1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Anxiety Disorders

Healthy anxiety is really getting me down.

Posted , 7 users are following.

charlotte05744
charlotte05744

Morning all.

I'm a 22 year old female, over the past few months I've been suffering from health anxiety. I could normally put it to the back of my mind & forget about it but recently I've been thinking about it all the time. I've only just told my fiancé about it but he doesn't really understand how I'm feeling.

I google every symptom/pain/strange feeling that I have which inevitably says I've got cancer or some other awful illness. I do have a phobia of getting cancer & I'm constantly checking & prodding & poking myself for any kind of lump.

A couple of months ago I was suffering with heartburn & a feeling of fullness just below my sternum, I obviously googled this & it came up with GERD but also stomach cancer, oesophageal cancer, I then started to panic ever more! I saw my doctor about this & told him my fears, of course he told me not to worry too much about cancer & he prescribed my with lansoprazole, these did help which then put my mind at rest & my anxiety to the back of my mind.

Recently though I've had symptoms of all sorts!!! Of course I downloaded the WebMD app for the symptom checker. Entered all my symptoms & it said generalised anxiety disorder. I again went to my doctor & she gave me a prescription for beta blockers, I googled them & of course I didn't get the prescription because these slow your heart rate, to which I panicked & thought "if I take these my heart will slow down too much & stop" stupid I know!!!

So recently I've been having a feeling of fullness again in my abdomen, just below my sternum, of course googled again to which "enlarged spleen" came up, I then found Leukemia, I have afew of the symptoms such as tiredness, but not all. I'm now convinced I've got Leukemia!!! I can't get it out of my mind & I'm feeling panicky!!! I just want these feelings to go away 😔

Please tell me I'm not alone! Xxx

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • lee12629
    lee12629 charlotte05744

    Posted

    Your not alone.You are young enjoy your life.Stop looking things up.You will feel better.
  • Howll
    Howll charlotte05744

    Posted

    You need to stop googling, honestly everything you have experienced is anxiety. I get really bad gastric problems with anxiety, get a fullness/pressure in my head, sweats, shakes, stomach ache, chest pains. Anxiety can cause so many symptoms, both physical and mental. You gotta think if you had these diseases you'd be far worse by now having them left untreated.
    • charlotte05744
      charlotte05744 Howll

      Posted

      Do you have the feeling that you're unable to get a full breath?

      Just struggling atm because I'm completely consumed with the fear that I have leukaemia.

    • lee12629
      lee12629 charlotte05744

      Posted

      If you are going to worry about all these health issues at least wait til you are older.I am in my late fifties and health issues are creeping up on me, thats why I say enjoy your youth.At your age its not likely you have anything to worry about.Makes me sad you are consumed with such worry.You only get one life,please try and enjoy it.xxx
  • cjh1968
    cjh1968 charlotte05744

    Posted

    Hi Chaz. I too am on beta blockers and lansoprazol for exactly the same thing. The beta blockers are a good thing they do stop you from panicking as much. They won't stop your heart don't worry. Give them a few weeks to work and you will see a difference. The worst thing u can do is google your symptoms. There are thousands of conditions for your symptoms and the worst 1 always comes up at the top so take no notice. I have tons of other symptoms for anxiety and had all the test possible and have come back negative. So your not alone. It's the world we live in and the way we deal with everyday life that triggers symptoms. Remember 1 thing. Your dr will spot anything bad and will tell you the truth so try not let your negative thoughts control you. Tell them to do 1 and your not bothered by them. Say it out loud get in control of your mind and your body will follow. I'm here if you want any other answers. I'm a long term anxiety sufferer and have learnt how to deal with it.

    Chris X

  • pamela2016
    pamela2016 charlotte05744

    Posted

    Your not alone that's my biggest fear is blood cancer and cancer and I use to poke and feel all over my body for lumps as well. Try not to Google its so bad web MD makes a simple cold into something that will kill you in the next 24 hours. I don't Google much I come to these anxiety forums and it helps a lot. If you get the urge to Google come here someone will help reassure you its a great sight. Hang in there I know how hard it is I'm dealing with issues as well just take it one day at a time
  • charlotte05744
    charlotte05744

    Posted

    Thanks all.

