Health Anxiety

Hi,

My name is Ruben and I'm not doing to good. About 3 months ago I had this prolonged chest infection I was spitting blood and I was very unwell. Ever since then after the antibiotics and everything I haven't felt good. I've been to the doctors had a blood test and nothing came back. I've had my throat looked at by a doctor and everything is fine but it seems to happen in weekly spells where for 1 week I will feel lightheaded dizzy nauseous and it stops me from doing daily activities. I look on google about severe diseases like cancer and the symptoms of them which worries me even more. Then for 1 week or so I feel fine then it just comes back. It's stopping me from eating and everything. Yet I've been to the doctors and I don't have any physical health problems. My first thought is health anxiety but I was wondering if anyone could help me out and tell me more. 

  • Hello Ruben703 and welcome to our forum, 

    Poor you it sounds like you really had a bad chest infection three months ago and that you were very unwell and that it is taking you time to recover from it all. You did the right thing to go to the doctor's as you are still not feeling quite right. I think it might be worth maybe going back to the doctor or getting a second opinion on all this. You can find out more about this here.  Make sure you mention the dizzy spells you described and the fact that this is interfering with your daily life and your appetite. Try and resist the temptation to look things up on Google as this will inevitably only bring the worst case scenarios which often will have nothing to do with your specific case which will create a cycle of worry that can be difficult to break and which can lead to health anxiety. You can find out more about health anxiety on AnxietyUK but if this is something you think you might be suffering from, do talk to your doctor about how you are feeling both physically and psychologically. I am sure your doctor will be able to offer you the help you need at the moment. 

    I hope you feel better soon. 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator