How can I overcome my crushing health anxiety?
July 31, 2013 8:28 PM   Subscribe

Just wondering how I can get over my major health anxiety. I've always had anxiety but now it's gotten much worse.

It all started in the fall of 2011 when I was dealing with acne cysts. My dermatologist prescribed tetracycline for me. I took it for a year and a half because it kept working and my dermatologist assured me it was safe. If I stopped taking it for a few days I would break out.

In April of this year I started suffering from stomach pains (mainly cramping and burning pains) and G.I. upsets. I went to a walk in clinic and the doctor there told me to stop taking the tetracycline.

I went to my family doctor and he said I just have IBS and I am a hypochondriac. I am still obsessed though and the tetracycline and my stomach pain fills 99% of my daily thoughts. I am constantly researching online about it. I’m afraid I’ve messed up my health for good. That I will now develop Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Chron’s Disease, Fybromyalgia.

The stomach pain has persisted, almost much daily and the diahrea is about once or twice a week. The anxiety though is crushing. I feel like my life is over because of this. I constantly research posts online from people who took tetracycline for years and have horrible Gastrointestinal pain/problems for years/decades with no cure. It has become an obsession to find people who have had horrible side effects from tetracycline.

I am just at the bottom of my barrel. I feel like my life is will be horrible from now on. That I should of been more careful. Whenever I feel a bit of pain it starts a vicious cycle. I switched doctors and they have performed: stool samples, blood tests, ultrasound, colonoscopy and can find nothing wrong. It’s affecting my relationship with my girlfriend and family because I’m obsessed about this to exclusion of everything else, and no most do not believe me about the tetracycline.

I’m just waiting for my health to completely disintegrate. I feel there is no hope to cure my stomach pain, and that it’s my fault cause I should have been more careful.
posted by Jack V to Health & Fitness (11 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
Tetracycline? I had acne for years as a teen and tried everything you can imagine. Tetracycline, RetinA, Differin. Tried Acutane twice. Look at the side effects of that. Look. All you can do is take a deep breath, take a step back and go talk to a counselor about these persistent and uncontrollable thoughts you're having. That is the problem here... not the tetracycline. It will get better if you just go talk to someone about this.
posted by timpanogos at 8:32 PM on July 31, 2013 [3 favorites]


There is some good advice on intrusive thoughts here.

I've altered a bit of the advice to suit your situation:
"Here is what I want you to learn. The content of your thought does not count. It is irrelevant. Your thoughts have no effect on what [health problems you will experience]. A thought—even a very scary thought—is not [a physiologic reality]. You will not [be ruined forever and have a horrible life from now on]. Your problem is not one of [making the wrong medical decisions]. You have an anxiety disorder. They are as far apart as chalk and cheese.

Do you want a guarantee? You can't have one. If I said that no one has ever [ruined their body for the rest of their life by using doxycycline], you might say, "Well, there is always a first time." We all know that there are certain things in life that have a very small probability of occurring, and it makes sense to live our life as if they won't occur. For example, there is a tiny probability that a meteorite will fall out of the sky and hit you as you are reading this. I can't give you a guarantee that it won't happen, but the odds as so infinitesimally small that it makes sense to ignore the possibility. The same reasoning applies to intrusive obsessive thoughts.

You want such reassurances because you are sensitized to the [health stories of doom]. That creates anxious thinking—the altered state of reality that makes thoughts feel like they will really happen. The only way to effectively deal with intrusive obsessive thoughts is by reducing your sensitivity to them. Remember that the content of your thought is irrelevant and you must apply the paradoxical approach to cope with them. If you try to engage your thoughts in any way—such as reasoning with them, pushing them away, altering your behavior to stay away from threatening situations—all these approaches will only serve to make them stronger and more intrusive. As with other forms of anxiety, your job is to do the opposite."

"Steps for coping with Intrusive Thoughts:
Label these thoughts as "intrusive obsessive thoughts."
Remind yourself that these thoughts are automatic and you can safely ignore them.
Accept and allow the thoughts into your mind. Do not try to push them away.
Breathe diaphragmatically until your anxiety starts to go down.
Continue whatever you were doing prior to the intrusive thought.

