I go from rabies to HIV to cancer and around the block again. It's a never-ending cycle. For the last 4 months it's been rabies and guess what?...after reading about it...I have ALL the symptoms!!. Oh joy...I'd better make funeral arrangments and get my will ready because the pearly gates are just waiting for me!!!.

Yeah, it's THAT bad with me. Sorry, I'm not trying to make light of this...only trying to shed some light on how REAL and SCARY this whole thing can be wether you have anxiety, panic attacks or full-blown hypochondria. It sucks. Plain and simple :mad:

HI
as you would probably know its hypochondria
a good psych or therapist should be able to help

relaxing and calming yourself thru exercise and long walks should help a lot
also read a self help book on how to stop worrying, there are several, maybe borrow one from library

Oh, yes I can relate ;)
I had brain tumors, stomach cancer, lukemia.... Should I go on?
Fortunately, I've gotten better over the years, but I'm still a hypochondriac.
Hey, I have a good book called "The Hypochondriac's Guide to Life & Death." It's very funny. It made me realize how ridiculous I can be at times.

brain tumor.
stomach cancer.
and my new kick is leukemia.

i still think i have it. although my blood tests have come back normal.

haha

For the last week I've been suffering from;
1.heart disease (unexplained pains by my sternum)
2.emphysema ( shortness of breath when thinking of #1)
3.circulatory disease ( limbs getting numb when #1 and 2 overwhelm me!!!)

Want to get that book MrsPm. I need to be able to laugh at myself!!!

hmmm so far I have had lung cancer, brain tumor and my most recent is heart attacks...even though ALL my heart tests came back fine...jeez....still stuck on the heart thing though. But I do think I am moving on to some sort of stomach thing now...

I currently have a brain tumor - that seems pretty common or ovarian cancer. I have also thought MS. Not fun!!! I guess I need a laugh too!!

1. brain tumor (ongoing)
2. HIV
3. Sjorgens Syndrome (odd one eh?)

1.) brain tumour
2) Asthma or some other breathing problem.This is the longest going one.
3) throat cancer because of the tight throat feeling.
4) Insane fear of passing out !

you know, even though its not actually *funny* - its quite re-assuring to see the meddley of conditions we're all worried about!!!!! i think someone should put a pie chart together of conditions that people are most worried about!! i bet brain tumor's would be the biggest slice, followed by cancers, and then hiv.

It's Monday a.m. and at work..reading all the posts and having to chuckle a little..BUT, woke up this morning, chest hurting, vision goofy, knowing it's my heart, circulation..thinking of tests I need to see if my Dr. will order on me..God, this sucks..I used to enjoy life..Do any of you have problems just doing menial tasks ? worried that you'll pass out or have a heart attack ? Hypocondriac !!!! That's probably me..UGH..

Totally agree with you flashvik, brain tumours seem to be number 1 on the worrying stakes. I have worried insanely about having a brain tumour, and HIV, along with other cancers.

This is just the kind of post I need to read today and make me smile after a horrible weekend of feeling certain that there is something really wrong with me. I too go back and forth and when I feel good, I can see how silly I am being. But then the symptoms creep back up and I panic and get depressed and think of new tests I should have (or repeated because they were wrong). I'm still not totally convinced that every physical thing I feel is anxiety, but I have been convinced I've had:
MS, HIV, pituitary or adrenal tumor, gallbladder disease, some neurological disorder, and right now I am terrified I have an autoimmune disease such as lupus. I can only imagine what my doctors say behind my back because I am always calling asking for another test. I'm realizing hypochondria is a disabling disease in itself!

I know EXACTLY what you are saying..I love my Dr. but KNOW what she and her staff have to be thinking about me and that keeps me from not calling or going in more often then I do..then I get to thinking..I FEEL BAD, what if I really need to see what's going on... :p I am on zanex but have been on it for alot of years..only take 1/2 of the .5 mg at a time..2-3 times a day..was on proxac, quit taking it about a year ago..Thanks so much for responding to my post..I just need someone that truly understands what this HELL is like..my husband is a wonderful guy but just can't talk to him about it.. :o

I've had thyroid disease, heart disease, throat cancer, lupus, ms, (many autoimmue disorders), you name it - I've probably considered it at some point. Been better lately, hopefully it will continue.

I have lots of muscle twitching, which only after getting lots of test, is benign and agrivated by stress. So, I've had als, ms, some other neurological disease that just hasn't been caught yet. This month I'm sure I have Parkinson's. I've been through this many times in my life and I've had lots of medical tests done. My doctor gave me Klonopin to take at night and during the day I try to just take vitamins. I've missed lots of work because of medical tests or just not feeling well. I've tried taking anti-depressants, but they gave me bad side effects that just made my health anxiety 10 times worse. I'm reading a book called "It's Not All In Your Head" right now and it's about people with our same fears. I'm not that far into it, but so far it's pretty informative and I can really relate to it. I'm also trying to stay away from my computer so I don't look up symptoms and diseases on the internet. That's when all my health problems really seem to get going. I read the symtoms and all of a sudden I have every one of them. Glad to know I'm not alone. :angel:

Please let me know if the book is valuable information..sounds pretty interesting..I get mad at myself for ALLOWING all these anxieties to happen and not being able to control them real well..I took a yoga class and that helped (when I use it)...Like you the anti-depressents only seem to make my symptoms worse..the dizziness, goofy vision, headaches..oh heck you name it.... :D Wish I could take one and not look at side effects because I promise you I will have them if I read them !!!! Pretty pathetic..

