I'm 25 years old and for the past 3/4 weeks i think I've been suffering from health anxiety. First I was having night sweats and google made me think this was the start of a serious illness. Next I had chest pains which I thought were strained muscles but it lasted for a few weeks and I convinced myself this was serious. I now have a pain in my left breast and now I'm convinced I have breast cancer and I'm loosing the plot. I have two small children (aged 2 and 10 weeks) this is running my life and my partner thinks I'm mad. Every little symptom I get I google it and it makes me worry so much more. I've had my left breast checked and it's okay, also had an ECG and that was fine. I go from being fine one minute to panic and google searching the next.
I don't know what to do. I'm so upset and keep thinking about my children now growing up with a mum.
The pain I have is like a lingering pain from the back of my breast, sometimes i feels hot and the pain travels to my back. I'm also now worried about my other breast because the nipple has inverted tonight so I'm thinking this is serious 😟
Please is anyone having the same symptoms. Please help me x
I should see a breast specialist just in case there is something wrong. just to be on the safe side.
best wishes
Richard
Have you seen a cardio specialist
also a possibility. What does your GP say
Richard
No I've lot yet seen a breast specialist Richard but I will mention to my doctor again on the next visit. My doctor checked and said I was fine but you never know. I'm demented with worry.
I go through exactly what your going through almost on a daily basis. Health anxiety is taking over my life. I'm 34 with 3 young kids and I always worry about every ache/pain or symptom being something serious or life threatening. My husband feels the same as your husband.
One piece of advice; DO NOT GOOGLE ANYTHING EVER!!!!!! I cannot stress that enough. I started googling stuff and eventually according to google I had breast cancer, ovarian cancer, blood cancer, brain tumours, etc..... I scared myself so much. My symptoms went away snd I've had a few test to confirm I'm ok. I still convince myself I'm sick sometimes . My shoulder has been paining off and on for the last few weeks and I'm terrified it's something serious. I always worry I'm gonna die and leave my kids without a mom. That's my BIGGEST fear. I hate living like this. What triggers your anxiety and how long have you been dealing with it?
Also anxiety can make you feel sooo many things physically such as: stomach problems, chest pains, chest tightness, headaches, aches and pains anywhere on body, so many more. Do a breast exam and if everything feels the same, you have no discharge from breast, no dents, no rash then it's prob just a normal body pain. But please don't google. It's a nightmare!!!
Hi mandi. Sorry to hear about your worries. I'm new to this and only just started being anxious 2/3 weeks ago. It comes out of nowhere, one minute I'm busy with kids and not thinking about it them next minute I'm sore again and google my symptoms - usually tells me I have breast cancer. So scared that I do even though the doctor examined me. I noticed my other breast had a small change tonight and now I'm focused on that ring a sign of cancer. Will this ever stop? I woke up feeling normal on Saturday and then nighttime came and I was back to panicking and being sore. How can I distinguish real pain from this anxiety pain?
I have noticed a change in both my boobs and I was panicking a lot too. I went to my doctor to have a breast exam but everything felt fine. My friend found a lump in her breast and she was terrified because there is a history of breast cancer in her family they did an ultrasound right away and everything was fine it was just a cyst.
Trust me when we worry about these things we convince ourselves that it is very real and we definitely have that illness that we fear. You are not alone.... Sooo many people are going through what you are going through. Anxiety comes out of nowhere like you said. I was a happy healthy teenager in high school and one day out of the blue I started panicking that I was gonna die. So ever since then I have been going through this. It's very scary but just know that you aren't the only one going through it.
Talk to your doctor to ease your worries and fears.
I'm scared to go to the doc sometimes because I'm afraid of hearing bad news. I force myself to go. At least it helps to know either way. Sometimes my problem is tho that my doctor missed something or isn't telling me the truth. I know I shouldn't think that but I do. Everyone I talked to professionally said to never google. I have some friends who are nurses and as they went through school , most of them all had symptoms of so many diseases. They are all healthy and fine but the symptoms they seen in books and online convinced them they had a serious illness. So no more googling ok!!!! Lol
I'm relieved that you've had similar symptoms, makes me feel a bit better. Have you had anxiety for a while then? Does it not get easier? I don't think I would like to take medication for it but not sure of anything else would work. I promise I will try not to google lol it's always telling me the worst scenario! I think I will be another breast exam to ease my mind then I will ask for some help (maybe a group to join or a councillor) not sure I can live with this for months or years. I take it out on my family and it's ruining everything. Not sure if the birth of my daughter has brought this on because I've been struggling a bit. Hope we both find relief very soon x
Yes I've been dealing with it for 18 yrs
but it definitely 100% gets better. I encourage you to talk to someone who can explain to you what makes us think the way we think when we have anxiety. There is nothing wrong with you I promise. Millions of people go through this everyday and some worse than others.
