Hypochondria / Health Anxiety :: Smoker And Alcohol
May 3, 2016
I'm 34yrs old, smoker and due to my problems a pretty heavy drinker typically 6+ tins every nite without fail, ironically I take them to help me but know it's doing the opposite. It's been 6/7 yrs now but the last 2 have been hell.it started with pins n needles in my face then pains in my arms and legs was convinced I was having a stroke even tho I obviously wasn't as this could happen ten times a day but I was always convinced each time. Then symptoms progressed to pains and tightness in chest, aching bones n muscles, headaches etc etc. I have self diagnosed everything from stroke heart attack and cancer sounds stupid when my doc can't find anything physically wrong wit me. Yet still 24hrs a day I'm convinced I'm dying. I'm on melds its sertraline which has definitely reduced the number of attacks I have from 10 a day to a few a week, but it's always in the back of my mine. I have a 19 month old son and 15 week old twin boys and my life, should be perfect but it ain't. Anxiety is ruining it I have severe mood swings I feel tired all the time n have no energy for anything anymore, does anyone else feel like this out there.
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I'm looking for someone who understands who can give me reassurance and support as I constantly believe I am ill more so I'm scared to death of getting cancer and every niggle or pain sets off alarm bells. I have had health scares in the past such as breast lumps, abnormal cells on cervix all were treated and were ok. I have had several family members get cancer some who have died not close enough family members to be considered for genetic testing though. I am currently having problems with my kidneys the pain was unbearable I thought the worst but an ultrasound revealed a stone stuck in my ureter. After hanging on to see specialists etc I am finally having a CT scan tonight, (my worst fear) this is to see clearly the stone to determine course of treatment but of course I'm petrified that this CT is going to find cancer somewhere in my body. I particularly worry about cervical cancer although all my yearly smear tests have been ok this is an area of most concern and pains that I'm experiencing in my groin (most likely kidney stone related) worry me. This anxiety is crippling I get reassurance for one health issue then other symptom appears. So between pains from minor health issues and symptoms im probably creating myself from my anxiety my head is well and truly mashed. I hate going to the doctors for fear of what they might find. I have completed CBT which did not help so to hear from someone who is living the same hell as me would be comforting although I wouldn't wish my symptoms on my worst enemy. I have a happy marriage, kids a good job I should not be feeling as low and so preoccupied with health worries as I do.
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I have a very bad case of hypochondria and cyberchondria !
I'm 26 years old and my anxiety is worse than ever. I've always been nervous even as a kid went through stages where I wouldn't leave the house because I was going to get eaten by a dog, struck by lightning etc. All very normal things of course! Haha.
So about 6 months ago I started working in a doctors surgery as a receptionist. And out of nowhere I began to have these symptoms and feelings that were all very new to me. And over the last few months I've diagnosed myself with more diseases than I've had hot dinners! I'd go to bed at night and my heart would be pounding and racing as if I'd just ran a marathon where in fact all I was doing was lying still. I ten began to experience pains in my left arm. Which worried me due to the connection between these 2 symptoms. Then eventually I started having the dreaded chest pains. That's it. I had heart disease and I was going to lose my life to a heart attack. This is when my life really went downhill. So I had reassurance from my dr that it was anxiety. Had a few weeks of cbt. Started to feel better. Then my therapist told me she was happy with the way I'd progressed and referred me back to my gp's care. Since stopping my cbt my symptoms have returned with a vengeance and I keep telling myself 'it can't be a coincidence of course they're back because your no longer have reassurance from a therapist' but it isn't helping. I've recently started having globus symptoms which are driving me crazy in thinking my throat is going to physically close up and that I won't be able to breath. Visited my gp who put it down to my GERD which is linked with my anxiety. I guess all I'm trying to ask is if I'm not the only one in this wicked situation. And is it affecting everyone else lives likes it's affecting and ruining mine. Am I the only one who keeps getting reassurance from therapists and GPs and still believe there's something seriously wrong with me?? Just don't want to do anything anymore. Feel like utter s**t all the time (which really isn't like me at all). Some advice also on whether you think me working in a GP's surgery is somehow affecting my health anxiety would be brilliant.
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I'm 23 yo with pretty bad OCD/anxiety and a whole lot of hypochondria. It's getting out of control. I've been obsessed with my heart for weeks now because it's always beating fast. And then of course I'll get the chest pain. And then I'll get pains in my arms and what I think are pains in my jaw which then makes me freakout and think I'm having a heart attack.... At 23 years old.