I think at one time or another I've had everything mentioned so far. I remember back when i was in middle school i had a lump behind one of my nipples and i was worried sick for about a week thinking i had breast cancer(i'm a male, lol) when i suddenly realized that the lump just so happened to appear the day after my friend gave me a REALLY HARD titty twister. About 3 days after i realized this, the lump was gone! I still chuckle about it till this day.

Brain tumour and HIV lately.

oh gosh...I have had brain tumor, lung cancer (i really should quit smoking :rolleyes: ), heart problems (heart disease, serious murmur..etc..), aneurysm (do you even realize you're going to have one b4 it happens?!?!) *lol*
I think I just don't want to admit to myself sometimes that I have panic disorder and anxiety. I'd much rather there be some sort of "real" problem that can be fixed or easily explained. This thread is great..I'm not alone ;)

A.

you know what the worst part is...... we're all wasting our time as WELL people worrying about "what if" we get ill!!!! especially - and this is the worst part.....

90% of the conditions we're worried about, though pretty nasty, are usually treatable - and the remainder - well, pretty unlucky! but people *with* those conditions seem to soldier on ok!!!!

We're not worried about real dangers like being hit by a bus tomorrow, or car crashes or things like that!!!!

I'm making a conscious medication free decision to stop worrying about hiv, brain tumors, cancers, disorders, and going blind.... and try and take a more positive outlook on life :-)

Whose going to join me!

I AM WITH YA!! NO MORE BRAIN TUMORS OR MS OR STOMACH CANCER,E.T.C
:angel:
CARLY

I'm with ya.....I'm also in the process of reading The Hypochondriacs Guide to Life and Death, and wow this book is really funny, its making me realize just how ridiculous i've been.

Along with the standard cancer, tumors, etc. I thought I had late stage syphillis. Even though I had about 1 of the 10 symptoms.

I just sent a thread about my problems.. yes it sounds familiar.. I have been to the ER so many time, more than I can count. I have had,
1. cancer, anywhere that hurt I had it.
2. Brain tumor
3. Cysts on ovaries
4. DVT, blood clots in the legs
5. Liver Failure
6. Lukemia
7. scared to have my arms and legs amputated
8. parasites and worms
9. going blind,
10. HIV/AIDS
11. Herpes
12. Hepititis
13. Heart Attacks, very common one. Sends me to the ER every time
14. Stroke

I can go on and on about what I have been obsessed about. Its really rather ridiculous. And I am tired of it. Its almost consumed my life. I fear death. That is the biggest thing. Here lately, whats scary, I feel like I am going to die. That I will die at 27 for causes listed above or unknown. I feel like my life will end very soon. And that is sad. I dont know what to do about it any more.

For me it's been heart disease, liver failure, kidney failure and im sure others at some point. I've never thought I had something like rabies or HIV though.

has anyone seen a film called "bubble boy" ?? quite funny for all us health anxiety folk :-)

I have a new one for today that is freaking me out: "autonomic nerve dysfuction" (because of my sweating problem). I guess it is extremely rare, but it doesn't matter because once I get it in my head and think I have it, I'll dwell on it until I get into to see the neurologist!

Headache = Brain Tumor/Stroke
Dizziness = Same as above
Tired Legs = MS
Numbness in feet = See "tired legs"/diabetes
Numbness in hand/arm = Stroke
Hangover = Cihrosis of liver
Knee/back pain = arthritis/MS/muscular dystrophy
Blurred vision = Stroke
Anxiety = Heart Attack
Panic Disorder/Depression = Being admitted to a mental institution

The list could go on and on....

I think you get the picture!!! Hang in there and try to do something that makes you happy and takes your mind off of these negative thoughts. I know it's hard, but give it a shot--take care now! :bouncing:

Well, I found this post & I had to write... Is it odd that I am actually reassured by reading these? ... My list starts with breast cancer (I'm 24!!!), then a brain tumor, leukemia, heart attacks, stroke, blood clots, colon cancer/crohns disease... and the list goes on... to a series of other things that I don't even know fully what they are. While I am extremely sorry that you all have experienced this nightmare, at the same time, it makes me feel better to think I'm not alone & I actually might not have one of these horrible diseases, since there are so many other people who think they have one, & don't... However, as I sit here, writing this, with pressure in my head & my heart racing, I'm convinced that I will go to sleep tonight & not wake up in the morning. This does suck... but I'm glad we have these posts! Hope you are all well.... Kim

Am I limited to ONE disease or syndrome?

Over the years, in my mind, I have had: many heart attacks, several strokes, brain tumors, various cancers including colon and pancreas, and skin.

I've had appendicitis, ovarian cancer, Sjogren's syndrome (I see I'm not the first with that one), detached retina, multiple myeloma, leukemia, and many more. Then there's TMJ, trigeminal neuralgia, epilepsy, etc.

I have actually HAD the following: gall stones and gall bladder disease -- had it removed; problems with uterus and had that removed; migraines; broken wrist, ruptured disks in lower back. Thus I am not without illness/injuries, but it's the heart/brain/cancer stuff that gets most of us going.

