Anxiety/headaches/formication

I have suffered for many years with health anxiety. I get better and then BANG another syptom (symptom) that I can't explain and i have the worst case sinario. Brain tumor, cancer of some description. It is ruining my life. I am 49 years old but can't switch off negative thoughts when i'm like this. I am on anti depressants but no good when something hits me. GP say 'anxiety anxiety anxiety' but there is very little else they can do for me. I is so lonely living like this. When I'm symtom free I lived a very normal anxiety free life. It's cruel to think this all changes so much when I get a symtpom. Latest thing is headaches, had a brain scan 18 mnths ago, clear, but the headaches are back again so fed up. I have creepy crawly sensations over my head, which is called 'formication', really horrible always there. I feel so tired can't sleep for longer than 1/2 hours a night. This doesn't help the headaches.

Anyone able to help with some advice.

[nana902]

Oh kathyanne:  I am so much like you.  I am 61 and most of the time I am fine with my anxiety and then I get a bladder infection or something and then its back.  I hate it.  This week I am having a colonoscopy which I really am not afraid of...but my anxiety is here again.  Can't wait until it is over.  Can't eat...up early in the morning because I can't sleep.  So you are not alone.  I get go upset with myself. I am on Paxil which probably does help but this week I will also take xanax just to keep under control.  So I really do understand what you go through....me too.....hang in there....we will get through this stuff....Nana

[goodeys]

Hi Kathy,

I have been the same on and off for the past few years. Live a normal life and then I develop a symptom and my life comes to a complete standstill as I turn the sympton into a death sentence and before you know it I am planning my funeral.
I too had constant heachaches a few years back, was told i was fine but I turned it into a brain tumour. After giving birth I collapsed and had an awful headache and of course this was a blood clot, the scan said differently though and was clear apart from Brain Lesions!
Have had a headache for the past few weeks which could one of a number of things but I turned this into something negative about my brain lesions. I went to the optitian to rule out my eye sight and they have told me that I have a mole at the back of each eye (was not there last year) and of course I have googled this and have told my self that it is a melanoma despite the fact that it says that 99.9% are benign.
In case you hadn't guessed I have a health anxiety!

The only advice I can give is when you get a new symptom go to your GP and try and trust what they say to you. If the symptoms persist then go back to your GP and perhaps discuss some therapy like CBT. This is obviously something that we both have to live with and drugs only do so much, therapy could be the key for us to lead normal lives without fretting about every little ache and pain.

P.S You are quite near to me (in the fact that you are not in the States!), I live in Kent and went to school in Sussex!

[JJ11]

What helped for me (and I do have the health anxiety, which is SOOOO aggravating!) is to take the antidepressant Effexor XR plus the anti-anxiety Klonopin Wafer.  I use the generic; however, I can say that I felt my entire body relax from the moment of the first anxiety wafer.

It doesn't take away all anxiety, but it does help tremendously (and tho I tried xanax, it didn't help and made me feel much worse!).  I at first took a small dose of the wafer 3 times daily of the plus a larger dose at night.  During this time, the doctor adapted my antidepressant dosage.

Then the doctor taught me to wean down the wafer when I was more relaxed (and felt too sleepy on that many daily doses).  I now am down to just a small amt. daily, but it still helps a lot!  

[monkeybishop123]

Hey there, im just like you, new symptoms all the time. You mentioned a crawling feeling on your head, can you explain this a bit more, its just that im suffering with these weird head sensations, almost as if theres something in there that i really want to get out. Its sriving me completely insane. Any info would be great. Thanks.

[kathyanne100]

Yes the creepy crawly feeling is apparently called 'formication'. I googled it and it said that it was something to do with your nerve endings, anxiety another words. It's a living nightmare to be honest. I'm still getting my headaches.

Keep in touch...

[kathyanne100]

Hi nana

Bless you, it's not fair that at our age we are still being plagued by health anxiety. I'm sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.

still have the headaches, they won't go away, been to the GP four times, she is sick of the sight of me. Don't feel I have any other options. you poor thing, I hope the hospital goes ok i'm sure it will all be clear. I have been for some many check ups and test but you can't help it can you. You wouldn't be happy unless it all checked out. It's the only thing that satisfies me untill the next symptom...

Take care....x

Keep in touch..

[kathyanne100]

Hi ya

Thanks for your reply. It's a great help hearing from people in the same boat as me. Not that I wish this on anyone but it's good that your not alone.

I know how you feel only to well. My headaches are driving me absolutely mad. I try to take my mind of them but they are there all the time. Can't go back to GP again, driving them mad. They sent me for a brain scan 18 mths ago and it was clear so I can't keep going back or they will send me again, once was frightening enough. Don't know what to do now. My son & daughter have begged me NOT to visit the GP anymore with the headache and try and be strong and find my way through this one. It's so hard. I do trust the GP but think they may overlook something serious.

Ridiculous isn't it.

Keep in touchx

[veela_girl]

Dear Kathy,

i'm now 20 years old but i once knew what it was like to have the worst case scenario negative thoughts. It seems to have eased up quite a bit. i still get anxiety attacks to the point that I feel sick and faintish.

I have a big oral presentation (my final year thesis) coming up and just thinking about it makes my stomach turn over. I hope I dont pass out infront of the panel. I used to experience dizziness and he diagnosed i was having panic attacks brought on by stress and pressure and he prescribed Stemitil, this was to help with the dizziness, but i need something to help me with the anxiety and I see everyone talking about Paxil and Xanac. Do u think it would be wise for me to take these until the date of my presentation, which should e next week or so?

Thanks for any advice you maybe have..

[kathyanne100]

Bless you, You sound like you have kicked it yourself. Yes you are nervious a normal reaction to do a Oral Examination. My daughter went through the same thing. The GP put her on something very light. In the end the only thing that helped her was the over the counter remedy called 'Kalms', take around 5 - 6 10 minute before you go up.

You sound much better now.

Kathyx

[kintan]

Hello,
I am feeling 'formication' in my brain for about 4 months.
On the first month, the headache is very severe.
The negative impact only: I can not concentrate doing my job.

2 months late, the headache is gone.
But if I am depressed, i feel like my brain is being stabbed by several needle. When that happens, i feel a little pain but no more.

I have experienced the formication can spread to other part of body (my neck & my back) especially after eating allergic food.