Paul84
07-10-22, 12:37
Hello all, I hope everyone is well.
I've had a quite a good stretch without Health Anxiety but since I had covid a month ago, HA returned but I think I'm naturally getting to the end of it.
However, I wanted to put down what my thought pattern has been over the last few weeks and I would be eternally grateful if people could emphasise the level of irrationality I've been reaching, or not...
This is probably a bit self-indulgent so I accept it may bore people, but thanks for reading if you do.
I know with anxious people, thought processes can be skewed but is any of the below waffle something I should be obsessing over or even thinking about at 38 years old?
Week 1, I caught Covid; Felt unwell, disturbed sleep, couldn't eat, breathing difficulties, hacking cough... no anxiety at all, just rode it out.
Week 2, the worst of it had passed and I was testing negative. I was still tired, sinus issues and had a niggly cough but I knew that might happen and could last for weeks/months. I returned to work.
Week 3, the cough continued but I've been looking for a new job and managed to land an interview at another company. The cough was persistently annoying so I decided to get to the chemist for something stronger - They suggested Pholcodine Linctus so I began taking that.
The stuff is obviously magic as it basically stopped the cough, apart from the occasional throat clearing, but this is strong stuff so I was conscious that I couldn't take it for a long period.
It made me a little dopey and tired and I think effected my digestion.
Had the interview but did not feel myself, had serious brain fog throughout and subsequently didn't do enough to get the job. This kind of bummed me out if I'm being truthful and may have gave my anxiety a boost.
This is where the anxiety began to go mental...
I'd accepted the cough as being a covid thing but read that it could be caused by Acid Reflux - Something I'd never really given a 2nd thought to for the last 38 years. I've had an occasional slight bitter taste at the back of throat, during this period and thought "That must be Acid Reflux or Silent Reflux?" - no chest pain or discomfort.
I read that untreated Acid Reflux can lead to the most serious of issues so immediately panicked and thought, "Is this something I've had before now and not done anything about?"
For context - I've had Heartburn, maybe, once to my knowledge - and from speaking to people, you know when you have heartburn.
I began taking Rennie occasionally after meals. This is something I've rarely ever done so immediately I began thinking "Well, shouldn't I have been taking Rennie more often to fight reflux in the past, particularly as I'm nearly 40".
Then I moved onto Barrett's Esophogus Syndrome - which is caused by reflux damage. Immediately thought to myself, "Well, I'm a dummy and haven't been vigilant enough and this is what I have or will have"
In 4 weeks I've gone from No Anxiety, to Covid, to Lingering Cough, to Reflux, to Barrett's Syndrome to EC... I don't smoke, rarely drink and don't tend to over-eat - I'm about 4kg overweight at 84kg. When I write this stuff down I can see how irrational it looks but this has been me for a week or 2.
I made the rookie mistake of googling stuff, thinking I was safe with "irritating cough". It sent me down the rabbit hole.
Feel like I've lost a couple weeks and haven't been present for most of it, including my job interview.
Things that have helped to ease the anxiety
I spoke to my Father-in-Law last weekend and mentioned reflux and he was so matter-of-fact and said "Yeah, we get that sometimes so we take Bio-Kult tablets and peppermint oil, particularly when we have a flare up"...
The difference in mindset was stark - Here I am thinking, I've been ignoring reflux and have given myself a life-sentence and my FIL is like, oh yeah, we just take this stuff and get on with it.
I spoke to my best mate at the Football, and explained to him the things I've been thinking and diagnosing myself with and I could sense how irrational I must have sounded. He told me to call him If I'm ever having strange thoughts.
I spoke to my wife and she was amazing as always.
I've had a quite a good stretch without Health Anxiety but since I had covid a month ago, HA returned but I think I'm naturally getting to the end of it.
However, I wanted to put down what my thought pattern has been over the last few weeks and I would be eternally grateful if people could emphasise the level of irrationality I've been reaching, or not...
This is probably a bit self-indulgent so I accept it may bore people, but thanks for reading if you do.
I know with anxious people, thought processes can be skewed but is any of the below waffle something I should be obsessing over or even thinking about at 38 years old?
Week 1, I caught Covid; Felt unwell, disturbed sleep, couldn't eat, breathing difficulties, hacking cough... no anxiety at all, just rode it out.
Week 2, the worst of it had passed and I was testing negative. I was still tired, sinus issues and had a niggly cough but I knew that might happen and could last for weeks/months. I returned to work.
Week 3, the cough continued but I've been looking for a new job and managed to land an interview at another company. The cough was persistently annoying so I decided to get to the chemist for something stronger - They suggested Pholcodine Linctus so I began taking that.
The stuff is obviously magic as it basically stopped the cough, apart from the occasional throat clearing, but this is strong stuff so I was conscious that I couldn't take it for a long period.
It made me a little dopey and tired and I think effected my digestion.
Had the interview but did not feel myself, had serious brain fog throughout and subsequently didn't do enough to get the job. This kind of bummed me out if I'm being truthful and may have gave my anxiety a boost.
This is where the anxiety began to go mental...
I'd accepted the cough as being a covid thing but read that it could be caused by Acid Reflux - Something I'd never really given a 2nd thought to for the last 38 years. I've had an occasional slight bitter taste at the back of throat, during this period and thought "That must be Acid Reflux or Silent Reflux?" - no chest pain or discomfort.
I read that untreated Acid Reflux can lead to the most serious of issues so immediately panicked and thought, "Is this something I've had before now and not done anything about?"
For context - I've had Heartburn, maybe, once to my knowledge - and from speaking to people, you know when you have heartburn.
I began taking Rennie occasionally after meals. This is something I've rarely ever done so immediately I began thinking "Well, shouldn't I have been taking Rennie more often to fight reflux in the past, particularly as I'm nearly 40".
Then I moved onto Barrett's Esophogus Syndrome - which is caused by reflux damage. Immediately thought to myself, "Well, I'm a dummy and haven't been vigilant enough and this is what I have or will have"
In 4 weeks I've gone from No Anxiety, to Covid, to Lingering Cough, to Reflux, to Barrett's Syndrome to EC... I don't smoke, rarely drink and don't tend to over-eat - I'm about 4kg overweight at 84kg. When I write this stuff down I can see how irrational it looks but this has been me for a week or 2.
I made the rookie mistake of googling stuff, thinking I was safe with "irritating cough". It sent me down the rabbit hole.
Feel like I've lost a couple weeks and haven't been present for most of it, including my job interview.
Things that have helped to ease the anxiety
I spoke to my Father-in-Law last weekend and mentioned reflux and he was so matter-of-fact and said "Yeah, we get that sometimes so we take Bio-Kult tablets and peppermint oil, particularly when we have a flare up"...
The difference in mindset was stark - Here I am thinking, I've been ignoring reflux and have given myself a life-sentence and my FIL is like, oh yeah, we just take this stuff and get on with it.
I spoke to my best mate at the Football, and explained to him the things I've been thinking and diagnosing myself with and I could sense how irrational I must have sounded. He told me to call him If I'm ever having strange thoughts.
I spoke to my wife and she was amazing as always.