One doctor wrote in my file that I presented with "a constellation of symptoms." That told me a lot, i.e., he thought I was just plain nuts. He's a cardiologist and I run in there every time I have an "attack." He reassures me and I leave. I had to write my whole health history down on his questionnaire and when I read it back later, I couldn't stop laughing. The stuff I have suspected isn't funny, but the fact that I thought I had just about everything imaginable was...

The question we need to ask ourselves is: if we're so sick, how come we're still here???????????????????????????????????? ???

It makes me feel a little better reading these.

Let's see, I'm 19 years old and I've thought I have had the following:

~Brain Tumors (#1 fear..consumes my every thought..not fun...)
~MS (#2 fear)
~Heart Problems...like Heart attacks..
~Strokes
~Brain anerysms (sp?)
~Blood clots
~Spine tumors

The list pretty much goes on....it sucks, I usually have a period of 2 weeks where I'm good and I don't think about anything health related...but then BOOM all of the sudden I have a bad headache, and here comes my tumor again.

It really is ridiculous...A LOT of the diseases that I believe I always have, are the types of diseases which are more likely to run in family genes...like cancers and stuff. And none of them run in my family..just high blood pressure/cholosteral..woo. Yes, things can come up..but I am trying really really hard to not think about them.

I find myself running to the computer to check up my symptoms, and of course it says I have something horrible. I think my family is sick of hearing about all of my tumors I have...but I just can't get away from it!!! Sometimes I just want to scream....I don't think stress in my life helps my anxiety either...

Haha, this is so great...mine started out with mental illnesses. I was trying to figure out why I was having problems at work. It started where I thought I had ADD (which I actually MIGHT have), then Asperger's disorder (a form of autism, ridiculous to me now, but I was convinced at the time), then 'mild schizophrenia' (after my psych told me I was paranoid...now I think SHE was off base!), then, oh god, I don't even remember all the stupid things I was thinking I had. Then, my anxiety switched over to bodily disorders, after my grandma died of a heart attack. The last couple of days, in fact, I've been having panic attacks at night and waking myself up. My heart starts racing and I'm convinced it's going to give out on me. I'm also scared of blood clots and cerebral hemmhorages. I'm just freakin' neurotic...sigh... :jester:

Oh and cancer too, yesterday I was looking up facts about cancer...I never worried about cancer before in my life...I should add that I recently went off my Zoloft and I'm thinking about going BACK ON IT!!!!

ok i am gonna do this in 2 parts because it has changed alot since the first time..


the first time i had this back in 1994-1995 i had

*brain tumor
*heart attack
*strokes
*some blood problem
*going crazy
*back problem




the second time 2005

*some other mental illness
*going crazy


i have a feeling this time the reason it is all a fear of other mental problems is because back in 94-95 i didnt have the internet and couldnt look up symptoms and obsess about them..

knowledge is a bad thing when you are prone to worry!

How about a fear of some disease that makes you throw up constantly until you die? What the heck? Where did I come up with that one?

In the past 10 years (since symptoms started after birth of baby), these are the diseases that I thought I could have possibly had and wanted to be checked for:

MS, Stroke, Brain tumor, Lupus, Myasthenia Gravis, Primary Lateral Sclerosis, Arthritis, McArdle's Disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (grandma had this), and my newest worry for the past year....young onset parkinsons.

What I have actually been dx'd with over the years: Fibromyalgia, TMJ, Endometriosis, Gerd, Anxiety, Depression, Essential Tremors.

The things I feared having......brain tumor,heart disease,cancer,hypoglycemia,diabetes,epi lepsy
I insisted for years there was a brain tumor that went unseen.


So far the only thing I have been diagnosed with is generalized anxiety disorder


I still think something more is going on,but maybe im wrong :shrugs:


take care all...........Beth

Suppose you actually have something along with panic disorder? I know anyone can say this, but my problems started a year ago with symptoms like colitis or Chrons disease, went for scopes sick as a dog, they see nothing. small bowel series, ultrasound of abdomen, nothing. Blood work, slightly high Chrons marker, slightly high celiac marker, slightly high white cell count.
Started to get neuropathy symptoms, burning feet, joint pain everywhere, couldnt function. Then, panic attacks set in, followed by depression. Too terrified to do all the testing. Cant tolerate most foods.
It would be better if i could accept a panic depression diagnosis, but i cant. It all started and still continues with my digestive tract.
What happens when a panic person really gets a serious condition, and that person is too terrified to have spinal taps or put himself in the mercy of some experimental clinic?
Things ive thought about, Chrons, Celiac, Thyroid, MS, Cancer, Malabsorption, spinal disorders etc. I wish i could laugh about all this.

Well the reason I signed up for this board is because I have some lumps under my breasts and I'm male. I don't really know what it is but I'm not really thinking cancer, however that is in the back of my mind being that I have anxiety. I'm only 26 years old so I try to rationalize it out and think positive.

