Do you worry about your health?

Calendergirl
I am pleased you are not my friend. You certainly do not understand this horrible anxiety. If you did you would not be so quick to hand out your advice.
I don’t think for one minute the anyone with HA takes appointments of people that need them..

I think that many people just hope for the best as far as their health goes. It’s the unknown for most of us isn’t it. For the last 3 years I’ve been on a whole foods plant based diet and also get some exercise every day. As we age things do change for us so it’s up to us to educate ourselves and do our best to look after ourselves. I read lots now about health,partly because I’m fascinated by it. I feel great since this new lifestyle and I’ve lost weight too. PM me if you would like any tips but anyway this has definitely helped me. I’m 70 and take no medication.

I have thought for some time that when you are young and you get an ache or pain you immediately think “What have I done!” Whereas when you grew older this changes to “What have I got.” I believed that getting older I would be just the same, but a bit slower. How wrong could you be!

No I don't worry about my health, it is what it is. I was fit as a flea until I hit 58, then I had the first of 3 strokes which eventually led to the diagnosis of my auto immune condition which had caused the stroke. I was put on blood thinners with an ever increasing Inr but that didn't prevent two further strokes or a massive bleed into my pelvis caused by the warfarin. The auto immune condition has caused my ever increasing disability and I just take each issue as it comes. I refuse to let it take over my life. My life has become more limited and restricted by my disability but my disability doesn't define me, it's become a part of me but that's all it is just a part of me. I'm still me and I still have all the same dreams and wishes even if I am in constant sodding pain. No I don't worry about my health I refuse to waste time on things I can't change.

Shropshirelass
“What will happen, happens, we just have to get on and deal with it.”
Well said Shropshirelass there is no other way.

As my dear father always said, life happens and you have to deal with it. Just do it. I have had to deal with a lot in my life, not with my own health, that fortunately is very good (I have strong genes!). I looked after my first husband when he had cancer and passed away at the age of 40. A very close friend had a stroke two years ago at the age of 62. Many other things have happened round me and it has made me worry less and to make the most of each day. What will happen, happens, we just have to get on and deal with it.

MaggieTulliver To manage health concerns, I largely ignore them, Covid situation means shelving them anyway and I cope with being older (73) by doing exactly as I want! So try and really enjoy yourself, doing the things you love.
A friend once told me to take the word ‘should’ out of my vocabulary, so apart from the things I can’t get out of, I’m a hedonist! (When Covid allows me...)
If you have lost your faith, which I assume you mean organised religion, you are probably spiritual in some way, most people are. You can have a faith in humanity, your children’s lives, if you have them etc.
Classical music brings out my spirituality.

Everything that lives, dies. There is nothing you can do about it. Oddly enough I find the belief that the end is the end more reassuring than believing in an after life.

I think that’s probably what’s at the heart of my health anxiety hollysteers, a fear of death. I often look at my happy go lucky little dog, who at age 13 can’t have many years left but who has the same love of life day after day. I wish I could learn from him. You’re right about acceptance and I would find it easier to accept the reality of death if I had a faith but I lost it a long time ago.

As a young woman, I used to wonder how we all live with the certain knowledge of death without going crazy, unlike animals.
Now, after life threatening illnesses I strangely have no thoughts in this regard. Acceptance helps so much.

I worry about my hubby`s health. This is because I have chronic MS and he is my main carer.

If anything happened to him, God knows what will happen to me.

There was a man on TV a couple of weeks ago who was 88. He hasn't visited a doctor since 1950. He is in good health. He doesn't smoke, drink, he eats what he called 'plain' food - roast dinners etc. He exercises daily. He realises he's been lucky.

I worry about my health, but I was born with a heart condition that was misdiagnosed by GP's and in the end had to undergo an ablation. I think when you have suffered a life changing illness it is natural to worry.

M0nica
“Concentrate on the things you can do in life to support staying healthy and well and stop worrying about things you can do nothing about.”
That’s about it M0nica!

I always plan for the worst and hope for the best, in almost everything, including health.

Earlier this year I had some symptoms that put into google always brought up oesephagal cancer and nothing else. I was 99% sure it wasn't that and the symptoms dated back to an incident a couple of months previous when I got a lot of food stuck in my throat, but it was scary. I planned my end just in case, it only took about 10 minutes, and then went to see the doctor. As expected, she confirmed that the problem was a combination of a still badly bruised oesophagus and acid indigestion. A months prescription of an acid inhibitor gave my throat a chance to heal and I was soon back to normal.

There is a prayer summarised as some thingss in life we can change and others we can't and that wisdom is knowing which is which. Every person alive from a newly conceived child to the oldest of us is getting older by the second at exactly the same rate. There is nothing we can do about it. All we can do is to do what we can to ensure we keep ourselves healthy as long as possible. Keep our weight down, eat sensibly and keep active.

