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Hi all!!! It's been so long. I'm currently 15 weeks pregnant! A total shock, but a great one. I'm 41 lol and it's our 4rth. Just found out it's a girl. My anxiety has been great but we all know with hormones, all bets are off. 😂 While this isn't health related, sorry. I love y'all and trust you with my fears. We are flying on a short flight in 2 weeks. It's 1 hour and 30 min flight to Florida. I have been on a plane twice and the last one I had a horrible panic attack..I cried and felt like I couldn't breath. I swore I'd never do it again. I can't drive 12 hours to FL pregnant sooo, flying it is. I will be with my husband and three kiddo and I sure don't want them to see me anxious or become anxious because I am. Can anyone give me a rational pep talk on plane safety lol or what they do for plane anxiety? Hugs all. And happy holidays!!!! 🎄🎄🎄❄️⛄

Bright Phoenix thank you. I will take a listen. Yes the neuron did a clinical exam, nerve conduction and EMG and even wrote in a message to me” NO EVIDENCE OF ALS” in all caps. Also my primary has told me three times. But, health anxiety sucks. Thank you for your time 💓💓💓💓💓 have a beautiful holiday.

You know I feel the same about you Holls. You've seen me as well through some of my darkest days. You are such a blessing to everyone...me included. xoxo

So I know Thanksgiving has passed but I just want you all to know how much I appreciate you. Sure, I have lots of HA worries and anxieties. This post isn't about that. I just want to say thank you for being there for me and for eachother. Sometimes our posts to others help people in ways we don't even realize. Anyhow, thank you...that is all.

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I have flown probably over 100 times and it is the safest and fastest way to go. I take a half of a diazepam as I feel bad sometimes from motion. You could talk to your doctor to see if you can take anything to relax you a bit. You will be fine and have a safe trip and good time!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Holls, As an aircraft maintenance engineer I can assure you that modern airplanes are state of art from the safety point of view. All systems are redundant and pilots in USA undergo trainings of a highest standards. Always remember that today it is the safest way of transportation. You are free to ask me if have any questions on this topic.

I haven't been here in months, but I am so glad I logged in to see this post. Penny!!! You have helped me through some of my biggest fears, several times!!! Thank you for being you. You are wonderful. Biggest hugs. Happy holidays. 🥰

Perfect idea on the Angel pin. As for the window (or exit row seat) It makes no logical sense to me...I can't explain it but it really works for me. Let us know how it goes for you! You got this!

Lol penny you are so cute. I can see you wearing your Christmas shirt in summer flying ☺️ I completely understand though and I will be wearing my angel pendant on the flight. I always avoided the window too! And I'm not claustrophobic either but I do feel like I'm not able to see anything or have room to run lol. I think the window is a great idea. Thank you.

Congrats on the baby! How exciting and such wonderful news! I don't like to fly...at all. I mean I really hate it. I get all up in my head about it and freak myself out. But I discovered something that helped me tremendously and it goes against what I thought. Whenever I've had the good fortune to sit in the exit row or by a window, my anxiety goes down tremendously. I used to make the hubs sit by the window...no more, I grab it for myself and ***everyone*** is much happier. LOL ! Seems like if I look out or feel like I have "room" I feel better. I used to be afraid to look out...but for some strange reason...the feeling of having more space around me helps ... a lot. and I'm not claustrophobic...so that doesn't explain it. Also, I wear my "Lucky flying shirt" every single time. It's a christmas shirt (think ugly christmas sweater but it's a t-shirt)...I don't care what time of year it is...I wear it. I swear it keeps the plane flying. LOL! But seriously, if you can get an exit row or look out the window, it might help you as well. I don't understand it...but I promise it works.

Welcome back Holls, and congratulations on your kid! My sister is 36 and having one as well, so I know how interesting it can be at that age. Lots of precautions to take and having to be careful. Don't want to trigger things so I'll say it this, you are *way* safer flying in a plane than you are driving your way to Florida. I have the same fears of flying as well too, even for short trips of 30-40 minutes. I think it's part of the reason why I don't take that many trips as well. Site is going on as always, health anxiety is always a beast that is difficult to tame. Hope you got your HA under control as well.

I found it helpful to observe the airport itself, how many people come and go and how routine it all is. I don't fly often either, certainly haven't since the Rona hit, but in the past that's helped me. For me it was always the anticipation of the flight and not that flight itself that caused anxiety. Oh, and congrats on the kid! 😁

I just love you holls 😭 thank you.

