snowflake293
21-10-15, 23:04
Hi everyone
I have been posting here on and off since December last year when my HA was at its worse. At my worse I was spending every waking hour either searching my body for signs of cancer/serious illness, analysing every body sensation and going to the doctors for reassurance about 3 times a week.
I honestly felt trapped and truly believed I was dying. I can totally, 100% sympathise with everyone who posts here. For me, health anxiety feels like someone choking you, or holding you down. Until about three months ago, I did not believe I would ever be free of this debilitating obsession.
However (and I still have blips, not out of the woods yet!) for the first time probably in years, I truly believe I DONT have cancer. It is such a liberating and freeing feeling and I wanted to post this cause when I was at rock bottom I would read others posts on here about getting better and think it would never happen to me. I want to reassure anyone suffering that you can get through it!
Best thing I did was to listen carefully to the doctor about medication. I am taking Sertraline and it has helped me so much. For me, it feels like it takes the edge off and even though the worry is still there, it doesn't seem to bother me like it did if that makes sense?
I was having CBT and thought I had been referred for 'high intensity' CBT, but when I went to my appointment last week they said they decided CBT wasn't working for me and are trying me one something else but they didn't explain what it was other than it would involve talking about my past and relationships etc... anyone know what this is?
My moods are still a bit up and down at times and I am skin picking really badly - but to go from truly believing I was going to die to actually feeling 'safe' is so good.
Anyway, just wanted to let people know that recovery is possible. You won't feel like this forever.
Love Snowflake x
I have been posting here on and off since December last year when my HA was at its worse. At my worse I was spending every waking hour either searching my body for signs of cancer/serious illness, analysing every body sensation and going to the doctors for reassurance about 3 times a week.
I honestly felt trapped and truly believed I was dying. I can totally, 100% sympathise with everyone who posts here. For me, health anxiety feels like someone choking you, or holding you down. Until about three months ago, I did not believe I would ever be free of this debilitating obsession.
However (and I still have blips, not out of the woods yet!) for the first time probably in years, I truly believe I DONT have cancer. It is such a liberating and freeing feeling and I wanted to post this cause when I was at rock bottom I would read others posts on here about getting better and think it would never happen to me. I want to reassure anyone suffering that you can get through it!
Best thing I did was to listen carefully to the doctor about medication. I am taking Sertraline and it has helped me so much. For me, it feels like it takes the edge off and even though the worry is still there, it doesn't seem to bother me like it did if that makes sense?
I was having CBT and thought I had been referred for 'high intensity' CBT, but when I went to my appointment last week they said they decided CBT wasn't working for me and are trying me one something else but they didn't explain what it was other than it would involve talking about my past and relationships etc... anyone know what this is?
My moods are still a bit up and down at times and I am skin picking really badly - but to go from truly believing I was going to die to actually feeling 'safe' is so good.
Anyway, just wanted to let people know that recovery is possible. You won't feel like this forever.
Love Snowflake x