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[Urbanchick]

I haven't been on here for ages - I thought I was over the worst and life was going OK.  My main problem was always health anxiety - it started in earnest about 4 years ago and I've imagined every single illness under the sun since then.

I found this forum a life saver to start with and must explain the 'unfortunately' in the title.  I found that when I was busy/better/not anxious I didn't think about the menopause or have much anxiety.  But now it's back and I thought I might check in and see if others were still suffering.   My hubbie and I have had a really bad financial knock a couple of weeks ago that left us reeling.  This coincided with me working from home more and not getting out as much [being busy and with people always works for me].  I also decided to halve my dose of HRT [oestrogen only].  Then wham - added to my normal 'having had a shock' anxiety, the health anxiety has landed with a vengeance.  It's fixated on a small white patch under my tongue [not an ulcer, it's not on the skin it's as if the colour has gone].  I've plucked up courage to go to the dentist on Friday, but have obviously over-catastrophized the whole thing and am convinced of the worst.  I do all the wrong things - body checking, etc and am cross that today I finally gave in to the google impulse. 

I'm now wondering if my HA is just always going to be there, lurking below the surface and ready to strike if I am ever low or stressed about real things.   My sensible brain [just about still in there somewhere] knows I'm silly, but it struggles to take control - almost like a Jekyll and Hyde situation.  Any thoughts?  Advice?  BTW - have been on oestrogen only, lowest dose for about 4 years off and on - I think the anxiety is exacerbated by lowering the dose but then evens out [I tried to give up before and was fine after a couple of weeks but just went back on because of hot flushes]. 

Best wishes to all of you out there.  It's quite nice to be back!

[Urbanchick]

I hope this doesn't seem like I just use this forum when I'm low and struggling.  It was literally a lifesaver when my anxiety first hit and I would not have coped without the advice I received on here.  I just found I wanted to move on from the menopause - obviously I was a bit premature!!

[katsclaws]

Hello urbanchick, health anxiety is awful. I hope your appointment with the dentist goes ok on Friday. Well Done on making the appointment.

[CLKD]

Members use the Forum as and when ;-).  Glad that you had a break from symptoms!

Can your financial shock be sorted?  That's the immediate issue.  It is possible to cut back on household spending if necessary and a good advisor can tailor your income/outcome to suit. 

Shock causes upheaval throughout Life.  I suffer with delayed reaction  .........

Maybe review your over-all medical regime and see if it needs tweaking in order to ease anxiety etc.?

[Urbanchick]

Thanks -we are working on financial problems and we won't starve.   I am hoping that dentist appointment might alleviate anxiety, but need to accept that I will just crash back down again when next health issue raises its head.  I need to find a way to deal with it long term.  As my husband says - if I get bad news at dentist, I'll have to deal with it. 

[CLKD]

Ring your Dentist and see if taking 5mg Valium an hour B4 the treatment will be appropriate? 

[Urbanchick]

My doc won't give me Valium [I had a bad experience with it years ago and I think she thinks I can't be trusted!].  I think I'll be OK - scared, but my dentist is very nice and I will go in expecting the worst anyway [that is the ONLY advantage of health anxiety!]

[babyjane]

Rescue Remedy is quite good at taking down the immediate anxiety.  Could you use it before your appointment and again after it.  It helps me, my daughter and my granddaughter who also get nervous and anxious over events like dentist and injections 

[CLKD]

Good point BJ - I forget that I have a spray in the drawer, I ought to have it to hand  - but do tell the Dentist if you do take 'anything'.

[Hurdity]

Hi Urbanchick

Sorry to hear this but I am wondering why you have reduced your oestrogen? I presume as you take oestrogen only HRT you have not uterus so have no need for a progestogen ( unless you have a Mirena coil?). Either way it is best to take it at a dose that eliminates flushes and sweats and hopefully improves mood - so that you can keep your health anxiety at bay and feel better able to cope with problems life throws at you ( like financial worries - sorry to hear this). If you have no medical reason not to continue with HRT then do go back to the higher dose and maybe slightly higher if you were not OK on that dose? How old  are you and what type of HRT do you take? There really is no need to suffer - quality of life is so important!

Hurdity x

[Urbanchick]

I am 57 and have taken it for about four years with a couple of short breaks.  Mi have today started researching and decided to go back on it for a while (I was halving the tablets).    I think my anxiety spikes if I reduce or stop and am too stressed generally to stop now.  I had a hysterectomy aged 40 so nly need oestrogen. 

I am almost convinced that the white thing under my tongue is nothing as it came from nowhere last week (or was there all along and I never noticed)  I have a mouth guard as I grind my teeth and have noticed that I am doing a lot of jaw clenching at the moment so it may all be related.  But that doesn't help my nasty gremlins from chewing away at me.  Sometimes I think I am just a complete nutter and feel embarrassed that I am such a hypochondriac.

[CLKD]

I don't believe that many people are hypcondiracs ......... [sp].  There is more info 'out there' about various medical disorders and the NHS is offering up more testing at certain ages so we have more to chew on!  Gremlins - like that .......

You're safe here, ask away!

[Urbanchick]

Thanks for all your messages.  I started full tablet again yesterday so hoping that will ease surges of anxiety.   Woke up this morning really hopeful - decided tongue thing was nothing and was going away.   Got showered, dressed, all OK - then wham - looked in mirror and decided it was as bad as yesterday...   Mirrors are next to google in the gremlin stakes!!  Body checking is a classic sign - and I am aware that I have probably just found something that I wouldn't have noticed another day, and that there are lots of other bodily functions/lumps and bumps that I could just as easily fixate on.

So - am going to revert to the 4pm/two week rule [save all worry until 4pm and then have 15 minute worry session and don't go to docs/dentist until problem has persisted for 2 weeks].  I am going to cancel dentist appointment and wait until check up in two weeks.  In that time, if it goes, brilliant, if it doesn't, then it can get checked then.  But if I keep rushing off to get things checked, I am not building up my ability to cope with stuff.

What do you think??

[CLKD]

If it works go for it!  However, I would keep the appt. to get the tongue checked, the Dentist will want to know too. 

I did similar when touring (Bl...y predictive text  ) - mourning my pets: allowed myself 10 mins. every hour to have a good wallow ........

[DaisyB]

Whatever works for you   I'd have to get appt over with to reassure myself - and I'd probably spend next two weeks fluctuating if I'd already focused on it - I'd say if you are able to stick to 4/2 rule you already have a great ability to weather the storm    I'm going to give the 4/2 a try   you'll make the right choice for you x