Try Not To:
Engage the thoughts in any way.
Push the thoughts out of your mind.
Try to figure out what your thoughts "mean."
Convince yourself that [you will not have health problems like the ones others you've read about have had].
Change your behavior so that you avoid the possibility of acting on your thoughts.

Try to:
Label your anxiety level and watch it go up and down.
Allow the thoughts to remain without hindrance. (They will go away on their own).
Focus on managing your anxiety in the present. Diaphragmatic breathing is especially helpful."
posted by treehorn+bunny at 8:44 PM on July 31, 2013 [17 favorites]


Hey, it's okay. I also got major stomach problems after being on acne medication that wasn't working properly (see doxy and minocycline) and it has taken me almost 7 years to come to terms with the real aftermath of that which is that I am likely going to be lactose and egg intolerant for the rest of my life. It sounds like you need somebody objective to sit down with you and start helping you parcel out your anxieties so you can work through them. This would be a great time to look into finding a therapist that specializes in CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy. Look at them as your key to regaining your health an sense of self and force yourself through whatever means necessary to make an appointment and go to them, no matter what.

Two things, too: first, remember how real life medicine works; and second, go see an allergist and ask them to help you figure out if you have lactose intolerance or any other kin of intolerance that would not be picked up by a blood test testing for immunological responses. In real life, away from the Internet, TV shows, and the nightmares your mind is falsely showing you, it's rare to suddenly discover you have CFS, Chrohn's, and fibromyalgia. It really is. Right now you are overwhelmed and scared and you need to start reminding yourself that you are in charge of your life, not whatever it is that's taken hold of your gut. And know that you aren't alone, either. There are other people besides you and me who have developed stomach issues after treating acne with accutane and the -cyclines and the other oral meds supposedly designed to repair our body's ability to fight acne in the first place. You are okay, and you will continue to be okay.

Keep going and don't let this consume you. Do it for yourself, and do it for your girlfriend. I know it's debilitating and shame inducing to have chronic stomach problems. I can't date right now because I am still dealing with the emotional fallout of my lactose intolerance but I am getting better! I promise it will be okay.

And please please please see an allergist if you haven't already.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 8:44 PM on July 31, 2013 [2 favorites]


And by the way, maybe start changing your anxiety into anger. I am really angry that I was prescribed a medicine that could do so much damage to my stomach and my ability to digest food. The anger is much more productive somehow than the anxiety ever has been.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 8:48 PM on July 31, 2013 [2 favorites]


I have IBS. I am lactose intolerant and it has been very rough, because until you have a decent treatment and self-care plan, it will cause you humiliation and embarrassment. It's terrible for a person's work life, and yes, let's be frank, REALLY bad for your love life.
As a woman, it makes sex very uncomfortable, you don't let go and enjoy it for fear of accidents, or you could be bloated and constipated to the point that you are not interested.
It's a real thing and doctors should take it far more seriously.
I found cutting bovine dairy and getting camel milk very helpful. It's spendy but it did help. If that's out of reach, switching to nut milks or soy milk or hemp milk can help.( not a fan of hemp milk, tastes like wet newspaper to me, but some people benefit from it.)
My gastroenterologist has me in an anti-acid, and cholestyramine for symptomatic relief. It worked to a point. I seldom need to shut down bad runs anymore. Cholestyramine was prescribed for me to shut down the runs. since I dont often consume bovine dairy, I only have it on hand in case I accidentally am served something I can't have.
The anxiety, or anger will make matters worse. I know, been there. I have to really watch that I follow my self-care plan if stuff gets annoying or stressful in my life. I do what I can to keep stress at a minimum.
Fortunately Mr. Roquette is super supportive and patient about it.
We both have health problems, we try to help each other.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 1:39 AM on August 1, 2013


Oh, and life isn't horrible. It does get better. It really does. Can't Nth finding a GOOD gastroenterologist enough. They will help you with a good treatment plan.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 1:44 AM on August 1, 2013 [1 favorite]


Any chronic pain is awful, but it seems to me that gut pain is a lot more emotionally taxing than some physicians believe. IBS is sometimes a catchall diagnosis, even from gastroenterologists, so finding a good one is important (I'm actually in the process of switching gastroenterologists because my former one told me I had IBS and sent me on my way). I've had some success with trying to eat low-FODMAP foods, which you may want to look into.