    It's just constantly at the bad of my mind at the minute, any twinge of pain anywhere in my body I think the worst.

    My current symptoms are...

    Slight loss of appetite. A feeling of fullness in my stomach, sort of between ribs just under the sternum, I sometimes feel like I need to burp to rid this feeling. A bruised feeling when I press on some of my ribs. A feeling as though I can't get a full breath, sometimes having to yawn just to satisfy myself. Clearing my throat quite abit. Then when I think of all these things I start to get panicky, my body trembles abit & I get clammy palms & palpitations/racing heart.

    I used to be able to put these things to the back of my mind & doing other things took my mind off it, but now it's constantly there.

    X

  • jassy45458
    jassy45458 charlotte05744

    Posted

    i am.living in fear of my life... my health anxiety is off the scale... scared to death... periods changed and had lot of pelvis pain... convinced its cancer i am terrified and have googled that much i am actually living like a cancer patient... awful .. my anti depressants arent cutting it either... i awful thought its terrible ... i hope u feel better soon xx
  • NameGene
    NameGene charlotte05744

    Posted

    Stop thinking you are a walking time bomb. If you keep worrying, and researching, Dr. Google, which rarely leads to any solutions. No matter how much time you spend dwelling on worst-case scenarios, you’re no more prepared to deal with them should they actually happen. All you are doing is playing the imaginary, " What If " game.  Thinking about all the things that could go wrong doesn’t make life any more predictable, plus focusing on worst-case scenarios won’t keep bad things from happening. Try identifying the frightening thought, (what scares or worries you). Then, instead of viewing your thoughts as facts, treat them as hypotheses you’re testing out. I noticed everyone worries about

    the future !  I'm still trying to figure out who promised tomorrow to anyone.

    • jassy45458
      jassy45458 NameGene

      Posted

      oo i really wished i could stop thinking the worst... my life is over at the moment, cant function or do anything i am convinced i am dying and i am living on borrowed time... its just awful and i have no control over it at all... am terrified to go back to the doctors as i am convinced its going to be bad news.. i just cant cope at all ;0( x
    • NameGene
      NameGene jassy45458

      Posted

      What do you think the probability of what you are afraid of is actually going to happen ?  Try this, what would you say to a good friend of your if they presented you with this fear ? You can think the worst all you want, but don't filter out the positives. Positive being, you been to the doctors' already, if you were dying or had some terminal illness, you would have been told. Like you stated, you convinced yourself, one thing you can do is argue with yourself and unconvince yourself.
    • lee12629
      lee12629 jassy45458

      Posted

      Does your area have a 24 hr hotline that you could call just talk to someone at least on the phone.How about a best friend,parent,sibling,you need to talk to somebody.
    • lee12629
      lee12629 NameGene

      Posted

      So true no one,not any of is knows what tomorrow brings,we only have the moment we are in for sure.Another words we all really are in the same boat and we can choose to swim instead of going down with the ship.
  • charlotte05744
    charlotte05744

    Posted

    Evening all.

    I went to see my doctor yesterday about my thoughts & feelings & she diagnosed me with health anxiety. Checked my blood pressure & that was fine, felt my stomach & that was fine. Pulse was fine.

    She gave me a anxiety fact sheet which I found useful & I felt abit better.

    Until abit later on in the day, whilst at work I feel off balance, only very slightly. & I do suffer from tinnitus.

    I then panic as I wonder why I'm feeling off balance.

    Woke up in the middle of the night & felt as though my heart at stopped to which I panic & quickly move to make my heart rate increase. Then I start panicking, my legs start trembling etc. I soon dropped off to sleep though.

    I think I'm tired too as I'm a very busy nail technician working 40+ hours a week.

    The doctor recently diagnosed me with a build up of earwax, to which I put olive oil in them, they then felt muffled today again to which I panic!!!

    My legs have been trembly most of the night & sweaty palms, is this anxiety?

    Has anyone got any self help tips on how to get rid of these thoughts that I've got something wrong with me?

    Xxx

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.