I think we spoke before about this fear. I was an als worrier, for years. 😞 You have zero symptoms of Als and yes the emg absolutely clears you. As well as the neurologist not scheduling many many follow up visits with you. This disease does not ebb and flow, it progresses and yes, 18 months is a long time. This is just an irrational fear..your anxiety is lying to you. Don't let it take one more day. It's the holidays, please enjoy it with your family. You DO NOT have als. Biggest hugs. You are healthy, go enjoy a long beautiful life.

Actually, a list of questions from a doctor would be a perfect roadmap. Googling would be like "OMG - I fit ONE of the criteria therefore I have this disease". That's too easy to do. You could see a bump on the skin, freak out that it's cancer....and it's a pimple!

Whatever you do, do not Google, it really makes things worse for people like us. There's those rare cases that are on Google that make frontpage news, and that's why those cases hit frontpage news, because they get the clicks. If you're worried, try call your neuro's office and have him/her call you and have a list of questions prepared, that way you take care of all your HA question issues and can check all of them off one by one. That way you don't have the "oh no, I forgot to ask him/her something!" mindset.

I know this is very tough for you, but like Ironman said, you'll have to talk to your doctor about it. This does mean you need to work on all the stuff that may be causing this - the usual, exercise, diet, etc. They will do their best to help you deal with it. I don't think you have to be 100% vigilant but that is the reason why meds exist - you'll probably have to take maintenance meds like a blood pressure med and an anti-cholesterol med. As you realized, Google is THE WORST thing to do when they tell you about your condition - it is better you talk directly to your doctor, have your doctor call you if you have questions/are worried. Google will send you down a rabbit hole. I do suggest therapy though, they will help you get it all off your mind and help you deal with this.

Well, there is nothing to do in the immediate short term but do the best you can and wait. Leave it all to the doctor. I am in a similar situation. My father passed at 60 of a heart attack. He smoked and didn't get a lot of exercise (twisted his knee and never got surgery). His parents died at 72-74. Grandfather of a broken heart seeing his wife pass - they fled to the US from Hungary. So - blood pressure is also an issue. Mom's side - far more longevity, but blood pressure issues....My maternal grandfather died at 67 of liver cancer....he was a mortician, though. Great guy. My maternal grandmother was 92, sharp as a tack, but had a stroke (likely because nurses were giving her meds after a fall that put her in a nursing home). Even the men in her family lived to be 90. Since my eye issues of 2016, I see my doctor every six months.

Thank you, Marc. Wow 97, that's more than I can ask for, happy to live till my late 70s considering my family history. I guess more than anything I fear that I will be robbed of a normal life with this new heath problem. (What is normal these days anyway). I will have to be on guard for a possible heart attack or stroke my whole life. I always have to watch what I eat. (I have no problem going on a healthy diet, but I wanna be able to eat some good food every once in a while). Like can I catch a break? First, it was the colon polyp - again something that I am forever at risk of having in the future. Then this? And oh my God, heart attack and stroke? Diseases that are so unpredictable. I know it can be managed, but I'm really just frustrated with my health problems. Our family's health history is a nightmare, both on my mother and father's side. Sorry for ranting. I know that I have to wait till I talk to my cardiologist but my mind is too occupied and anxious right now.

We had thanksgiving dinner and a couple of the people had Corona in the last monrh, but not immediate. They were no longer contagious. I am vaccinated, but no booster.

So many different things - namely diabetes, anal/rectal cancer, colon cancer, brain tumor, and breast cancer.

Glad he’s better! My hubby and I are feeling much better today, however one weird thing that popped up is the bottom part of our left armpits are swelled up. Mine is more so than his.

No - actually, light tan stool means that it went through the body kinda fast. Believe it or not, waste begins as dark green. For me, it will stay green if I have food with purple dye in it (Grape Kool-Aid and Purple icing on cake will do it). As the body processes the waste, it actually turns tan or beige before darkening to the dark brown color we all know. It happened to me earlier in the week, but it's back to normal. You know you've hit the big time in anxiety forums when the topic goes to POO lol!

What made me go the ER was that I thought I saw blood in my vomit and the pain radiating from my stomach to my back, which I thought may be a problem with my pancreas. I went to St Joseph Medical Center in Towson Maryland, which is a large regional medical center. I have been to the ER their a number of times before, and they have always treated me well.

This is me lately as well. My back injury spurred it 4 weeks ago and I've been a train wreck ever since.