I've had a complete blood count test done to check my thyroid (mom has issues with hers) and everything came back perfect my cholesterol my triglycerides everything. Blood pressure is always perfect I eat healthy I've never smoked I could lose a good 5 lbs but I'm not overweight etc. I've had two ekgs done a chest X-ray but everyday I'm still convinced I'm going to have a heart attack or something because the aches and pains are still there. I'm starting to go crazy. I've been to the ER like 3 times this past week and have seen my regular doctor. I keep freaking myself because I tell myself "oh but you haven't seen a cardiologist". It's driving everyone around me insane and it's making it hard for me to be the mother and wife I was before all of this stuff started
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I apparently suffer from health anxiety I have chest pressure and breathless every day and also have obsessive thoughts of death I keep thinking I have cancer or i'm going to die and leave my family does anyone else feel this way.
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I have developed quite extreme health anxiety after having my baby four months ago and I feel as though I am making my husband's life, and my own, a living hell. We are currently on holiday where, there days ago I had a sharp pain in my breast and I am convinced I have breast cancer. My Grandmother had this and since. I got the thought in my head. I have been self examined almost continually to the point that I, and my family, have not left the house for three days and I have found lots of lumps and bumps that have only further convinced me. I have made an appointment for Thursday to see a private specialist when we get back. I am also having back pain near my epidural site which I am convinced is a cancer spread. Even as I write I can see how ridiculous this all is. A few weeks ago I had a melanoma scare and didn't leave the house for a week. It took three dermatologist reviews to convince me it was okay. I have seen my GP about my issues and I am due to start CBT next week but I am now worrying it won't be enough to help me. I am determined to get rid of this as I feel I am wasting so much precious time with my new family, but the irony is that this is all driven by a fear of leaving my baby to grow up without a Mummy. I cry every day about that thought and then I feel like such a bad person because I am healthy and there are people out there with genuinely life threatening conditions and I feel so pathetic. My husband is very supportive but doesn't seem to understand that I can't just 'talk myself out of it'. I don't know how to explain?
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I recently got tested for all stds and stis, this includes swabs, blood work and pelvic exams. Things came back negative but I read online that tests can be false negative. Do I have any reason to keep worrying? I've called the doctors back and they said their tests are accurate and said I shouldn't worry. But I can't get over this. I have been with the same man for four years, and recently stopped taking my anti depressants and anxiety medicine. Do you think this that's why I keep worrying? I can't get in to see a therapist. And can't get this out of my mind.
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I'm 23 years old and I'm healthy. So they tell me but I suffer from extreme anxiety, hypochondria and depression for going on 6 years. Im at my breaking point. It completely controls and ruins my everyday life.
Lately, my whole life has been a whole anxiety attack. From the moment I wake up until I go to sleep. My life doesn't feel like it is a reality. I live in a fog. My heart races all day leaving me exhausted, I suffer from aches and pains and I always think of the impending doom that is coming to me in the coming seconds. Since I also suffer from hypochondria these things do not go well together. Anytime I feel brain fog or these feelings of Unreality I tell myself I have a brain tumor and I'm surely dying. Any pains it's a tumor or a blood clot. I convince myself that I'm dying and it causes anxiety. It's a never ending cycle and as of late has caused me to become very depressed. I can't even go to work in fear of an attack. The only time I feel safe is at home in my bed or when I'm asleep. I left work today on the verge of a mental breakdown. On the verge of admitting myself into the hospital. I am on an antidepressant every day and it doesn't seem to be doing its job. My depression is killing me. Does anyone else feel this way? I don't know much longer I can continue living this way.
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I'm a 17 year old female and over the past few years I've suffered awful social and general anxiety. I've always had hypochondriac tendencies but over the past 6 months, it's really kicked in, to the point where I'm getting incredibly down and possibly depressed. In the beginning of December 2015, I developed stomach pains and cramps and immediately alarm bells started ringing. I became OBSESSED. I spent most of my day googling, posting in forums, going to the doctors. I got so much blood taken and everything was perfect, by CBC was like 2/100 or something which meant I was incredibly healthy and everything else was totally okay. I had urine tests, once it showed a tiny bit of blood and protein but I had a later one and it was totally fine. I then demanded an abdominal ultrasound and spent a ridiculous amount of money on it privately so I didn't have to wait and it came back totally fine too, so there's obviously nothing major going on. I still get the stomach and back pain but it is better and I only really get it bad if I'm walking a long distance. From what I've heard, anxiety can really give you physical symptoms. Anyway, after realising that my grandfather passed away from colon cancer, I've basically self diagnosed myself with this. I feel awful about it because I know there's people out there who are seriously suffering. I'm obsessed with checking and tracking my bowel movements, and it got to the point where I was straining to go even when I didn't need to and this led to bleeding, hence, me going even more crazy with fear. The bleeding only happened once on my stool and once from my actual ... You know, and I'm still terrified. I have no fatigue and I'm generally eating well. Another thing which doesn't help is that I think I've lost a little bit of weight, but it's most likely due to the fact that over the last few weeks I've had an exceptionally good diet and I've drunk so much water, which would obviously make you lose weight, but because I'm already quite slim, I've been worried.
