Health Anxiety

[wallkath]

I'm currently pregnant with my second child and I cannot for the life of me stop stressing about every ailment. I know I must avoid googling but I do it anyway, in hopes of calming my nerves, and I end up totally stressed and overwhelmed. Currently I'm having swollen lymph nodes in my armpits (which i've had for months) and the left side of my jaw/neck feels sore/painful for several weeks. I did end up going to the doctor and I am getting some ultrasounds done of the lymph nodes but I didn't realize until today that jaw/neck pain on the left side could be a warning sign of heart problems in women. I think my biggest fear at this point is passing away and leaving behind two small children. I've always had anxiety but never this kind of health anxiety since I had my first daughter. And because i'm pregnant I cannot take anything to relieve the anxiety. I wish my brain would calm down and just let it go but it holds onto this negative thoughts and lets them fester.

[Icanbeathis2016]

I truly understand what you mean and how you feel. It's like you can't even focus on life at all. And the thought of death is there more than life. And yes because you have a child and one on the way that fear of death haunts you even more. I am the exact same. I have tworked daughters and all I can think about is what will happen to me and I can't be here for my girls I cry so much just thinking about it. And not only do I get scared of every ailment or symptom sensations I also get afraid when I hear about other people's sickness or illness and I automatically think the same for me. It's awful. I'm trying so hard but my negative thoughts get the best of me too much. I hope you have better days coming especially being pregnant

[suzanne1217 in reply to Icanbeathis2016]

You may be grinding your teeth or having tension headaches. When I'm anxious I constantly open my mouth bc my jaw gets so tight. You're seeing a doctor so just do your best to stay calm. Self message, lavender and rest in the meantime. Do not Google! I was on bed rest with preclampsia 6 weeks pregnant with twins years 2007. Fortunately, I didn't Google if I had I would have freaked. Had 2 healthy boys. Self care, don't get wrapped up in the what if.

[Jeff1943]

wallkath, just because the left side of your jaw is sore it doesn't mean you have heart problems. You are no more likely to have heart ptoblems than the next person. When we are anxious we can get vague aches and pains hete, there and everywhere. Anxiety also magnifies small normal fears outof all proportion. So the slight concern that you could die early leaving two small children motherless which is normal becomes a huge worry to you. Well, you are not going to leave your child and child unborn as orphans, it's just not going to happen. There are just so many explanations about why your lymph nodes are swollen, the scan will sort that out. So stay calm, get all the rest you can and maybe drink green tea for its tranquilising qualities, it's safe for pregnant women to drink green tea.

Sometimes outsiders can see things more clearly than ourselves and I tell you everything is alright.