This health anxiety is ruining my life!

[UserName20]

Hey guys, I'm 16 (female). Ever since last summer I have convinced myself of COUNTLESS illnesses and cancers. Each time I've been 100% sure I'm right, despite my parents trying to calm my fears. It's like as soon as one issue I'm having goes away another one starts right back up and each time I think "THIS time it really is it." My friends and family are all sick and tired of hearing me always panicking. I've already googled so much information that not googling barely helps me at this point because I already know so much, I feel like I could be a Dr! (A very bad one, probably because I would always assume the worst) So here I am, I should be enjoying my summer and being out with friends but I'm stuck in my house all day, obsessing over my symptoms. Yesterday morning I was so scared I couldn't stop shaking. Since Sunday night I had this very slight pain/pressure in my chest left side after I was worrying about my throat pain I had. Magically as soon as I began putting all of my focus on my chest I completely forgot about my throat. The pain was never anything severe, everyone told me it was in my head or indigestion because I was burping a lot and had a nasty taste in my mouth (symptoms of acid reflux or GERD). Today I haven't really felt anything in my chest but I have this bubbly feeling now where it is like I can feel stuff in there. Strange thing is is that this isn't the first time I've felt this, last summer this is a basically what started my anxiety because I thought it was lung cancer. (Not sure why I automatically jumped to that now though) Since I've felt this before in my chest and it eventually went away I'm trying not to worry, but I just keep telling myself that THIS time I'm right. I've read that this feeling is also a symptom of acid reflux... My dad has that pretty badly. Can anyone offer me some tips to calm down a bit? I'm only noticing it when I'm not distracted, I'm starting to think my mind is playing tricks on me!:unsure: How common would it be for a 16 year old girl to have heart failure??? That's what I'm terrified of

[Seekingpeace12]

I think this health anxiety thing has no age limits. I'm sorry that it has triggered in you at such a young age. Mine began at 35 and it has changed my life FOREVER. I've self diagnosed myself with stomach, pancreatic and cervical cancer over the past year. I've also diagnosed my husband and children as well. I will say that last year after having multiple ultrasounds and a ct scans, I was referred to a new doctor that recommended medication and also vitamin D3 pills. I opted out of the medication and started taking the vitamins and they really helped. I hadn't realized what a blessing it was to NOT be living in fear EVERYDAY until I actual started feeling a peace. I stopped taking the vitamins in March and I've been living in hell ever since. I just started taking them again so I AM HOPING I will get that peace back! one thing people have told me when I'm having my panic attacks is to focus on what is TRUE and typically it is that you are in perfect health! It's also true that we can make symptoms manifest in or bodies with this anxiety disease!! You are young and you have your whole life ahead of you. Don't let this thing take over your life. Enjoy the healthy life you are LIVING try not to focus on the "what ifs".

[dale12345]

Oh sweetie, this can happen at any age. I was about 19 or 20 when my started. I have had every kind of cancer you an imagine. Recently I had the exact same chest symptoms of you.It was either a panic attack or acid reflux. When you mix anxiety with something like acid reflux your bound to panic . I know that your family and friends are getting tired of hearing about it as mine. It will get better I promise. Have you tried raising the head of your bed or taking Tumms all have helped in my chase. Also tell your self you are ok. Because you are. Anxiety is hard. BUt yiu can get through it.

[UserName20]

Thank you guys very much! Its a relief that I'm not alone in feeling this way about everything. When I first started getting all of this anxiety I really didn't think that anyone would understand. I think my family and friends think I'm more joking when I tell them how scared I am. These thoughts literally torment me! It's so weird with my chest. I notice it more when Im directly thinking about it and scaring myself, otherwise in the day especially when Im with people and completely distracted it feels pretty much fine. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night very anxious out of nowhere, I couldn't even figure out why. Then I began feeling it in my chest and I was terrified all over again, and I began having pains in my neck. I layed there until 6 this morning completely unable to sleep focusing on my symptoms. Could this just be anxiety creating all of these symptoms for myself? I looked up the symptoms of the bubbling and gurgling I feel in my chest and acid reflux and other things came up but on the bottom it said it could also very well be caused by anxiety. I'm trying so hard to believe that! :huh:

[Fishmanpa]

I notice it more when Im directly thinking about it and scaring myself, otherwise in the day especially when Im with people and completely distracted it feels pretty much fine.....

it said it could also very well be caused by anxiety.

The fact that the symptoms (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/symptoms) disappear when you're distracted and not thinking about it totally confirms that indeed, it is anxiety.

Positive thoughts

[dale12345]

I do that to ,in the past 3 months I have had breast cancer, lung cancer and throat cancer I go to the Dr for one symptoms and when they say I am ok I move onto something else. It's so frustrating.