Although I've had anxiety for 18 yrs, doesn't mean it's taken over my life. I did have meds off and on ( Paxil) a very mild dose.... However, once I started talking to ppl that have anxiety like me, I got stronger, and realized it's all in my mind and I'm not gonna let this control me. This is a good way to think but sometimes it gets the best of me and it takes a few days to get back on track.
So please tell your doctor how your feeling and look for some support groups in your area. Don't ever be ashamed or afraid to talk to someone. Always put your mental and physical health first and do what's best for you!!!
I'm here anytime you need to chat ok..
Hello nicola
Im sorry to hear you are struggling if your baby is only 10 weeks have you considered you may have post natal anxiety. I had that after my 1st and it was horrendous. For it to suddenly come on when yoh haven't suffered anxiety or its symptoms would indicate to me its post natal anxiety. I had pain in my chest and breast pain like you after the baby and convinced myself it was cancer and it turned out to be anxiety related. Although it is worth checking with a doc it could be mastitis. If it is post natal anxiety and as long as your not breast feeding there are tablets low doses they can give you which will help your anxiety levels and lessen the horrible symptoms. I agree completely with mandi don't Google it will make you worse I convinced myself I had pueperal psychosis cancer dementia all sorts. Doing that in a hyper anxious state based around health is the worst possible thing to do will make It 10x worse. I recommend visit your gp explain how your feeling symptoms etc they may well perform routine bloods just to rule any psychical illness out and if nothing is awry It could most likely be put down to post natal illness. I hope your feeling better soon and you get the help you need quickly
Natalie
Hi Natalie. Thank you for the message. I've not actually considered that, I will speak to my doctor about it. I will stay away from google it's driving me mad! Have you had anxiety for long? How do you cope with the symptoms? It's so difficult. I'm now focusing on my other breast and starting to worry about that. I've already had an ECG and blood tests, they said they were okay and nothing to worry about. I will get bloods done again in a month or so. I'm getting a chest X-ray later this week to make sure there is nothing causing the pain. I'm so obsessed that it's cancer! It's terrifying me. Hope your well today xx
Hi nicola.
the others are right, stay away from google, google is NOT a friend. Ive had so many terminal illnesses according to google.
I've Had health anxiety for a couple of years and panic disorder for 5 years. It does get better. I use CBT and its wonderful. Have a chat with your GP about how you're feeling and they could refer you for therapy. There are lots of ppl on here who will give great advice and know how you feel. There's also another site i'm on called no more panic and its brilliant. Loads of people from all over the world, so always someone who knows what you're going through and the likelihood is there's always someone online for your moments of need. I've found it to be a blessing.
I hope you start to feel better soon. xx
Hi nicola
Ive had anxiety for 15 yrs this year it was GAD before I had my daughter 7 yrs ago after I had her I was in a bad way bad post natal anxiety lost over 2 stone constantly fearing death serious illness insanity. I convinced myself I was gonna end up sectioned. After I recovered from that episode I have had health anxiety and made myself worse self diagnosing on google obsessing over the side effect sheets you get in medication. All exaspwrates the problem. I had a blip about 6 weeks ago now but was down to bad batch of medication. Getting back to normal now I take 10mg of amitrypline at night helps me sleep relax etc. Medication ain't ideal but I gets you back to a place where you can think more clearly and rationally. Im about to start CBT to help manage anxiety attacks. I hope just hearing all these things your feeling are normalised by just knowing someone else has been there. I do recommend a forum on www.pni.org.uk I think?? Is more specific to post natal illness. I hope you will be ok and get it sorted soon wouldn't wish feeling like that on anyone xx
Hi honey, I'm 20 and I am suffering this terribly. I. Have been prescribed tablets I won't even take because of the side effects.
