Health Anxiety acting up again [eye floaters]

[Minimi]

Hello. I have multiple attacks of health anxiety throughout the years and most of the time, it's nothing.

I have dark eye floaters ever since I was 16, I have been living with it for 8 years now. None of them are big. Whenever I go to the optometrist, I always ask them about eye floaters, and they ask if there is more than 20, I say no. I would say about 9. They ask if they are larger than a coin, no. And they ask if they suddenly appear, I have them for years, so my answer is no. Optometrists tell me that there is nothing to worry about after that.

I didn't like using Google to check what it is.. because it worsens my anxiety. I accidentally googled on something because of work today and eye floaters came up. Google talks about the symptoms of the big 'C' [that everyone is afraid of] and one of them is having eye floaters. I'm scared now, my hands are cold and trembling. Google also talked about some symptoms may not show. I'm really scared. And mentioned that these floaters normally settle into bottom of sight, but mine do not and they appear in my vision and distract me but would fall and move below my line of sight. I am fine living with them... Please just don't worsen.. I want to continue to see the beautiful world.

Please help me. Please share your experience with me if you have any dark eye floaters. I'm afraid to continue reading on the symptoms Google has listed... If you could read them for me and.... Or if you know something about the eye... It can't be.. right? It would have already happened.... I have them for years.. Just please..

[tamka38]

I get eye floaters my optometrist told me the same thing there is not to worry about

I have health anxiety too so I worry about my health a lot

[Minimi in reply to tamka38]

Hi. Are they dark too? Do you count them? I blame myself for only having the courage to see an optometrist instead of an eye doctor all these years.

I have several bouts of health anxiety attacks and it's not nice to have them. Most of the time I can't tell anyone because they get annoyed of me. At times, I feel pain and the pain haunts me for days till I see the doctor. When the doctor tells me it's fine, the pain disappears. It's annoying..

[tamka38 in reply to Minimi]

I see dark spots sometimes. And I got aura migraines and get the flashing lights and etc is annoying

[Minimi in reply to tamka38]

Thank you so much for telling me this. I do know that aura migraines and flashing lights from migraines are normal if that helps.

[tamka38 in reply to Minimi]

You’re welcome

[Minnie87]

Hiya,

I have had eye floaters since I was 7 years old.they are there everyday and when I pay attention to them it’s all I think about.

Before this bout of anxiety I worried sick everyday for months on end about them and almost made myself ill.

I was totally convinced I was going to go blind.

I then went to the opticians and they very calmly told me that my eyes were great and floaters are harmless especially as I’ve had them for so long.

Now I’ve moved on to another symptom and barely notice them most days.

What I’m trying to say is,the power of the mind is incredible and if you pay attention to something 24/7 it will become a way bigger problem than it actually is.

Anxiety is all fun and games.

You will be okay and gradually these worries will fade away.

[Minimi in reply to Minnie87]

Are they dark floaters too? I talked to my parent about it a few days ago and they told me to see a doctor (I have told them about it before, and they said it was normal), but now that they say it isn't normal, it's triggering my health anxiety again.

I was convinced too, from time and time throughout the years and got over it. At times, I think, how can I get over it? What if it's not something to get over? It seems like a vicious cycle.

I go through the same thing. I move on to another symptom and forget about this (although I keep seeing it).

I wish to be free from these worries that are haunting me every few days. And as much as I hope to be free from it, I hope you will be free from them too. Thank you so much for telling me that.

[Minnie87 in reply to Minimi]

Yep I get little dark ones and wiggly lines and allsorts.

Honesty you sound just like me.

If it’s not the dizziness it’s floaters or a heart symptom and the list goes on.

Honestly at one time in my life I couldn’t even imagine not thinking about those floaters everyday but one day I just didn’t.and now something else has popped up.anxiety and health anxiety are horrible and take over your whole life.i wouldn’t wish it on anyone.you will one day be free of it and then if it ever comes back you know it’s just anxiety.

[Hidden]

I’ve been having health anxiety for a while now and I have been working very hard on how to tackle it as it definitely affects my life. The first thing I’ve learned is...seeking reassurance and googling symptoms (which is a form of reassurance) is health anxiety’s worst enemy. I think I matter what we say here, it will not make you feel better The doctor said you shouldn’t worry about them...and I know that accepting such information is not always possible (I am the same). But we have to learn how to stop seeking reassurance and instead trust professionals.

So please take a deep breath and try to relax and stop googling as it doesn’t do any favors to you

[Minimi in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I've been thinking that I'm suffering from health anxiety all alone because no one around me is that way.. and I definitely feel better that I'm not alone in this. I didn't google the symptoms :') I was googling something else and it came up.. and since this symptom has been haunting me for years, I was scared. I couldn't calm down even when I told myself to.

I hope you will be free from health anxiety one day too. thank you.

[Natsteveo]

Hi Minimi

I'm exactly the same with health anxiety I have several bouts all year round and their a absolute nightmare.im actually having one sat here typing this to you..I have floaters too could never understand them though I try to stay of Dr google but I can't help it I need reassurance my quick reassurance fix so now we all have to learn to keep calm somehow but it's not that easy is it

Nat

[Minimi in reply to Natsteveo]

It's not easy to do. :') I get you. I'm totally the same. I get these health anxiety attacks every few days and they are difficult to get by. thank you for telling me this.

[Natsteveo in reply to Minimi]

They are so hard to deal with I find it quite odd that when my health anxiety is at its peak I try to stay away from the Dr because it's medical so it scares me ..yet when I have a bad attack the first thing i do is run to the dr??? It dont make sense unless its just me 😉

Nat

[Hidden]

I’ve had floaters since I can remember and I don’t really notice them unless I think about it or am in a room with light coloured walls.

My health anxiety is awful at the moment, I saw the doctor this morning and might get a referral to the neurologist in 4 weeks. Nothing to do with floaters though.

[Minimi in reply to Hidden]

Hello. I see these floaters the moment I wake up, it affects my work at times because I get distracted and start to think how this shouldn't be normal. I count them whenever I have time.

My health anxiety has been awful all year through so I get you. I hope you will be fine when you go to the neurologist in 4 weeks. Thank you for sharing this with me.

[Hidden in reply to Minimi]

I think though with health anxiety the second you open your eyes you start checking if the symptoms are still there so that could be why. If I look for mine I can sees them but most of the time your brain knows they’re there and ignores them.

I know that’s what I do with my muscle twitches, you constantly assess the thing that is bothering you; checking whether it’s still there, better or worse.

[Natsteveo in reply to Hidden]

This is so true honey I am exactly the same as you all its a horrible thing to describe and I can never understand why I'm like it though

Nat

[Hidden in reply to Natsteveo]

I’m terrible at the moment, it’s exhausting!

[Natsteveo in reply to Hidden]

Me too I'm so tense my neck and back is so sore because I'm tense but I don't see it as I'm tense because of my anxiety I always think there's something wrong with me that's why and then I over catastrosize everything literally

Nat

[Hidden in reply to Natsteveo]

I’m the same at the moment. Worrying about twitches and achey muscles

[Cg430 in reply to Hidden]

Do you know if the twitching is from the anxiety ? I get that and tingling also very anxious abt health issues have hashimotos and some drs say it’s that some say no . Want to just give u anti depp terrible

[Hidden in reply to Cg430]

I hope it is. I’m taking beta blockers at the moment for a few weeks to see if that helps at all. Seeing dr after 4 weeks for an update.

[Natsteveo]

Yep my shoulders and neck are so stiff so I'm thinking the worst

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[kborge]

Stay busy and this too will pass