Stress Center Peer Support

Hey all I am enclosing a letter I wrote earlier to someone who has health anxiety like me. I was looking for support. Be sure to read the last bit of my letter as it's insightful. If anyone has any suggestions on how to fully beat health anxiety I am all ears. Putting it under OCD since Health anxiety is related to it according to the DSM-IV.

My name is daryl. I have had health anxiety issues since 1996. It all started when I was in the Marine Corps and I woke up one morning thinking incorrectly that I was late for formation. I got this bad feeling in my stomach ulcer type. Anywho, I made the mistake of going to the library on base and read up on medical information. Naturally, I thought I had everything listed in the book. I went on for two years with horrible stomach indigestion but I did really well about not going to the Doctors.

Eventually the pain went away and I kept working my stressful job at the time of being a Juvenile Correction Officer. Fast Forward to 2003 and I start to develop Health anxiety issues after my gall bladder went bad and I started to have stress and gall bladder induced anxiety attacks. I struggled the whole year in 2003 became very agrophoic and all that jazz. Worst was when I went to the VA hospital for ten days. August of 2004 I start to listen to relaxation tapes from stresscenter and I do amazingly well. I start to drive again and start to ride my mountain bike. Fast forward to 2007. I start college again to try to move on with my life and I undergo more stress and get into little health anxiety cycles at times. Of all things the cycles seem to happen after I go see a psychologist or social worker. I am guessing this happens because i am trying to deal with my problem??? who knows. I have of course have had all the medical exams the past four years. The only thing that ever has been wrong with me was the gall bladder, occasional flu, and the mono I had this past summer. I am not going to get all negative and tell you a bunch of war stories because I don't feel that is effective for treatment of health anxiety, just giving the background.

Anywho anxiety really isn't a problem I know all about how to reduce stress, causes/effects of anixety, positive thought replacement, deep breathing, and several ways of coping with anxiety. I drive no problem now and can go into public places any to the point of taking tests. Yes I do have anxiety sometimes but I know how to manage it without meds and I have had every possible stress related symptom known to mankind.

The problem is this health anxiety!!!! The biggest problem I have had is identifying if there is something medically wrong or is it just some stress related body symptom.

Classic example: watching a comedy movie the other night and out of the blue my lower ab area starts to hurt for no reason. Anywho I worry that it's my appendix. ANywho I just kinda of blew it off then went bed. Next day I get a pain in my upper right quadrant off and on. Now mind you I have had this pain before and have gotten it checked two or three times before with CT scans and visits to the doctor and all that jazz and nothing was wrong.

I came to the conclusion today that people with health anxiety have three choices:

A. Make a appointment with your primary care doc to give you a peace of mind and possibly cancel the appointment if the symptoms or symptoms go away.

B. Escape by running to a urgent care clinic or the ER and waste thousands or hundreds of dollars

C. Forget about it all together and try to dismiss the coming and going pain as being nothing more than a stress related body symptom that could be due to poor sleep hygiene or stress for college.

Now obviously the better choice is C. of course. B. is obviously the worst choice. A. is inbetween the two and not a good choice but still better than choice B.

Last night I was reading all about health anxiety and I was like hmmmmmmm yep that all sounds very familiar. lol Anywho I noticed one part that was talking about how people with health anxiety don't associate that BEING HEALTHY sometimes mean that one CAN HAVE body symptoms. I started to think to myself that if we who had had or have health anxiety problems could change this around to wear we start to believe that it's ok to have aches and pains. Having aches and pains doesn't mean that we are not healthy that we would be golden.

The hard part of course for those of us with health anxiety is learning to accept that it's ok to be ok. Our bodies are so sensitive to the Psychomatic (mispelled) mind body connection that if someone farts we feel it basically. Our personal boundaries are weak which makes us sensitive. So until we learn to build up our confidence and self esteem to give us a strong boundary instead of a weak boundary we will continue to be OVER sensitive to any stress related body symptoms.

I am guessing that when I was younger and others who have or have had healthy anxiety issues probably use to have several stress related body symptoms but (here's the kicker)

WE DIDN'T NOTICE THEM!!!!! Our minds either naturally dismissed the symptoms or our minds/body ignored them or even dealt with them in a more effective manner.

Would luv to hear back from you or others if you have the time.

Daryl

PS Other interesting side notes about health anxiety are: 1. Ever notice how when you wake up your perfectly fine sometimes? Let's say that I was obessing about some body symptoms I was having the night before and I go to sleep and wake up and I am fine. An hour later I have just one or two thoughts about the body symptom and bam you feel them.

