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Understanding of Hypochondria
I'm an 18 year-old who suffers from hypochondriasis, tremendously. My question for doctors and/or those with a lot of understanding of the disorder is why having horrible thoughts of a obtaining a serious disease is unrealistic? I don't understand. Like natural diseases such as cancer/ tumors, heart attacks, etc, why shouldn't I not be worried that diseases like these are likely, maybe not so much for someone my age, but are part of reality because so many people nationwide have probably died from these things? For HIV, other infectious diseases, and the ones that I've just mentioned, how are my thoughts unrealistic when these diseases have become part of reality for so many? I know teens aren't insubordinate to health problems, but I get the feeling that my parents and my physicians are reassuring me that I'll be fine, that I'm just overreacting (because sometimes i do), but they can't predict what happens, concerning my health. Please someone help!
I have the same problem as you have. i have the lymph node for 3 years now, just below my mastoid bone behind the ear. I am a Doctor myself, my father is a doctor, and i know by my clinical experience its nothing serious. Do not worry for nothing. Clinical knowledge and cyber acquired knowledge has a world of differences. Do not misjudge physicians. Well some aren't as good as others. Hope u understand and that relaxes ur mind. TC
Good to know that there are others with the Health Anxiety. I get so worried about every little thing all of the time. The sad part is that I realize most of my thoughts and convictions are irrational. I guess its just that I am 25 years old and have a lot of goals, and the thought of serious health problems getting in my way is terribly frightening. But Mammo said it when he/she said we must not let the worry consume us, as that is not living at all, just worrying and wasting time. Most little things turn out to be just that, little things. But it sure as hell is annoying when your mind just doesn't think like that. I have horrible anxiety on several levels, its difficult to deal with.
Contrary to popular belief, most people with gallbladder disease don't actually have gallstones (or should I say gallstones aren't usually the cause).
A HIDA scan with CCK may be warranted if symptoms are chronic and persistent.
If you have a positive Murphy's sign, this can indicate gallbladder disease when testing doesn't show it.
You can ask your doctor for a physical exam and see if you present with a positive Murphy's sign. A positive Murphy's sign more often than not indicates cholecystitis, especially when symptoms are consistent with cholecystitis.
However, if you have a positive Murphy's sign but a negative HIDA scan, most surgeons probably won't touch you even if you truly have gallbladder disease.
We rely too much on modern tests, and patients are often thrown under the blanket diagnosis of anxiety (especially when they exhibit it) when other infections or diseases may really be the cause.
If you have pain under your right ribcage, or pain that spreads to your right shoulder blade or back and symptoms that resemble a gallbladder attack, there is no reason to not suspect it.
An attack can be very, very painful.
Now if you ever find out that you truly have gallstones (I don't know what they used), and you don't exhibit debilitating attacks often, there is a medication called Actigall that can dissolve stones and prevent surgery. There is also home remedies that are more powerful work quicker than Actigall, though they theoretically could cause a gallbladder attack. If you don't have answers, there are MANY out there who have had their pain relieved by home gallbladder cleanses.
The ugly truth about gallbladder disease.
A HIDA scan with CCK may be warranted if symptoms are chronic and persistent.
If you have a positive Murphy's sign, this can indicate gallbladder disease when testing doesn't show it.
You can ask your doctor for a physical exam and see if you present with a positive Murphy's sign. A positive Murphy's sign more often than not indicates cholecystitis, especially when symptoms are consistent with cholecystitis.
However, if you have a positive Murphy's sign but a negative HIDA scan, most surgeons probably won't touch you even if you truly have gallbladder disease.
We rely too much on modern tests, and patients are often thrown under the blanket diagnosis of anxiety (especially when they exhibit it) when other infections or diseases may really be the cause.
If you have pain under your right ribcage, or pain that spreads to your right shoulder blade or back and symptoms that resemble a gallbladder attack, there is no reason to not suspect it.
An attack can be very, very painful.
Now if you ever find out that you truly have gallstones (I don't know what they used), and you don't exhibit debilitating attacks often, there is a medication called Actigall that can dissolve stones and prevent surgery. There is also home remedies that are more powerful work quicker than Actigall, though they theoretically could cause a gallbladder attack. If you don't have answers, there are MANY out there who have had their pain relieved by home gallbladder cleanses.
The ugly truth about gallbladder disease.
You know what I found out? Pain under the ribs can be caused by chronic anxiety due to the stress put on the lungs from all the deep shallow breathing. Anxiety can really wreak havoc on the body..you should never ignore new symptoms and check with a doctor but instead of assuming the worst..like I did with the whole gallbladder problem..calm yourself down and think that its probably just the anxiety. You're still young, I'm still young..we probably don't have all the horrible diseases and conditions that we think we have.
Welcome to my world. I too suffer from Health Anxiety. I have no faith in doctors. They blow us off most of the time. I know there is something seriously wrong with my neck lymph node (under my ear) and she keeps saying it's nothing, like I'm not really feeling the hard lump there that is not going away. I want to get another opinion, but they all work in the same medical group. I just don't trust them. They don't even bother to explain anything about my concerns and this is what makes me distrust them. If I was a doctor I would tell my patients exactly what they thought it was good or bad. Anyway, I'll stop ranting and raving. What were we talking about? LOL.
I know how you feel. I've recently convinced myself that I have gallstones even though my tests from the er came back fine. I still think I have them! Just because my manager suggested them when my stomach was upset. Its hard. But there are others out there that have the problem.
You are correct in that these diseases all exist are are very real for some people. It's when anxiety causes one to obcess over developing or having a disease, that it becomes a problem. Actually as a teen, youth is on your side and chances of developing anything serious is rare. We cannot live our lives in fear of these diseases, yes they do exist and none of us knows what life has in store for us, but if we lived worrying about what "might" happen to us, then we're not living at all. You do what is necessary to keep yourself healthy, exercise, eat healthy, don't smoke, no illegal drugs, protect yourself against STD's, etc. But to be consumed with worry over this is not healthy and just creates real health issues for us. Nobody can predict what will happen with your health, but they can predict where this worry will take you. Stress, worry and anxiety are bad for the heart, so worrying creates many issues along with feeding the anxiety. Life is meant to be lived, cautiously, but you don't want to wake up one day an old person and wonder where your life went.........as you've worried it away. You can stay on top of your health without obcessing about things that may never happen. I hope this makes sense!
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