Other than what brought me here I've also thought I had MS, a brain tumor, heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, among others.

omg I am so happy I came across this thread. I'm having a lot of anxiety that I think is related to peri-meno. That part I believe is the truth. However, the anxiety is really taking a toll and has for almost a year. I've had so many things. Right now I think I have liver failure and I'm terrified. My ankles are swollen and I got on the internet, now I'm just waiting to get diagnosed with end-stage liver disease.
Hey I wish nobody was in this boat, but I have to admit, I got some comfort from seeing that I'm not alone with these constant fears.

Oh my gosh, this thread is too funny, and just too sad, all at the same time. I seem to have a disease of the week, but greatly prefer dwelling on the fear of sudden death. Lethal aneurism, sudden cardiac death, a car wreck...oh the drama of it all...

{REMOVED}

I have not always been this way. I remember 'normal'... what the heck happened???

Lately I have:
heart disease - palpitations leading to sudden cardiac death, arterial plaque
congestive heart failure - swelling in my ankles
either colon or reproductive cancer - depending on my TOM
lung deficiency - constantly checking the color of my nails!!!
brain tumor - pressure in my head, vertigo
glaucoma - hazy vision, occasional light flashes
stomach cancer - tummy pains
DVT - leg pain, 'warm' sensation in my legs
Low or high testosterone - depending on low or high libido
thyroid dysfunction - overweight

{REMOVED}

Golly...how stupid does this sound???

{REMOVED} I just turned 39, so surely I have a few more years before one or more really hits!!! Now... to just enjoy those few years :) !

hi
When I am not having alot of anxiety I do sometimes sit back and laugh at how I am during the bad anxiety periods.I mean ugh I will sit and look up anything I could possibly have wrong with me over a few physical things I feel.Then I turn it into something horrible lol.I too have thought I had a heart issue that cannot be found and would probably die from sudden cardiac death.I have also fainted 5 times though in my life and feeling horrid afterwards.I have had test after though and always fine so they say stress/anxiety related.I can sometimes accept this ,but I have my times when I say NOWAY! Anyway when I am feeling fine I do think to myself ...my god what in the world was i doing? lol.I think most with anxiety do realize it seems ridiculous to worry so much and to try and diagnose theirselves,but when in that state you dont think that way.


Beth

Well, later I will report back on what this swelling in my ankles is all about. I could not stand it any longer so I made an apt for tomorrow. I'm sitting here with my legs propped up to avoid sudden death from a blood clot. I feel certain those couple beers I enjoy have put me into liver failure. Then again, my recent exercise program might have strained my heart so bad I now have heart damage. I'm convinced that the cause of this has to be some very bad thing.

As I sit here and type this, I'm actually wondering what a "normal" person would think reading this. For me, as I went through these posts it was like looking in the mirror. wow- are we nuts or what? We can't ALL be dying! LOL

The not so funny part is I also think that for the first time I'm seeing a side to my "anxiety disorder" that I never realized.

In the past 10 years (since symptoms started after birth of baby), these are the diseases that I thought I could have possibly had and wanted to be checked for:

MS, Stroke, Brain tumor, Lupus, Myasthenia Gravis, Primary Lateral Sclerosis, Arthritis, McArdle's Disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (grandma had this), and my newest worry for the past year....young onset parkinsons.

What I have actually been dx'd with over the years: Fibromyalgia, TMJ, Endometriosis, Gerd, Anxiety, Depression, Essential Tremors.

Hi Luv2read,

My newest health worry is also young onset parkinson's too. I'm 34. I was curious why you are worried about it. I have a funny tremor in the ring finger of my left hand. Totally obsessing about my left hand. I've always worried about my health. Earlier this year I worried about als and ms. I actually am dx'd with Benign Fasciculation Syndrome. Glad to see I'm not the only one worried. Thanks for your post.

A

add me to the list

I'm frecking out about Lymphoma right now. I just posted on the lymphoma board.
I also have breast, colon, brain,skin,.... my list goes on and on it changes each week. But I must say the lymphoma has got me real scared right now.

My biggest fear is that I have un diagnosed lymhpoma and that it has now spread to the rest of my body and organs and i'm dying
I've had enlarged lymph nodes for years

My anxiety started in March a few months after my emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix. I was diagnosed with GAD a couple weeks after that which I think has morphed into Health Anxiety. I have a few good days and more bad days. Never worried about illness but since March i've had:

Heart Issues, cancer of the throat, lungs, colon. Liver and Gallbladder problems. I dont know what else.

From reading the posts, I take it im not the only one. Do these symptoms just create themselves to torment me and ruin my life?

I also had enlarged lymph nodes for several years.It started as a teen and lasted until my early 20's.I worried and worried about it and got checked at doctors and then just forgot about it.They are not swollen now only when I am sick.So thing is it may be nothing or something very simple people can have swollen glands over very minor things.

Here's a good one. When you are calm or not anxious, you think your heart is stopping!!!!! :jester:

lol thanks for the laugh.......i bet my hub sometimes thinks i am sick when im NOT anxious and claiming to be dying or have some horrid ailment .

OMG! That happens to me too! Sometimes I'm lost in a daydream (happy) and then suddenly "jerk" and think my heart has stopped!!! So weird!

Well, later I will report back on what this swelling in my ankles is all about. I could not stand it any longer so I made an apt for tomorrow. I'm sitting here with my legs propped up to avoid sudden death from a blood clot. I feel certain those couple beers I enjoy have put me into liver failure. Then again, my recent exercise program might have strained my heart so bad I now have heart damage. I'm convinced that the cause of this has to be some very bad thing.

