Does this forum help or hinder HA? Stomach pulsing.

Dear All,

I am a fairly new member to this forum but have suffered from HA since my teens. Most of the time, I have found this site very useful and I have taken a lot of comfort from the words of its members. When I have had a new symptom it is reassuring to hear people who have had something similar, or just to have someone tell you that it doesn't sound too serious. The majority of us have no medical training (I know some members do - and there advice and presence is invaluable) but HA has lead us to search and research all we can on a spectrum of medical conditions. I do wonder if this site can perpetuate HA though as well as help us cope with it. My intent here is not to belittle or devalue the worth and sanctuary that this site affords, but I would like to relay a personal experience which mirrors this dichotomy: help or hinder?

As a result of bordem last night I was scrolling though the HA forum and stumbled across a thread on stomach pulsing. I have had a visible and near constant pulsing in my stomach for a long time and it has become more noticeable since I had my appendix out and was diagnosed with IBS a couple of years ago. Up until now, I had thought nothing of it but three little letters 'AAA' (Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm)all that has changed. What I used to ignore, I now neurotically check. I am a fairly thin person (30" waist) and have read that being thin means that you can see you aortic pulse in your abdomen easier, but I have convinced myself that it is something far more sinister. Out with friends last night, I asked the thinner ones if they had ever noticed a pulse; they had, and had thought nothing of it.

This has lead me to think whilst a community of HA suffers might on the one hand been a positive and cathartic environment. On the other, it may perpetuate our HA. The more we seek advice and reassurance, the more we encounter 'new' things to worry about.

My question is therefore twofold.

1. Seeking reassurance, should I be worried about the stomach palpitations?
2. Has anybody else noticed that a forum such as this, while helping some symptoms, perpetuates and creates others?

I want to state for one last time that my opinion of this forum is that it is a useful tool and the advice I have received so far as been really helpful. I would like to thank those who have helped me in the past.

Musicman.

Hi Musicman, in answer to your two questions I would say that firstly no you shouldn't be unduly worried about your stomach pulsing as it is very common. Like you have already said it is more apparent for people who are slim. People without anxiety probably don't notice this with themselves as they aren't so tuned into their bodily symptoms.

As for your second question, well I think in some way forums can perpetuate and possibly create symptoms. However most people with Health Anxiety will probably Google their symptoms anyway and doing that is far worse than coming here.

Hi

I get stomach pulsing a lot and to be honest it doesn't bother me, I view it as a sign that everything is functioning as it should be.

I certainly believe that googling your aches and pains can be quite counter productivce by feeding a fear. That is why this site tends to stand out from crowd in its informative and comforting way.

i have always had stomach pulsing and thought it was completly nomral until a routine check at doc's last week(me and my daughter had chest infection) and doctor was examining me as i'd has stomach pain and has referred me for an ultrasound...its scared the life out me as i thought it was normal. Have my ultrasound tomorrow and am hoping everything is ok

I've had stomache pulsing, and dont think its anything to worry about, as for thisforum, I only found it a few days ago and its been a revelation to me, I feel so lucky to have found so many people who think and worry like me, and have found , so far, nothing but comfort and reassurance