Hiya,
im new to this site but I have read some of the threads and found some reassurance.
Ill try and begin by explaining my main issues
it all started about 3 months ago, i discovered a lump in my neck, which doc told me was a lymph node, and to put my mind at rest sent me for a blood test, which came back very normal, although this didnt reassure me, and when i found a couple more lymph nodes i convinced myself i had cancer, there would be days when i would run out of work in a real surreal state of panic, and since then i have been visiting the doctors at least once a week, now i know this is all anxiety related, but when i get a thought in my mind it seems so real i cant ignore it.
I had previously been on fluoxetine 20 mg which i had stopped taking in july time, as a result of what happened to my health anxiety i went back on the fluoxentine, and just as i was managing to cope with the fact i was infact healthy, i started believing i had a brain tumour, again doc sent me for a brain scan which came back abosolutely fine, then doc referred me to counselling sessions which i am due to attend next month.
My medication was then changed to sertraline, as i felt i could no longer get through a day without this insane worrying, its taking over my life and was depressed...why me? why cant i be like other 23year old girls my age?
first i took 50mg of sertraline, and when this didnt really help, it was upped to 100 mg about 3 weeks ago, the good thing is im slowly starting to feel ok again, much less obbsessive thinking, although i do still google my symptoms and scare myself (worst thing you can do i know)
but on the other hand i think im suffering side effects...well i WANT to believe there side effects but theres a little voice in my head scaring me telling me its something dreadful like disease, these symptoms are: aching joints, i wake up in the night sometimes drenched in sweat (which i am now beginning to re-think is cancer), and strange chest pain, which is worse with breathing outwards, coughing or laughing, the doc thought it was costochondritis and told me to take anti inflammatory tablets which seemed to work, but very oddly, yesterday it returned and i felt like i would have a heart attack! it happened the minute i woke up to the minute i went to sleep...and today its gone! It cant be anxiety because its worse only on leaning forward, breathing out and laughing and that sort of thing, not like anxiety chest pains which i have had in the past...i also get that choking feeling around my throat which comes and goes.
My main worry is that everytime i go to the docs, they are so used to me being a nervous wreck and a hypochondriac that they will miss something serious I have, its an awful way to feel, and i just want to know where all this is going to end.
I am due back to the docs tommorow to discuss my concerns about the sertraline,
the chest pain and night sweats i described really do frighten me, please if someone has been through something similar or has had these side effects while on sertraline please get in touch.
thankyou
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