Obsession with illness - please help is this normal?!

Hey,

I've been exactly the same for the past few days but I'm convinced I have throat cancer. I've been to my doctors today and she said that the chances are very unlikely but she will monitor me and see how I go in 4 weeks time. I'm the same as you - just a constant worry! I really hope for both our sakes that it is just the anxiety and not anything serious! It's such an awful frame of mind to be in!

Hope your feeling better x

Indeed I have,in my twenties I had sharp stabbing pains in the left side of my stomach,I felt distended and uncomfortable after eating,later I could hardly eat at all,and was not sleeping well,I was convinced it was cancer,and frankly too scared to see a doctor lest he confirmed it.

It was an obsession,the word CANCER spread into my thoughts,day and night,night and day,week after week and the anxiety built up and built up,making it ten times worse.I could take no more,this was a living death,so I saw the doctor at last,had various tests,and I was diagnosed with a small duodenal ulcer,the relief was unbelievable,although I still felt awful.

I was prescribed a new medication at the time called CAVED-S,a tablet the size of an extra strong mint,and as thick,to eat before meals,after one week I was fully recovered.

Lately i have been diagnosed with Barretts Esophagus,which at times replicates all those symptoms,it will never get better(at least without laser surgery),so at age 64 I face a life with this,1 in 80 people die as a result of this turning cancerous,my mum and dad both died of esophagus cancer,but you know what I will not let it beat me,I don't worry about it,that will do no good at all,only make it worse,there is enough to worry about beside that.

Please see a GP,go through the various tests,if it still concerns you that is,and then you will know for sure,fear breeds fear,obsessions accompany fear,one of its closest allies,be wary of fear!

Wishing you a healthy outlook

Regards Malc

When I was in my teens I had terrible fears of contracting some disease or dying in a house fire.

It was an intolerable way to live. I got over it after finding the underlying cause of my phobias.

Many years later I was found to have early stage breast cancer. I had surgery (not a mastectomy only a

lumpectomy) and radiation treatments - no chemotherapy. I was confident in my doctors and thankfully

more than five years have passed with no recurrence. Even during the period of treatment I did not

experience the terrible fears which had plagued me when I was a young girl. Finding the underlying

cause of your fears might bring you the peace you need and should have. In my case it was an

impending marriage. After I broke my engagement I began to get my life back. I'm an old lady now and

have had my share of disappointments and sorrows but thank God the unfounded phobias never

returned. I wish you good health and peace. Seeing a good physician and undergoing tests to rule out

illnesses will also bring you peace of mind.

Hi you are not alone. Once I think I have an illness then the synptons go away or the doctor says I'm fine, I will think of a new illness I might have. Right now I think I got 4 different life threatening illnesses and im sick with worry. It's sooooo annoying and overwhelming to live like this. I hope we all get the help we need soon so we can live a healthy normal life!!!

Hi Nicola,

did you know that your mind can play tricks. If you obsess about a particular illness the mind can trigger the nerves to generate pain in that area. This is referred pain where your anxiety has triggered pain elsewhere.

You could go on and on worrying about different things but getting checked out is a good idea to put your mind at rest.

Richard

hi I know how you feel, its not nice but you really have to try and put your sensible head on, not easy I know, thre has been so much illness in my family and im convinced its gonna be me next, we have to try and put things in perspective, but very hard to do when your anxiety levels are through the roof.

Nicola, I really feel for you. An actual illness might not cause you as much stress as your obsessions are.

I think Richard's and Lesley's advice is sound. I'm sure that once you are

checked out and find that you have no real medical problems you will feel 100% better. Then really

concentrate on your wellness. Don't let your mind spin you back into anxiety over some imagined new

illness.

Thank you all do the replies and helpful advice. Not had the best weekend and now he a sore neck to add to my symptoms! Keep thinking there all related and can't stop worrying. Hopefully I can enjoy and Mother's Day and try to relax x