Severe anxiety/health and OCD

I've  had exactly the same symptoms and been to both the hospital & the doctors in the past.  I've been going through phases now for quite some time of having severe OCD and anxiety with regards to my health and it seems to be slowly getting less frequent.

currently I've had pulsating tinnitus for about the last 4 days which is a sign that my anxiety levels are high and I've had a few aches and pains that I've started to attribute to things like blood clots, heart problems etc etc.  I've been managing to keep myself in check but the thoughts still linger.

I think once the association of the physical symptoms of anxiety attacks is broken, it's only then can you start to move forward and retrain your thought process to not pay attention to these physical symptoms that come with having anxiety.  

Sometimes it feels impossible or your back to square one, but when I look at how I was when it all started to how I deal with it now I guess I've been making steady progress over the last few years and hopefully one day it will fully go away and I'll be a stronger person for it.

just keep doing what your doing and remind yourself that your making progress.  In hindsight I now see that my anxiety was brought on over about 8 years of stress & undiagnosed depression so it's going to take me a good few years to change my mindset, but I think we will all get there in the end.

Had HA foe over 40 years

 

I for over a yr have been having chest pains..at first I said ok I need to stop smoking..I did I started vaping..but I did have bronchitis..my chest pain would fade away but never be gone..we cut wood alot during winter and I noticed the next day of doing something where I was lifting it would b alot worse..I started having anxiety over this and with the chest pains and the effects of anxiety..I think it's my heart..I've had ekg it was ok blood work..it was ok..this is continuing over and over..but now I can't get rid if chest painand now have rib back and neck and leg pain..so of course my mind is running constantly..I've been to dr about this few times over the yr about chest pains..he recently diag. me with fibermyalgia and chest wall pain (costochondritis) but I guess I'm not happy with that diagnosis..they are still trying to rule out other things..but I always think to dang much..I'm scared to have that..and also just constant worries, that's it's something worse..the way my mind feels it's like there is something seriosly wrong..I know my anxiety is taking my life over..if I feel tired or any little twitch or if I forget something or do something wrong. It freaks me out. Thinking it's my brain now..the anxiety has made my mind and my eyes always feel like I'm on drugs..but not even taking any meds..like my eyes r seeing through a fishbowl like she had said..it last for hrs and days..which is causing me more anxiety..I just feel like I'm going crazy..it makes me clumsy and dizzy like I'm gonna pass out..it also makes me feel like I can't think right..it always about what I'm feeling and what's wrong with me..when will I get my life back..is anyone else feeling this?

Hi all, in answer no I'm not ready for my therapy to end but as it's on NHS I really have no choice. I can't afford to go private as through anxiety I lost my job. It's really hard everyone when you are in the grip of health anxiety and every breath, niggle, pain and tingle is analysed to the nth degree, however I'm not going to let it beat me. It has been taking over my life and I really feel for the other posters on here with such similar woes. Nick I was diagnosed with chest wall pain but I thought well how have I got that, and Scott you are right you do have to retrain your brain to a different way of thinking. I suppose we really need to say to ourselves we are actually responding to the anxiety but if it was something else we can deal with it then. Cross that bridge when we come to it. I know that's over simplifying it but what else can you do. I'm so over sitting everyday worrying so much that I'm taking the train to the terminal station if you know what I mean. It's so tiring having anxiety, people who don't know think oh like the way you feel when you go for an interview, you know like nervous ? I'm like no it's a bit more than that. It's endless, but I know we can overcome it. Best of luck to everyone. Stay strong. 

I can't understand why the NHS doesn't do more therapy.  I paid for a couple but couldn't afford anymore.  It would cut down on GP and hospital visits

I agree Mary, I think the success rate might be higher. 

do you think GPs need more education on health anxiety?

I've been having all of those problems. I wish I was back to my old self again. I could go out more, and not worry about being anxious 9 times out of 10. I hope this gets better.

Hi Kayla it's tough isn't it, but we just need to keep going. I hope you feel better soon. Stay strong.