Google ruins my life

[Jewel311]

I made an appointment with an ENT to try to be proactive about my dizziness and sinus issues, and as always I googled myself into a panic.

In searching for information about what to expect at my appointment I came across a forum where someone said an ENT appointment is what lead to her MS diagnosis.  That started me off on a google spree.  I do not know anyone who has the potential to scare themselves quite like I do.  It almost seems like proof that something is truly wrong with me, if that makes sense?  Almost like it is intuition not anxiety. 

I wish that google was never invented.  I wish I had better self control.  This is getting old... fast.

[SighNoMore]

Right there with you. Google is like a rabbit trail and it rarely leads to anywhere good.

[ejmommy]

Same here. Sometimes you get in a pretty good place, google, and right back to where you started! I have sinus dizziness issues too and didn't even think to go to an ENT. Went to the neurologist who found nothing and ended up at the ENT. The ENT said most people go for the simplest solution first. I said you don't know my issues lol!

Anyway, they did find the root of my issues and I'm sure they will find yours too. He said vestibular causes are much much more common than central causes (like MS). I'm right there with you on that fear though! Good luck

[Jewel311]

EJmommy -- that made me laugh... to skip straight to the neurologist! lol.  The dizziness is just scary.  Do you feel, with your sinus issues, that your vision is ever affected? Also it seems like tons and tons of people have MS when I google...... and my mind just goes there, I have a hard time thinking sinus and ear issues can cause such awful neuroglogical type symptoms.  Over the years I have had so many weird symptoms and I do not ever attribute them to anything minor, I skip straight to the worst case scenario. I am so nervous to even go to this ENT. 

Any meds or remedies that help you with your sinuses? 

[kmwondering]

Join me in a google moratorium?

[gcalex]

Correction, no offense intended.  Google is not ruining your life.  YOU are ultimately responsible for your own issues.  When you feel the urge, do something else, this is classic OCD treatment.

[ejmommy]

Yes on the vision. It doesn't really get blurry exactly but like I have trouble really getting them to focus or my vision seems bouncy. I don't know if that makes sense! They are also sensitive to light. But yes, some days it bothers me more than others. I'm not sure if that's the sinus or inner ear (or the anxiety!). They found that I have a chronic sinus infection (no idea what's causing it-even after extensive allergy testing), which isn't responding to antibiotics. And also some weakness in my right ear.

As far as all the symptoms, I have a ton! Dizziness (even vertigo in the past), headaches, ear pain, vision problems, extreme fatigue, etc which the doctor says are all likely caused by these issues. The reason I headed straight to the neuro was all of this mixed with some tingling, burning, pain in my legs and muscle twitching etc. These likely come from the anxiety all this has caused lol!

As for what helps, I'm slowing improving with a mix of therapy for my anxiety, and something called vestibular rehab therapy for the ear. Basically balance and eye type exercises to compensate for my lack of function in one ear. The sinus I am trying more long term antibiotics and a special rinse the allergist gave me. If these don't work, I'm likely to need a minor surgery to clear them out. Which at this point, I would be fine with if it could help me feel better!

I hear what your saying on MS when you google. It seems like no matter what I google, that comes up somehow. I'm really working hard on not googling for that very reason, it's always a set back for me. I still hold onto that fear, and have to work on it daily but I am making progress! Don't let yourself get that far. Even though you said it seems like a lot of people have it, overall it is still fairly rare. Sadly, I've done the math lol. Even lower with no family history.

[DizzyKangaroo]

You know what I've found helps? Either just Googling my symptoms here on AnxietyZone or, rarely, entering them into Google with 'anxiety' or 'hypochondria' added at the end. The results are much less gloom and doom this way, and probably more realistic.

[Jewel311]

I know I need to stop, you're right.  Why is it such a problem for some people??!?!?!  I don't know a single person I associate with who googles and worries like me.  I literally have so much medical knowledge it's astounding.  If I hear someone in the office mention an illness or medication 99.9% of the time I know exactly what they are talking about from having researched it.  The other night I had a dinner with my boyfriend and his whole family and they were talking about a family memeber with bronchitis and how they definitely needed an antibiotic, and I went along with it but in my mind knew it is usually viral since it presented itself after a cold and antibiotics probably won't help.  It annoys me that I even know that.  I want to revert back to a state of being oblivious.  I want to have no idea what kind of cough syrup to take, because I don't grasp what the difference between expectorant or suppresant is.  I want to take meds prescribed without knowing every possible side effect and having done extensive research on it. I want to see a floater in my eye and think "oh thats weird" and move on. I wish, I wish, I wish!!!!!

[gcalex]

Nothing wrong with being knowledgeable, it can be very useful, but the key is how do you USE that knowledge?  To torment yourself or to make informed decisions?  I personally prefer being in a position where I can discuss things intelligently with a medical professional instead of having to take their word for it. 

