How do I believe doctors instead of trusting Google

[unsure_about_this]

How do I trust the doctors I have a bad case of health anxiety. My parents say I must be a laughing stock at the doctors. Doctors have a great number of years studying, examinations etc. including specialists.

I have lost count now how many times I been to the doctors, my parents say someone could be needing an appointment more urgency than yourself because you been checked out a few weeks ago and everything was fine.

It is causing friction between me and my parents. My parents say I don't take the medication for long enough (I read the introductions giving with it) I concerned about these abdominal pains so much it comes and goes (worst at weekends)

I am concerned that I have bowel cancer, also worried about other cancers, even though I had several exams) rectal exam including seeing specialist. I have seen every doctor in our GP practice twice at least. Had a blood test, all back fine these tests.

Google and Daily Mail has certainly damaged me (that IBS is sometimes misdiagnosed as the big c or crohns etc.)

Even being refer to by a CBT to help me relax more.

How can doctors know if you have got bowel cancer just by feeling your abdomen area. I been told I have IBS and been told a lot of poop in your bowel.

I have no bleeding from the bottom or no blood in my poo (but still concerned)no blood in toilet bowel or pants. I am not pale, feeling sick etc.

I have read online about bowel polyps and how long it may take to turn into cancerous or may not turn cancerous which makes me worried. I have read more articles about bowel cancer, rectal cancer under 50 how many years people had symptoms for.

[jaynehal]

I have had this since my dad passed away 10 years ago and I tend not to believe doctors, I have lost count on the amount of times I visit some weeks it's 3 times, I have been having Cbt which seems to be helping, he says there is no way of knowing what we will get in the future but why worry about it now, he also gave me a technique that whenever I try googling or start panicking to tell the pretend parrot to sod off on my shoulder ha ha as these are only thoughts and we can change the thoughts that make us more anxious, hope u get better soon xx

[Anxious_gal]

You what else gets misdiagnoised as IBS ? Worms! Honest having worms causes a lot of IBS symtoms but easily treated with tablets.

You always go to the worst case scenario and ignore all the other possibilitys, that's how you know you have health anxiey and why you can't trust your anxious mind as it filters out lots of information and zooms in on all the scary stuff .

Have you seen a different doctor for a 2nd opinion?

Is Bowel cancer your only fear? Or if let's say you had tests done and they were all clear would you develop a new health fear and need tests for that too?

[Tessar]

I would not rely on google because whilst it can be very informative, it is also populated by confusing information often written by people who are not medically qualified. So called "facts" are often misleading & not backed up by appropriate data & worse, has been put there by people not qualified to do so. It can be a hotbed for scaremongers where unkind people might prey on the fears of others. Much of the information, whilst it is truly factual, can be open to mis-interpretation as well.

Doctors on the other hand are highly qualified & knowledgeable individuals. They have studied for many years & their training is ongoing. They have resources to draw upon & there are experts in all fields of medicine. Of course I don't know every doctor in every field of medicine, but most medical professionals have their patients needs at heart. That is where I would put my trust every time.

There are times in life when we need to put our trust in people. Be that bus drivers, train drivers, air traffic control, pilots, dentists, therapists & yes of course Doctors as well.

Please don't trust google, it really isn't worth it.

Out of interest, have you seen this thread.....if not, I think you will find it interesting.

"Dr google will see you now!!!"
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=46865&page=31

Hope this helps!!!

---------- Post added at 22:02 ---------- Previous post was at 22:00 ----------


I have had this since my dad passed away 10 years ago and I tend not to believe doctors, I have lost count on the amount of times I visit some weeks it's 3 times, I have been having Cbt which seems to be helping, he says there is no way of knowing what we will get in the future but why worry about it now, he also gave me a technique that whenever I try googling or start panicking to tell the pretend parrot to sod off on my shoulder ha ha as these are only thoughts and we can change the thoughts that make us more anxious, hope u get better soon xx

Great post especially the bit about telling the parrot to sod off......

[unsure_about_this]

You what else gets misdiagnoised as IBS ? Worms! Honest having worms causes a lot of IBS symtoms but easily treated with tablets.

You always go to the worst case scenario and ignore all the other possibilitys, that's how you know you have health anxiey and why you can't trust your anxious mind as it filters out lots of information and zooms in on all the scary stuff .

Have you seen a different doctor for a 2nd opinion?

Is Bowel cancer your only fear? Or if let's say you had tests done and they were all clear would you develop a new health fear and need tests for that too?

Hi many thanks for your reply.

So far in the last 6 months I have seen 9 GPs, one specialist and one person at walk in centre.

We don't have any family history of cancer in the family.

There is a lot of other cancer worries I am fearful about and would want testing for this as well.

[anthrokid]

As it's been said, doctoes are medically trained and have a broad understanding of health and illness. ANYONE can post an article on the internet about symptoms and illness.

[unsure_about_this]

Many thanks for your replies in this thread.

I should avoid Google and all these health websites. I been checked out so many times, thankfully the GPs at the practice know I am frighten of the massive big c word. Plenty of reassurance I need. At least one thing I don't avoid going to the doctors. I even had to go to the doctors yesterday even I had a rectal exam by specialist nearly three weeks ago, because of my bum was itchy (she could not see anything wrong the GP, bless her I seen all the GPs at the practice) but gave me some cream and tablets to help.

I really got to shake this cancer phobia of me, by now I would not be eating and be pale, even thanks reading websites about bowel polyps, bowel cancer etc. the ultrasound did not pick up on anything, the CT scan did not pick up on anything in abdominal which should have not been there.

I hate having this cancer phobia and health anxiety. Google and health websites should come with a warning, because it can be addictive. It always worrying about this and that.

---------- Post added at 17:10 ---------- Previous post was at 14:27 ----------

Worrying about the cig camera job next month, even though I been told IBS, had a few scans etc. I am scared that it is the big c. even though I had three rectal exams, lots of abdominal exam felt. I am scared that I also got one of these NF lumps inside me and the specialist have said but it is highly unlikely.

I must have been told bowel cancer is very rare for someone of my age of 29 with no family history about 500 times already but is not unheard of thanks down to reading things on the Internet, articles etc. daily mail etc.

I am up to 16 times this year visiting doctors, specialists, dentist, opticians etc and we not even in June (okay dentist I have three monthly check ups. My parents are embarrassed about the number of times I have been. Again my mum joked with the doctor I should have my bed at the doctor surgery as I have spent a lot of time there in the last 12 months.

[Tessar]

In the end, I suppose it's necessary to draw a line somewhere. You could go on having every test under the sun & still not feel reassured. or you could look into ways of changing your viewpoint so that you can trust the doctors. AFter all, you are going for the tests but if you aren't willing to trust the outcome then maybe having the tests in the first place isn't worthwhile?
I was trying to find ways of helping you see there are other viewpoints, alternative and perhaps more balanced ones.
what do you think?
its terribly hard when you are caught up in something so much, to actually realise there are alternative views. finding them is impossible because you keep on coming back to the same thing. is it this? is it that?
ultimately you need to find ways of getting back to living life to the full, without these worries. the worries don't make the problems better that is for sure.
Anyway, hope this helps. :-)

[grogboy]

I know it's horrible and I am not going to say "snap out of it" because no one can.What you have sounds very much like Health Anxiety.I have it and keep convincing myself that I'm dying.
What I do know is that reading medical books or googling symptoms is NOT the answer.Otherwise you will have every disease under the sun...like me.....including ones that only exist in darkest Africa.