Mine all started last October/November when I fount a lymph node in my neck, I. Had bloods which all came back fine, I. Get the sweats and the same symptoms as you. I keep thinking iv got cancer and I'm going to die I also have a 13 month old boy, I know exactly how you feel only tonight I feel a lot better joining this group as I'm finding people like yourself who is also having the same symptoms and I am not alone
Anxiety is the worst thing and nobody knows unless they suffer with it. Xx
I have made my own discussion maybe have a read and reply last night I had to bring myself to bed through worrying myself sick and sweating up feel like I'm wasting my doctors time keep going and he keeps telling me there is nothing wrong and it's just a lymph node. I agree with the google comments I have googled my symptoms so many times according to that, I have lymphoma, I read up the symptoms and magically I have them!
I suffered these back in 2010 in my groin although they was massive and I ended up in hospital and they just popped the ones on my neck are no way near as big but the anxiety is the worst thing to live with. This group tonight has made me feel so much better until reading that other people suffer like me with the same thing it was actually ruining my day to day life of my usual activity and playing with my little boy. I know exactly what your going through. It would be lovely to chat so we can all try and make our selfs feel better to get back to day to day life xx
Hi everyone and thank you for the replies. Kirsty Bradley's mummy - are the symptoms becoming easier to cope with or do they become worse over time? Have the doctors done other tests to rule out your worse fears? I get night sweats, chest pain, sharp pains in my back and the main symptom is my breast pain. I keep checking my breasts looking for changes and I'm now focusing on the right one and think it looks different. I'm calling the doctors tomorrow morning to get a check up so they can check my breasts again. I'm so paranoid and scared. I have no idea how this happened and it's totally ruining my life. I keep searching for new symptoms I worry myself about. I've even started to avoid seeing friends and family because I feel down about this. Do you do the same? It's horrible 😟xx
Hey chick, this got easier after my bloods came back clear, up until last Saturday when I received a letter that never explained what it was and I couldn't find out until the Monday when I could phone my doctor to see where and why I had been referred so as you suffer with anxiety yourself you can imagine how I was feeling waiting 2 days to find out what this letter was severe anxiety came back - sweats, feeling sick etc!
Iv only had one set of bloods which tested my lymph nodes that all came back clear.
Until I received this letter which I fount out was to if with further bloods after seeing my doctor on Monday I asked why I had been referred and he said it wad because I was so worried about them and it was to put closure on it although anxiety plays a huge part in my pain I think now. I didn't until I joined this page tonight.
I get the sweats day or night mainly when I'm thinking about it and googling which s***s me up!
But now iv read about health anxiety sweating is part of it and iv also 'heard' suffering health anxiety you magic your own symptoms through Google and thinking the worst!
T feel a stinging sensation through my neck in my lymph nodes and in my collar bone I keep thinking I've got some sort of tumor that's spreading through my body from my lymph nodes! I feel like if I tell my doctor he will just laugh
it's not a nice thing to live with being so young and having my 13 month old!
I just want to feel my normal happy self :-(
I even might take myself for a massage to see if any pain is due to having knots in my muscles from pregnancy and holding my little one!
Hopefully none of us have anything serious and it's our anxiety playing up on us
Good luck I look forward to your reply xx
My doctor said the same thing I me about further blood tests because I was worrying so much. I've also had an ECG and I'm getting a chest X-Ray this week to rule anything else out. It's so scary! I'm finding it so difficult to sleep at night and really need my sleep with my 10 weeks old waking for feeds and having my toddler to look after on top of that. I can imagine your also very busy in day to day life. I will message you tomorrow once I've been back to my doctors, they will think I'm mad but I new constant reassurance or I might tip myself over the edge! Night for now chick, your not alone xx
I'm so glad I'm not alone and other people know exactly what I'm going through does constant reassurance help you? Because that's starting not to work for me now, I'm even worried the doctors are missing something I should know about! Last night I felt much better after reading the same kind if stories on here but this morning iv woken up and it's all back to panicking again:-( I would love to know if it's a lymph node or a cyst in my neck as the doctor has said it could be either one but I don't think it's a cyst because I have 3-4 of them.
Let me know when you've been to the doctor today! I'm going to make my appointment for my further bloods today that's just going to make me worse until I get an appointment and my results! The things life does to us ay! I've only been like this since I had Bradley I think it's the thought of dying and leaving him behind! Sounds like I'm taking it extreme but it's just what this anxiety does to you
Speak to you soon honey x x x