As I sit here and type this, I'm actually wondering what a "normal" person would think reading this. For me, as I went through these posts it was like looking in the mirror. wow- are we nuts or what? We can't ALL be dying! LOL

The not so funny part is I also think that for the first time I'm seeing a side to my "anxiety disorder" that I never realized.

Well turns out I do not have heart, kidney or liver problems :rolleyes: ..... looks like all I need to do is to be careful using a certain piece of equipment at the gym or wear better shoes-- some minor trauma to my ankles is all it was, and the anti-inflamatory he gave me has me feeling almost 100% and the swelling is way down.

Just more evidence that those of us who have anxiety issues can really blow this stuff way out of proportion.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this thread--- it was actually comforting to me when I was freaking out......

Im glad it was something simple misty.Hopefully you can relax.....at least for now.

I am back to really thinking I have a heart problem.For the last 4 nights as soon as i lay down in bed and try to go to sleep I can feel my heart beating irregular.I know for sure it isnt beating right because I feel it.It is like I have a normal beat and then I have one that is alot slower and thumps and then a normal beat again.I know i was breathing properly ......ugh I hate this.
two years ago I had this same thing except the abnormal beat wasnt qwite the same as now.It was just really messed up.I remember like a flip flopping feeling every other beat, of course that had me up half the night too ,until it went back to a normal rythm.

anyway......here I am obsessing again the same person who has been giving advice about obsessing :shakes head:

anyone else notice their heart doing this crazy stuff when trying to sleep?

I forgot to mention my hands and fingers have swelling in them this morning too...........something i have time to time.I seem to be putting the abnormal heart rythm together with the fainting I had in the past and of course thinking the worst.

Im glad it was something simple misty.Hopefully you can relax.....at least for now.

I am back to really thinking I have a heart problem.For the last 4 nights as soon as i lay down in bed and try to go to sleep I can feel my heart beating irregular.I know for sure it isnt beating right because I feel it.It is like I have a normal beat and then I have one that is alot slower and thumps and then a normal beat again.I know i was breathing properly ......ugh I hate this.
two years ago I had this same thing except the abnormal beat wasnt qwite the same as now.It was just really messed up.I remember like a flip flopping feeling every other beat, of course that had me up half the night too ,until it went back to a normal rythm.

anyway......here I am obsessing again the same person who has been giving advice about obsessing :shakes head:

anyone else notice their heart doing this crazy stuff when trying to sleep?


that always happens to me when i lie down but only after i have drank coffee or tea with caffiene in it that day

A.

I thought that I had ALS (among other things) and no one could tell me any differently. I had a major meltdown before I started taking an anti-anxiety medication and realized that I had a form of OCD. The obsession was the disease, the compulsion was to make myself feel better by researching the disease to convince myself I did not have it. The Internet is the worst thing that ever happened to OCD people! So many diseases have so many divers symptoms, it could be ANYTHING! Never try to diagnose yourself on the Internet like I did. I wasted 6 months of my life in a meltdown state.
I read a good book on OCD called 'Brain Lock.' A lot of the specifics did not apply to hypochondria but the general principles do. I should have taken the advice of the first Neuro I went to who said I did not have it. He said to 'go enjoy your life. You never know what tomorrow will bring so enjoy today.' Listen to the experts, you can't diagnose yourself. Good luck, I have been there and it's a tough fight.

Skipped or extra beats are normal in most people. Those of us who are anxious feel them more. I have had several episodes in my life, the first where I went to the ER because I KNEW I was having a heart attack. My stress EKG, heart sonogram and holter all negative. I still get it when I am tired or nervous, but don't worry about it anymore. If you are worried, get tested. (Of course then I found OTHER things to worry about)

I forgot to mention my hands and fingers have swelling in them this morning too...........something i have time to time.I seem to be putting the abnormal heart rythm together with the fainting I had in the past and of course thinking the worst.

Hey I'm nobody to preach with my recent "liver failure"... but in all honesty, I think you are fine. It really is anxiety.

My heart is always feeling like it's beating allover the place!

ty misty :) I hope I wont obess anymore i am trying not too.


Paul you are so right...That is exactly what I do I have something like this irregular heat beat thing or even some aches and pains and then I go log on and to see if it could be anything horrible.I have spent hours upon hours with hardly any sleep doing searching and diagnosing myself.Those are wise words
we really never know what could happen,but we really shouldnt worry about what COULD happen.I wish I could always think like that but it seems I can go a few years fine and then there i am again with major anxiety and searching the web lol and going to the doctor on and on .
I really just try to enjoy the good times of when I feel good.
You would think I would be over this after 11 years

well thanks for all who responded to my post and whoever mentioned the caffiene ya know I will give laying off the caffiene a try I do tend to take pepsi overboard.

take care :wave:

yesterday went to the gym, did some chest work, today, my chest hurts.....

LOGIC SAYS: "dude, its muscle sprain from the gym"

however... my anxious brain has had me worrying about everything from pericarditis (sp), to tietze's syndrome, and even (stupidly) pneumonia!