That said, I have to agree that the intrusive thoughts you're having are a serious problem that you should speak to someone about. Frankly, even if you did suddenly develop CFS, Crohn's Disease, and Fibromyalgia, it would not be the end of the world, and I say that as someone who has a similar combination of chronic illnesses (plus a few more).

Being newly-diagnosed with a chronic illness is hard, and it feels like your life is never going to be the same. It's okay to grieve for the loss of The Way Things Used to Be, but it sounds like you might need some help in processing your grief. Staying away from Dr. Google and finding someone to talk to about how you're feeling would be a start - it's amazing how much easier it can be to manage a chronic health condition when you aren't mired in feeling bad about having a chronic health condition.
posted by camyram at 4:29 AM on August 1, 2013


One thing you might want to do is an Elimination Diet. I did the Virgin Diet and discovered that I have allergies to: Wheat/Gluten, Eggs, Nuts, Chocolate and some other stuff.

Once I stopped eating those things, it's freaking AMAZING how much better I feel. I also do not miss the sudden, terrifying, explosive diarrhea. Not one bit.

Now, in conjunction with that, find a sympathetic doctor who will discuss your anxiety with you at length. Are you open to therapy and appropriate medication? I have anxiety and taking Celexa has helped me immensely! Seriously, I'm not a ball of stress and worry any more and it's amazing.

If you use a two pronged approach, you may find that what you have is a little from column A and a little from column B. Yes, you are experiencing bad reactions to certain foods, and yes, you have an anxiety disorder.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:56 AM on August 1, 2013


I've found that anxiety and stomach pain tend to really play off one another for me.

Often when I'm anxious, that makes my stomach feel upset.

So if I feel stomach pain from any source, my brain says, "Hmmm, I must be anxious about something... What would that be?" and there's always something to be anxious about, so then I'm thinking about the things that make me anxious, and being anxious makes my stomach feel worse, which feeds into the cycle. This can happen on a subconscious level, and before I know it, whee, we're off the the races, and my brain and stomach are both running in circles.

In my case, I've learned that when my anxiety gets out of control, it's often extremely helpful to address the physical stomach pain with Tums, or, if I've been experiencing the symptoms for several days, with a course of PPIs. It sounds like your stomach pain goes beyond that, so I'd really recommend finding a doctor who takes your stomach pain seriously.

You might also attack it from the other direction, by getting medication and/or therapy for the anxiety side. I'm not saying that this will make your stomach pain go away, but addressing your anxiety will can certainly help as you deal with the medical establishment to get your stomach issue diagnosed and treated.

It also helps me to meditate, and really pay attention to my body. In meditation, I can often tease apart that this is an icky feeling that is coming from anxiety, vs. this is an icky feeling that's coming from heartburn, and just feeling and understanding the difference will help my anxiety.
posted by Compared to what? at 10:52 AM on August 1, 2013


he said I just have IBS and I am a hypochondriac. *Just* IBS - what? Can you find a doctor who is nicer, and who will assist you with your chronic stomach pain?

If you can see a therapist for the anxiety, I recommend it. Get references and interview therapists to find someone who has experience dealing with anxiety. You deserve to feel okay, to get respect from your health care provider, and hugs.
posted by theora55 at 11:14 AM on August 1, 2013


I agree with everyone stating you should seek treatment for your anxiety, but have you taken any probiotics since getting off of the antibiotics?

Antibiotics kill all the good bugs in your gut too, the ones that help you digest. You need to repopulate.
posted by hrj at 8:48 PM on August 3, 2013


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