Anxiety caused by medical procedures

[Rkhan123]

I am 20 years of age and have had chronic headaches for a few years. While I was abroad in Bulgaria I was offered a head Ct scan, which I now regret immensely. Following this I have had swallowing difficulties and acid reflux symptoms. Pain in the front of my head and around my eyes. I am paranoid that the ct scan is the cause of this and that it may cause future cancer or short term brain damage? I have had panic attacks because of the worry and am very stressed, I was told by the facility the radiation used was 3msv, although I'm aware this could vary.

[cmac21]

I tried hypnosis for my anxiety and was given a copy of the session to take home to listen to, but I found that it did nothing (just my personal experience). Have you ever tried Rescue Remedy? I know a lot of people who use it and say that it really helps. I found the Rescue Remedy to be hit and miss for me. Meditation and regular practice of deep breathing have been effective for me, along with regular exercise.

[Rkhan123]

Thank you for your advice, Meditation has been beneficial for me. But I will look into rescue remedy, thank you.

[Paxiled]

Just to note, while hypnosis can be very helpful for some, as with all treatments for this kind of thing it only works sometimes.  Don't want to overpromise, because when something doesn't work we don't want the person to give up all treatments -- it's hard to find one that works, but many do.  As for the scan, one scan isn't going to do that to you.  Many scans might, but only might, not will, but getting just one isn't something to worry about.  The scan itself is also hard to see how it could cause your symptoms.  Reflux is basically a digestive problem, and these are common in anxiety sufferers.  Headaches can also be caused by anxiety.  Have you ever tried meditation?  What have you tried if anxiety is a problem?

[Rkhan123]

I just can't seem to stop the paranoia about the CT scan. Constantly thinking I've caused damage to myself unnecessarily, or have sentenced myself to inevitable long term health problems, which causes a lot of frustration and anger towards myself. I also have pain and stiffness in the front of my neck. I have tried meditation with semi-decent success. Do you know of any alternative methods to help with my anxiety and paranoia?

[Paxiled]

I'd recommend therapy.  And a good massage or chiropractic or osteopath to see if you haven't got some muscle problems around your neck -- it's a pretty common thing.  Here's the thing -- lets say you had 50 CT scans, not just one.  What good would it do to focus so much angst on it?  This is an anxiety reaction.  I don't know why you've developed an anxiety problem -- there might be a physiological reason,  something that happened to you, or nothing that you'll ever find.  If it's physiological, you need to see a doctor.  But whatever it is, you're focusing tons of attention on it, and I bet you have a ton of things in your life that are more of a problem and you aren't thinking about them at all.  This is how phobias come about.  This is how anxiety feels.  

[Rkhan123]

Just an update. my neck issues have been steadily worsening, I constantly feel like I have pressure in my head and face, along with facial weakness (lifting my eyebrows) and have difficulty thinking, even reading sometimes. I try meditating every day, and have tried everything for reflux. Concentrating is very difficult and I have continous fatigue. I'm starting to revert back to blaming a botched ct scan. I don't know what else could be the cause. To have so many strange symptoms in such a short period?

[Paxiled]

Either you see more doctors or you seek therapy.  You really don't have any other choice.  I'm not sure how you would "botch" a CT scan -- it's a machine, it does what it does.  The danger of getting too many of them would be brain tumors, but not from just one.  It is possible to get tumors from too much radiation whether from Xrays or other exposures.  If you think you have one, you go see a specialist in them, who will tell you as they almost always do that you don't have one.  I assume that's where you are now.  Nobody can guarantee you don't have something physiological going on -- life is what it is and bad things happen.  The best you can do is see the best docs you can find and hope they do a good job.  But when you obsessively worry about something and don't do anything about it -- I seriously doubt you've done everything there is to do about reflux, for example, I'm sure I can think of a whole lot you haven't tried from the world of diet and natural medicine -- that's an anxiety disorder.  

[Rkhan123]

Can you recommend anything else for reflux?

[Paxiled]

The first thing is to determine whether you really have it or not.  Doctors tell almost everyone hey have it or IBS.  It's just easy to do and then they give you medication.  So i don't really know if you have it or not.  Those who do generally eat too close to the time they go to bed or recline, causing the digestive juices to go up rather than stay in the stomach digesting your food.  It is also often caused by not relaxing while you eat, so that you don't chew your food thoroughly and swallow chunks of food at a time.  Some people get it from pills they take.  For most people it's one of many digestive disorders, and the fix to digestive disorders is to not eat what bothers you and to eat more of what helps you.  That's hard, and takes time and experimentation.  Natural remedies include DGL, a form of licorice, slippery elm bark, aloe vera juice from the inner filet, and peppermint oil enteric coated caps, to name just a few things.  You can read about this stuff and can go see a natural practitioner and try some things and hope you find something that works.

[matthw]

Hi, i understand your worry regarding your health, you can try hypnotherapy, it works well and  this treatment has long lasting effects...it relax your mind and you get rid of panic attacks too...one of my friend had tried it he is also having the same problem as you are going through with...but before proceeding any treatment make yourself sure that you are at the right place to treat yourself

[Rkhan123]

Thank you for the advice. I will definitely consider this.