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Is it likely for someone with hypochondria to actually have an illness?

I'm looking for some reassurance, as I am a 17-year-old girl, who has a history of health anxiety. Over the past two years, I have been worried I have schizophrenia, a brain tumor, and the fear that has really stuck with me over this time and the one I can't seem to shake is the fear that I have multiple sclerosis.
I have not had any testing done for MS, so no MRI's lumbar puncture etc so, therefore, have never really been completely assured I do not have it. I have been to the doctors a couple of times and have been given a basic neurological test but have not been referred to a neurologist. I have, however, been referred to a psychologist which I have not been too as I do not believe my symptoms are psychosomatic in nature.
Some of the symptoms that have been more or less constant for the past month are:
- Tingling in the left side of my left foot which is there from morning till night and worsens with heat
- Constant tingling in left side of left hand much like my left foot
- Small 'buzzing' patch under my left knee
- Have experienced moments where the room looks 'smokey' in the presence of NO smoke, wondering whether this is optic neuritis
- Cannot sit in any position for a prolonged period without limbs going numb
- Did experience numb left big toe for 1-2 weeks
- Legs feel 'numb' and rubbery when running
- And in the past few days, my legs have felt extremely weak
I am worried because having sensory symptoms in multiple locations, or the reoccurrence of similar symptoms in different locations is a hallmark symptom of MS. However I am reluctant to visit the doctor again as I have a past history of health anxiety...
So was just wondering how uncommon, if at all, would it be possible for someone with health anxiety to actually have the illness they are worried about? Thanks :)
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Avatar universal
How would anyone know?  Everyone gets sick.  Everyone dies eventually.  The know the cliche, even a stopped clock is right two times a day?  So yeah, eventually, you're bound to be right about something you think you have without any evidence you have it -- judging by the fact doctors have already told you that you don't have it.  The reason you weren't referred to a neurologist is because your doctor determined you showed none of the signs of having this disease.  If you don't believe him, you have only one choice, which is to see another doctor.  There are insurance plans that don't require referrals and if your parents have one of them you can go see a neurologist without your doc sending you there.  You have been told to see a psychologist, and since you mention you have health anxiety, I'm guessing this isn't the first disease you Googled and thought you had and believed you could diagnose yourself and so even if you do turn out to have something your doctor was unable or unwilling to find you still would benefit from therapy to get control of your anxiety.  Anyone who tells you doctors are right all the time is lying to you; they're usually too busy to really check.  But when you're only 17 and appear to the doc to be in really good shape and don't have any of the signs of the things you're afraid of, a good doctor sends you to therapy.  A bad one puts you on medication without taking that step.  A really bad  one was wrong in the original diagnosis.  Which is it?  Who knows?  But again, you're only 17, so everyone is going to assume you're probably healthy.  What do you think?  After all, you did post on an anxiety forum with a question you probably know nobody can answer.
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Avatar universal
I feel you, i have gone through the same things
Right now i'm on my schizophrenia fear
I've had a fear of cancer, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis and etc
Your risks are either the same as everyone else's or a bit higher/lower depending on the conditions
I know it's hard to distinguish real risks from your fears, but you gotta do it somehow.
You have to address your anixiety first, there is no other way to fix it
If you wanna talk about it more, since we do share the same experiences, you can DM me and i'll be happy to help you with what i can
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