Heath OCD and physical symptoms

For about a month or so I’ve been dealing with some on and off health-related symptoms. Of course, I went down the Dr. Google rabbit hole and completely freaked myself out — I’ve now managed to convince myself at different points that I’ve had colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Over the past few weeks, I’ve gotten both an endoscopy and a colonoscopy, which came back pretty clean besides a few minor things. Lately though, my mind seems to have attached to the idea of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I don’t have any swollen lymph nodes, but I was experiencing some night sweats, and now I feel like I have itchy skin — though part of me wonders if that’s just because I read it’s a symptom. My anxiety has been through the roof and it’s honestly all I can think about. I’ve also had some neck and back pain that comes and goes — it was pretty consistent for a couple of weeks, but I’ve noticed that when my anxiety isn’t as bad, the pain eases up too. My question is, has anyone else ever experienced physical symptoms that seemed tied to anxiety or worry? I’ve already had an abdominal ultrasound of all my main organs and clean blood work, and I’m going for an MRI later this week. I think that will give me some peace of mind, but right now I just feel stuck in my head. Also, if anyone has any advice or tips on how to heal from the fear of cancer, I would really appreciate it. This is pretty new for me — I’ve always had some mild health anxiety or OCD tendencies, but this constant, debilitating fear that something serious is wrong has really taken over and put a damper on my life.

johnny5564

Date posted: 20h

I can relate to this I'm sorry you're going through this, I have cardiophobia I constantly think about heart attacks and fear of having of one and am also looking for ways to overcome it like at home remedies etc, we are strongest together!

butterflyA

Date posted: 16h

@johnny5564 i’m having the same as well actually right now as i type . every since my sister passed of a heart attack i’ve had health anxiety. looking for ways ti help me with that . reassurance from my doctor isn’t enough

johnny5564

Date posted: 16h

@butterflyA I'm very sorry to heart that and sorry for your loss, I'm also trying to find ways to manage this have you found anything that helps?

MyNameIsM.

Date posted: 20h

Oh yeah. This is a thing. I'm going through it, too. I try to close my eyes for a minute and get into a really comfy position while really telling myself that it isn't me, I have ocd and anxiety and that's what's making me feel all terrible. Like, I don't have anything, my mind is just trying to overpower me.

Anxiousminds...

Date posted: 19h

It’s really frustrating to not know what’s real vs OCD. I think my MRI will give me peace of mind.

Anonymous

Date posted: 18h

i have a couple autoimmune/chronic health conditions that cause enough symptoms on their own but it is definitely exacerbated by my ocd. the biggest thing for me that’s helped is acknowledging the current feeling, acknowledge that i am safe and not in any danger even though my body likes to shoot adrenaline through me when it fixates on something feeling ‘wrong’. sometimes i talk to myself out loud like “i know i am having a panic attack due to the worry over my symptoms, this happens often and it is always my ocd making things 1000% harder than it actually is”, sometimes i laugh at the panic feeling or the pain because it can be ridiculous. my pain always worsens when i’m too aware or it or having an ocd flare up, i totally understand where you’re coming from and hopefully things can get easier for you.

suzie90

Date posted: 20w

Health OCD/anxiety stomach cancer fears

Hi, I have been under extreme stress since about March this year, and from that started suffering from very bad health anxiety which has caused panic attacks etc. I’m in the middle of a spiral right now though because I am certain I have stomach cancer. I am 31 and female. Last week I had a very good few days anxiety wise and almost felt like myself. But on Sunday morning I woke up having to rush to the bathroom (TMI sorry) and felt very nauseous. I am emetophobic so this scared me too. Since then I have been having bad stomach cramps, had to rush to the toilet once a day, and some nausea. I have no appetite at all (last week I had a very good appetite but this week I am having to force myself to eat). I am thinking about my symptoms constantly which I think might be making them worse. I have had a bowel screening done which was clear so no blood, and a calprotectin which was very slightly raised at 53, but my GP said she wasn’t concerned about it but would refer me for further testing if I wanted. So I do have more tests booked but not for some months yet. I’m just really scared because of the stomach cramps, nausea, and having to rush to the bathroom once a day for five days now. I have also had bad acid reflux but that only tends to happen when I have taken propranolol. I also have IBS so maybe my anxiety has flared it up but I’m not convinced. I’m just so scared to the point I can’t leave the house and I have been lay in bed for five days thinking about my symptoms and that I could have stomach cancer. I have also been referred for CBT in the near future to help deal with this, but I’m scared that I’m brushing something off as anxiety and giving time for the illness to spread. I just feel constantly scared. I thought I’d had a breakthrough last week but this has just hit me like a tonne of bricks. Has anyone else dealt with anything like this? I just want to feel okay again I am freaking out so bad

Avasulley

Date posted: 7w

Health Anxiety

Hey! I’m new to all of this. I’ve been diagnosed with OCD since I was 10 years old, I’m 22 now. It’s had its ups and downs, but this year it has gotten worse since my mom was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. They said it’s not hereditary…but it activated my health anxiety. I’ve worried about every cancer in the book. I’ve had blood work done 10 times this year, hormones ran, autoimmune disease panel, mri of my knee, colonoscopy, head to toe ct scan, inward ultrasound, 4-5 clinical breast exams…it’s been nuts. I stop worrying about one worry and I move on to another. I’ve been trying so hard to stay afloat, but I’m struggling. I just had a clinical breast exam two weeks ago, they said everything was good, which is awesome. However, my OCD has convinced me that I have a lump again. I know realistically they said there is nothing there, but I’m having a hard time convincing my mind. Has anything helped anyone retraining their mind or maybe stopping compulsions of constantly checking?

br0wnie

Date posted: 5w

Health ocd

Hey everyone! I can’t stop worrying that I might be sick with something serious like cancer. I went to my doctor about a month ago and he checked me and said I’m okay. I didn’t do my blood test this year because I’m so scared of it (last year’s results were perfect). Lately, I spend most of my time constantly analyzing my body, trying to find if something is wrong, and I just can’t stop worrying. I also feel like checking online or even asking ChatGPT makes it worse. Has anyone else experienced this? If yes, how do you cope with it? Any advice would mean a lot. Thank you so much! 🩷

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Heath OCD and physical symptoms

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