What have you been convinced of?

[ken0687 1]

Let’s start a thread of things you’ve been convinced you have. I will go first.

leukemia( a handful of times) brain tumor(several times), diabetes, low iron, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, heart attack, MS.

[Acie 3]

Hello,

Brain tumor, leukemia, throat cancer, colorectal cancer, lymphoma, stomach cancer and out of the blue - systemic scleroderma. Bingo - 3 items correspond to yours. 

[ken0687 1]

22 minutes ago, Acie said:

Hello,

Brain tumor, leukemia, throat cancer, colorectal cancer, lymphoma, stomach cancer and out of the blue - systemic scleroderma. Bingo - 3 items correspond to yours. 

What have you done to help overcome the fears? The leukemia fear came back in January. Insisted on 2 rounds of blood work. Had a brain ct and mri in 2016 when h last feared a brain tumor. Not a single physician I have now will order any more tests. My depression has gotten so much worse since January.

[Acie 3]

18 minutes ago, ken0687 said:

What have you done to help overcome the fears? The leukemia fear came back in January. Insisted on 2 rounds of blood work. Had a brain ct and mri in 2016 when h last feared a brain tumor. Not a single physician I have now will order any more tests. My depression has gotten so much worse since January.

My carcinophobia started with brain tumor fear when I was 12 years old, I had first CT then. In general, the only thing which helps me to overcome my anxiety is medical examination. I had 2 CT scans and 1 MRI scan to ensure I have clear brain. Lots of bloodwork for leukemia and CT scan of whole body to make sure I have no lymphoma. 3 ea of gastroscopy to eliminate the risk of throat and stomach cancer. Occult blood tests and colonoscopy for checking colon. Besides of that I do a lot of ultra sound in abdomen area if something begins to worry me in that area. Some examinations were made with insurance, some with my own money. 

Sometimes looking back to all my tests and examinations help me to overcome my fears. I just trying to think rational and think of low risk of something serious though it's not always easy. At the moment I still have fear of colorectal cancer. And I'm just 27 years old.

[cbhaga01 29]

MS.  Multiple times.  I'm just now coming down from a recent scare that had me in shambles for three weeks.  Ended up getting a spinal MRI which came back completely normal (insurance denied a brain scan, saying it wasn't "medically necessary"; I took that as a sign).

[MotherOfMaya 18]

An easier question would be what I haven't been worried about having. Lol, but anyway, here goes:

Brain tumor, ALS (repeatedly), Parkinson's, melanoma, diabetes, leukemia, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, breast cancer, oral cancer, COPD, lymphoma, cervical cancer. I am sure there are more that I cannot remember right now.

Now that I have kids I worry about their health too. It's exhausting!

 

 

[BrightPhoenix 78]

I have a long list of them.  I hate to do "trigger warnings" but I warn you all to NOT look these up.  This is just to answer the OP.

The two three letter neurological diseases that is a bane to every Health Anxiety sufferer.  Starts with a letter, ends with "S".  Every one of you who had Health Anxiety knows exactly what I'm talking about.

I was worried of the big "C" of the following:

pancreas, throat, anus, testes, brain, throat, nose, stomach

Also thought I had diabetes, heart attacks, heart palpatations, COVID, all kinds of diseases like myasthenia gravis, peripheral neuropathy, DVT, all kinds of eye conditions, Lupus, psoriatic arthritis, etc.

And guess what?  A lot of these were found on Google, a LOT.  You look something up and it ALL shows up on Google as a suggested term that is related when you look up a common symptom.

And what do I actually have?  Seborrheic dermatitis, seborrheic keratosis, psoriasis, rhinitis from some kind of allergy I don't know about yet, a deviated septum, the usual litany of mental health issues associated with health anxiety,  essential tremor, tinnitus, pre-diabetes (which is entirely self-inflicted), achy joints that are also self-inflicted and sleep issues, which is also self-inflicted, fatty liver (self-inflicted), and some urge incontinence (most likely self-inflicted due to weight).

