Nipping it in the bud

[AbeLinkedIn]

So in another post I mentioned how I was defeating HA by asking if a symptom was real or not, but a couple of things have been bothering me and preventing me from fulling putting my HA fears to rest.

One is my sleep schedule, lately I've been falling asleep around 11:45-midnight and first getting out of deep sleep at 6:30 am before trying to sleep more until 7:30. I thought getting at least 6 hours of sleep was good but Google's saying I need at least 7 and that 6 was abnormal, which kind of baffles me since 6 hours is 1/4th of a day. I used to be able to get up at 8 no problem.

Another thing is my weight. My heaviest was 268 lbs and I've consistently been at 250-255 lbs these last few months. I haven't done much alteration to my diet or exercise regimen beyond walking more and not eating as much fast food (More home cooked meals). My mind is on one hand telling me the increased activity and cutting back on take out is doing it but my anxious side is saying I'm losing too much and wasting away. My doctor noticed this but didn't seem concerned, in fact he was pleased it seemed like.

The goal's in the title, I want to nip these fears in the bud.

 

[matisworried]

first things first, you don't need to google how much sleep you need. google doesn't know that, either. the "right" answer is that you need as much sleep as your body tells you you need. follow healthy sleep practices (cut out caffeine early, no cell phones in bed, no tv on, try to have a set bedtime, etc) if you're doing that stuff, only sleeping six hours and wake up the next day feeling well-rested, you're good.

as far as weight goes, i've lost 100 pounds and have kept it off for over three years now. i made minor adjustments just like yourself and the weight seriously just fell off of me... i was losing a pound or more a day at one point... and i'm old (42.) if you're younger, you're likely going to have a much higher metabolism so the weight will drop off even faster.

 

[bin_tenn]

I understand the sleep "concerns" myself. I have to wake up around 6:30-6:45 every morning during the week for work, and to get my oldest up for school in case she misses her alarm. Still, I'm often not asleep until 11:30-midnight, much like you. I feel tired / groggy first thing in the morning, but I wake up more completely in the hour or so following getting out of bed. Then it seems as if my energy increases significantly toward the evening, causing me to stay awake until almost midnight again.

I agree with @matisworried. Don't let Google tell you how much sleep you need. I've pretty much accepted that perhaps my body just doesn't need that much sleep, and that I shouldn't force myself to try and sleep. I should get in bed at a decent time and wind down, yes, but it's fine if I can't sleep right away. It'll happen when my body is ready.

On a side note, how long have you had worries about your health? I know it's been quite some time, several years or so, right? It's tough, I know, but I hope you seek some relief sooner rather than later.

 

[AbeLinkedIn]

I've had HA since probably 2012 when I was 20

 

[AbeLinkedIn]

I guess the sleep thing isn't as concerning as I've had this pattern since May but the weight thing's getting to me. I know I shouldn't obsess over what the scale says and instead focus on clothing and how I look (And I look the same all told) but I don't want to have a cancer inside me making me slowly wither away.

 

[matisworried]

I guess the sleep thing isn't as concerning as I've had this pattern since May but the weight thing's getting to me. I know I shouldn't obsess over what the scale says and instead focus on clothing and how I look (And I look the same all told) but I don't want to have a cancer inside me making me slowly wither away.

ok - first off: if you were losing weight because of cancer, you wouldn't stabilize... you'd continue to lose and lose and lose... and you'd be doing so rapidly for no apparent reason. second, you yourself said that you've made some minor dietary changes and slightly increased your activity level. the more overweight you are, the fewer changes you need to make to see results. if you look at the BMI charts, even at 6'8, weighing 268 puts you in to the "overweight" category... if you're 6'7 you're bumped up in to the "obese" category. under 5'9 is considered "severely obese." unless you're 8 feet tall, you likely fall in to one of those categories which brings us back to point #2: the more overweight you are, the fewer changes you need to make to start losing weight. the reason you've stabilized is because you're now consuming enough calories to maintain your current weight.

have you ever tried to treat your anxiety?

 

[AbeLinkedIn]

I've been on medication and therapy for a while

 

[matisworried]

I've been on medication and therapy for a while

that's awesome. have you learned any techniques to help manage your health anxiety?

