Convinced I have a new serious illness every other week :(

[emilyjames]

Hi everyone,

I'm so glad I have found this site. Hearing that other people are going through similar issues is a real comfort.

I've been suffering with health anxiety for years. It started off with an obsession about HIV as I'd had a bad cold for a couple of weeks and Dr Google decided to show this disease as the top result..
I eventually got tested and it was negative so I thought that would be the end of it all. Sadly this wasn't the case and my unexplained symptoms (headaches, muscle twitching, right leg pain etc) continued leading me to look on Dr Google once more. This time MS came up.
My obsession comes and goes with this one. My family think I am nuts and my Mum has to constantly reassure me. She says it is all anxiety related and I have to stop it but I just can't :(
If I am busy or with friends, I can put it to the back of my mind for a while but it's always there.

This week I am back onto HIV because my glands have been hurting for a month and I've read this is a symptom of the disease. I went along to the clinic last night for a test so am waiting on the results.
I haven't had unprotected sex with anyone so I should know the result already but I've kissed a couple of guys and am worried he might have had a sore on his mouth or I might have had.

Would really appreciate some advice on how to get out of this vicious circle..

Reading this back, I sound like a complete idiot but I hope someone going through this understands what I mean!

Thanks
Emily

[jarmummy123]

The headaches and head twitching I have as well as lightheadness. I have been to the drs today and been told its anxiety and am starting some tablets tonight and will be having therapy to help me deal with it.

I understand how you feel as I have HA.

[nomorepanic]

:welcome: Emily

What you have is typical HA. Have you read this page at all?

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/healthanxiety/

[emilyjames]

I have, thanks. Made me smile as it is exactly what goes through my mind everytime I have a symptom.

[bettykitten]

Emily, it is so reassuring to know that most of your symptoms can be attributed to your health anxiety, isn't it? I saw a therapist last year who told me "Your brain is so powerful that it can make truth of a lie", basically he meant that if you convince yourself you have an illness, you will convince yourself you have those symptoms! He is so right.

I have pulsatile tinnitus in my right ear, have had it for about 4 weeks, hasn't bothered me until I read last night that it can be a sign of a brain aneurysm. Now I am certain that I have pain behind my eye/my head hurts, my face feels numb... [grin] I'm stearting to see me HA as a massive joke tbh. It's ludicrous!

[Stormsky]

The fact you convince yourself 'every other week' you have an illness, and have been doing that for years, should tell you that you dont any illness, as you are still here!

[bettykitten]

Emily is does also sound like you have the benefit of what doctors call 'insight', which is when you know that you are most likely imagining your illnesses. You say "convinced I have illnesses every other week" which suggests you KNOW that your symptoms are probably psychosomatic. I have insight, too. Doesn't make it any easier, though! :D