Health anxiety- how bad does it get for you?

[stuboyz]

Hi,

I've been suffereing with health anxiety for years now,

My recent concern is bladder cancer, i have had numerous urine samples (no blood found)

But other symptons like frequent and urgent urination are happening!! Can this all be pyschological?!? I do feel that as the years have gone by i genuinely have more aches pains/ symptons etc!!

My concern over bladder cancer has been on and off for just over two years.

Im going to the hospital in a couple of weeks for further urine tests (You can imagine what thoughts are going through my mind there)

I just wondered what others have experienced regards to the whole symptons issue and are they in your mind or is there something wrong!?!?

Thanks

S

[Hidden]

Hello

I've just been ranting about that actually...mine is a heart attack..anything else I don't really care about...but that's only because I have chest pains and heart palpitations...I bet if I had head pain I'd worry it was a brain tumor.

X

[stuboyz in reply to Hidden]

yeah i know what you mean,

it is scary at times!! i have just found that i get more symptoms more often!

is that anxiety getting worse, or is there really a problem!!

that for me is the problem!! lol

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hii I'm waiting results of a heart stress test. I had 3wks ago,I'm ringing the docs every day but still no results ,this waitng is killing me ,I'm so very worried,I think it's making me worse,I had a panic attack this morning after I'd got up ,scary,will the rest of my life allways b like this?

[evilimbic]

The problem with health anxiety is that you become hyper-aware of your physical symptoms and concentrate on them and the more you concentrate the the more common and stronger they appear to be. And of course you also get the vicious cycle - notice a physical anxiety symptom. worry about it, increase anxiety, increase symptom, worry more etc.

There's a very good book out there called overcoming health anxiety by David Veale and Row Wilson which is well worth anyone with health anxiety reading.

[Hidden in reply to evilimbic]

Thank you,il try and get hold of it ,this anxiety thing is ruining my life

[stuboyz]

I think i will to

[stuboyz]

For me though, its the whole 'if it aint one sympton, its another' its like i have become addicted to worry! like there is part of my brain that loves the worry, that wants me to have symptons so i can worry!!! and to be honest the thought of having a life free of worry does scare me!!

Worrying for me becomes a comfort blanket in some ways as its all i have ever known!!

[Ema2]

I feel like a part of me wants to worry too. And I was NOT this way at a younger age. (53 now) And don't think antianxiety med working as I have decreased it, but now symptoms... are they the decrease or my anxiety? I really need help and advice. I am in US and mainly also anxious to go do things with my friends because "i'm not like I used to be" all tell me to stop antianxiety but doc says to stay where I am. If up to him I would be on much more. Help any advice