I SUCK!!!!!!

its gone from having anaemia, to having a brain tumour, to having lung cancer, leukaemia, every other brain disorder, heart disease and again i'm re-convinced i have a brain tumour... i just can't help it. It really is taking over my life... i've only had blood tests and a routine checkup but i came back fine. I really do not know what to do.. every little pain i experience i think is life-threatening

i even had terrible period pains last week and was convinced i had appendicitus

worried18 - the brain tumor one i can COMPLETELY empathise with, as can i with the cancer etc - for me, the ONLY way i managed to get rid of that worry was to book myself in with a private hospital and get an MRI!!!! it cost a lot - BUT- after that, when i saw the MRI and saw i was clear - i felt on cloud 9 :-)

The cancer worry is pretty irrational too - it WOULD show up on blood tests etc if you had something like that going on, so dont worry.

thanks
i am actually scared of having a scan though incase there is something wrong but i know i have to do something

and i had a blood test which i know would show up a number of cancers but i still (its been 3 months now) am convinced i have something life threatening :(

and i guess this has been going on the past year so really, and i think i think anxiety is making it worse when really my symptoms haven't changhed much over the past yr so really if i did have a brain tumour or something... i really would have noticed a drastic change?

the 7/7 bombings didn't help either as i live on the same road as the bus bomb and although i wasn't physically affected by it i get too scared to go places at times
i really do worry to much :(

I feel for ya worried.
I have gone through the thinking I had a brain tumor thing too.I obsessed about it pretty much 24/7 for a year or so.I finaly had an MRI done and excepted that there was no brain tumor........like the other poster I was VERY relieved and gradualy all the anxiety symptoms started to fade away!
I agree I think you should go ahead and get an MRI done I would even say I am 99% sure the results will be fine.I think you are right if it was a brain tumor after several years of symptoms they would be much much worse.
If you keep obsessing have the MRI!I have to say though if you doctor does not feel one is warrented then they are probably right.


good luck hope ya feel better soon

I on the other hand went to the Doctor complaining of dizziness, numbness, sight disturbances and weakness in certain limbs. The Doctor labelled me a Hyperchondriac. I was concerned I had a brain tumour or was suffering from TIA's. I demanded an brain (Cat) scan - this came back negative for brain tumours. At this point they were CONVINCED I was a hypercondriac. Months and months, years passed in fact with continuing symptoms "Here Mrs D have some tranquillisers" was a regular line in the consultation. Then one day I went rather blind in one eye. It happened to be MS awareness week at the time, and I read all about it and I fitted this diagnosis perfectly. I went to see the Doctor and asked him if this is what I was suffering from to which he replied arrogantly "No, do not even think about it". The blindness, which incidently he did not believe I had, left me being referred to an Opthamologist at my request who was livid at the way I had been treated. He referred me to an Neurologist who ordered an MRI scan and hello I HAD MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS!!!! I was not a Hyperchrondriac afterall. I might add I never received an apology from the Doctor concerned. I never received a refund for all the doctors visits I had where I was misdiagnosed. In fact he even tried to argue with the Neurologist and MRI scan results which clearly showed MS lesions. He tried to say they might have been Toxmoplasmosis Cysts!!!!!????? Hello??????

They say lightning never strikes twice? Not in my case. I also suffered from a heart condition namely a supraventricular tachycardia on many occasions when I was pregnant, that severe that I would become unconscious. Because of the above misdiagnosis with the MS above and this was happening at that time, this Doctor did not believe me that the heart problem was happening either and left me untreated telling me all I was suffering from was a "Fight or Flight response". Yeah right. My baby was born severely braindamaged, autistic and ADD as a result of this negligence due to being oxygen deprived in the womb. He is 10 years old now and suffers 24/7 as a result.

So people, the next time you are labelled a hypercondriac or "highly strung" or an attention seeker, do remember hyperchondria is a perfect label for "I do not know what is wrong with you, but I am not going to admit that". Sadly for my son, I realised this too late. Take your own medicine Doctor S.

WOW Kathie
That is sad......Ya know I agree sometimes alot of doctors seem to blow people off with.."anxiety"....."stress"...."hypocondria" especialy if you have a history of mental illness.This is why if I feel something new I insist on whatever test I should have to rule it out.I undertsand you did that and the way you were treated is sickining to me.I have a history of fainting and irregular beats myself ,although I have had ecg,and holter heart montior with nothing showing.I am now obessing over this again.Anyway Im so sorry for all you have been through and will have to endure now because of being misdagnosed for so long.I think if anyone has had anything new and it just doesnt seem right they should get checked to make for sure it is just anxiety and not somthing else,but just dont obesses over it or look up by symptoms on the web.

Take care Kathie and thanks for sharing your story it may help someone!

Heart attack, heart faliure and every heart disease going.

comes from the repeated hard beats and palputations.

The best opinion I can give, (and it's only an opinion, not advice as I am certainly not qualified to give advice in this area) is to have what you perceive to be serious symptoms checked. (cause you never know) get a second opinion if you feel it is needed. Then STOP if you are deemed OK. Don't research it anymore on the Internet of keep looking for Docs to agree with you. The reassurance you get from convincing yourself from Internet research that you don't have (insert bad disease here) will be short-lived and you will be back to 'yeah, but what of.....' This is what I did anyway. It did not stop until I quit the research thing. I will never research my symptoms on the Internet again, the descriptions are too broad and at the end of the day are meaningless. It could be a muscle pull or might be cancer. It STILL takes a Doc and real tests to decide. Don't worry until there is something to worry about, something real anyway.