 

[AbeLinkedIn]

For one rationalizing sensations like I said in my OP. I tend to have more HA attacks when my overall anxiety is higher

 

[AbeLinkedIn]

Update: My sleep and weight fears have been alleviated. Now my main concern is my belly button which has been giving me trouble this morning. I woke up to it not really smelling terrible but when I dried it off there was a clear something in it. I've neosporined the area and I think I have an idea of what it was: I worked a lot outside yesterday and some of the sweat (Mind you it's been record-breaking heat here in GA) might have gotten in it.

Again trying to rationalize instead of googling and thinking I need to have surgery done or I'll get peritonitis

 

[matisworried]

Update: My sleep and weight fears have been alleviated. Now my main concern is my belly button which has been giving me trouble this morning. I woke up to it not really smelling terrible but when I dried it off there was a clear something in it. I've neosporined the area and I think I have an idea of what it was: I worked a lot outside yesterday and some of the sweat (Mind you it's been record-breaking heat here in GA) might have gotten in it.

Again trying to rationalize instead of googling and thinking I need to have surgery done or I'll get peritonitis

rationalization and odds: what are the chances you've avoided one serious medical malady and you've immediately developed another?

it's hot. you sweat. the belly button is deep, dark and warm: a prefect place for bacteria to collect and get nasty. happens to me from time to time. clean it with hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol, dry it well with q-tips and you're good as new. you might need to do it a few times. you may even have drainage/blood. no big deal.

 

[PanickyChick]

My father has stage 4 cancer diagnosed over 5 years ago and has never lost a pound. Googling symptoms and advice is not a good idea, because words on screens are not doctors and the information you’re reading is so very generalized and mostly only true for a very tiny percentage of people. I think your losing weight is very healthy, especially since you’ve started eating healthier by cutting back on fast food. Be proud of yourself. Weight loss is hard, so you are doing something very right! That’s a great thing! I hope this gives you some reassurance.

 

[jalex]

I found it interesting how you referred to your anxious side. One part of you is saying one thing while another part is saying the opposite. I often use a parts therapy patter during a session where you hold a meeting with at least 5 different parts to get complete agreement to make the change. If there is a specific part (often the rebel) that needs to be convinced you can get that and then there is no inner conflict and change is easy. I hope this helps.

 

[AbeLinkedIn]

Weight fears are coming back strong. I've lost more weight averaging between 245-250 lbs and the only reason I can think of for this was not eating as much when my jaw was hurting and the fact we just got a new fridge and naturally that takes a lot of work to move. Maybe stress has something to do with it but the unrational side is trying to win.

 

[matisworried]

Weight fears are coming back strong. I've lost more weight averaging between 245-250 lbs and the only reason I can think of for this was not eating as much when my jaw was hurting and the fact we just got a new fridge and naturally that takes a lot of work to move. Maybe stress has something to do with it but the unrational side is trying to win.

well, eating less would definitely account for weight loss... especially at higher weights. remember, the heavier you are, the quicker it tends to come off. also remember that your body weight can change by as much as a few pounds every day due to things like fluid retention.

 

[EMJ]

When I am going through a tough period of anxiety I think my metabolism increases....my body is going a million miles an hour with worry and concerns I usually weigh 115 pounds and when I drop into an anxiety hole I can drop 10 pounds in a week......I think it may be a part of your anxiety that is affecting your weight

 

[AbeLinkedIn]

That could explain it, originally I was tipping the scales at 267 lbs but now I'm between 245-250 after not eating as much for one and being more active certainly helped. Lately though I haven't been because my car's getting worked on.

 

[bin_tenn]

I really think it's a good idea to seek help for this anxiety of yours. You've been suffering with it for several years.

 

[AbeLinkedIn]

That's just it, I have been getting help but it wants to wax and wane. And it feels like my TMJ wants to come back but I'm nipping that crap in the bud too. If there was a way I could magically get rid of my HA or at least use it to help others believe me I'd jump on the opportunity

 

[matisworried]

If there was a way I could magically get rid of my HA or at least use it to help others believe me I'd jump on the opportunity

if only there was a way to make it magically disappear! getting better and learning to manage is sometimes frustrating and always hard but you can get to a place where it doesn't rule your life anymore if you put in the work and stay positive.

as for using your HA to help others, every rational, patient post here in the face of someone who's freaking out IS using your experience to help others. the bonus of that is that by helping others, by taking your focus off of your own anxiety, you're actually helping yourself too.