Health Anxiety

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@iwishiknew thanks for popping in .. yep .. we gotta stick together . Sometimes just hearing about how other folk experience the same anxiety helps .. well it does me anyway ..!

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Just found this group. Thanks for setting it up. When this first started 8 months ago, everyone I looked at, everything I watched, all I could think about was death, and how long I and everyone else had left. It has gotten some better, yet I keep thinking I have cancer because of 50+ ponds weight loss and continued stomach problems that flared up again three days ago. I mentored a 2 brothers Whose dad died of cancer when he was 12 and 10, and I have three boys, 6-4-2, and just told my wife yesterday that I was fixating on dying from cancer and leaving them hurting like the boys I mentored and there mom. I we just wept together. This health anxiety is wearing me out. I just got back from getting a physical done because of this constant fear and stomach problems flaring up again. Almost passed out in office, they did ECG, ran all kinds of tests and when I left I still thought i was not heard and that they missed something and thought I should just go to ER. Was doing a lot better until a couple days ago and things went downhill quick. Dr prescribed Gabapentin, so we will see about that, and I will see psych on Thursday. Even though days have gotten better this long suffering does so many tricks in my mind. Thanks for listening everyone

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Ready .. health anxiety has you in its grip .. and it won't let go .. no matter how many tests you pass , no matter how often you are told you are ok .. you don't believe it.. I get it.. as does everyone else here .. can't really offer any solution either.. it helped me to treat it with a sort of humerous attitude although make no mistake there is nothing funny about it at all . It helped that other people were experiencing the same thing..  I use daily some thought stopping techniques.. like a big red stop sign in your head each time the thought came .. and trying to stop that 'second arrow' meaning the first thing maybe for example a stomach pain and then suddenly the thought is it still stomach cancer and I'm going to die.. try to stop the thought before it takes root ... it's very helpful when you are able to  do it and very powerful... take care BB

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Wannabebetter .. that sounds simply awful .. maybe you do need to have the steroid shot? I can understand the reluctance but it really does sound nessacary ..

Living like you are doesn't sound like much fun either..

Yeah - getting the shot next week and anxiety starting already.  Frankly the pain has diminished so I think the w/d has lowered my pain threshold and it is slowly getting to a better level.  But still not right.  So I'll keep you posted.  I wish I could wait longer but I don't really have a life and at some point I think I have to jump this hoop/procedure to get to where I have more info on what to do, if anything.  WBB

I know I've morphed my real and genuine health state with the plain anxiety about health.  I am wandering always somewhere in between.  I have to say that my anxiety about the injection was, happily, unfounded and it was painless.  Hopefully, like many maladies I've had along the way, the shot was helpful but not the cure and that time, in the end, will be the cure.  WBB

 

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Count me in!  I'm a lifelong member-thank you dear daddy! 

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Randy: I second bozobuddie. Most of the diseases that present with s/x I have, have no cure so I decided if I have one, it will make itself known in time and no use chasing it down as it's likely and hopefully w/d. If I'm having a wave, or a flare up-assuming it's really ms or lupus or scleroderma, there's really not muchdoctors can do than prescribe more drugs, which I don't want to take. It's likely you r just fine so try and breathe through it, stop googling diseases, and read something funny or talk to a friend about anything else. It might help if you are able. I know easier said than done but...

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Is this group still active? Really struggling right now with a lot of health issues and it's taking over my life!

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Is this group still active? Really struggling right now with a lot of health issues and it's taking over my life!

 

Sometimes it just takes a while for anyone to post. This is a long and difficult process, this withdrawal. Hang in there Faery - you ARE healing as that is what the body does but it takes a long time sometimes and each of us are different. I will be praying for you.

 

D 

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Thank you so much! That means a lot!!! I need all the prayers I can get right now. I will pray for you as well

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Faery

 

I know health anxiety is tough.  I'm always willing to help as I think most on here are.  Anything specific on your mind?

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Thank you so much! That means a lot!!! I need all the prayers I can get right now. I will pray for you as well

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So many things right now...my whole body is so messed up and I'm not sure what is being caused by withdrawal and what is actually something that needs medical attention! The main things I'm having are problems with my throat...one swollen tonsil and sore throat for a month now (have been to two diff ENT Drs about it) Also having leg pain in one leg and head pain on one side and off and on chest pains. I have a history of blood clots so that makes me think I could have another one. And most recently my cycle is off which it has never been before and the bleeding is more than normal and it's really dark. I have had cervical dysplaysia before so it could be something that needs to be checked out. Just not sure what to do anymore. I can't keep running to the Dr every week but at the same time I need some reassurance. Is it normal that I am constantly obsessing over all of this? If my issues weren't things that could be potentially life threatening I could more easily dismiss them but I just keep thinking about my four kids and how I need to be ok for them it rules my life now! Never had this issue before WD and now I am in a constant state of fear and it's making me miserable!