Anyway, as you can tell, I'm constantly worrying about something. A headache=meningitis, stomach pain in the right means I automatically have appendicitis and the other week, I thought I had a brain tumor because I saw spots. It's getting me down and I'm convinced I'm going to die randomly one day from the cancer or whatever inside killing me. Does anyone feel the same or have any way to help me at all? Thank you so much.
I'd also like to add that I'm starting CBT and therapy but it's not often so a lot of the time I'm at home for a few weeks just dwelling on my health.
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For the past 3-4 months, I have smoked pot ONCE (depending on mood 1-3 joints) every night to help me go to sleep faster. I've never had insomnia problems or addiction problems before these few months (smoked 2-3 times a week for 6 months prior; and once or twice a month for 5 years before that). Now I find it extremely difficult to go to sleep. My body feels warm everywhere and even if I manage to fall asleep eventually, I never managed to fall into deep sleep and normally wake up within 4 hours feeling unrested. Any advice or similar experiences?
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Due to some urine flow problems that I have had for the past few years, my urologist has decided that I should have a rigid cystoscopy to explore/fix my bladder for the problem. It is most likely that I have a stricture in my urethra that is preventing the flow.
Because a rigid cystoscopy can be fairly painful, I will be under under general anaesthetic throughout the whole procedure. The main thing I am worried about is the anaesthesia. I smoke marijuana fairly regularly (2-3 shared-joints a day) and that is all I do. I don't take any other form of drugs. I only smoke tobacco in joints. I don't smoke cigarettes.
My only concern is that this might affect the general anaesthesia during the cystoscopy.
The procedure won't be happening till sometime around April so I will be able to cut down/stop smoking all together if needs be but I intend NOT to smoke at all up to 2 weeks before the cystoscopy.
How long can I smoke marijuana up until the procedure? What are the potential risks of smoking marijuana before operations?
Also, what can I expect from the rigid cystoscopy procedure? This is the first hospital procedure I have ever had, so understandably I am a little anxious about it all.
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I am a 22 year male, 10 stone 2 pounds, 5 ft 8 inch, smoker (around 5 a day) and recreational cannabis smoker (daily). I have no known diseases, illnesses or family history of such (apart from my mother, who has depression).
I have a variety of symptoms that could either be related or not, these are:
-Constipation. Been noticeable for the past few months, it is not constant, but is regular. No pain is felt on passing, but blood is occasionally found when wiping. I am a student, so my diet is not the best it could be, yet has been consistent for the past two years.
-Anal itching. An issue that has come and gone my entire life, yet have been too embarrassed to discuss it. Often use E45 or Sudocrem to relieve this, which helps, but is not a solution.
-Erectile Dysfunction. Gradually been getting worse over the past year. Sometimes wake up with an erection, yet do not get any throughout the day. No longer feel the urge to masturbate, cannot get an erection when intimate with my partner. Almost impossible to get an erection without constant touching. Little anxiety or pressure felt.
-Rare feelings of depression. This is not constant, and can happen out of nowhere. Feelings of loneliness and extreme lack of motivation to do anything. Occurs about two times a month. Happened for around two years.
-Fluctuating appetite. Can go days without feeling hungry, where I have to force myself to eat. Then days where I feel constantly hungry. Happened for at least four years.
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I've suffered from severe anxiety for about six months now. It started with headaches and fatigue, then I started getting panic attacks a couple of months later and now I am obsessed with my health and when I might die.
Today, for example, I woke up with a heavy right leg and also pain in my thigh and calf. My first thought was blood clot and now I've wasted another whole day worrying about it. This happens all the time to the point where I've become agoraphobic and find it very difficult to continue with work and any activities I used to enjoy.
I've had six sessions of CBT so far and I'm not finding it great to be honest. I'm just so so tired of constantly being aware of my mortality and scanning my body for symptoms 24/7. Even when I'm out, like last night when I went to a comedy gig, the whole night I was scanning my body checking everything was ok and preparing to make a quick escape if necessary.
