Dr Google

[Horse]

Many of us on here are only too aware of the 'Golden Rule' never to Google our symptoms!

However, I would like to offer my own piece of advice as well which appears to contribute to many sufferers increasing their Anxiety, and that is also:

Stay away from Blood Pressure machines and stop taking your pulse!

Also, stop counting your heartbeats every minute!

I started to fall victim to these daily/hourly rituals only to discover that my readings were all over the place and in turn making me more anxious than ever!

Our heartbeats/pulse and BP will change all the time during the course of the day. I now know longer even think of it, because as far as I'm concerned as long as my heart keeps ticking I'm OK.

I suffer from Tachycardia and whenever I go to A and E or the GP checks my BP etc., I am not interested in the results because it will probably only give me more worry.

Just a thought!

Horse.

[jen2503]

im a victim of dr google! i dont use it anymore but i did when i first have anxiety, but i always typed in anxiety after any symptom which prevented me getting any scary results! i did go through a stage of going on nhs symptom checker because i found its actually quite hard to find anything seriously wrong by looking on there, it just kept telling me i had anxiety or a cold and to either self help at home or go to the gp for anxiety meds!

heartbeats and pulse do change alot during the day. so i agree with what you say completely. we should all just coe here for the wonderful support we all give each other here. x

[Horse]

Thank you Jen.

I must admit in all honesty, that sometimes even this wonderful site can become addictive and on the odd occasion throw up a few alarm bells as well.

I sometimes wonder if our Anxiety remains with us because we are reading and absorbing all the posts on here? However, I for one am more than gratefull for the wonderful job done by the admin staff and all the support by its members and guests!

It's certainly helped me over the years.

[Mogwog]

I am a sucker for googling even though it ALWAYS makes me feel worse, Its just when I get into such a state about something I think - oohh maybe i'll find someone else with the same problem, which I do but then I also find many more horror stories, as we all do.

I am definately going to try and stop, its not healthy.

Laura

[Dizz]

I completely agree with you Horse especially about the blood pressure and pulse issues.

To clarify why I say this have recently stopped taking my Blood Pressure tablets which I have been on for 10 months.... my choice and possibly only temporary. My doctor is backing my decision just to see if some of my symptoms go away (which some have) as I have had problems and side effects with other tablets in the past.

However, I am having to take my own blood pressure readings at least 4 times a day at no particular time to make sure it doesn't shoot up, which thankfully it hasn't.

BUT... the difference in readings throughout the day is quite amazing.

Mine can be anywhere between 96/63 upto 160/100+ with a pulse of anything between 65 and over the 100's which is absolutely fine. Even the highest reading is only 'moderately' high on the scale.

Factors such as smoking, having eaten, walked upstairs, being anxious etc etc all affect/increase blood pressure and pulse rates.

Not only that but BP rises and falls on its own anyway and it is supposed to.

Also taking your own bp or pulse also increases it especially if you are doing it incorrectly or you are worried.

So.... don't check your BP yourself as there is no point... it only worries you if you don't understand.

If you are concerned just ask your doctor who can advise you or monitor it properly with a propper tester x x x

[PokerFace]

I hateeeeee Dr Google with a passion. I've never really been a big user of it, even when my health anx first kicked off. My first run in with Dr Google was when I was about 17 and it told me my ovulation pain was cervical cancer. Never again!!

I find it a bit distressing when I click on a thread here and they've brought Dr Google to us, listing all the symtpoms and the awful diagnosis but hey ho, I'm here to help my fellow Health Anx suffers at my own risk I guess!

Never really been one for checking blood pressure but I used to check my pulse allllllll the time, but now I only do it when I feel like I can't breathe to make sure my heart hasn't stopped lool. That will go eventually too I hope! xx

[blueangel]

I started off on HA before Google was around, and I used to look things up in books and frighten myself stupid. However, Google is so easy and accessible, and I've definitely fallen foul of googling stuff before now. I try very hard not to do it now, or like Jen I'll put "anxiety" or "common cause" along with the symptom, as then at least it cuts out some of the terrible (and usually improbable) stuff. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, as they say....

[Horse]

I meant to add in support of what Dizz has posted and that it is better to keep off the monitors UNLESS of course you have been instructed to monitor by your Doctor!

[blueangel]

Yes, this is very true about checking/monitoring, Horse. I tend to do this if I'm not careful, particularly with my pulse.

[Horse]

Blueangel.

I used to do this and one day I couldn't feel anything!

Started panicking that I was dead whilst running around the room!

Prat!

[blueangel]

That's excellent. :D

[Dizz]

I meant to add in support of what Dizz has posted and that it is better to keep off the monitors UNLESS of course you have been instructed to monitor by your Doctor!

Hi .... I'd just like to add that I did used to have the dreaded habbit of checking my own blood pressure and pulse too (and far too often too).

It used to freak me out completely by the way it changes... low, high, inbetween I was convinced I was about to die.

Difference now is that I finally UNDERSTAND how and why it rises and drops...I no longer worry about it although if it goes very high and stays high obviously I/you should see a doctor.

Makes a huge difference understanding and and like I say I am only having to check it as I refused to continue taking my BP tablets.... so other than forcing them down my throat the doc had no choice but to tell me to monitor it myself as I've been on various bp tablets continuously for 3 years so suddenly coming off them is a bit daft.

Strange thing is though my BP so far is no higher than it was when I was on them... maybe that's because I am learning to ignore everything and not let it worry me :yesyes:

[tashbarnes87]

hope this makes you smile - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKpClbqc4QY xx

[Dizz]

:roflmao::roflmao:

[paula lynne]

I took the blood pressure of a dead person my first day as a student nurse Horse, thats a prat! I thought the machine was broken...............(in my defence, I did improve! hahaha)

Anyway YES, throw away your bp machines guys, and stop the constant pulse checking, its feeding the fear, completely agree with you Horse. :)

[Horse]

paula lynne.

One thing I've noticed is that how many nurses suffer from anxiety!

A cruel fate of nature to inflict on such 'Angels'

God bless you.