Concentrate on the things you can do in life to support staying healthy and well and stop worrying about things you can do nothing about.

Thank you for all your posts, some of them are very humbling. I do hear what people are saying about the futility of worrying and I agree but find it impossible to control. Am doing CBT which I hope will help but in the middle of a horrid crisis over some symptoms and off work with the anxiety. Feel shameful and guilty ? Anyway I wish you all good health.

I am now mid 70s, since I hit three score years and ten bits of my body have started to wear out or degrade. My pelvic floor isn’t as efficient as when I was younger, I have seen specialist who have helped me to manage it, my eyes don’t work as well as they used to so I am working out how to go for a swim when I can’t drive. Neither of these problems are life threatening but can be life changing. We all all individuals and wear out differently. I don’t worry what might happen, I just take life as it comes and manage as best I can.

I’m 62 and have had numerous diagnoses of neuropathy and arthritis which compromises my mobility.
However since reaching 60 I have started to worry that I’m old and going to die soon.
And even though when I was younger I used to just want to see my children grow up, it now upsets me that I probably won’t see my youngest grandchildren grow up as they are only 8 & 2 years old.
I also work out finances in my head when I can’t sleep to make sure my husband is left financially ok when I’m gone .

i am 58, i was being seen by a doctor at the hospital for IBS, after getting blood test i was told my iron level was down to 3..should be 60 plus which meant i was bleeding inside, next thing it was a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with bowel cancer, family and friends asked why i was not upset about it....what would be the point, i have always used the phrase ....if it's for you it won't go by you...said it to the cancer consultant, had the tumour and half my bowel removed, the cancer is still somewhere in my body but until it shows in my blood i am not going to worry about it, when something happens in life you either give up or get on with it...next year i will have been widowed 20 years, i had to deal with turning off my husbands life support at 39, i may live for another 10, 20 or 30 years but i am not going to sit and worry about xx

I take comfort from the fact that neither of my parents accepted treatment, other than palliative in my father's case, for their final diagnosis of cancer. My mother even refused to let her doctors give her the diagnosis. She departed quite quickly and suddenly at the end. My father was active to the end - even, a couple of days before he died, went hill walking with a friend who had come hundreds of miles to see him. I have 3 stents in my heart but am reasonably fit at 70. My mother and grandmother both died in their mid 70's; my dad at 64. I have no desire to battle a lengthy illness and am 'Do Not Resuscitate' if I have a heart attack. I have an Advance Directive stating my wishes about resuscitation and other possible attempts to keep me alive at a cost I couldn't cope with. I also have a Care Plan in case I lose capacity to make decisions about my care. My family knows where these plans are and the hospital that carried out my angioplasty has a copy too. I must just remember to send a copy to my GP and write my will....

Hope you have good result after your biopsy on Wednesday guest correctly and hope your colonoscopy goes ok with negative results bright52.

As someone who has lived to a reasonably ripe age, I feel privileged to still be here!

I have had ill health all my life but have still achieved a fair bit and as I age, have found depths I didn't know I possessed. Just deal with one problem at a time. It is amazing how much we can cope with and how strong we really are.

I am not wishing anything horrible on you but if the worst happened and you did become ill, how do you know that you wouldn't cope admirably - I bet you would surprise yourself!

I have an operation later this week but have chosen to block it out for the moment and the old adage 'what will be' comes to mind. I can't change anything about the process but can have a positive attitude afterwards. Additionally, people hate moaners, so just stick a (false, if need be) smile on your face and your assumed cheerfulness may just penetrate your skin...

I hope your CBT and possibly counselling helps you - just don't underestimate what you can do!

I'm recently 66 and although mindful of my health I don't worry about it.

I try to eat well, be active and watch my weight - after that it's down to my genes!

Bijou you are indeed an inspiration to us all. Thank you for your wise words on this topic.

52bright I hope your colonoscopy test is negative.

‘9 times out of 10 our worst fears never happen’.

I too suffer from health anxiety and it is awful. People tell you how lucky you are not to have the dreaded disease you fear and that is true but it compounds the guilt you feel. You also know worrying doesn’t help or add an hour to your life! No one with this anxiety wants to be like it. I have had cbt and counselling and know that reassurance doesn’t help at all.
All I would say is try not to be too hard on yourself. You probably are already telling yourself off but it won’t help. Be compassionate. I don’t run to the doctor with every symptom but spend futile hours worrying about them. Distractions, hobbies and deep breathing can help along with medication.
I am still working hard to achieve not thinking about the future and enjoying the present moment and just hope one day I will achieve it.