I NEED to learn to trust my doctors. I NEED to just leave well enough alone and be like a NORMAL person who isn't putting HLA-DQ7 into a Google search. I'm not a doctor, and OBVIOUSLY even if it IS something destructive and progressive I'M NEVER GONNA KNOW. It's almost enlightening that way. And IDK, have any of you ever figured out some self-talk for this? That's usually what I do about other obsessions with my OCD... find the right words to calm myself down and just... sit with it. And I need strategies, everybody. Cus I'm sick of my brain doing this. Any thoughts or advise on keeping my brain in line?

Back in late June 2021 my day started out OK. I felt more tired then usual. I went to work, ate dinner and went to Starbucks to meet some friends. I left early as I felt weird. I went home and tried to go to bed. Suddenly I felt ill and started wretching and threw up twice.I tried to go to bed and got up again at around 4am and began to wretch and threw up again. I felt really bad and thought I saw red in my vomit. I also started getting pain that went from my stomach to my back and that made me nervous. I felt really weak and woke my wife up and she agreed I should go to the ER. We arrived at the ER at 5am and I was taken back to a room after triage. I was dehydrated and was given an IV. They ordered a CT scan with contrast of my abdomen and pelvis. I told the nurse I was allergic to the contrast and the nurse gave me IV benadryl so the contrast would not bother me and I was OK. My heart rate was high so the physician ordered my Troponin level checked and it was OK. They also checked my blood and urine. The CT scan was noted as unremarkable. I has a benign growth on my adrenal gland. I lost 10 pounds in one day. I was released at 3pm. The doctor thought I had a bad virus. I called my physician and I asked.him if I need an EGD. He said to call my GI physician. I called him on a Thursday and on Tuesday I had my EGD which was negative. What an ordeal

I find Dermatologists to have really good bedside manner. The one i've been to is extremely kind, patient, and knows I have health anxiety and will answer any and all of my questions.

Welcome!

Welcome aboard, friend! Nice to meet you. I’m sorry to hear about your struggles. Please know that this is a great place, and I’m sure you’ll find a lot of help and support here. Have a blessed stay.

Welcome!

Welcome to AC, Yulp! We know about the panic!

I have said this in other posts but I wanted to mention it again. Around 13 years ago I noticed a weird shiny spot on my right upper nose. It did not look right so I called my dermatologist for an appointment. He would see a bunch of patients every day and was even open on Sunday, so I got an appointment within a week. He looked at the spot and had a slight grimace, so I figured it was bad news. He could never play poker as his facial expressions would give his hand away. He took a biopsy and it came back positive for basal cell carcinoma. He send me to a Mohs surgeon for removal. I walked in to the surgeons office and it was beautiful, marble, etc. He was very friendly and did the surgery in his office. He sat me in a special chair, hooked a heart monitor and BP cuff and then put a needle in my nose to numb it and the surgery began while I was fully awake. He had to go in twice as he said the tumor was deeper than he thought by its appearance. I asked him the chance of it coming back and he said less then one percent and so far so good. I had him check some other spots and he said all looked good. I apologized to him for being a bit paranoid and what he then said to me I will never forget. He said I was not being paranoid at all and being a little paranoid can be good as it may one day save your life.

Actors. He may or may not have even gotten along with the female lead. He could have bad breath, a drug issue, sex addiction, or anything else under the sun. A lot of them have lives we actually wouldn't want. They struggle for the next job. They are people, just like us. We have to learn to see things a different way, in other words. The grass isn't always greener on the other side! The scary thoughts are just that - scary thoughts - they are just a distraction. Something frightens you enough that the thought comes in to disable your power. The key to it is breaking at it a little at a time. We know you are not going to hurt somebody, or rob a bank, or throw up like the Exorcist Girl. We can tell by your post. Yeah, it looks strange to read it, but it's true.

Agreed. Find a time to take care of it. I think I have a spot or two I need to have looked at for something like this, too.

I am glad to hear you are OK!!!

In case anyone was wondering or if someone is reading this in the future and is wondering what is the rest of the story... The derm confirmed seborrheic keratosis - totally benign - nothing to be done about it unless I want to for cosmetic purposes (which insurance won't pay for because it is totally cosmetic). Phew... I told him I'd try not to come back for a while. He was sweet and gracious about it and said, "I'd rather you come in and it be nothing, than wait and it be something. I'm always happy to tell you everything is ok."

Reaching out to us here was a great start! I also agree you should seek help with a therapist. Your anxiety seems really high.