Wow. I totally understand where you are coming from. I constantly think there is something wrong with me. I have severe panic attacks at the doctors office because I think they will "find something wrong with me" and next thing you know I will have 3 months to live just like those movies on tv.
This is just terrible living like this. I am pregnant too, and I still can't get over that I am a healthy individual and there is nothing wrong with me.
Its always something.

for me it my chest it always hurts mostly left side and it can be from my heart ready to stop to lung cancer. I was at the ER a few months back and they took allot of catscans of my chest and found nothing but in my mind I think maybe the cancer was to small tom see or something. I dunno I have been getting depress about it latly tho.

I to do this all the time why is it that we cant just switch the thoughts off? Would be intesting to see how many of us have made this worse by having such readily available health information on the net !

YES!!!!! I had AIDS for about 10 years of my life. Even before I even had sex I was convinced I had it. Very horrible to go through existance that way. I would not get a test because I when it would come back positive it would ruin my life! Yet my life was already being ruined by my obsession. I told noone because there was a part of me that knew it was irrational. I did not even talk to a doctor. When I got married I had a big argument with my husband that I would not breastfeed. I did not tell him that my reason was because I was afraid I would pass the AIDS virus to my child. When I did get pregnant I had my first AIDS test because it is manditory and it came back negative I was thrilled and it made my life soo much different. But soon my worries became other diseases. and when we had to get life insurance I had to have another AIDS test and I still worried for a week that it would come back positive but of course it did not.

I do not feel so alone knowing others go through the same thing!!!! I just wish I had gotten help to begin with. I have only been open with doctors now during the past few years and finally learning about anxiety disorder. My doctor thinks I have a personality disorder too on top of anxiety and major depression.

Fortunately I had Rabies in the 2nd and 3rd grades, along with Tetanus. I havent really struggled with the two diseases much in the last 10 years.

Fortunately I had Rabies in the 2nd and 3rd grades, along with Tetanus. I havent really struggled with the two diseases much in the last 10 years.


OOOHHHH tetnus. That disease really freaks me out!!! :eek:

I don't worry about any disease that I might have. Probably because I already do have Mitral Valve Prolapse with mild regurgitation, asthma, anxiety/panic disorder, depression, Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis even after back surgery (I have two steel rods and four screws in my lower spine), and mild scoliosis.

Also, I live with someone who suffers from severe panic attacks and has Asperger Syndrome.

I will never worry about any disease that I might have. I have enough to worry about with what I do have.


Check out the Aspartame post in the diet & nutrition section. That could have something to do with symptoms you may be having. That is if you use aspartame at all.

I don't worry about any disease that I might have. Probably because I already do have Mitral Valve Prolapse with mild regurgitation, asthma, anxiety/panic disorder, depression, Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis even after back surgery (I have two steel rods and four screws in my lower spine), and mild scoliosis.

Also, I live with someone who suffers from severe panic attacks and has Asperger Syndrome.

I will never worry about any disease that I might have. I have enough to worry about with what I do have.


Check out the Aspartame post in the diet & nutrition section. That could have something to do with symptoms you may be having. That is if you use aspartame at all.


That does not take away from the fact that anxiety over disease is real and scary for those who suffer with it. I do empathize with your situation but believe me constantly having SEVERE anxiety over your health and truely believing you are sick is real and frightening for those who experience it.

I also have GAD, major depression, and borderline personality disorder. I have a son with high functioning autism, a daughter with anxiety disorder and a husband with ADHD. this is not a competion of who suffers more it is a place to go and talk to others going through the same things.

An interesting note, I spent several years worrying about a brain tumor as well. Then I actually got one, and the diagnosis, surgery, recovery, etc. was not nearly as bad as the years of worry.

I think I have prostatitis - more of a condition than a disease. Went to the urologist, had prostate exam (not fun). He told me my prostate was normal and the rest of my privates looked fine. Although ever since I got drunk and had a questionable encounter 9 weeks ago, I've noticed lots of strange symptoms. I've been to the STD clinic (all tests negative), my GP, the urologist, a psychologist and a psychiatrist all in the last 2 months. I've had 3 HIV tests so far, but it will be six months before I'm convinced I'm negative. I also started and quit smoking, then started running. I am convinced something is wrong with me it's just beyond the recognition of most doctors. Probably some exotic parasite indegenous to the South Pacific. Funny thing is I can run 4 miles without collapsing and I've checked my temperature everyday for 9 weeks and have never had a fever. I'm also convinced my lymph nodes under my armpits are swollen but it's probably because I'm probing at them constantly. I guess we're all at the mercy of a higher power, so there isn't much use in worrying. Peace

1. cardiomyopathy
2. pulmonary artery disease
3. cancer
4. brain tumor
6. aneyueresm
7. Shy Dager syndrome
8. aortic aneyuresm

pretty kool huh? i still think i have a heart problem even though the doctor has done a few ekgs and blood tests and he says everthings fine.

