Hi I'm Bev, I'm 57 and fit the last 10 years I have suffered with extreme fear of cancer and dying, I have been told its a type of OCD, I can spend hours a day worrying about it, I have had cognitive therapy and been in anti depressants but with no results, I have just tried to convince myself to deal with it, I suffer with IBS too but when I get a flare up I'm convinced it could be something worse, it's consuming my life and not sure where to turn to now, has or does anyone else suffer with this?
Taking over my life. : Hi I'm Bev, I'm 57 and... - OCD Support
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Taking over my life.
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Galshooter
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Hi Bev
from a practical viewpoint, you can have a test and the results will show whether you in fact have cancer. I know its reassurance and not treatment but it may just help you turn the corner.
As regards medication and CBT, why not consider changing therapist and changing medication. Anxiety can be controlled with specific medication like Xanax or Lorazepam. I cant offer any better advice - try not to worry unduly I think if it was cancer it would, have progressed to a point in all these years where it would have been more overt in the symptoms. Try not to worry with the thoughts of cancer in the meantime.
Take care
MaxS
Thank you for your message MaxS this is such a helpful forum, just to talk to other people with same problems or similar makes you feel your not isolated and thinking your going mad!
BevB
It's horrible, isn't it? I had this in my teens and was constantly thinking there was something seriously wrong with me. I also had it as a child, at one point being convinced I had tetanus and that my jaw was getting stiff! Having a physical condition like IBS must make you more aware of your body and any little aches or pains.
I think that you should talk to your psychiatrist or therapist about medication. Prescribing for OCD can be a bit hit and miss, as some antidepressants work better than others for individual people and what suits one person doesn't always suit another. CBT is hard work and although it can work wonders it isn't an instant fix.
Keeping busy can help, though I appreciate how hard it must be to concentrate with this at the back of your mind. Remember that if you think about your body and how it can go wrong you will automatically notice all kinds of little 'abnormalities' and pains that are really nothing to worry about. Everyone has these!
Take good care of your health, though it sounds like you do anyway, and perhaps get a self help book. I have found Overcoming OCD really helpful, and it does deal with cases similar to yours.
That's a brilliant picture, by the way, of you with your dogs!
Thank you Sallyskins and I'm sorry for the late reply.
I went for a 6 week CBT course and it actually made me feel worse, I was sent home to write down things regarding my cancer thoughts etc and after I would have these thoughts going over and over again in my head and when I returned the next week I wasn't even asked to show them, I couldnt wait until the course ended so I haven't looked into it any more, as for medication I have tried a few most making me feel like a zombie most the time,so I opted for helping myself which I have to say back fires sometimes and I'm left feeling isolated and in constant fear but as you say I do try and keep myself busy and without my dogs to help me with this I think I would be in a much darker place now.
Thank you once again I find this type of thing is a great help too.
Dogs are a big help, aren't they? As for medication, it doesn't suit everyone, and CBT can be gruelling. Remember that most cancers are treatable and even curable. And enjoy your dogs!
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