2. Ever notice that when your talking to someone about ANYTHING OTHER than anxiety/stress related, health topics, or any of the other mental problems that magically your body symptoms seem to go away while your talking about other things.

3. Ever had a medical test and it turned out fine and then magically the body symptoms went away? Hmmmmmmm much of this has to be the body/mind psychomatic thing. Has to be.

Daryl,

First let me say.

if someone farts we feel it basically

-LOL. That was hysterical.

Next you are so right with

The biggest problem I have had is identifying if there is something medically wrong or is it just some stress related body symptom.

and

A. Make a appointment with your primary care doc to give you a peace of mind and possibly cancel the appointment if the symptoms or symptoms go away.

B. Escape by running to a urgent care clinic or the ER and waste thousands or hundreds of dollars

C. Forget about it all together and try to dismiss the coming and going pain as being nothing more than a stress related body symptom that could be due to poor sleep hygiene or stress for college.

I too also suffer health anxiety. I have worried about my health in the past but it was just pertaining to flus and missing work. The concern at that time was not alot about the health issue though thanks to Mom's over-worrying (she could "turn" a cold into the boobonic (sp) plague in 10 seconds) did make me think a little about the illness iteself. Would it get worse and become a flu or pneumonia? The conern then was mostly about missing work due to the illness.

Since late 2005 the health anxiety has shifted from job time loss to my actual health and worrying about dying and/or illness getting worse resulting in a permanent chronic state or leading to death. This all started in December 2005. First was a choking incident in a restaurant. My best friend (at the time) was telling my wife and I a funny story. I had just taken a swig of coffee--no food had arrived yet--and while laughing started to choking. I went to the maitre de and motioned for him to give me the Hymlic Manuever (sp). He did and I got my breathing back. A couple of weeks later on 12/23 I read a little story in the newspaper of a woman who crossed the picket line during a NYC transit strike, went back to work cleaning the subway cars, had an asthma attack and died. This rocked my world because I have asthma. I was diagnosed with asthma in 2000, didn't know you could die from it, had my albuterol pump, knew humidity was a trigger and lived a happy life. Now I find out I can die from asthma? !

In March 2006 I was labelled borderline diabetic and I freaked. My father had Type 2 and for me diabetes since I was a kid was a crucifix and I was a vampire--I feared it. I had vowed I would do everything to avoid it. I altered my diet drastically and no longer was borderline diabetic. The lovliness of the year continued with chest pains which turned out to be costochondritis, an orthopedic condition that causes chest pain due to inflammation of the cartilage and bones in the chest wall. Several EKGs, stress test and overnight halter heart-monitor worn at home proved the ole ticker was good. My father died as a result of complications from a heart attack in 2002.

From Spring to Winter 2006 the asthma "worsened." I put it in quotes because now in hindsight I do not know how much was asthma and/or anxiety. Plus asthma and anxiety are often labelled like the chicken and egg--which causes which? Humidity was always my concern and everytime at work I felt warmth I freaked, getting an asthma "attack." What makes matters worse is that asthma and anxiety have an overlapping symptom--chest tightness. Interestingly during these asthma "attacks" my breathing was always normal.

In August 2006 I started getting choking epsiodes at night. They were extremely terrifying because I actually felt like I was dying. When I sat up I no longer was choking. I was diagnosed with larnyx reflux. The acid from the stomach dropped back down when I sat up. Thank God I haven't had any more noctural chokings. I have been on Protonix and the condition has actually become mild.

In December 2006 I went for CBT treatment for the health anxiety and it basically saved my life. My fear and anxiety regarding my health, especially the asthma, thankfully dropped like a bad stock. (Incidentally all breathing tests during this time were normal and proving I have just very, very mild asthma.) I am much more calm now regarding my health as exemplified by how calmly I reacted with last month's blod test and the glucose being slightly up. It hadn't been up over a year, + my PCP didn't include in his blood test a hemoglobin test which (he did the previous times) is a true indicator of diabetes. He also said he would classify me as borderline diabetes. Next week I will go for another test which will include the hemoglobin one.

Another example of improvement was a recent discovery a small nodule on my prostrate. Two recents blood tests including PSA's were normal but I am still going for the biopsy to play it safe. My specialist said he would recommend this anyway, and I agree. But I am serene about the whole deal, which is suprising since Mom died in 1995 due to cancer (breast).
I will, though, do your choice A by going to my PCP or a specialist. There is so much less anxiety when I do this. I feel I am doing this now just to vigilant and I don't want to have regrets about my health.

