Health anxiety is driving my family crazy,

[AJVegas]

I did a search for "cancer phobia" online and ran into this site. I am driving myself as well as everyone around me crazy with my "health issues". I have in the last year alone thought I had bone cancer, tongue cancer, and most recently I am convinced something is terribly wrong with my liver or pancreas. Rationally, I know this all is ridiculous but I can't stop feeling like this. My doctor has me on zoloft 25mg for anxiety and for several months it really seemed to help. Now, I am back to the same old thing. My husband is exhausted listening to me and I am embarrassed to keep bringing up these worries to my friends and families. I have a feeling of constant dread for my health and I just don't know what to do anymore. Every little ache and pain is automatically cancer. Does anyone else feel like this. Have any treatments/medications been helpful. I am 29 and have have two little kids. I am so worried that they may begin to pick up on my worries/behavior. I need help.

[Katie35801]

I can relate! No matter how many times I've gone to the doctor about how I feel and the tests come out normal-I still think "what if" thoughts and still worry, have anxiety, etc. I was on Prozac, it helped very little. Just wanted you all to know, I can relate!

[scaredjo]

firstly looking up symtoms/illness is a massive mistake you can end up with all sorts, but i can 100% relate to you i have health anxiety about my heart i have all sorts of symptoms pains you name it, ive had loads of tests all of which have come out good but i still dont believe them, try and get some CBT it helps with the way we think, cause its our brains that are causing all these pains not our bodies and once the anxiety circle is broken it gets easier cause at the moment your brain is triggering all your fears and symptoms.
hope you feel better and pls dont look up any more symptoms i no its hard :-)

[iamfaithful]

I can relate to both of you.  I have health anxiety really bad and it keeps getting worse.  I have always been a bit of a hypocondriac, but recently it has gotten out of control.  What triggered it (I think) was a very close friend's death-suddenly and then the loss of four family members not even a year apart.

I mainly have anxiety over my heart-because that is what our friend died of.  He didn't have any clue-just dropped dead in front of my husband; however, my husband doesn't have the same issues as me!  I am on medication, but I am like you Mam2...I have a serious issue with taking meds.  I just posted on here about taking antibiotics for goodness sake.  It's such a vicious cycle, but hopefully we can see our way through.

AJVegas-I really can empathize with you.  My family has been very supportive, but it's been over a year now and I rarely mention it to my husband anymore.  I was in therapy, but I stopped because the therapist wasn't right for me at that time.  I am looking into getting christian counseling soon as I think that will be a great help.  

It's the "what if's" that drive us crazy right?  Our mind is always working....in a negative way!  So we end up pepetuating the situation.  I do have some minor health concerns, and I think that some of that was caused by me always stressing out!  SO I am really trying to make a concentrated effort.....even when the heart palps are bad, or my head is hurting, etc. etc.  I'm trying to stop automatically assuming the worst in every situation.

I hope it gets better!

[Mama2Thomas]

Oh I should also add the my SIL was a rare case.  She had a history of cancer in her family.  Yet she never went to the doctor for her annual checkups because she didn't think it would ever happen to her.  Finally, 2 years after me nagging her to go get a physical, she reluctantly agreed.  That's when they told her that she had a lump and it was pretty advanced already.

[Mama2Thomas]

This is my first post, but I can SO relate to what you are saying.  I'm 34 and have been a hypochondriac for a long as I can remember, but the "cancer phobia" didn't really affect me until my sister in law was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 28.  Then at age 31, the cancer spread and she passed away.  As she was nearing death, my health anxiety became way out of control.  I'm so embarassed to say this, but I was just looking back at all the statements I've gotten from my health insurance for the past year and the stack is nearly 2 inches thick!  Shortly after her death, I began seeing a therapist at my poor husband's pleading and that's helped tremendously.  It got so bad that I was crying at the time and it was driving him crazy.  Oh, I also have a 2 year.  Every ache and pain used to automatically mean that I have so horrible disease and won't be around to see my little boy grow up.  After going to CBT, I've gotten so much better, and even without the help of medication (I was having anxiety over taking meds too!).  I still have my bad days and setbacks but definitely nothing like before.  Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.