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Posted 6/18/2008 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
Today I have seemed to diagnose myself with about 5 different diseases. And made myself sick believing it. I am trying to make myself feell better now. I have been doing better with my anxiety but when I do have it, it is always bad. Does anyone else do this? Like if you read something, then you think that it is what you have and your dieing from a life threatning disease?
Posted 6/18/2008 3:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Anastasia,

I don't have that problem but my friend does. She always thinks she has some sort of cancer. And her daughter does that too. They spend a lot of time worrying and anxious over it. And multiple trips to the doctors. They both know that it is a type of anxiety, but don't know how to stop it. I feel badly for them both. It is hard to watch them struggle with this condition.

My anxiety is more like a paranoia. I get scared to do things, don't want to leave the house because I don't feel well enough to. Don't want to talk to anybody or do anything. Don't even answer the door or the phone.

I know that this isn't much help, but thought that I would share. Have you talked to any doctors about your anxiety? Does it help any? I wish that I could help my friends by telling them what to do, but I don't know what to tell them.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 6/18/2008 3:28 AM (GMT 0)
Thannks It was very helpful to me. I started noticing more bruising on my body and it has scared me a little. I am always playing with my kids so I hope that it is bruises from truama. I am sorry to hear that you have trouble doing theses things. Anxiety makes me feel sick too. I feel tired all the time and weak. I have talked to a nurse about my anxiety a couple times but never a real doctor. I have done a bunch of research and have treated myself for this. I first got anxiety last year in Feb. and when I first got it, I was more in your situation, where I couldn't leave home, eat, talk on phone. I was totally out of it and freaked out. I always felt like I was going to die. But I still feel like I am going to die but not as bad. I have come a long way and am still trying to overcome this. Now if I have a panic attack it mainly hits at night. I had the worst day on fathers day. I just dont give up and keep trying to get better. I have a wonderful hubby and two babies and more wonderful family that makes me strive more.
Posted 6/18/2008 12:41 PM (GMT 0)

Hi there Anastasia..

Relax - you are not alone with these feelings..sounds as tho you have been sooo brave about things but maybe just need a little help and reassurance just now. Going to the doc. for a check up might be a good idea..explain exactly what you have told us in your post. Sometimes we rush thru parts of our lives and think we have dealt with whatever it throws at us - but really we have just brushed things under the mat..eventually these events bubble to the surface in the form of anxiety and we are left wondering what on earth is going on eyes

I wish you well. Keep us posted.

Sista J.

Posted 6/18/2008 12:47 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Anastasia,

I'm Sydnee the Health Anxiety Queen!I am REAL bad to diagnose myself.I've suffered Anxiety,Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia 13 Years and still can't believe there isn't something major wrong with me.

When Anxiety,Panic and Agoraphobia hit,I practically lived at my Doctor's Office an entire Spring and Summer.Not wanting my Doctor to think I was a "Head case",I had my Mother go in with me one Day so she could tell him I was really experiencing.

I have to pose caution when I read,search online and even watch certain programs on Television.I can watch Dr.G without problem,but can't watch Mystery Diagnosis.I develop every symptom mentioned.

I wish you all the best.HA haunts me Day and Night and it's hard,but somehow we have to make the most of it.

Posted 6/18/2008 12:52 PM (GMT 0)
Anastasia,

Good Morning and I see you have received some wonderful support.  I think we all have a tendency to diagnosis ourselves from time to time.  If you truly feel you need to see your physician about a sx please do so.  If you feel it is anxiety,  try staying in the moment.  Also don't spend a lot of time researching diseases as you can convience yourself you have just about everything.

Take care and I hope this has helped you in some small way.

