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Health anxiety checking ocd


Guest Phil10

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Does anybody have this issue? Or get any physical symptoms? 

I have had a sore stomach for a few days now and I have been nervous about going on long trains on holiday so this may be a cause however my ocd makes me google and makes me fear it’s something worse?

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Just now, Orwell1984 said:

Phil do you not see the pattern here?

-Existential worries
-Fear that things will be tainted/contaminated
-Health and 'symptom' worries

Not really I can only see that I spend time worrying over each symtpom it often moves into another topic..

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55 minutes ago, Orwell1984 said:

So the common factor is you spend time focusing on and worrying about each one and then another one adds itself to the list.

So you need to stop actively picking apart the thoughts. 

What about my physical symptoms like a sore stomach?

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29 minutes ago, Phil10 said:

What about my physical symptoms like a sore stomach?

Unless you're curled up in a ball or have explosive diarrhoea, then I would disregard the sore stomach. 

Fight/flight/freeze response is related to digestive problems and other physiological sensations.

When stress responses occur too frequently and/or dramatically, the body has a more difficult time recovering, which can result in the body remaining in a semi hyperstimulated state, since stress hormones are stimulants. A body that becomes stress-response hyperstimulated can experience persistent emergency action readiness, which can cause lingering problems with digestion, including causing stomach problems. Experiencing stomach upset is a common consequence of persistently elevated stress.

Edited by Orwell1984
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My sore stomach went away on my holiday some days but today I am returning home and it’s returned? My wedding is soon plus this holiday I went on could this be a possible cause? Can these symptoms last days or weeks or longer? 

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Update I went on holiday and the sore stomach lasted a few days and had a few days were it was ok. 

It has returned on and off since I got back home but only mild should I worry? What’s causing it? 

I have stopped worrying about contamination so perhaps this is my new worry?

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Hi Phil,

I don't think anyone can say for sure what caused your sore stomach but it could be down to anxiety. I had some very real physical sensations that turned out to be anxiety. Initially I had difficulty breathing, which I thought could be due to allergies but I had no other symptoms and my GP was the one to suggest it was in fact stress related.

A few months ago I started having these crazy feelings in the right side of my body - stiffness, tingling, heaviness, even difficulty swallowing. I completely panicked, but my GP couldn't find anything wrong. I even referred myself to a physio and they couldn't see any problem with me either. As soon as I realised and accepted that this could be anxiety, it suddenly stopped. This is what prompted me to see help again after so many years.

I'd say it's hard to know when a physical symptom is anxiety and when it isn't. Just don't panic, it's most likely nothing serious and could be down to stress and anxiety. If it persists, you can always check up with your GP and see what they say.

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Guest OCDhavenobrain
57 minutes ago, Phil10 said:

Update I went on holiday and the sore stomach lasted a few days and had a few days were it was ok. 

It has returned on and off since I got back home but only mild should I worry? What’s causing it? 

I have stopped worrying about contamination so perhaps this is my new worry?

Maybe, could be. What do you think and if you don't know, what do you think your therapist would say? The thing is you previously said that you know about OCD and have the theory ready, so I just want to see if you really do have the theory ready to put into practice. 

 

Have you maybe read somewhere about other people with OCD having similar worries?

Edited by OCDhavenobrain
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11 hours ago, Phil10 said:

I have had the sore stomach on and off this week too. Could it be wedding nerves?

It could be wedding nerves, it could be OCD stress, it could be a minor bug, it could be a pulled muscle from stretching the wrong way when picking something up, it could be hunger, it could be many things, the vast majority of them not a big deal.  People get sick, people get injured, people have pain sometimes, especially as we get older.  If it persists for awhile or if it becomes severe, sure you can check in with your doctor, but you also need to come to the understanding that not every negative physical (or emotional) symptom you experience in life is a catastrophe.  Its a common problem for OCD sufferers, but the reality is most of the time these things are nothing to worry about.
 

11 hours ago, Phil10 said:

I fear it’s may never go away? 

Ask yourself, do think most non-OCD people would react this way to some minor stomach soreness?  Worrying that this will never go away?  Have you ever had a sore stomach before?  Or a sore anything else?  Has it lasted forever?

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6 hours ago, Orwell1984 said:

Phil, the best thing you can do for yourself is get therapy as soon as possible so that come your wedding day, all of this will be a distant bad memory.

Well I had been in therapy from around last summer took a break went back for a few more sessions at the start of this year and last month she discharged me and said that’s me better now and I’m dealing with my ocd fine now..

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4 hours ago, Phil10 said:

Well I had been in therapy from around last summer took a break went back for a few more sessions at the start of this year and last month she discharged me and said that’s me better now and I’m dealing with my ocd fine now..

Well either you were holding stuff back from her or else she was a crappy therapist. There are loads of them around, half of them clueless about treating OCD. You know yourself that you need expert intervention. Source a therapist. 

Edited by Orwell1984
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I agree with Orwell.  While you might have improved, its still pretty clear that OCD is interfering with your daily life in a significant way.  You might not need to see the therapist as often, but it doesn't sound like your dealing with your OCD "fine" given the things you have mentioned here.  I would definitely push back for more/different help in putting together a clear plan for improvement and recovery.

 

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Guest Phil10

Yes I mean I won’t rule out more therapy but the advice I got here and otters forums said I have to put into practice what I learned and no point going for endless therapy sessions.

The ocd has been mild and sometimes spikes back up but I would say it’s still not been as bad with contamination worries

Instead as I say these physical symptoms the sore stomach doesn’t seem to be going away had toilet problems last 2 days perhaps wedding nerves but I still have 4 months so not sure I would feel my stomach in a knot this early? Ocasionally the pain vanished but usaually I wake up checking how I feel? 

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Guest Phil10

Past few days I’ve had bowel trouble and ivd had diarrhea a few times per day 

I don’t understand the stomach pain. 

I mean it could be the wedding invite worry that’s what’s on my mind I am very worried and nervous about who is all coming.

My stomach feels knotted and very nervous it’s a wind type pain. I think the worst and worry it’s something awful I mean perhaps it’s my ocd and anxiety but I worry it’s not. The contamination worry is troubling me a bit less so perhaps this is a cause?

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16 hours ago, Phil10 said:

Anybody? I feel this will never go away

Anxiety and stress can cause stomachs troubles.  So can illness.  So can a food allergy or intolerance.  If it’s concerning you and has been going on for awhile check with your doctor, they can better diagnose you than we can. 

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Guest Phil10

I am frustrated by this as I sleep and wake up feeling ok and like a switch I check myself and say do I have a sore stomach and it comes on again like a switch.

All my contamination worries and existance worries have stopped and have been replaced by this. 

I just don’t get why I can have a sore stomach and it won’t shift 

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Guest Phil10

I compare it to a sore back I had a few years back it lasted for months with no reason and they found nothing and one day it just went away

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You can only fully concentrate on one thing at a time. So it is understandable that your previous obsessions take a back seat while your health obsessions take the front seat. If you have a wind problem it can be solved by an over the counter medicine. If it persists see a GP.

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Guest Phil10

I still seem to have this which is making my health anxiety worse I fear it’s somethig awful 

Perhaps it’s wedding nerves but I thought it was holiday nerves perhaps this will never go away?

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Guest Phil10
19 hours ago, Angst said:

You can only fully concentrate on one thing at a time. So it is understandable that your previous obsessions take a back seat while your health obsessions take the front seat. If you have a wind problem it can be solved by an over the counter medicine. If it persists see a GP.

Yes perhaps something may help. 

I hate taking anything though I don’t get if it’s anxiety why it’s not away by now and got better can anxiety last that long?

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