For those that may not understand how severe health anxiety can be!

This is not ment to "flame" or upset or point fingers at anyone.  Its just something that I believe deserves to be known.  Maybe severe health anxiety is not seen in here as often as the panic disorder in its self.  But I bet I'm not the only one that feels this needs to be said.

Well IMHO people living with hypochondriasis, or *health anxiety*, suffer from a disorder that can be quite different from just the panic disorder in its self.  Its really one of those things that, if you dont have it, you may not really understand it.  See, the beauty about this disorder is that you can believe that you are dieing from anything!  Even a regular person, if they think they are about to die from something, they will go to the hospital to get help.  Well the hypochondriac or person suffering *health anxiety*, they believe TRUELY, that they are dieing sometimes.  Sometimes its quite often.  Its not just the panic disorder where your able to distinguish between the real emergencys and just the anxiety.  Its analyzing every body symptom, "what if" thinking, catastrophic thinking, and along with catastrophic thinking comes thoughts that you are dieing sometimes.  Thoughts that you need to seek help immediately!  Where as the person with panic disorder that doesn't suffer from the severe health anxiety, they associate the problem as, just people having panic attacks the way they do only, they are impatient on waiting for a doc apt.  This is not true!  We with the severe health anxiety go to the ER because we REALLY think we have something life threating!

I have been to the ER so many times and TRUELY believed that I might die!  I wasnt there because I had a concern that I just felt like having checked because I didnt want to wait to go to my doctor.  I was throwing up and pacing the floor, really terrified!  Now people that dont live with this disorder dont understand that, even what seems to be so minor, can be so real and so terrifying to the sufferer! 

I could go on all day but I just have to get this out there!  Its real!  We try to over come this disorder and get control of our thoughts so we can get better and NOT go to the hospital.  In the mean time, its really upsetting when people treat you like your just going to the ER because you simply dont feel like waiting on a doctor's apt.  Especially when you are sick and throwing up from nerves, shaking uncontrollably, hyperventilating, and really truly believe that you fit right in the ER because you might be dieing!

Bottom line, "If you (anyone), thinks you might have an immediate, life threatining condition, you are going to seek help in the emergency room".  A person like me with severe health anxiety, TRUELY BELIEVES they are dieing and need that help sometimes.  If you dont have this disorder, (not just the panic disorder), then you might not understand it.  If you feel that you are dieing, whether you are or not, you belong in the ER!  People with severe health anxiety sometimes CANT tell the difference between whats a real danger, and whats not.  We are trying to over come this just as much as those suffering from just the panic attacks.  But the disorder is real!  We cant help it!  We dont go to the hospital just for kicks, or because we are just impatient!  We are terrified!  No matter how rediculous the fear may be to others!  We cant help it!  We go to therapists and we take the meds like we are supposed to, ( I do anyway).  We are trying!  Bare with us, we arnt just trying to take up other people's time in the ER.  I always feel bad when I find out it was nothing.  I feel bad that I might have took up someone's time.  But then I remember, that just means I have to keep fighting.  I'm not going to just die some day because people had me convinced that I didnt need to go to the ER and unless it was serious, and I COULDNT tell for sure if it was or wasnt, but it felt like it was!  Thats what severe health anxiety is!

*Also, if you do go to the ER just because your impatient on waiting for a doc apt, please stop!  The ER is for emergencys!  But if you truely believe its a life threateing emergency, GO!  You may be wrong, it may be just panic or health anxiety getting the better of you.  Then again you may need to be there.  If you cant tell the difference and cant get in to see your doc right away, dont be afraid to seek help because you may really need it!

IMHO,
Jennara

Jennara,

I really feel this post is aimed at me. This time I think (IMO) you did not need to go to the ER. ER's are not for dental problems such as you suffered. You should have called the correct doctor, your dentist. They have emergency numbers for when you are having dental problems. Honestly a toothache is not going to kill you, and I honestly feel YOU knew that.

Now if you are having chest pains, or severe stomach pain or broke your arm, or shortness of breath, or car accident yes definetly hit the ER. But the other minor stuff like tooth pain, could have even be adequately handled even with an Urgent Care Clinic.

Jennara, my complaint about people going to the ER for non emergencies is because I am concerned for those who REALLY deserve to be there and are delayed sometimes for extensive waits and that could be a life and death situation. I will give you an example of things that have happened to me. I have a chronic and incurable bowel disease and have suffered with quite a few bowel obstructions due to my disease. And there have been times that I have had to wait in the ER waiting room because they are so busy. I will tell you bowel obstructions are some of worse pain you can imagine even worse the labor if you could imagine. And also could be deadly is the obstruction perforates your bowel and causes sepsis. That is a life and death situation.

I also just read a few articles on ER wait times. One stated that a person MOST needing the ER, is having to wait approximately 28 minutes for treatment. That again could be life and death for someone. The second article talked about a hospital in Austin, TX that had almost 1000 visits done by just FIVE people. What did they have 2 were drug addicts, the other 3 were for anxiety/panic attacks. So I say if you are having chest pain, trouble catching your breathe, or severe pain that your pain meds are not helping, then yes go to the ER. If you have to go to the ER, please make sure its for the right reason, other wise try the urgent care clinics instead. You can get quicker and just as good treatment there without the expense and putting true medical emergencies in risk. JMHO

Hugs
Gail*Nanners*

Hey Jen,

If your dealing with obsessive thoughts of death and dying I would encourage you to seek out professional help from a therapist or Psychiatrist who specializes in Obsessive thoughts disorder. It sounds like the pain and suffering you are having from these obsessive thoughts are difficult for you to explain. This is not an uncommon condition and is very treatable.

