What's the average age of us HA sufferers?

[mbenso]

I've noticed that a lot of us on this forum are in our 30s, I was curious as to how old everyone is. Are many of us in the mid 30s? If so, what is it in this stage of life that causes HA to flair up?

[shygirl26]

I'm in my early 20's. I never worried about my health until I moved away from home and started going to college, it added a lot of stress and is a major life change too. I'm thinking that's what started my HA.

[mbenso]

Yeah, it seems like it starts after a stressful event...Mine started after I started having fertility issues.....

[GillLFC]

I'm 38 (until Monday) 

For females fluctuating hormones can play a part, as you reach your mid to late 30's hormones start to play silly billy's and it can cause increased PMS and anxiety and a whole host of physical and emotion symptoms.

At our age our parents tend to be reaching old age and may become sick or pass on. I think it makes you realise your mortality and that your possibly half way through your life, a mid life crisis in a way.

[mbenso]

I'm 38 (until Monday) 

For females fluctuating hormones can play a part, as you reach your mid to late 30's hormones start to play silly billy's and it can cause increased PMS and anxiety and a whole host of physical and emotion symptoms.

At our age our parents tend to be reaching old age and may become sick or pass on. I think it makes you realise your mortality and that your possibly half way through your life, a mid life crisis in a way.

You're right....My issues started when I started have hormonal balance issues, my PMS is outta control too!
And parents aging does tend to make us realize the fragility of life and health....Plus the responsibilities vis-a-vis kids , relationships and careers are also factors...

[RMac82]

28.....been a hypo for roughly 10 yrs-ish...

[momtoaprincess]

I'm 35.  My anxiety became bad postpartum (I was 29).  Then it settled down till i was 32.  Thats when HA became my demon.  I think mine is a mix of hormonal and anxiety about motherhood in general.  I started having panic attacks about 3 weeks after my daughter's 2 year old checkup and they found she has an irregular heartbeat.  Since then I've periodically convinced myself that I'm the one with a serious illness and will die young, ultimately leaving her.  Thats the root of my fear

[mom2boys]

I'm 33.

[mbenso]

I'm 34 and I'd say mine really started to kick in when I was 32........Plus I'm convinced hormones have a role to play.......I've always had some anxiety (especially as teenager) but never to this extent.....

[middlenamehypochondria]

I'm 31, my first memory was when I was 6.  I saw a show on kids with cancer.  Then my grandfather died when I was 11 and it has been here steadily since then.  I don't know why I have it, my siblings do not.  My one sister has type I diabetes, celiac disease and thyroid disease and she is never anxious at all.

[grateful]

I have often wondered the same thing- like how did I get through 33 years of my life without a care in the world and then boom like someone flipped the switch. I also think its because something triggered the thought of mortality and for us women something is going on with our hormones.

[mbenso]

I have often wondered the same thing- like how did I get through 33 years of my life without a care in the world and then boom like someone flipped the switch. I also think its because something triggered the thought of mortality and for us women something is going on with our hormones.

I know what you mean......I feel the same way, like someone flipped a switch when I was 32 and things haven't been the same again......Mine really did coincide with hormonal changes so at least there's some sort of correlation.....
I wonder why my HA is mainly about something neurological though, that I can't really explain......

[Princein]

I'm in my early 20's now, but mine began when I was about 19ish. I think a lot of it had to do with my mom dying of cancer.

[Si]

I've had GAD, SA, HA and depression since I was a kid, but the HA got really bad after I nursed my mam through terminal cancer.  My HA and depression have improved since I was on Lexapro for a year in 2008/9, but my GAD and SA have come back with gusto this year.

[mbenso]

I've had GAD, SA, HA and depression since I was a kid, but the HA got really bad after I nursed my mam through terminal cancer.  My HA and depression have improved since I was on Lexapro for a year in 2008/9, but my GAD and SA have come back with gusto this year.

I'm in my early 20's now, but mine began when I was about 19ish. I think a lot of it had to do with my mom dying of cancer.

It makes sense that HA or anxiety in general would start after such a traumatic event....Being exposed to such a harsh illness and death at such a fragile age or any at age for that matter does change a person.....

[Marathoner]

Leaving my girlfriend behind when I went to college triggered my first bout with anxiety.  Having unprotected sex triggered my second bout later that year.  And, the unexpected death of my Dad in 1994 (heart attack) triggered my third major event at which point the condition pretty much has stayed with me - although I was anxiety free from 2001 to 2008. 

[crazygirl1]

38 here til Sept
HA started picking on me in my late 20's. However early on, 10-14 my mother had health issues, nothing serious though I worried at the time, then when I was 28 she died from cancer after an 8 month battle. Thats 10 years ago, just this past year is when I realized it was HA.....

[shubunkin]

IM 36. had it since early 30's

[janehathaway]

I'm 44.  My HA started when I was 41.  I had a 2.5 yo child and started to freak out about leaving her motherless.

[mbenso]

Looks like most of us are in our 30s.....Th years where we tend to have the most responsibility.....

Sigh.........

[dknyc]

18

[heartyworrier]

I am 36 and I think for me it is for one worrying that something will happen to me and my 5 year old daughter will grow up without me.  I also know alot of it for me is that I lost my dad to a massive heart attack when he was 50. 

[flowergirl]

I have often wondered the same thing- like how did I get through 33 years of my life without a care in the world and then boom like someone flipped the switch. I also think its because something triggered the thought of mortality and for us women something is going on with our hormones.

I totally relate.  I'm 34 and mine just started earlier this year when I had a simple bladder infection.  I could have just let it go but I was convinced it wasn't gone so I went back to get tested and still had blood in my urine (read: BLADDER CANCER) for three subsequent visits.  Then, probably due to my anxiety, my menstrual cycle got screwed up (read: OVARIAN/UTERINE CANCER) and wasn't resolved for a few months.  During that time, I started feeling abdominal pain (read: COLON/SMALL INTESTINE CANCER).  Then I started in with fears that had no basis in symptoms: inflammatory breast cancer, regular breast cancer, mouth cancer, throat cancer, esophageal cancer... what if I get one of these??  I should probably expect that and prepare for the worst.

I basically decided that a) I obviously have some sort of cancer, and b) once diagnosed, the treatment is so horrible that life is over anyway.

This is a horrible way to live.

[pat939]

19 seem to be one of the youngest here

[worried_girl]

started when i was 8