burning, so I'm trying to tell myself okay maybe my eyes are going goofy because of my anxiety but that nasty little voice oh you might have swollen optic nerves too, your friend might have a brain tumour.
Honestly I cannot go through watching another person I love go through a brain tumour. It broke me before and it would break me again

That "nasty little voice" is actually you. You are telling yourself this and the brain fixates on what it believes is important..and obviously anything to do with your eyes is just overwhelming and hugely important/significant to you. So you are controlled by what you are thinking.