You can feel safe and happy with the proper care. Let the people who love you know you want their support, even though they may not understand what you are going through.

As far as using urgent care facilities, Urgent Cares offer convenient walk-in medical clinics with providers who are available during specific hours to treat any non-life-threatening illness or injury that needs immediate attention. Urgent care is a timely health care solution for families and individuals of all ages, including those who can't get in immediately to see their primary care doctor, are visiting from out of town or are new to the area and currently don't have a doctor. Patients who do not have a life-threatening condition can save time and money by using Urgent Care as an alternative to the emergency room, where waiting times are on the rise.

If an urgent care provider assesses your need for emergency care they will triage you on to a higher level of care. 

I hope this helps you in making decisions about where to look for immediate help with your fearful thoughts re your real pain and sx you may be having.

Presenting to the ER is always a choice you must make for yourself if you feel you have a true emergency.

Health & Happiness,

Kitt

Suds,

I have to respectfully disagree with your comment "Other people's opinions can be helpful but at the end of the day it is your life and only you have to live with the consequences of your decisions". That is so wrong IMO. What about the person REALLY having a heart attack??? Their care gets put off by a person with a toothache? And should they die, its okay because only its only you who has to live with the consequences? What about the family of the person who just died of a heart attack because they couldn't get care in a timely manner because of people using the ER when instead they could have just used a urgent care clinic?

So I do respectfully disagree with you. You are not the only person who has to live with the consequences. Your choices could affect another person's very life. JMHO

Regards,
Gail*Nanners*

Hi Nanners,

I hear the passion in your message, you have been through a lot and I feel for you. It is clear that you are speaking up for yourself and others who must regularly go to the emergency room because they have life threatening illnesses and you don't want to see them die.  I don't either and I am sure Jennara doesn't as well.   I share your desire to ensure that everyone who needs emergency help receives it.  And I feel as strongly as you do that the decision to go to the emergency room shouldn't be taken lightly. I didn't mean to suggest that our decisions do not have consequences. Your decision to post your comment could result in other people not posting because they have done similar things and are afraid they will be judged harshly. My decision to post resulted in what I perceive as you feeling offended by my lack of understanding the true consequence of non emergency room visits.  Life is full of consequences.  But we must make decisions, some will be good ones and others bad.  Jennara made a decision, you disagreed with it and you let her know it. 

I hope we can put an end to this,  it doesn't feel supportive to me.  Can we just agree to disagree?

Wishing you the Best,

Suds  

I have never gone to the emergency room( For myself). And I have sever health anxiety. I have dealt with this for many many years. My heath anxiety is so bad I can not work. I can barely leave the house and someone does have to be with me. I carry a cell phone from room to room. I live 5 minutes away from my parents. Someone everyday is "On Call" if I need them. Hubby comes home in 15 minutes if I need him. Mom drops what she is doing and comes here. I live 1 mile away from the fire department. And they are here within minutes if I need them.

Now that you know how bad my anxiety is. I have and will NOT go to an emergency room do to anxiety. Anyone who gets to know there body well enough can tell the difference between an attack or the real thing. I have had serious bouts of panic attacks. But I know in the back of my head that it is just that. Panic attacks.

You know mentally what the difference is. Its just accepting them that is harder to do. Or willing to do. In my location we have 2 emergancy rooms for 125k+ people. Each room is always packed. And its people with kids who are sick. Or people who broke this or that. Nothing major.

But I will say. That ALL emergency rooms take patients on a need basis. If someone is having a heart attack and there is 10 people before him/her that are in less need. They will take the heart patient first. They will do what is need to help the person with a life hreating problem over someone who isn't. They do save beds just for that reason. Now if the ER is slow in this process then there procedures needs to be looked at.
My best friend works as an admission clerk at an ER. She see's this all the time. They have beds that are left open just for situations like this. Same with our 2 hospitals. They both have 4 beds set aside for people who are in an emergency.

Anyway with that said. We have different levels of acceptance to our anxiety. And over time we learn how to deal with and accept what is a real issue and what isn't. Everyone is different. People like myself stay clear of these places simply because of the germs involved. And others flock to them as a safe haven. We do have to respect everyones way of thinking. I do not agree with going to the ER over an "infection" that can wait. Seeing your doctor the next day would not effect your health. But I also understand the extreme fear. And the need to be comforted. Needing the "all clear" from the doctors. I totally understand And I know Nanners does as well. Same with anyone who has health anxiety.

I will strongly suggest if you have more health anxiety. Do not google, research or look up what it could be, cause, or other wise. As this is the results. You freak out for no reason. I for one have learned to ask here instead of looking it up. Kitt even went a step further and got information for me. So I didn't have to read about the 1% who had sever problems. I got facts that I needed to know.

I agree 100% that a person must make the decision for what they consider an emergency. But I am just asking that you make the decision responsibly. If you have had all the tests run and nothing is medically wrong with you and you know you suffer with Health anxiety, then that is the time to utilize an urgent care clinic or call your family doctor instead. Emergency rooms are for just that, Emergencies. If you have a new symptom arise and you feel this calls for a ER visit, then by all means go to the ER.

But I also agree with a point Kitt made. Most ER's now have a triage nurse you can even "CALL" before you go to the ER and they can advise you if this is something that should be handled in the ER or if urgent care can handle this instead. The also provide suggestions to try at home first. I have received some great assistance myself from calling these nurses and told other times I need to go to the ER. Just a thought:)

Hugs
Gail*Nanners