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i suffer from anxiety and use alcohol to mask it but now its 20 times worse coupled with an awful hangover.ive barely slept and cant stop going over things from last night.i know it will be over in the next few days but that doesnt make it any easier.every time i get like this i say ill quit drinking but by next weekend i will do it all over again!my girlfriend is pregnant and i should be happy but this anxiety is making my life hell.i suffered a brain injury a few years back so when im drunk i act the idiot i dont know how to get out of this cycle
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Why is it slowly killing me in so much pain. Yet I still want to drink it?
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I'm 34 years old and have been drinking socially since I was about 17. For about the last 6 years I have been drinking more heavily. An average week night 3 pints, but often 4 maybe 5. On a very good night just 2. At the weekends I would have 4-6 pints Friday, Saturday, Sunday, but its sometimes hits 9, that's without going on a night out. So, on average, about 30 pints. I also suffer with anxiety, and recently its been really bad. The anxiety is horrible, I feel panicked, overwhelmed and nervous about things that I should be happy about, I get strong feelings of guilt from things I've done in the past that, whilst it was wrong to do these things, it doesn't really matter to anyone. I feel like I cant lie in case I feel guilty after so I end up owning up to stupid things, such as spending a tenna in the betting shop. Its worse after drinking, so I drink more to help ease it, then feel like rubbish the next day so I drink again, then I'm in a vicious circle. I do enjoy a drink but most of the time I drink its unnecessary and to make myself feel better and calm down the anxiety. Its now got to the point where I've had enough of feeling like this so I have decided to cut down, and hopefully stop drinking altogether. I went 12 days a few weeks ago and was starting to feel better halfway through, but felt a bit flat and fed up. I went 5 days last week and the same thing happened. This week I have gone 3 days and so far I feel terrible, worse than ever, its not easing off like it usually does. The last two nights I've not slept, I keep twitching and jumping in the night. My hands feel like I have constant pins and needles and I feel dizzy. As well as the usual anxiety feelings. I'm going on holiday Saturday and I'm worried about being stuck on the plane for 2 hours, and I get anxious about being with my girlfriend who I love very much, for a few days, its ridiculous! She knows how I feel and is supportive, so is my mum, so I do have people to speak to. The doctor gave beta blockers yesterday but I don't like taking pills and worried it will make me feel worse. I know I'm not the only one who is like this and I know the booze is probably the reason why I'm like this, but how long is it going to last and what if its not the booze? Does anyone have any advice?
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What I think is crazy is I only had one drink since like forever and now I cry over anything that is little, my brain feels kinda fuzzy and I refuse to go out to places with a lot of people. I drank alcohol about a week ago and it just started yesterday and it's getting a little bit better
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I've not had a drink since last Christmas. But today I had a cocktail and I don't know if it's just my anxiety, but cocktails have hardly anything in, and now my head feels funny and I just feel weird. Is it the alcohol or is it just me having a panic attack?
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Just wondering whether I can drink alcohol on sertraline? Iv been 50mg daily for about 2 weeks now. Not intending on getting drunk but just want to see how the effects are on other people first.
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I'm 19 years old.
My doctor prescribed me Xanax 0.25 mg, only for stressful situations, but I feel that 0.25mg it's having no effect at all.
This Sunday I'm going to camp with my friends and I feel very anxious when I'm waiting on lines and my legs shake because of that. So I want to try 0.5mg of Xanax to help my anxiety. But we use to drink beer all day, but not in an way to get severely drunk. Like 8 or 9 beers. So, If I take Xanax 0.5 mg in the morning, and during the day drink beer, will it be a bad interaction?
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I don't like the feeling of being high/drunk so I only even take a quarter of my prescribed medication and even then only when my panic attacks are extremely severe, which means I will only take it 3-4 times a year max. Usually much less. However when I take it I NEED it or I would be in the hospital, and have many times. So here is my question- we had a friend in town and had a few beers today. I had about 5/6 beers but it was spanned out from 4pm-midnight so I was never really drunk since that's less than a beer an hour. Stopped drinking around midnight. I woke up at maybe 345 with the worst panic attack in years. Like, I woke my husband and tried to go to the hospital because my heart rate was around 200 and I couldn't breathe/ sweaty, all the typical panic attack symptoms... This lasted a very long time. He was finally able to calm me enough to get my heart rate down to about 120 but that's still high, I can't shake this anxious feeling. I know they always say not to mix alcohol and Xanax but in a situation like this, how long after drinking can I take a bit of it?
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