Hugs

Kitt

Posted 6/20/2008 3:21 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone! Sydnee I was wondering if when you have a panic attack and feel as if you are dying, that you tell yourself inside your head that you may be dying from something that may have been wrong with you?
Posted 6/20/2008 4:39 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Anastasia,

You are most welcome.Do you mean something that may have been wrong with me in the past?I worry about something being wrong with me in the present.I wasn't sickly much before Anxiety and PA's came on,but did worry about a lot of Health.I'll explain that one in a new thread when I have more time.Just taking a break from cleaning this House.Attorney is coming Tomorrow,so want the Palace to be spic and span! tongue

Posted 6/20/2008 3:19 PM (GMT 0)

I have done this for years, and has only made my panic and anxiety worse. Since I have had the internet I am constantly checking on symptoms and diseases.  My son who is a nurse has told me this is the worst thing I can do because manyyyyyyy of the internet sites are NOT reliable.  I can talk myself into having a disease in a split second. My dr told me STAY OFF THE WEBSITES, as I am making myself worse.  Its a vicious cycle, and sometimes the internet is NOT my friend nono

Posted 6/20/2008 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Anastasia.  I used to get all freaked out with every little symptom I had.  Yes, I tend to notice every little twinge or pang in my body and I used to get online immediately and start looking stuff up and scared myself silly.  I have a lot of health issues and my anxiety is a lot due to that.  My doctor told me to foremost stay away from the internet and force myself to calm down and deep breathing and such so I wasn't constantly worrying about my health.  My primary doc is wonderful and has told me that in the case if I think something is truly wrong to just call and talk to him and we'd go from there instead of just worrying and getting myself all worked up.  It took a lot of time for me to be able to just go with the flow as far as my health is concerned.  I would talk to your doctor.  Are you being treated for anxiety?

Posted 6/21/2008 10:12 PM (GMT 0)
Let me tell ya about health worry... I can't ever tell if I'm sick or anxious which is HORRIBLE because I completely CONVINCE myself that there is no way that anxiety can cause ALL my physical symptoms. Oddly enough, I've never has any of the horrible illnesses I've worried about. I convinced myself that I had MS and pretty much developed every symptom related to it so my Doc did an MRI... no MS but they did find a cyst in my brain. I've been told that it's probably been there since birth but have developed such anxiety over it that I am having a repeat MRI this week to see if it's grown since they found it 3 months ago. Everyone has told me that it's nothing but I've literally been thinking that I'm not going to watch my kids grow up... my Dad tells me to pinch myself every time I start to think like this as it's probably the reason that I've been feeling so crappy. I just think that if it truly is nothing then my fear of having MS has sent me on a spiral that - I kid you not - has been making me nuts since February! So yes I know exactly what it's like to fear your physical sensations and to turn them into terminal illnesses :( unfortunately.

I start CBT therapy in July so that I can finally kick this worry cycle. I'm unwilling to have it rule my life any longer!! Good Luck!

Liz
Posted 6/21/2008 11:14 PM (GMT 0)

Liz,

It is hard to pinpoint exactly where I feel sick and like you I can't believe Anxiety can cause all these symptoms.

I wish you lots of luck with a good Test report.


 

Posted 6/21/2008 11:16 PM (GMT 0)

Karen,

If I weren't so scared to have Tests to determine if I have Cancer,I feel that I could get over my fear of having Cancer and would stop worrying about it..

 

Posted 6/22/2008 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
All,

I had a really eye-opening experience on the internet earlier this year. I was really freaked out about whether my symptoms indicated some life-threatening disease. So I searched certain phrases on the web. One listing came up - I think it was actually a brief thread in a forum - where people were discussing the symptoms and comforting each other. Then some *jerk* posted a completely made-up name for some "rare disease" that he claimed had killed someone he knew personally, who had just such symptoms, and had just keeled over instantly from it with no warning. His post seemed believable at first, but I searched the name of the "disease" and never found any other references to it *anywhere* on the web. The only things that made me suspicious were subtle: a disease I'd never heard of, and description of the victim as a friend's great uncle John (reminded me of that "father's second wife's cousin's brother's mother-in-law" kind of gibberish).

So the moral is: take what you read with a large grain of salt unless it's from a site you trust already. I was shocked and angry to see that there are folks out there like this guy who apparently delight in scaring and upsetting vulnerable people. They'll post frightening lies just to get their little jollies, and they know just what emotional triggers to use.

percycat

PS - I did try to report his post, but the process didn't work. It wasn't a site or forum I'd heard of before, nor seen since.
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