Search the Community

Does anyone else here have health/illness anxiety? I've had generalized anxiety, and at times, panic disorder for the past 12 years (I'm in my early 30's). Most of my anxiety was more related to social situations, academics, and big crowds. After having my first child about 2 years ago, it seems the health anxiety started. I had complications after the birth, including a severe infection and preeclampsia (let me add that I absolutely hate hospitals and they give me anxiety). After everything resolved, I began paying attention to my heart rate constantly. For a little while I was repeatedly taking my blood pressure and heart rate, even though both were great. It was almost if I was looking for something to be wrong. At times, I would also get the chest tightness/breathing issues that I know are associated with anxiety (had a chest x-ray, EKG). At the beginning of last month I ended up with the flu. I got pretty sick with fevers of up to 102.5, rapid heart rate at times, terrible cough. Went to the ER twice and they took chest x-ray, EKG, listened to lungs, ran blood work, everything looked fine. After recovering for a few days, I caught a gastro virus which came with a low fever. I went back to the ER, panicked that I had pneumonia or something. Everything checked out fine. A week later, my head was hurting, I had chest tightness, heart palpitations, and a stuffy, burning nose. I went back to the ER in a panic and they told me that it was a sinus infection and started me on antibiotics. I was sick for a good 3 weeks. After everything resolved, I began to have panic attacks and general anxiety throughout the day, convincing myself that I wasn't better and something must be wrong. Anxiety is a vicious cycle for me, it turns into faster heart rate, crying, nausea/stomach tightness and chest tightness. I have lost about 5 pounds and most recently convinced myself that something is seriously wrong because I'm not intentionally trying to lose weight (thanks, Google). I started tracking my calorie intake and realized I wasn't eating enough. So now I'm obsessively checking my weight and heart rate and forcing myself to eat more (its tough because of the nauseousness from anxiety). Most recently, bloodwork showed slight anemia, but the next week I took another test and it said it resolved. I think it was from not eating. My doctor ordered a final blood test before the last one, that I only went in for a few days ago (to check on the anemia, which has resolved, per the last test). I'm waiting for those results and having severe anxiety about it. I'm convincing myself that there is something else seriously wrong. I'm at witt's end here. Has anyone dealt with anything similar?

I'm a 20 year old college student, and I think I can safely diagnose myself with health related anxiety. I was always one to worry about my physical health, and I'd always go to the doctor to put myself at ease. I handled it well before, but recently a friend my age died of cancer and it set off the ticking time bomb within me. First, I had an infected cyst under my arm. I convinced myself I had undiagnosed lymphoma. I went to 3 doctors, and they all told me that it was a minor infection. For some reason, I didn't believe them. I didn't believe them even though I was put on antibiotics and the infection and lump went away under my arm. On top of not believing them, I constantly check the internet and check my temperature for that short relieved assurance that I'm fine. Second, I have a minor cough that's accompanied by a tickle in my throat. I then convinced myself I had lung cancer or some sort of fatal disease in my heart or lungs. Went to the doctor and they told me I had a bunch of mucus in the back of my throat and it was a post nasal drip. Third, I started having back pain. Once again, searching the internet made me believe I had lung cancer or failing kidneys. In the back of my mind I knew it was from bad posture, but my body told me it was cancer. Now this week, I'm studying the nervous system and we covered several motor disorders. These include ALS, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and others. Now I've developed weakness in my legs and arms (they feel like jelly), and my hands are shaking a tiny bit. I have been constantly in a state of anxiety since the beginning of November, and this is most likely from anxiety, but I am CONVINCED I have ALS. I can hold a pen just fine, I'm not tripping over my feet, I was able to lift a 25 pound kettlebell in each individual hand, and I walked up and down 6 flight of stairs 3 times yesterday. My legs feel better, and my hands feel better, but are still shaky. Yet here I am. Because I am in such a state of anxiousness all day every day, I haven't been able to eat or study. I am crying nearly every other day. These are the thoughts that run through my mind as soon as I wake up in the morning up until I go to bed. I have avoided hearing or reading the words cancer, death, disease, etc. Every time I hear it, I go into panic mode and I nearly vomit. I'm even bothering my parents because I'm constantly calling them to ask for reassurance that I'm not fatally ill. I'm seeing someone about this when I come home from school, but I am desperate for medication that can help me be in a calmer state so I can deal with my anxiety better. I don't know how this works. Has anyone ever started feeling symptoms when they hear about a new disease? How have you guys coped with this? My goal in life is to work as a physical therapist in a hospital with patients with spinal cord injuries, amputated limbs, and other disabling problems. I can't do that if I can barely deal with my own health.

