Hi..I have suffered with anxiety since my teenage years, but just diagnosed in the last few years. I have gotten my anxiety attacks somewhat under control (comes and goes), but now it's health anxiety that is driving me crazy!! I constantly thing I have some terrible disease and can't seem to shake it..I go from one disease to another. Right now it's Lymphoma...I have a swollen lymph node on the right side of my neck that has been there for years and years and I can't quit checking it constantly to see if it's any bigger. I have a bad tooth on that side that I've had for a couple years...gave me terrible pain for several days about a year ago and almost got it pulled, but had a terrible experience with the dentist I went to, so then I was scared to go anywhere else and the pain went away, so I've left it alone. But I've read that a bad tooth can cause lymphs to swell and it's only on that side, but I still can't quit worrying about it. Here is a list of my anxiety symptoms that come and go...curious to know if anyone else is in the same boat as me *sigh*:

palpitations
clenching/grinding teeth at nite
dry eyes, sometimes watery
vision disturbances
lightheaded/unsteady feeling
trouble catching breath
trouble getting to sleep at nite
tired at times
lower/middle back pain
neck sore and stiff
nausea
lack of sex drive

That is just the ones I could think of off the top of my head. Thanks for any input :o)

you need to find a dentist who is good with nervous patients, ask around

excessive worry about your health is called hypochondria and is a real problem, a doc who is capable of reassuring you would help a lot
you obviously need to learn new ways of calming and relaxing yourself
toothgrinding is very common for anxious people and can cause tooth damage, a football mouthguard helps by allowing the teeth to glide around it

It sounds as if you need to have that tooth looked at. You may also just have a cyst there and that can feel like a lymph node. Maybe you should have it checked and move on to the next illness.

I am not making fun of you because I do the same thing and I have most of the symptoms that you are describing.

If the node has been there for several years and nothing else has shown up I am sure that you are safe.

I to have had most if not all of these symptoms at one time or another.

Hi Amberil,
As far as all of your symptoms, I have those and then some. I too have a panic disorder and also deal with a lot of health anxiety. I would run around all day constantly checking my pulse. I used the power of distraction to help me. Anytime I start to get uptight with something going on in my body then I do something to distract my thoughts (i.e. clean the house, paint my nails, whatever).
As far as your tooth and lymph nodes, they can definitely be related. I too am very fearful of the dentist and have terrible teeth problems. 2 1/2 years ago I had a filling done. Well it bothered me on and off for 2 years after that. One day it started causing me massive pain and I forced myself to go to the dentist. I ended up having to go in for emergency oral surgery to have that tooth and the one behind it pulled. What happened was 2 years before when the dentist did the filling, he made a mistake and should have done a root canal. I spent 2 years with an abcess that was so bad it spread to the bone and other tooth. The only reason I did not end very sick from the abcess is because I spend a lot of time on antibiotics (for an unrelated health problem) and the antibiotics kept the abcess from spreading beyond my face.
I'm not trying to scare you or anyone but my point is that most people think teeth only cause discomfort or pain. Because I dealt with an abcess for so long I had swollen lymph nodes, sore throats, extreme facial tenderness and chronic sinus problems on that side. Hry33 is right about finding a dentist who is good with nervous patients. My oral surgery took 3 hours and I'm surprised the dentist just didn't kick me out. I wouldn't stop hyperventilating, shaking and trying to sit up the whole time. But he was an angel and very patient with me. I made it through and am very happy that I had it done and that its over with. My face feels much better now.
Take care,
anxiouslady

hi! i used to suffer with that badly! still get it not as bad. i used to be like fixated on certain illness. xx

Thanks everyone for your thoughts...I do need to find a dentist that will deal with a big baby like me and I thought I'd found one when I went to get the tooth pulled when it was bothering me so bad. He was a total jerk and he basically threw me out of his office (I would have walked out anyway). I told the girl that made my appt that I was really scared of dentists and she said no prob. Well...the dentist went to stick me with the needle (which I am petrified of) without first numbing my gums. I politely told him I wanted to be numb first and he got mad as if I had no confidence in his technique so he told me to go elsewhere. I was already petrified of dentists and he really ruined it for me after that. The tooth is barely there, but doesn't cause me much pain, so I've decided to live with it for now. I just think it is so hard to find a good dentist that understands how people like me feel about having dental work. I just wish my lymphnode would go down so I could quit worrying about that, but I supposed until the tooth is gone it won't.

That dentist sounds like a total jerk! I've never heard of a dentist who wouldn't numb your gums before sticking in a needle. How horrible. I would certainly have sent in a complaint to the state board about him.

I totally share your health anxiety and quite a few of your symptoms. I'm constantly fearing I have some deadly disease. Right now I'm FREAKING OUT because I have an appointment in an hour with a hematologist because I have a low white-cell count, and I'm sure I'm dying of cancer instead of it just being a virus or something.

I hope you can find a good dentist would will be gentle with you. They are out there. There are even some dentists who have massage chairs in their exam rooms! Try asking around, I'm sure friends or co-workers can recommend someone.

Hi MmeMulot...yes he was a total jerk and I did turn him in somewhere, can't remember what it was, but they did an investigation and said they had no other complaints against him, but were keeping mine on file..so if it happens to someone else, hopefully he'd get in big trouble. When I first went to the doc with symptoms 3 years ago or so they did an EKG, chest Xray, blood oxygen level test, blood work, etc and the only they found was a high white count and the doc wasn't worried at all, he told me it was probably becuz I had just gotten over a virus, so that's probably all yours is too. Take care!
amberil

WOW

About the dentist....he was a jerk, but that was just him, get over it. Find a dentist that will put you out...they do you know. I fortunately had a dentist who taught me self-hypnosis without me knowing it and I have never feared another needle.

Avoiding the tooth problem will eventually lead you to a dentist anyway and your health may be jeopardized by it by then. Why do that to yourself?

Now about the self diagnosing, which is so much easier now with the internet. Stop it, cause your symptoms can be any disease that you want them to be.

I would suggest finding a good doctor and possibly an Endocrinologist. Endos study the glands. Thyroid and Pituitary are Glands. Adnormalties to these glands can cause your symptoms and your anxiety. If there is a problem it is treatable and you will feel like a NORMAL person. I know that NORMAL can be seen as a joke, but you will feel WONDERFUL.

I went to 5 Gynecologist that told me that it was all in my head.....and by George they were right! But when I went to my first Endocrinologist, they found the tumor in one appt., and with the same results as the Gyns had had. Only difference is that the Endo found out what was in my head and did something about it. I had choose surgery and afterwards was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism.

That was 23 yrs ago and all I take now is a small pill in the morning and I feel GREAT everyday.

Keep looking until you find the Good life that you were given and start LIVING IT!!!!!!