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Health Anxiety

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richard69411
richard69411

Good Evening 

26 year old male here working as an occupational therapist. 

Have a question relating to health anxiety, has anyone else experience when reading up on there physical symptoms and reading related symptoms to diseases ect they start to physically experience them also?. 

My physical symptoms are.. 

Pins and needles occasionally in hands and  feet daily. 

Tingling limbs this also includes hands and feet. 

Floaters in both eyes. 

Full body twitching and jerking throughout the day. 

Digestive problem such as excess gas, bloating stomach noises. 

Muscle tension and pain. 

Headaches 

Sharp pain in middle of chest happens throughout the day. 

Heart palpitations, rapid heartbeat where I can feel my pulse constantly in my hands, neck, arms, back of head. 

Docters are pointing to anxiety, had full blood count came back normal. And MRI Head and Neck.

Been offered antidepressants although I don't feel anxious or depressed I do feel constantly edge. 

And feel that I might of develop health anxiety due to the symptoms im experiencing. Thinking I have got MS, ALD, Eye cancer, brain tumour, or rare digestive disease...

I have now started to become fixated on my moles on my body constantly thinking they are changing or develping new ones. I'm starting to feel insane..

I am enrolling in counselling with my first session starting on Wednesday evening to expore and to give rationale towards thought process. 

Thank you for reading commets would be greatly appreciated. 

19 likes, 130 replies

130 Replies

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  • jmcg2014
    jmcg2014 richard69411

    Posted

    Oh yes that's what health anxiety is all about, and why we should never google! All it takes is an idea of a problem and every sensation is a sign.  Therapy will help, stay away from google and concentrate on dealing with the root anxiety
    • AnonymousWoman
      AnonymousWoman jmcg2014

      Posted

      Great advice Jmcg - tackle the root. It can be easy to get sidetracked by symptoms that crop up and start thinking you have another illness and start worrying about that. When really all you are experiencing is further symptoms of anxiety. Go back to the root as Jmcg says smile 
  • jeromy86
    jeromy86 richard69411

    Posted

    I have just recently been diagnosed with anxiety and given some meds for it and I have like all those symptoms I keep the headache and dizzy feeling alot my stomach stays very bloated gassy and noisy and my acid reflux backs up into my throat causing a lump feeling and excessive swallowing I have heart palps and pains in my chest daily today is the first time ive had a pretty good bit of muscle pain that had my arms hurting pretty bad so I know how you are feeling
    • jmcg2014
      jmcg2014 jeromy86

      Posted

      The lump in the throat is so familiar for anxiety and so common. But jeez its awful!
    • Jayney84
      Jayney84 jeromy86

      Posted

      my symptoms mirror your symptoms ...just wondering what medication u have been tried on? Thinking I maybe need some
  • irina1975
    irina1975 richard69411

    Posted

    Hi Richard,

    What you are describing in your post, was exactly my situation back in December 2009.

    It all started when I got full custody of my son, and I starting panicking about dying and leaving my son without a mother.

    So, I started having, what I later discovered, health anxiety. 

    I quit smoking cause I thought I had trouble breathing, and i thought was lung cancer.

    Then I was getting pains in my stomach...I thought was stomach cancer. One morning I woke up with the bridge of my nose a bit tender. I googled it right away, and I saw "possible cancer". Then my bones were sore...I thought I had bone cancer.

    If people would tell me they were sick, I always asked what their symptoms were. And I was getting them too. If someone said they had cancer, I would ask what kind and how they were diagnosed(symptoms etc)...and yes, you guessed it. I had them too!

    Then every time I looked at my watch was always 9:11. I thought was a sign. I used to cry myself to sleep, until I reached out for help in March 2010. On my way to see the pdoc, guess what...I driving behind an empty hearse. That's it I said. Another sign.

    When I got to the pdoc, I told him all about the empty hearse. He talked to me for a long time, I explained nicely all the kinds of cancers I thought I had and he ran a battery of tests which came back normal. 

    And yes, I was put on medications, which worked wonders for my anxiety.

    So, you are not alone. I didn't think I had anxiety and needed meds. But I was wrong. 