While writing this I am drinking coffee. Coffee was what I was drinking when I got choked in the restaurant, so why have I never been afraid of this beverage.

Daryl,

I did a post a few months ago with the notes from my CBT sessions. Click this link <A HREF="http://bbs.stresscenter.com/eve/forums/ ... 026053/p/1" TARGET=_blank>http://bbs.stresscenter.com/eve/forums/ ... 053/p/1</A>

and scroll down til you get to my post, Posted Aug 19, 9:22 PM

Hope this helps.

Thanks Charlie for the information and your wonderful post as well. I think the key is number to realize that we can be healthy and have body symptoms. It's ok to have body symptoms. 99% of our body symptoms are going to be stress related. We are just in tune to them. I am not going to give you any of my war stories as I am only interested in how to improve. ONe thing that has really helped me is taking a stress management course. Basically every single ODD body symptom we have had is stress related. We just never noticed them before when were "normal". Notice I put that in quotes because we still are normal. Don't let society fool ya. We are just as normal as anyone else is. We had the exact same body symptoms when were "normal" we just never noticed them or just dismissed them, or they manifested in different forms like fatigue for instance. I remember back in my "normal" days how I would literally fall asleep on my books while studying because of fatigue. You guessed it stress related. Thanks again!

Geez...don't we sound a lot alike!!! I have major health anxiety. I found out I had a small umbilical hernia and I have done nothing but worry about everything regarding my health!!! It has actually caused me to be so tense due to stress that I have muscle spasms (which of course hurt) and that makes me have more anxiety!!! I too have had the right lower stomach pain and the pain in my right thigh...I also have major problems in the constipation area because my muscles are so tense due to stress that it won't allow me to go!!! It is definitely amazing how when you begin to talk to someone or let yourself actually have a good time...that your symptoms seem to dissapear!!! I am hoping that this program will help me to get over my fear of illness!!! I have made myself shut off the internet at times because while the internet can be great for information...it can also be horrible for us health anxiety people!!!

It is definitely amazing how when you begin to talk to someone or let yourself actually have a good time...that your symptoms seem to dissapear!!!

It so true.

the internet can be great for information...it can also be horrible for us health anxiety people!!!

This too is so true. Last year I spent so much time on the net researching asthma...

I too suffer from Health Anxiety. I have worried about many topics mentioned on the forums. I was diagnosed with Allergies and Asthma years ago and also had a severe allergic reaction in the 1990's. I have become fairly obsessed with the notion of having another allergic reaction. It has caused me problems with medication, foods, vitamins (including the Good Days Posotive Mood Formula). My husband loves to try new foods and I always dampen his food adventures by saying, "I can't eat there."
I also have the phanton "pains" and sometimes ignore them but if I am over tired or already anxious, then it rockets the negative obsessive thoughts, what if my heart is about to have a smasm....
I have completed the program and feel much better but still, sometimes, let these thoughts creep back into my consciousness. I now have the ability to recognize them and most of the time stop the thoughts in their tracks. It is still hard sometimes but I have the positive outlook now and hope that by following the guidelines of the program and going through the program again, I will be able to combat these old habits.
Daryl, I have been through alot of the feelings and experiences in your post.
Summer, stick with it, the program will ease the painful thoughts. Also, I was diagnosed with Hypo-thyroid a few years ago and my brother who is a personal trainer, sent me a program about healthy eating habits. Alot of the information in that program is the same as the information in this one. Cut sugar, cut fats, exercise. I have started also eating organic foods more often than not and stay away from fast foods. My irritable bowel is much better than it was as a result and my thyroid is in the normal range after hitting both lows and highs recently.
I also had a thought earlier that coincided with Daryl's post. Much of what we think now was at some point in life reinforced by someone. Be it, parents, friends, etc. If you think about it, I bet you can remember someone from your past doing or saying something and you picked up that habit or thought pattern. It is very powerful. I was reading in the Stress book earlier about Carolyn Dickman saying her family gathered in the garage to watch a lightning storm. I know several people that are terrified of thunder storms, which I love. They were all told by parents that storms were dangerous and they were made to hide in a part of the house without windows and be quiet until the storm was over. That is powerful stuff.
I think that is enough for my first post.

I'm dealing with Health Anxiety. I constantly worry about my health. I've been to the ER soooooooooooooooooooo many times. Health Anxiety sucks because you're in a constant / continuous state of assuming the worst for even the littlest things. Mine started when I overdosed on a workout pill and landed in the ER. Ever since then.....ROAAAAAAAAAAAR lol.

Health Anxiety
<^>(-_-)<^>