Sorry, this post may be lacking in structure, but I have so much to get off my chest!! Dx I'm a 21 year old female. Over the past winter I had gotten over a mild case of pneumonia that lasted for about a month and a half, and ever since I'd gotten over it I felt fine aside from the fact that I've had a preoccupation with my breathing (which I was just told I also have sensorimotor OCD, as I also have ruminations with other things that will take too long to explain) and now I have absolutely no idea if my mind is simply catastrophizing the situation and making it much worse than it actually is or if I'm actually getting sick again. This isn't really new for me, but I sometimes can't help thinking that my predictions must be true. I am beginning to despise AND fear living inside of my mind because regardless of how I am able to get over one thing, a new thought introduces itself and creates room for more ruminations, therefore causing a panic attack to occur. I just wish I knew if my symptoms were psychosomatic and not actually real. I've been so focused on breathing that I think I am overdoing it and causing my back to go sore, and each time I feel one small difference in the way I breathe my heart starts to pound and I panic. That just makes me think, gee, if I have problems breathing then it must be serious... I always worry that an illness will attack my lungs and prevent me from living my life the way I want to (I would love to travel, sight see and pursue music). I absolutely hate it and just need a little bit of support in the mean time....thanks in advance :3

Good morning for the past several months I have been struggling with severe health anxiety. I have had anxiety my whole life but it comes in waves and each wave is a new obsession/topic that I become nervous about. This time, I believe I have some type of autoimmune disorder, like Lupus. My palms and feet are always sweaty and cold, my heart palpitates ALOT, and I just have a general feeling of being unwell, almost achy like the flu. My back hurts all the time. My hands tremor slightly and I get headaches when I think about it. I have been to a cardiologist and they said everything was fine. I recently went to my doctors and got a complete metabolic and blood count panel and everything is normal. I also got my thyroid checked. I'm just scared that they are missing something. I don't want to be one of those mystery diagnoses. Also, about 4 months ago I received my first dose of Gardisil. I did fine days after. But now the injection site is hurting. Is 4 months too late to see a reaction? I feel alone. Too many scattered thoughts and they are so overwhelming. Any reassurance??

Hello, I'm a 21 year old who was born with heart defects that were corrected shortly after birth as I grew older and became more self aware I developed bad health anxiety. I feel one thing get my head going and multiply the symptom 1 million times worse. It was very prevalent when I was in high school and it went away after. I haven't had it in about two years and randomly I felt a palpitation once now I keep feeling my chest and feel my heart palpitations then I make myself nauseous. I've noticed now that it's progressed from health anxiety to more general anxiety. Whenever I'm out in public I feel anxious, when I'm at bars with friends unless I'm somewhat intoxicated in anti-social and very anxious of my surroundings. I definitely don't think my anxiety is the worst in the world I can live with it but is there any tips people have for people like me? I really don't want to get professional help unless it's completely necessary and I really don't like the idea of taking any medication. thank you

Hi, everyone! I'm a refugee from Anxiety Zone, and I'm so happy to see some familiar "faces" here! I suffer from hypochondria, and while I've had it under control for the last few months (so long, in fact, I had no idea AZ was gone until the other day when I went there) I'm having a little episode right now. Trying not to dwell on it, but since I had gotten myself in the habit of visiting AZ first when a troubling symptom appeared...well, here I am. Nice to see you all!

So its 3 days since I've did this I have well water instead of city water i know your not suppose to use either but did it not realizing the seriousness in it until after then I googled it and it has since them terrified me into thinking I'm going to die I went to the dr and asked but she didn't act or seem to worry about it or talk about it very long like it was just nothing but then I've read all this stuff online and they make it a huge deal I really don't want to die I'm 19 and I know the Naegleria fowleri forms when it's warm and I live in Tennessee and there's snow on the ground right now but still it makes me worry should I be worried I haven't heard of any cases in Tennessee but still I'm really worried and counting day by day and I convince myself I have it by constant worrying like if I think I have a headache I get a headache and just so on and so on should I be worried

So sick of this anxiety!! I've had a bad spell this past week or so, my stomach gets upset, I feel like I can't breathe and I can barely function. I had to be put back on medicine because I can't even function, like take a shower, eat, sleep, etc.