    Because what you are describing, it's definetly health anxiety!

    • jeromy86
      jeromy86 irina1975

      Posted

      Yes thats the exact way I feel now everything I feel and hear I think about it then google it and start making myself think I have it...health anxiety is horrible...what did u get to help yours
    • irina1975
      irina1975 jeromy86

      Posted

      Hey jeromy...first, I was banned from google. Please, stay away from it. 

      I got cipralex (lexapro), and I went to therapy after. But it's hard to follow therapy once the meds start working...cause all of a sudden, I was cured of all diseases!

      Mind you, wait until all your side effects are gone. Than you will see the benefits.

      And don't get me wrong...I'm back on meds, because I didnt consider staying in therapy and my anxiety came back last month. Now I'm on this forum trying to get over the side effects. Now I'm taking celexa.

      What are you on?

    • jeromy86
      jeromy86 irina1975

      Posted

      I just saw that u replied to me I apoplogize...I am on Hydroxyzine 25mg the brand name is atarax its an antihistamine used to help treat anxiety im just not 2 sure about it
    • eleanor79071
      eleanor79071 irina1975

      Posted

      Hi,

      I have the EXACT same situation! My dad died at 42 and I have this anxiety that I'm going to for at 42 (I'm 40). I've been going to the doctor for what feels like forever! Upper abdominal pain, shoulder burning, chest and back pain, pins and needles pain when taking a deep breath, a cough, the list goes on and on! I feel like every time I look at the clock it says 42..12:42, 1:42 etc! I google everything! I know I shouldn't but I can't help it! I've had blood tests, ultrasounds, chest X-rays. Now I'm thinking I need a CT scan. I am a mother of 3 and I worry about leaving my children. I'm a smoker so I'm convinced I have lung cancer. It's so frustrating because I have physical symptoms. I worry that it has to be something because I can't just have all these symptoms....I feel the physical pain! Your post made me feel better but I don't know how to get rid of the physical pain!

      Helen

    • yellowbird76
      yellowbird76 eleanor79071

      Posted

      Hi Helen! I am so sorry that you are going through this. My dad had the same situation. His father died when he was 63 and my dad thought he'd die at the same age. He is a pretty healthy guy and is turning 71 in a week. But it did stop him from doing a lot in his life and I think it caused a great deal of stress. He now is dealing with all of it and it's too bad because so many years of his life were wasted on all the worrying and everything that goes along with it! 

      I now feel like I suffer from health anxiety. But I am trying to overcome it. I found this site: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypochondria/Pages/Introduction.aspx

      and 

      http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypochondria/Documents/Health%20Anxiety%20A4%20%202010.pdf

      I have been reading through the second one a lot and some of things on it has helped me. Just thought I'd share with you. It is a terrible feeling and I know what it is like to be scared about leaving childrenbehind. But I just decided after sitting here one night not being able to take deep breaths, aching stomach and the feeling that I was going to end up in the emergancy room I had to do something. I found this site and it led me to do more searching.  I hope this helps a little! I think talking or writing about it helps a lot too! 

    • SkyeBeth
      SkyeBeth irina1975

      Posted

      Irina,  I know exactly where you are coming from.  I'm the sole carer of my special needs daughter and have been recently diagnosed with panic disorder because I'm constantly worrying what's going to happen to her when I pass away and I'm only 37. The panic can be so crippling that for the last six months that's all I''ve been able to focus on, lost interest in work, hobbies and friends.  I've been on meds for about three weeks and starting to feel a bit better as in the panic attacks have subsided but the anxiety is still there.
    • caroline46516
      caroline46516 eleanor79071

      Posted

      OMG, I could have written this post... I have every sympton you do and its getting worse, now conviced I have pancreatic cancer - I stay up all night googling symptoms for my constand mid back/rib pain and stomach bloating etc.  Im also a long time smoker (the more I worry about lung cancer the more I smoke because i'm so upset) and around around I go.. Would really like to hear from you..
    • renA3912
      renA3912 caroline46516

