MAJOR HEALTH ANXIETY... NEW TO THIS FORUM...

[KAREN MCGRAW]

Hi, My name is Karen, Im 30 years old, married, and I have 5 kids. I have struggled with depresion since I was a teenager, but had my first "bout" with the health anxiety when I was 25. It has come and gone twice... and now its back. I used to go to the Dr atleast once a week, but recently I lost my insurance due to my husbands layoff, so I am unable to do so. Im a poker and prodder. Im always feeling around for swolen nodes, and I can usually find one if I dig good enough. I know, that this behavior causes nodes to swell, yet I still do it, and get very upset once they do. I currently have one under my jaw, to the right. Rational thinking, tells me that this originally swelled to a little larger than a pea, back in January at the same time as extreme tooth ache... so, 6 OR 7 weeks ago, I ended up having that back tooth pulled, as it was broken clear to the root. So... even though Im pretty sure I know why it swelled, I continue to push on it, poke at it, and move it around, which has kept it from returning to "normal". This is just one example... I have pretty much prepared myself for almost every cancer known to man... and when I had insurance, my Dr always eased my fears, bt giving me any tests I requested... always coming back "clear". Now, I cant run to the Dr, everytime Im worried about something, so I jump on the internet, and well, that opens up a whole other set of issues, because the internet seems to make every single symptom im checking on, a worse cancer or condition than I was originally stressing over... Anyways... HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[Conspiracy Bird]

Welcome to the zone! Sounds like you came to the right place. There's a special board for hypochondria, and a live chat that's very useful when you're in one of those moments.

[missworried]

looking on the internet is the WORST thing to do... I KNOW its much easier said than done, but STOP looking up your symptoms.

Also... my doctor told me that ANY time you have a swollen node, even if its just a tad bit swollen, its just a sign that your Body is doing its job... they can even get a bit larger from preventing an infection of a teeny tiny paper cut on your finger!

Good Luck and God Bless

[KAREN MCGRAW]

I know, and thats what I keep telling myself... STAY OFF THE INTERNET!!! and so far, today, I have not done these "bad" searches since about noon today, so thats been nice... As for the nodes... I know... and all my poking and prodding isnt helping either... Its nice to see so many people like myself! I have alot of mental illness thats runs in my family... sometimes I think Im the lucky one... to only be suffering what I am suffering from... but it really is pure hell! My mother had this same type of anxiety in her 20's, but since has beat it, and she is now a RN, with no meds. I hope I can beat it one day, without having to take meds the rest of my life! It consumes me, all day... sometimes I want to vomit, I get so scared... So, I am happy to have found this site, and hope that by reading others stories, and talking with others on here, that I can learn to control my thoughts, and beat this thing, and actually enjoy my life... because I really do have a great life, and Im wasting it with worry! 

[sixpack]

Hi and nice to meet a momma to many.  I have 6 kids!!!

Welcome to our  group.