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Oh Farey that's so awful .. we can all relate to that ... WD brings in some terrible symptons and health anxiety . I personally am having heart attacks and strokes every single day.. it's horrible because it seems so real ..and to know what is  real and what is not .. we become obsessed... you must check out sx that seem real. You really must .. once it's been cleared then just do the best you can not to obsess... our whole body goes in red alert. One question I can answer . It IS normal to feel like this .. most likely it's withdrawal but put your mind at rest. I was given some advice that I have followed that does help .. if it is still there in 4 days ( set your own timelimit) then I will go to the doctor. Mostly it is not ! Another thing I did was when there was a pain somewhere I tried to imagine it somewhere else.. and within minutes it would seem real . crazy stuff.. hang in in there BBx

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Ok thank you so much for the advice...I'm sorry you are suffering with this as well it's bad enough to feel horrible every day but then to be worried about things like this on top of it is just too much! I went to the ER about a month ago thinking I was having a stroke cuz my left arm went numb and I just felt so strange. It ended up being nothing of course and eventually went away but all these other things just keep popping up. Every time I am able to stop worrying about one thing another one happens and I'm right back in that mindset. I really hope you are right and that it's all related to withdrawal and that it will eventually go away for us all. This is such a hard way to live! All I can do is worry but I will try to stay as calm as possible until I know for sure what's going on. I pray for us all every single day for this to end soon. Ty 

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Faery, your symptoms sound so much like withdrawal. And I love BB's 4 day rule. OCD runs rampant in this process it seems as well as the numbness, pain and a host of others. Hang in there, you'll make it through this but it'll take time. Be gentle with yourself.

 

Here is an excellent post to read:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=79096.0

 

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Thank you for the support...I really do appreciate it so much!! This is taking more patience and courage and determination than I ever knew I had for sure! If it wasn't for the ability of us to help and encourage one another I really don't know how this would be possible to overcome! Thanks again for your kind words.

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Thank you for the support...I really do appreciate it so much!! This is taking more patience and courage and determination than I ever knew I had for sure! If it wasn't for the ability of us to help and encourage one another I really don't know how this would be possible to overcome! Thanks again for your kind words.

 

I've thought the very same thing. This site is a God send.

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Don't know if anyone's reading this thread at the moment , but I'm suffering a lot of health anxiety ! Especially around my liver ... It's hot all the time and I get pains in it , especially after I take my Valium , so I'm always worried about it.....

I guess I should get a scan or something ... My liver enzymes were fine , on the low side though , at least no high,

 

Love, MiYu

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Yes, MiYu! Have it checked out for some peace of mind. I'm trying to hold out for a doctor's appointment I have in a couple weeks to diagnose some dull pain I've been having around my left rib cage. I'm hoping it's just a strained muscle, but my mind keeps catastrophizing because I've been having other stomach issues. I'm tried of thinking every ache or pain is an emergency. 

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With this anxiety every pain, ache or sensation that is new turns into a crisis. It's helpful if we remember that anxiety does that to us and more than likely it's withdrawal related. But it's a good idea to get things checked out sometimes. For myself, I wait a few days because if I saw the doctor every time I had a new pain I'd be there a lot. And more often than not when I wait it goes away.

 

When I first started withdrawal I was sure I had lung cancer when I experienced breathlessness. Then the bloating had to be a stomach problem that would kill me. Then the tiny white spot on my face surely had to be skin cancer. Then my forgetfulness had to be Alzheimer's coming on. The list is endless!

 

BUT WE ALL WILL GET THROUGH THIS!!! 

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MiYu .. always read this site especially when an alert comes up ..

As you know I have been off the Ativan three months now and my health anxiety has really ramped up .. especially around the heart palpitations ... my head knows all the logical answers but the body is still in 'freefall' !

My old mantra was ( and still is) if the symptons bother me for more than 4 days or they seem to get worse, I check in with the doctor. Usually they don't ..or they have moved on to something else!

Take care my friend xx

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MiYu .. always read this site especially when an alert comes up ..

As you know I have been off the Ativan three months now and my health anxiety has really ramped up .. especially around the heart palpitations ... my head knows all the logical answers but the body is still in 'freefall' !

My old mantra was ( and still is) if the symptons bother me for more than 4 days or they seem to get worse, I check in with the doctor. Usually they don't ..or they have moved on to something else!

Take care my friend xx

Thanks Bertie 

My liver burning / pain has been going on for months now .... I have an appointment in a couple of weeks with my doc ... I guess I'll ask for a scan . It's hard when you can take supplements to support your liver , like tumeric and milk thistle. I tried them and felt awful....

 

Keep going! You're doing great....

 

 

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Oh that's no good. I found tumeric helpful .. it got down all the inflammation in my body too .. but what works for one doesn't work for the other .. It will be good to get it checked out x

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I've had a severe sore throat for days and started an antibiotic.  I had tumeric -  teaspoon -- is that enough?  Of course I think I have throat cancer.  I am  so stressed out about it.  It hasn't responded to anything.  WBB

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I've had a severe sore throat for days and started an antibiotic.  I had tumeric -  teaspoon -- is that enough?  Of course I think I have throat cancer.  I am  so stressed out about it.  It hasn't responded to anything.  WBB

 

I'm sorry Wbb..... I'm sure your sore throat will pass. Make sure you take some probiotics if you can tolerate them after your antibiotics. Our brains think such crazy things during this process..... I think My liver is going to fail me all the time!

 

If you can take tumeric , I would continue to take it ... I don't think one tsp will do much. You can make a nice drink with tumeric and milk or nut milk , warm it up and add a bit of honey . Honey is also very soothing for the throat . Can you suck some zinc lozenges ? I always found zinc good fro sore throats , you can buy vit c lozenges with zinc .

 

You're going to be ok , the sore throat will pass I am sure . Keep posting here for support ,

MiYu