Help....I'm googling like crazy

[Eva62]

The past few weeks have been extremely stressful, and my stomach has been a wreck.  I am having diarrhea and gas and bloating and now I'm convinced I have stomach cancer, because I was nauseous yesterday.  I've been googling like crazy which I know is a bad thing, but I keep doing it anyway.  I've had stomach problems for years, my whole family does.  I can remember it as far back as college which was 25 years ago.  I had a colonoscopy seven years ago and they didn't find anything, not even a polyp, so I was never told to have another one. 

What the hell is wrong with me??  We're going on vacation is less than a week, and I'm scared to death that I'll be sick the whole time,, then I'll come back and get some ominous diagnosis.  I'm usually able to talk myself down, but today I just can't seem to.

Help!!
Eva

[Xalatimo]

If nausea automatically meant you had stomach cancer, then there would be a lot of people on this earth that have it.  Try to remember the overall pattern that you've been wrong many times before, and don't get too caught up in the moment.  The anxiety is causing you to think it is stomach cancer, we've all been worried sick before, and it always ends up wrong, and then we look back and think how funny it was to think that.  Well, try to fast forward to that scenario without all the heartache. :)  Stress usually brings it out, and I would guess that the stress, and the fact that a vacation is coming up soon, has made you fear the worst.  Stress pretty much brings out the worst in everyone.  Only if symptoms persist or worsen should you ever even think about a possibility of something other than anxiety. 

Also, the "talking yourself down" thing is a little misleading.  When you're anxious, you're having irrational thoughts and aren't thinking clearly.  It only helps short term sometimes, until the next time you have to to talk yourself down, and the next time it might not even work at all depending on how anxious you are, and then you panic because you weren't able to talk yourself down.  This shouldn't be used as a guideline to determine when you have something serious or not.  Trying to use logic when you're anxious doesn't always work.  The best method is to ignore the thought completely, much like an OCD sufferer is taught not to try to solve their obsessions, but to ignore them instead.  CBT is highly recommended.

[Shea]

Take it from Xal. He is very wise. 

OP, I hope you feel better soon!

[marc]

Stomach cancer is actually on the decline in the US. Doctors therorize that a precursor to stomach cancer is
H Pylori bacteria and eating a lot of salty cured foods. Colonoscopies should be repeated every 5-10 years
depending on your genetics and your prior history. As far as stomach cancer goes, I would not be too concerned. My GI physician told me the above information.

[scared always]

I think vacations do it to us!!!!!! We have one planned in 8 days and we are taking a friend of my daughter's and I am worried sick. I have myself a wreck, my stomach is doing everything yours is plus I am so dizzy on top of it. I love vacations, but the what if's are ruling my life these days. What if I have a major attack in front of her friend? What if I can't make it to the park one day (we are going to Disney)? Too much stress!!!!! Where are you going on vacation? Try and relax and remember it is a vacation, that is what I am trying to do. And no more googling!!!!!!

[Eva62]

We're going to Disney World too!  We'll be there on Monday 6/2-6/8.  My stomach is a wreck.  I'm going to eat light the next few days, so I'll be ok next week.

Maybe I'll see you there.
Eva

[scared always]

 WOW!!!!   We will be there the 6th -16th.  We can do this, we are stronger than this anxiety stuff, right???  Are you staying on or off site?

[Eva62]

We're staying at the Disney Pop Century resort (on site). Yes we can do this!  I keep telling myself that.

Eva