Severe health anxiety

Yes! If you look at my long long chart, I should be long gone. In reality, no symptoms, just watching and checkups. "Call the office if you are having any problems."
Yes! Every twitch sets me off to fretting, "Is this the big one?" I stopped going to the "We can't find anything wrong with you" ER. Now I wait, and it goes away. Having an old and retired ball😁. If 🧟‍♂️ comes, it comes.
Watch out. Extreme worrying can give you real symptoms and even make you ill. Chill! The Dude abides.

Did you want to start a family? Or have doubts maybe, but caved to wife. Like me. Mistake.

@tluther when I was having my anxiety and panic attacks I ended up in ER several times (once even called an ambulance but when they checked me out they said I was fine, so I opted not to go to the hospital that night. Panic attacks can mimic cardiac symptoms.

Once I attended a Relaxation Therapy Course where I was taught to deep breathe from my diaphragm instead of my lungs my ER visits stopped. I haven’t had an incident in years.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9445-diaphragmatic-breathing

Hi!
This could have been my post!
I haven’t really had anxiety before but my dad died in 2017, and after that it just deluged me.
In the last 3 months I have never been as bad as I have, I am in constant flight/fight mode, I believe I am dying with every symptom I get. Even now, for a week I have had symptoms I cannot attribute to health anxiety they are so specific and I have made an appointment with the doctor again.
I am convinced I have cancer again.
It is pure hell and I don’t know how I get through the days.
I’ve just had to spend Xmas with my mum and my older kids 300 miles from home and because they do not have a clue what I am struggling with I have had to put on a brave face and go through the motions whilst thinking this will be my last Xmas and I’m so sad.
I keep going online to look for therapy which helps, I can reframe my thoughts and I see a CBT therapist but it doesn’t help at all, I have no idea what to do now. I have always been the strong one in my family so I could never, ever speak to them. It’s such a lonely and draining existence isn’t it?
I also haven’t cried since my dad died, I wasn’t hugely close to him as he was an alcoholic for many years but it affected me watching him die, I’m 48, and I just want to say to you you’re not alone, I’ve seen so many posts like ours online, it’s a struggle many face and it’s so debilitating!
I am thinking of trying hypnotherapy, but then I remember I may get a diagnosis of cancer shortly and there’s no point.
Hugs to anyone who is suffering!

Dad was alcoholic ... not close. Growing up with an addicted parent deprives you of your psychological developmental stages (Erickson Maslow). The household energy is directed at co-depending the alcoholic, and away from the developmental needs of the children. It's a form of neglect and mid-level chronic trauma. Absent a developed SELF, the child uses coping devices to get through. It's an avatar performing and dancin' as fast as she can, and runnin' on empty. (Kalsched)
Then comes an event, like death, and the brittle act shatters. We can't avoid the current reality or everything we ingested and repressed in the past. So we get symptoms (Jung), like anxiety.
It's a long and difficult road at this point, but taking a deep breath and asking "Really! Who am I?" is a good first step.

As Mel Brooks said "It's not heights I'm afraid of. It's my parents."

@anahitap I’ve suffered stomach issues ever since childhood. I had a couple of hospitalizations, one as a teenager in high school and one as a university student. They never found anything. During my career years, I suffered 20 years with the issues you identified and I did eventually realize it was likely stress caused. During those 20 years, hospitalized many times, had endoscopies and they found nothing. During that time I also took about 5 courses of h-pylori antibiotics and it would work for awhile. The last time was a disaster. My last bout in hospital involved 12 days with all kinds of tests and like before they found nothing. During that time I couldn’t eat much except for soup. I began feeling better.
After that I discovered Dr. Natasha Campbell Mcbride’s GAPS diet. Basically it’s a gut healing diet. I did it rigorously for 2 years and it healed me. It’s very difficult to do but it was worth it. No more regular gut aches for 10 years. Although I did have a few bouts - 2 times. I think these are related to h-pylori or some other bad bacteria. I took mastic gum to get rid of the bacteria one time and it worked. I never take antibiotics anymore because that’s probably what contributed to the unhealthy gut biome. Hope this is helpful.

I have extreme PTSD and anxiety that is triggered , 42 ex British Army soldier 2004 to 2022

@frederick83 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.

First off, thank you for your military service. Eighteen years is a long while to serve in such a restricted environment!

Would you want to share your experiences? What are your triggers and what techniques have you done to help you work through things? It will help us to better understand how we can support you!
Ginger

Heath anxiety absolutely terrible . Hard to function .

apollo8754, how is your health.