[Jewel311]

That really is a good point about not just taking a doctor's word and using knowledge in a constructive way.  I guess it is true that I use my knowledge more as a reason to worry myself sick, literally.  I am in therapy but I don't really find it helpful, and I have been as open and honest as possible.  This website is a good tool for me, I really like hearing from people and value the insight.

[vardnas]

Jewel, I think you'll find things like therapy to be more helpful if you curb your less helpful behaviors (like googling). It's all fine and good to pursue positive things like therapy, but getting over anxiety needs to be approached holistically. And any good the therapy's doing is being undermined by the negative reinforcement patterns you keep indulging in. That's not a knock. I've been through the same thing.

[Brody108]

Fighting the urge to google has helped me a lot as far as staying calm when I feel a symptom. No more sleepless nights worrying about the possibilities that I have this or this. I'm not perfect tho, so every now & then I may google the symptom but I include anxiety/stress with it. Searching symptoms on here can be helpful BUT you have to be careful because the original posters' frantic comments can throw you into a state of panic because they often post what they googled. So I always read what the rational responder says first.

[Hohum]

That really is a good point about not just taking a doctor's word and using knowledge in a constructive way.

Knowledge is great, but be careful that it really IS used in a constructive way. Accepting a medical diagnosis can be hard for many HA-sufferers, and knowledge can sometimes only increase the difficulty of acceptance (eg: Well the Doctor did some tests and it came back as this, but I know that THIS can also rarely be THAT because I read it on wikipedia...).

I would say that knowledge of common, doctor-recommended screening and tests is important - many of which are performed by your PCP in a clinical setting. Knowledge of conditions which you are proven (by medical testing) to actually HAVE is also powerful. Any more than that is venturing into the danger zone for HA as far as I'm concerned.

It sounds like you need to break the Dr. Google cycle though. It can be addictive and, as you're aware, has a very negative impact on your general health due to anxiety!

[colls22]

I do the same thing guys, go to the doctor and say something like "I have back pain - I want you to test for lymphoma". The looks on the doctors faces are always priceless.

[bhandley]

I agree with the being able to talk to doctors intelligently instead of having to take their word for it and I agree that knowledge is a good thing but I would have to say in our 'field' of knowledge ie, medical, There is a lot of room for error. Especially when we are using google as our source of information.
I personally have a lot of medical info in my head too but I am always being corrected by my doctor, or generally sometimes I say something and it pisses him off because its google nonsense. I discussed this with him and he basically debunked a lot of what I had read then gave me a lecture about google, often I leave the office and he says as I'm walking out of the door, 'stay off google its all crap'. I asked him if he could point me in the direction of real reliable information and he basically said no. A little medical information can be a dangerous thing sometimes because we paint pictures with big holes missing and can draw the wrong conclusions from it.
The field of medicine is a huge one and if learned incorrectly or incompletely it can sometimes wind you up in more trouble and more of a panic. We need the right base of knowledge ie, 10/12 years of medical school to interpret and read medical jargon in the right way. My doctor has proven this to me time and time again.

[Angelofworry]

My advice to you is to NOT GOOGLE ANYTHING! I do agree with the fact that it is important to be proactive about our health and to be informed, however until we are diagnosed with an actual illness by a trained medical professional, it's hard to do actual research. Your just feeding the demons. Go to the doctor when you feel ill. Not anxious, ill - there is a difference but we hypos easily get confused. Then at the doctor ask questions - what are you testing for, why are you testing that - etc. a good doctor won't mind the questions, I promise. Then after a diagnosis still don't google but do your research with an actual reputable website. I frequently use the mayo clinic website. It's very informative without being scary. By plugging random symptoms into a search engine your asking for trouble. Any idiot can write an article and with the right words, we will find it... And panic.

[gcalex]

Mayo Clinic is good.  Lots of articles from American Academy of Family Physicians are avaiable online, same with New England Journal of Medicine.  University of Maryland Medical Center has a very good website.  If I want to see the other side I look at Dr. Mercola's website or Andrew Weil's or Life Extension Foundation.  My preference really is to try to know as much as possible about an issue and you would be surprised how much you can learn online.  I view doctors as consultants, not as authority figures, but if we can come to a consensus that has been adequately explained I get comfortable and don't go double checking by googling a patient forum and reading people's horror stories. 

[Tom88]

I know the feeling.... a little stomach pain leads me to google and before i know it i'm worried sick that i have Lupus. All it does is drive you crazy man.

[dawnmids]

im awful with google, dont know why i allow myself to google, as anything and everything can lead to bad serious things, which are quite unlikely but my brain accepts the worst case then i decide i have it,  i am awaiting some bloods at mo as i have low white blood count and google come up with cancer, so i am terrified i have it