So compared to the big problems I've worried about, all the problems I have are either 1) self-inflicted, which I'm now trying to address or 2) "annoying" problems but not big issues that can be addressed through medication or lifestyle changes.  That's what health anxiety does to you - it makes you unable to see the forest for the trees.  I should be worrying about the things that I can control - all of which is right in front of me, instead of worrying about all these things that are most likely uncontrollable.  If I control the issues I have that's right in front of me I reduce the chances of all these other things happening to me.  My energy is being focused on the *wrong* thing. Let this be a lesson to you all.

[jonathan123 2367]

Hi. GAD, (General Anxiety Disorder) is what it says. General! It covers a multitude of complaints. But health anxiety seems to be very prominent.  Our basic fear is fear of death. That some awful disease will come about and that's it! But life is a series of problems. Good times and bad. You could worry yourself sick (literally) over nothing then get hit by a bus. If we don't take life as it comes then we are in for a very bumpy ride. If you have been checked out and found to be OK then accept what they say. Contrary to opinion they do know what they are talking about. Five years at medical school, three years as interns and often many years of practise gives them the right to be right. Why don't we always believe them? Because fear has become a habit. A little child could lead us when we are in an anxiety phase. We believe all the negative stuff as on Dr. Google, but can't believe the positive stuff. We need to accept life as it comes. Good and bad. light and dark. We live in a world of opposites. Everything has it's opposite. Two sides of the same coin. So remember, when we feel down and anxious the opposite is always there. We never lose it but it is kept subdued by fear. Our minds are like a very bright light in an attic, but covered by layers of fear and anxiety. We need to remove those coverings and let the light shine as is our natural state.

[jonathan123 2367]

And in answer to the thread, everything!!! I had every disease known to man, and some unknown ones of my own making until I learned to accept that it's how I am. I still get anxious from time to time, but accept that this will be so and let it pass. It always does. I have known many people with chronic health anxiety live to a good age. 

[MotherOfMaya 18]

On 3/23/2021 at 2:24 PM, BrightPhoenix said:

  I should be worrying about the things that I can control - all of which is right in front of me, instead of worrying about all these things that are most likely uncontrollable.  If I control the issues I have that's right in front of me I reduce the chances of all these other things happening to me.  My energy is being focused on the *wrong* thing. Let this be a lesson to you all.

 

SAME!

[Bobnnat 496]

On 3/25/2021 at 5:57 AM, jonathan123 said:

Hi. GAD, (General Anxiety Disorder) is what it says. General! It covers a multitude of complaints. But health anxiety seems to be very prominent.  Our basic fear is fear of death. That some awful disease will come about and that's it! But life is a series of problems. Good times and bad. You could worry yourself sick (literally) over nothing then get hit by a bus. If we don't take life as it comes then we are in for a very bumpy ride. If you have been checked out and found to be OK then accept what they say. Contrary to opinion they do know what they are talking about. Five years at medical school, three years as interns and often many years of practise gives them the right to be right. Why don't we always believe them? Because fear has become a habit. A little child could lead us when we are in an anxiety phase. We believe all the negative stuff as on Dr. Google, but can't believe the positive stuff. We need to accept life as it comes. Good and bad. light and dark. We live in a world of opposites. Everything has it's opposite. Two sides of the same coin. So remember, when we feel down and anxious the opposite is always there. We never lose it but it is kept subdued by fear. Our minds are like a very bright light in an attic, but covered by layers of fear and anxiety. We need to remove those coverings and let the light shine as is our natural state.

Yup. The ancient Asian people had it right early on..Yin and Yang. So did Frank Sinatra (“Cycles”)!

[Doug97 19]

I've had a brain tumour, myocardial infarction, sarcoidosis, lupus, Wegener's granulomatosis, amyloidosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, esophageal cancer, chronic myofascial pain syndrome, heart arrhythmia, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, carcinoid syndrome, polyneuropathy, multiple sclerosis, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia and arachnoiditis. 

And I'm still here! 🤣

[SJA22 1]

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

[BrightPhoenix 78]

I sort of remember this thread, I wish I could've followed my own advice 9 months ago.

I've convinced myself I've had all kinds of brain injuries from tapping my head against things, "c" of the stomach, colon, rectal, throat, oral, pink eye, etc.

Something going on with my sinuses or throat, all sorts of things.  I *think* I have TMJ/TMD but I got no idea, I will try to get an answer today from a new ENT.

So frustrating.