Hiya

Hello,
Just stumble across this web site.will be doing some reading on here to try to get some ideas on why im wacked out ,lol

I'm not sure if anyone else can relate but I am in my mid 40's now and thinking back about certain points of my life I think I may have had this for a long time and just not realized it.
It was only after a ER visit to the hospital after taking my blood pressure reading at a local walgreens,which i now realize the cuff was too small and could cause false readings.But that was enough to throw me into panic mode and finally get treated for it.
I have been on lorazepam for almost 3 years,lots of general worry,probably had a billion fake heart attacks and i am also OCD home blood pressure taker and pulse taker as well,its really sad.
Have been working hard on health issues 50 lbs lost,big into vitamins and supplements,and eat mainly a paleo diet,but even after all this improvement,its still there...everyday...
so theres a little idea of whats going on with me..

Died1000, hi and welcome to the forum this really is a great place! As i read your post i thought it was written by me. I too have OCD and hypochondria/cyberchondria. I have 2 kits each containing a blood pressure monitor, a finger pulse oximeter, and thermometer. I leave one by my bed, and carry one with me wherver i go. Im getting better with therapy and having to distract myself, but have not yet let go of these items. To strangers they may not notice, but my friends and family all know that if im "scratching" or "rubbing" my neck and wrist..that im taking my pulse..im so ashamed and do it so much that i tried to hide it to no avail. I don't know if i'll ever be 100% completely free of this obsession but i am working on it, and i am getting better. Progress not perfection, right? Last week i went the entire week without taking my blood pressure, yesterday i took it 38 times in 18 hours. so..like i said...progress not perfection. Medications do help with the anxiety part of it, cymbalta has helped some with my OCD but really with OCD Health related or otherwise it really just takes a retraining of the brain. CBT. Sorry to get off topic about the anxiety though. Again i wanna welcome all the new member, please keep posting because reading your post helps me just as much as you getting it out there for feedback. Sometimes THIS is my distraction from my self centered obsession, to worry and care for you instead of myself helps me tremendously, So thank you. I hope that you find some sort of comfort and piece of mind. It is really hard and a constant struggle, but you are not alone!

Here you go.:)

These are both CBT based self-help books on how to deal with and treat health anxiety and its symptoms.

http://www.amazon.com/Treating-Health-Anxiety-Cognitive-Behavioral-Approach/dp/1572309989

http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Health-Anxiety-David-Veale/dp/1845298241

I hope that you find them helpful if you try them.  I also recommend looking at your local library.  I checked out just about every book I could find on A/P...took from each what applied/seemed helpful to me, and essentially customized my own coping plan.:)  Thanks for the kind words btw...but I don't consider myself an inspiration...just someone who has been through the same things, and takes it one day at a time.;p

S.C.

Thanks for the replies.
Mostly the way i cope is to immediately sleep when things are getting bad,I kinda call it putting myself on auto pilot,this also makes me realize that its not real,its just my thoughts.
If I'm at work i have a lil system of using my carry along medical supplies,including aspirin,vicks,halls,pepto,extra lorazepam,and various other things normal people would not carry in a lunch box(i dont bring a lunch) no room!!I work overnights so if i need to i can sit down for a few minutes,theres really no boss around.
@hippychick thats great about taking the blood pressure lol...I tend to keep taking it till it gets to a point I think it might be too low HAHA same anxiety,different angle.
I do realize how rediculous it is sometimes,i came home from work one morning and for some reason in my right index finger,mind you, just the very tip was pulsating,now this caused me to to have multiple thoughts running through my head,up to and including my ultimate demise over my fingertip!!!
Thank God reason finally took over and i made it through that traumatic experience lol
I dont hold much faith in therapy,or books for that matter..just some good conversation and reading what other people do should help
cheers