Hi everyone. I am just gonna get to the point, I am driving myself crazy with health anxiety. So far this week I have had skin cancer, a brain tumour, lymphoma, a heart attack and a stroke.... and I'm still here. My "skin cancer" turned out to be a freckle/sun damage. My heart attack was chest pains from a panic attack, my lymphoma was sinusitis etc etc etc... The thing is I know how totally irrational I am being. I can totally see the logic but what I can't seem to get my head round is that all these aches,pains, twinges can actually be just caused by anxiety. I research Google tirelessly, as if trying to find some mystery illness that is "really" causing these pains. I have no real reason for my anxiety which somehow makes it feel harder to blame for everything. I have a happy home and work life, a supportive husband and perfect children yet this anxiety it taking over my life to the point where it it litterally all I think about. I'm going to list my symptoms...
Headaches
Neck pains
Jaw aches
Bizarre feeling under chin
Ear pressure and fullness
Odd tongue sensations
Upset tummy
Hot flushes
Funny sensation in my temples (pulsing???)
Feeling "out of it"
Feeling like I might faint
I am 34 year old, I am slim, don't smoke (I have an ecig) and don't drink (I have 2 young children). I go to the gym once a week. I have had blood tests (they didn't say what for exactly but mentioned blood count and thyroid) which came back totally normal, my ECG was the same. Had my neck and face examined when u had sinusitis, all fine. I feel constant trips to the GP are the only thing that eases my sense of impending doom but even that is short lived. I am on the waiting list for CBT and currently take 3 x 40mg propranolol a day. I'm just at my wits end, it's taking over my brain and I just don't know what to do anymore. Help! Could it be something underlying that the doctor hasn't picked up yet or is this really anxiety? Will I feel like this forever?!! So down about it at the moment 😢
In my mind I have had a heart attack, stroke and just random death brewing for months. It sucks.. I feel one heart palp and all of a sudden I'm terrified. I read this article yesterday that really helpwd and described a lot of things.. Do you mind if I message you the link? It explains that your mind and physical symptoms fight each other, but it's all normal. I don't think our doctors missed anything. Reason I say that is because I've gotten 4 opinions in one month.. All said they could not find anything physically wrong with me..
Omg you sound EXACTLY like me!!!! You literally just explained how I feel constantly.
Unlike you though I haven't had numerous tests done because I'm in a new country and don't have insurance or the cash to pay for everything privately. Which makes my health anxiety even worse because I cannot believe Anxiety can cause all these sensations. I've had dozens of symtoms, I started out with all the regulars. Such as exessive yawning, tension headaches, fatique, no apetite, feeling weak n faint etc.
Current symtoms:
Weird twinges in random places.
Sore muscles without me actually hurting myself.
Itchy and burning skin.
Joint pain esp elbows.
Constant fretting that I have a deadly desease.
Extreme mood swings&depression.
Feeling like I'm going mad.
My pains/twinges usually disappear on their own n then new ones show up.
You're in the states right? If you go to an ER, sign up for health insurance after and they will cover your medical bills for 3 months back.. That way you could still be seen and it wouldn't cost you anything. There's also urgent care places that will check you out for like $100 up front.
Yes I'm in the states and I've always thought urgent care was gonna cost me like $300 or more. I just wanna get a physical and blood work done, maybe reassurance will help me.
I'm gonna be 29 soon, I am slim, I run, shoot hoops, play golf I just love being physically active. I grew up in Jamaica and I had only natural foods up until my high school senior year. First time having pizza I was 17, my family has no history of serious illnesses. In fact my great grandmother lived to be 110 and several of her kids made it to their 90s. I've literally been healthy my whole life until 5months ago when Anxiety struck.
Now most times I sit in one place, the aches&pains making it hard to move. I constantly check&scan my body and I always seem to find a spot or something I thought was not there before.
Yeah definitely call around to some urgent cares. For blood work though if you want immediate results, I would go to an ER.. Say you're having chest discomfort and they will automatically do a scan, ekg and blood work on the spot and results same hour.. Just make sure you apply for health insurance (medicaid if you qualify on low income is great, they cover everything) within three months so you don't get stuck with that Bill.
Thanks so much for the responses. It's reassuring to hear I'm not the only one feeling this. It is so hard sometimes and to be honest I'm pretty embarrassed talking to many people about it. The people I do talk to are amazing, but so much so that I don't wanna freak them out by going on and on about it like I feel the need to sometimes. It's nice to vent, this has been really helpful. There is so much of a stigma still too, especially with the whole hypochondriac thing. Feeling blessed to live in the UK and have access to the NHS, I'm certainly getting my money's worth at the minute! ☺
Get it while you can sweet I've been having CBT for myself as the last year has been the worst for me !! Feeling like we do every day it's just to much sometime I really don't know how we all do it !! It just makes me believe that I'm a born surviver cuz I don't think many people could cope with my head and body at times lol ,,, I take full advantage of this site now it's really helped me out loads ... Last night I went to bed feeling fine then don't u know sharp pains in what feels like my heart my head goes straight to heart attack mode and all in a second I'm a mess then I look at my emails read a few people's posts and I start to feel relaxed X you will have to let me know how you get on with all your tests as part of my anxiety is I'm afraid of the docs so I won't go X
I'm a little freaked by the doctors too, totally get into a state before I go thinking he's going to tell me i have a life threatening illness, but honestly the relief (even though it's short lived cos I generally find the next illness lol) is worth it. Hope you all start to feel better soon. Had a fantastic talk with my sister yesterday (it's been a while) and it really helped. She totally gets me, we're not just sisters but best friends so I can be open and honest without feeling ridiculous about it which I often do. I spent the whole day with her and funnily enough didn't have 1 symptom the whole day, even after knocking the top off a mole which would usually send me into a total meltdown haha!! Thing is she has a busy life and I don't want to have all the pressure on her to "fix" me or have to rely on anyone. I want to do it myself. I am so determined to beat this now!!! Amazing how getting everything out to someone who listens without judgement is. So far today feeling positive still. Just had the usual upset tummy (but trying to block the words bowel and cancer out of my mind!!!!) And the odd chest twinge but not much more, praying it stays like that. It's so hard to beat when the physical symptoms sneak up on you before you realise it. I suppose it's just about trying to find a way of training your brain to think this is ok, it's just my body messing me about... I'll let you know if I ever find that way haha!! Good luck everyone, I know how crippling this is believe me xx
Keep that positivity for as long as you can it really does help ... Glad you had a good day ... I do t really tell anyone o suffer they wouldn't believe me I've become a master of hiding it maybe that's how I cope lol but yes take away from y day you never had no pain and see how good our minds are at tricking us lol so powerful ... Keep busy and then learn to relax at night that's what I've done xx
Keep that positivity for as long as you can it really does help ... Glad you had a good day ... I do t really tell anyone o suffer they wouldn't believe me I've become a master of hiding it maybe that's how I cope lol but yes take away from y day you never had no pain and see how good our minds are at tricking us lol so powerful ... Keep busy and then learn to relax at night that's what I've done xx