      Posted

      Hi, did you ever find out if anything was wrong? I too have all these symptoms with the mid back pain and hurts on my sides right by lower rib cage. So horrible and a strange cold sensation went thru my chest down to my feet and I starting sweating and feeling like this is it I'm going to die. I've had anxiety most of my life but been able to deal with it but I started feeling irritated, antsy and heart racing so my dr put me on Prozac and I feel better for awhile but symptoms start again at some point during the day. Recently I was just sitting at dinner and I could feel it starting and pure dread set in. I am so tired of this because I worry about cancer and heart attack all the time. I've seen 2 Drs and went to urgent care and they said I've pulled or strained muscles In my back. I have gained weight just turned 50 and thinking it was menopause until a friend died of pancreatic cancer and now I believe I have it or colon cancer. I'm like Jeez this has to stop but a new symptom will start and here I go again. Nights are becoming miserable because I fear I will wake up again with that awful cold sensation in my chest.

      I hope you are feeling better and can help !!!

    • carolinegrace
      carolinegrace irina1975

      Posted

      this sounds so much like me...even the time thing mine is 21.21 horrible thing to suffer. r with..its stopping me enjoying life
    • elaine75058
      elaine75058 caroline46516

      Posted

      hi caroline how are u now? im exactly the same been living 7 months of hell are u stil on this board? and did u take any medication?
    • sean2015
      sean2015 irina1975

      Posted

      Please what meds were u on I've been put on progabalin but feel worse only taking25mg a day

    • angel919
      angel919 renA3912

      Posted

      Hi my name is angel. Im new and i have been reading all ur posts and i must say this is where i belong. I too suffer from heath anxiety. Im 58 yrs old. Look 40 and noone believes i do not feel good because everyone says"u look great" well yes u can feel like this. I too lead a life of constant dread of dying. Now im fixated on internal bleeding, heart attack. I too smoke more from stress. I recently had hip replacement surgery and i swore i wouldnt pull thru. I was given that blood thinner and after the fsct i swear i have all the symptoms that will kill me. I also have the worst stomach issues that i must be bleeding inside. I have no energy im weak anxious depressed and feel doomed most of the time. It just comes on out of nowhere. I dont know what to do anymore all i do is worry. I worry so much i exhaust myself. There is so much more for another day. Just thought i would ilet u know. Non of u are alone. I hope thru this site we can help each other. And i was doing counseling fir substance abuse ptsd depression panic etc.. But when my symptoms came back i had to stop. So worried about everything. Wasted so much of my life worrying and i have great support at home my husband snd myvlil yorkie cheechee. Ok talk to u later good luck

    • lucy23769
      lucy23769 caroline46516

      Posted

      I have just been reading all these posts and I thought the exact same thing I could off written it myself to I have every single symptom of anxiety u all have mentioned and infact I'm having a really scary bad day with it today.one question I have to ask is could having numb hands and then being a slight blue colour have anything to do with it and I find myself constantly looking at my hands and asking people if they look blue.so scary and relate to all off u.lucy xx

    • jeff18640
      jeff18640 irina1975

      Posted

      I don't know if you are still on here but holy cow we sound exactly alike I still deal with this every day. I feel like I'm all alone in this situation.

    • christine_10668
      christine_10668 irina1975

      Posted

      Hi irina I am having the same symptoms you previously had my doctor started me on metazepine what medication worked for you I don't think this medication is working for me.

      Thanks.

    • Big_lass_j
      Big_lass_j angel919

      Posted

      Hi angel it's good to finds someone the same has me I am so desperate... I am 61 and so scared all day everyday I just need to talk to some one that understands ... hope you see this angel .

    • Dbmetsfan
      Dbmetsfan irina1975

      Posted

      I couldn’t believe when I saw what you said about the time. I feel like every time I look at a clock it is on the 19. It could be 1:19 2:19 whatever and it makes me feel the same that something is going to happen to me with the number 19. I actually have anxiety on the 19th of every month thinking something will happen to me. I have been having chest pains and my anxiety is through the roof. I also have the same thing with seeing ambulances almost every time I am driving and gave the same thought that I see them as a sign. I hate this. I am 55 years old and scared silly 
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