I am new to the board - but just wanted to tell you that you sound exactly like me. I hate those heart palps (mine are PVC's), and even went to the ER on Sat. because they were the worst they have ever been. Been told over and over again not to worry about them - but that is certainly easier said than done! Glad to know I'm not alone - heart things are my major source of anxiety.

That does not take away from the fact that anxiety over disease is real and scary for those who suffer with it. I do empathize with your situation but believe me constantly having SEVERE anxiety over your health and truely believing you are sick is real and frightening for those who experience it.

I also have GAD, major depression, and borderline personality disorder. I have a son with high functioning autism, a daughter with anxiety disorder and a husband with ADHD. this is not a competion of who suffers more it is a place to go and talk to others going through the same things.

I have anxiety problems, I use to have major anxiety over possibly having all kinds of dieases. I kept going to see my doctor about things I was worried I had. She'd tell me you don't have it but we'll do a test for it anyway. I'd get the results and they were always negative. I was labelled a hypochondriac by friends and family. I could only take so much labelling. I came to realise that every time I went to the doctor about something I thought I had, I never had it and that stopped me from always worrying about it. I now only worry about things that I do have and do what I need to, to get better or keep it under control.

Having constant anxiety about possible health problems (that don't exist)could just cause other health problems to start. I'm just trying to let people here know that they can cause illnesses just by worry about possibly having some kind of diease. Really, what's the point? :confused:

If a symptom is bothering you then go to a doctor to discuss it.
If you're not happy with their prognosis then give them some feedback, express your concerns to your doctor. It's better that they know you're worried, so they can work with you more closely or consider other possibilities for you. The doctor-patient relationship takes work on both sides.
If you're still not happy or feeling worried, seek a second opinion.
Anxiety in itself can make everything feel worse and affect your ability to cope, so it's worthwhile working on ways to alleviate it, independent of what's concerning you about your health. Talk about your anxiety with your doctor or others that may be able to support you. Try out yoga, light exercise, or consider getting a recommendation to see a counsellor or psychologist to figure out ways to manage it.

This is what I did, and it really helped me to stop worrying about any illness I may have and get on with my life in a more healthy way. :bouncing:

Hmmmm...
Well I guess it depends on how my day is going....
I wake up with cancer on the mind, and because my legs ache at night I go to sleep thinking I have a blod clot.

And then there is always the possibilty that Ive seen a T.V. program during the day where someone has some other random disease. Then I ve got that to worry about.

lately I've been having thoughts of heart attacks, brain tumor and epilepsy. So you are not the only one!!!

If a symptom is bothering you then go to a doctor to discuss it.
If you're not happy with their prognosis then give them some feedback, express your concerns to your doctor. It's better that they know you're worried, so they can work with you more closely or consider other possibilities for you. The doctor-patient relationship takes work on both sides.
If you're still not happy or feeling worried, seek a second opinion.
Anxiety in itself can make everything feel worse and affect your ability to cope, so it's worthwhile working on ways to alleviate it, independent of what's concerning you about your health. Talk about your anxiety with your doctor or others that may be able to support you. Try out yoga, light exercise, or consider getting a recommendation to see a counsellor or psychologist to figure out ways to manage it.

This is what I did, and it really helped me to stop worrying about any illness I may have and get on with my life in a more healthy way. :bouncing:


Hi again,

For years I would not talk to a doctor about my anxieties because I kept everything to myself and would discuss them with no-one. I did not have a doctor I trusted enough plus I was young and starting out in life. It only started to come out after a few years of marriage and feeling comfortable enough with someone (my spouse) to be able to talk about things. Then I learned that the fears were not rational. But still they plagued me daily. I did not have a doctor I felt comfortable talking with and for some reason it never occurred to me to get help. I suffered in silence for years. It was only upon going to college after my kids were born that I finally had a doctor that recognized my symptoms when I went to him with stress problems. He did nothing but put me on meds and a few years later a good friend of mines sister moved to town and she was a doctor. I liked her right away and she became our doctor. It is only now that everything is out in the open with her and I am finally getting the counselling and therapy I need.

My point is that sometimes it is not as simple as discussing things with your doctor. Now I can but still all the therapy and medication in the world has not totally cured me. This is a chronic condition for some people and each person has varying levels of it. It especially complicates things when an individual has other disorders and family stress due to other family members disorders. I am past the denial that I have mental illness. I know I do and I know it will always be with me. All I can do is continue to reach out for help. I wish these boards had been around 10 or 15 years ago. But then maybe I was not ready to even admitt I had a problem at that time.

I dont want anyone to think it was directed at any particular post. I too suffer from this dilema and felt comfortable enough to share this

Hi got the book MrsPM recommened some of its quite funny I have just started reading it. I can relate to a lot of what he is saying I have looked up alot of the disease symptoms and know quite alot quite alot of what he is talking about so far. I also have alot of medical books at home which prob makes this worse.{REMOVED}

Anyway not been as bad recently Iam starting to think I have some form of OCD as Iam obessed by medical disorders in general even ones I think I do not have and sometime surf the net to look up other people's symptoms :)

Seems to me my mother was always telling me I'm a hypocondriac, then I started thinking...maybe, but I don't think doctors Just take out your gall bladder, give you a hysterectomy, and place you on blood thinners for the heck of it....Maybe I made myself sick?!

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