Anxiety now has me TERRIFIED of Meningitis!

[MrBlue]

I'm 18 years old firstly and I have been scared of every major illness there is, heart disease, cancer, brain tumors you name it I've 'had it' I know I don't have meningitis but the symptoms are actually there! I have had a stiff neck for a while which seems to loosen up after hot baths but nevertheless it's still there so I changed my pillow to a memory foam one and it it relieved symptoms but I still wake up with a stiff neck and need to shower to get rid of it! So what do I do under this worry? I google and regret it because this is where I found meningitis, and I KNOW I shouldn'tve googled, I promised myself I wouldn't google ANY symptoms again but anxiety took control!

Yeah so since yesterday I've developed what I think is a fever which has me more concerned, my skin on my face and body/back feels a lot warmer than usual, my Mum said I don't have a fever when she felt my head, and my ears feel normal, as usually I can press them against my head and they feel really hot when I have a fever. I feel like I'm burning up and too hot, the rest of my body however is fine!

Can anxiety cause the skin to be hot? I'm trying to grasp at anything to make sure it isn't meningitis as I don't want to go to the doctors AGAIN and for them to say "nothing is wrong, you're young and healthy" as it's quite frankly embaressing!

HELP :(

[suzy-sue]

Hi Mr blue You can get all those symptoms from anxiety .If you had meningitis you would be very very ill by now .The stiff neck does not go away and you would not be able to get in the bathroom .You would also have a high temp ,and a rash that wouldnt go when you placed a glass over it .Try to relax more ,the neck problem is caused by nervous tension .I hope this has helped .You will never get any good from Dr google ...so please dont go there .Sleep well and have a better day tommorow .Sue x

[Merrymoose]

Hi there.

I too suffred a few weeks where I thought I had meningitus but I didnt- Im still very much here.

Its so hard when you feel sooo very scared. as Suzt Sue said you would be very ill, you would not be able to get out of bed and have such a awfull headache you couldnt get your head off the pillow.

Anxiety can very much affected your temp, nearly every day I feel very hot, head, ears and nech, i get a rash on my chest and I often feel very stiff.

This is all through feeling anxious and actually if you kept an eye on your posture through out the day youd probably see your aching muscles are from the way you stand or sit with tensed mucsles.

It will just take you time to discover YOUR individual symptoms with anxiety.

One piece of advise - DONT EVER GOOGLE IT. trust me, the diagnosis is never right and it will only cause you more panic.

Take care, be strong. xx

[MrBlue]

thanks very much guys, feeling better now :)