Hypochondria Support Group

Hypochondria refers to excessive worry about having a serious illness. Hypochondria is often characterized by fears that minor bodily symptoms may indicate a serious illness, constant self-examination and self-diagnosis, and a preoccupation with one's body. Many individuals with hypochondriasis express doubt and disbelief in the doctors' diagnosis.

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voyager03 09/29/2017

I just wasted two hours worrying that a vein on my head was actaully a lump. Yesterday I wasted the entire morning and afternoon convinced I saw a lump on my two year old's neck and followed him around anxiously waiting to catch glimpses of his neck in the daylight. A few times I actually felt his neck to be sure. Nothing there. The day before that I spent the whole morning worried I'd found a lump in my armpit and now I can find no trace of it. I'm the type that if fabric bunches up in the wrong way or someone pokes me and it hurts, or I have a muscle pain, I feel like I have to check for a lump. I am currently hormonal (pms) and suffering from severe seasonal allergies. These two things compound to make me a nervous wreck. I feel I was destined to be a hypochondriac. My brother died of leukemia at the age of 12, I was 10. And I witnessed two family members die of the same type of cancer in my young-adult years.

I was fine until age 29 when I had an abnormal blood test. After two months of waiting on further test results and an appointment with a specialist, I found out I was simply taking too much ibuprofen. I had gotten into the habit of taking it to avoid getting headaches or other pains and not just waiting until I was in pain. So I stopped taking it and a couple weeks later, poof! Perfect blood work. However, that experience gave me enough time to settle into new habits and it was then that the hypochondria set in. I annoy my family and my doctors. I see a therpist. I was doing better a few weeks back, before my allergies started up. Now I'm a mess and have some new and terrible fear each day. The allergies are so bad it makes it feel as though everything is deteriorating. I am desperate to stop this and lead a happier life. Currently, I am wasting my life in worry. I've been living like this for three years now. I am hoping this group might help me connect with others who understand what a trap this kind of obsessive thinking is.

tryinghardinsandiego 10/09/2017

I know how you feel, I've had hypochondria since I was a child. It's really a terrible thing, worrying all the time about your health. Try to get a meditation app or see a therapist. Deep breathing helps me when I feel like I'm about to hyperventilate. Every time I hear about someone getting cancer I feel like I have those symptoms. It's horrible. Sending hugs. Let me know if you want to talk more.

Borkah 10/31/2017

Hi Voyager,
How are you doing? I too am seeking help here. I lost my brother three years ago and I think things have gotten worse for me since then. Every time I hear of an illness, I start noticing syptoms in myself. Brain tumors, lung cancer, MS... I have promised my partner I would not google symptoms anymore..and I hate having my partner take the brunt of my worries. I cry thinking that my kids may grow up without me.
I know my thoughts are irrational and unlikely, but I feel them. Sometimes I need to hear about how unlikely it is to have ALS. And I need to be lead to the doctor when a worry might be warranted.
This is my first time here. Is there a way to send messages or emails without posting it here for all to see?

voyager03 11/02/2017

@tryinghardinsandiego Thank you for your reply and for the hugs. Hugs right back to you! I have been struggling more since I made that first post. I went to the doctor, I took my kids to the doctor more than once. Thankfully all is well, I just have to convince myself all is well, which is tough. I've become completely crippled by this issue. And it's not just hypochondria. It's severe anxiety, OCD, and depression combined. I am now into week two of starting Prozac, I am seeing my therapist more, and I have begun Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I have also decided to start daily meditation, beginning today. I am so desperate to get over this and find joy in life again. How are you doing lately?

tryinghardinsandiego 11/02/2017

@voyager03 You are welcome! I have been doing a bit better, but I'm now on my 5th week of Celexa 10 mg and I think it's helping my baseline anxiety to be at a 2/10 instead of 4/10. Just a couple weeks ago I was at 9/10 because I just could not stop thinking that I had cancer- I ended up having a ruptured cyst which is resolving itself. I was having trouble breathing, back pain, really terrible digestive issues, waking up at 4:30 am with my mind racing and basically was crying all the time and thinking about my children growing up without me. I was seeing death everywhere- even my frequently used emojis list had a coffin in there. I was spiraling out of control and almost checked myself into a mental hospital. It helped me to get lab tests back as normal and also to see my dr, obgyn, and a psychiatrist. I talked to my therapist every week and texted with her as needed. I took Prozac last year but didn't feel it worked for me, but the celexa started working after I consistently took it over 4 weeks. My therapist specializes in DBT which is slightly different than CBT- a lot of the skills are like this- checking the facts (observable facts), being ok with being safe/healthy right now even in the face of uncertainty, letting thoughts come and go, but not trying to block or fight them, doing things mindfully (one mindfully) where you are in the moment and not worrying about the future or hanging onto the past... it's hard to do, it you have to keep practicing so you can do it more easily in times of crisis. I too have severe anxiety, definite OCD tendencies, and depression. It is not easy but keep doing the things you need to do to cope. A lot of these things go together, which makes it that much harder. I believe you can get through it though, you will get through it. I find that I'm less anxious with my kids and use be medication as needed. I use xanax when I panic, and it works quickly so that helps. Let's keep in touch and check in with each other on here. I hope you start to feel better soon! Hugs!

Mark77 11/02/2017

@tryinghardinsandiego I like that you use a 10 scale to rate your anxiety. I have started a health journal that I write in almost every day. I started to feel guilty that my wife was having to listen to my problems every day..and now she is pregnant again and I know she doesn't want to hear it. I shared the online doc with her so she can read it if she truly wants to know what's going on with my body and my head.
Lately I have had muscle twitching all over (mostly legs) and pins and needles in my feet. Today was a good day, but I was off-balance. Ugh..it is so unsettling and annoying...
I use a 10 scale to rate my anxiety, depression, and headaches and to note all of the weird things going on with my body. The journal helps and it gives me something to work toward.
Xanax has absolutely saved my life during panic attacks. I had to stop other meds because I felt like that was causing my depression. I have yet to go on antidepressants, but I think that is the next step when I get some time away from work over the holidays.

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