Do you worry about your health?

My dearest friend is a genuine hypochondriac. She must have more ‘medical records’ at her Surgery than a family of 6!
She keeps a daily diary of how she feels and will note a runny nose or bit of earache and give her GP a call. If I ever meet him, he’ll get a piece of my mind - he panders to her, refers her for unnecessary tests (always negative, but as a true hypochondriac she doesn’t believe them) and hands out sick notes like confetti! She’s had counseling for one issue and frequent courses of physio, just because she can! She hasn’t been to work since March, claiming a low immune system, but has moved house and is now chasing around buying furniture and fittings for it! She’s now decided she has a very rare condition - it’s very difficult to diagnose and usually confined to people living on The Silk Route, but her old GP has already referred her to Hospital, where they can’t confirm one way or the other. She’s very happy that they plan to see her 3x a year.

I love her to bits, but I hope when she registers with a new GP they get to the root of the problem and don’t just carry on prescribing the lowest dose of whatever medication she’s read about.

Sorry for the rant.
I’m almost 70 and haven’t seen my GP for years - ‘flu jab from Nurse though. Life’s too short to worry.

I'm the opposite.
I have a number of comorbidities, but realise I can't change things, so no point in stressing.
I'm so used to it now, nothing really phases me.
My attitude is to meet it head on! I know my !ifespan is shorter than it should be for my age, but I accepted that a long time ago.
I try to enjoy the good days and make the best of it.
Just be glad you have good health, you don't know what you've got until it's gone!!

A severe talking too ? I’ll try that. It does make me wonder why I’m like this whereas other people don’t worry. Whatever the reason, and there might not be one I can find, I want to do something about it and not waste precious time worrying myself half to death.

I think I have a bit of health anxiety - I currently think i have a heart problem and possibly something awful going on in my stomach.

I have to give myself a severe talking to and I'm better. I'm sorry you are really worried and hope the cbt works.

No I don’t, in fact I presume I’m going to live forever!
That isn’t to say that I don’t look after myself. I’m fit and well , I exercise and eat well. Because of my life when I was small I have had a few incidences of BCCs., I just deal with them when they happen.
I suppose we all respond differently to life but if it really is causing you problems then, as has been said already, you should address the problem and see if you can relax a bit.

Thank you so much for your posts, they’re very helpful. M0nica I have actually just started CBT on the NHS and hoping it will help.

Perhaps a course of CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) would help. It would help you break the patterns of thought that lead up to your constant health worries.

Why did I get a quote on my post - it was not intentional - sorry * missadventure*

MissAdventure

What do you think you would do if the very worst happened, and it was cancer?
I think you would deal with it, because that is what we all do when disaster or illness strikes.
We go through it, and we (hopefully!) come out the other side.

Apart from that, is there any illness which is prevented or helped by worrying?

That's my take on health issues. Give yourself enough credit to know you would be strong and resilient, because humans are just that.

You know what, worrying about your health is a waste of precious time.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 years ago. I have had treatment and of course I worry that it will come back. It may do and I may die but in the meantime I am going to count my blessings and enjoy the rest of my life.
Don’t look forward just enjoy each day as it comes and make the most of it.

I do all I can to keep well with good food, sleep and exercise and cross my fingers on the genetics! I’ve been blessed so far....

Thank you Tanith, good advice and I’m sorry for your loss.

I do take my health seriously and take all the health checks offered and watch my weight as I have diabetes and take my meds but I don’t worry constantly at what may happen. I see no point as worrying will change nothing and if the worst should happen I am pretty confidant I would deal with it as I dealt with my DH and his illness which took him from me after all what choice is there. I think you are stronger than you think you just need to try and live for each day.

I suffered with health anxiety all my life, but now that I’m older, it’s not so bad not so all time consuming, not quite sure why, perhaps because my children are adults and won’t need me as much? I deal with it by seeing the GP as soon as I have a worrying symptom, and I go from there.

Sorry I think that’s the problem @MissAdventure. I fear that if I did have cancer I’d fall apart. Maybe I should have more faith in myself. Wish I was more like you @Maggiemaybe!

I think th

I’m at the other end of the spectrum. I’m not easily worried and always assume that whatever symptom it is will go on its own, so I very rarely go to the GP. I appreciate that I’m lucky to be fit and well at the moment.

My way is much easier on my mental well-being, but I doubt that either of us has the right attitude to our health. Those with a better idea of what should be checked out and what isn’t important are the sensible ones.

What do you think you would do if the very worst happened, and it was cancer?
I think you would deal with it, because that is what we all do when disaster or illness strikes.
We go through it, and we (hopefully!) come out the other side.

Apart from that, is there any illness which is prevented or helped by worrying?

That's my take on health issues. Give yourself enough credit to know you would be strong and resilient, because humans are just that.