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"Dr google will see you now!!!"
Right, i've been a member a few weeks now but like all here i've fallen trap to looking up symptoms on google....... PEOPLE THIS MUST STOP!!! we are making ourselves worse, i know we are only trying to put our minds at ease but we all know what it makes us think, yep the "C" word. Post after post i'm reading about how you've all looked on google and how its made you freak and rush to the doctors thinking you're dying. Its a healthy thing to want to know whats wrong with us but all advice out there isn't from professional sources.
Its time us health anxiety sufferers got Dr Google struck off!!
Post for newbies how searching the web has made you feel worse and lets try and stop people doing it and learn from our mistakes.
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Re: "Dr google will see you now!!!"
I had a problem with my ears a while back, they went really muffled then developed a rumbbling sound, this really freaked me out and before my doctors appointment i asked "Dr google" what he thought and there it was on the first page, first click... That horrid word looking back at me!
I had a panic all night, couldn't sleep, was shaking from head to toe with fear, really working myself up for the worst news the next day in the doctors, only to be looked at and checked over then being told i had a virus and it had caused my eardrums to depress and i should be fine in two weeks. Still i worried for a few days because it had triggered my anxiety again but it did stop and it did clear up and get better.
Google made it worse..... never search no matter how tempted you get
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I had a doctors appt yesterday and My doctor said if he could find a way to get rid of WebMd and any website with medical advice he would do it.
When I walked into his office I was full of diagnoses from Tumor all the way to a torn carotid artery. All of which I found symptoms for on google.
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oh my god thats me!! mrs self diagnosis and always the worst things to, today i have the worst headache feel dizzy and am being sick.... today in my world I have a brain tumor.... last week I had a pain in my leg... this was due to in my world cancer!!!
We do make ourselves worse I drive my husband mad... funny thing is the symptoms are real and make me feel so ill.... and when i am genuinely ill its the worst thing ever... how do i get off this roundabout?
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Re: "Dr google will see you now!!!"
Ubermod - interesting you wrote this post as I started writing something about Googling the other day and this is as far as I got:
To Google or not to Google
We all do it but why? What are you looking for?
I am betting that you are looking for the worst every scenario and that will usually be cancer, death, serious illness, horrid end to life, no hope, may as well give up now.
Sound familiar?
Well that is because you are looking for the worst ever possible diagnosis and never the usual, normal and easiest explanation.
Why? Because you don’t want to imagine it is something simple that is easily treatable – you want it to be serious and life threatening and of course you will die from it.
But will you?
The internet is a fantastic resource but if you abuse it then it becomes your worst enemy.
Use it wisely and do NOT believe all you read.
If you really really do have to Google then do it wisely and use choice words.
E.G. if you have a headache then DO NOT google for “headache brain tumour” as you will inevitably find that you have ALL the symptoms.
Instead Google for “headache causes” and you will find loads of other reasons including simple things such as dehydration!
Ok Cancer – this is going to be on every single post you look for so I wanted to test this and did some silly searches:
Cancer big toe – yup I have loads of those symptoms so I MUST have cancer ! ( I will not post what it said here but I could easily have them all)
Cancer swollen abdomen – Oh I have all of them too so I MUST have cancer
My point here is that whatever you Google for you can get and it will do you no good at all keep reading and searching more.
Use it wisely like I do.
I get a new medication and I Google the medication but want to see if it interacts with other meds or whether the occasional alcoholic drink is ok and I do not look for side effects or death or cancer as it serves no purpose.
Use Google wisely and Do NOT look for something that isn’t there. Look for the positives and NOT the negatives. Use the key search words wisely or you WILL freak out and have cancer and imminent death with every condition you have I assure you.
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Great answer nicola.
There's obviously going to be more google sites that throw up worse scenarios to your problem than one's that show you possitive answers. It's like the news on tele, there's hardly any good news on, yet it's happening out there it's just that it's hidden beneath all the bad news.
take care
mick
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yes i totally agree nicola, i have friends who can google their symptoms and not freak out, these are the same people who can just easily see their illness for what they are and dont panic worrying the worst.
After attending a health anxiety workshop in 2007 i learned that people who suffer with anxiety have re-progammed their way of thinking and are constantly at a hightened level of anxiety, so i believe this is why its such a bad idea for a unhealthy anxious mind to ever search for their symptoms.
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I will make this sticky so new members may read it as well lol.
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I once heard someone describe a computer as a highly-sophisticated idiot, it does exactly what you tell it to do at lightning speed but with no ability to think through the ramifications of what it's doing. Google is pretty much the same: give it a list of symptoms and it'll search for the first and most obvious matches, without any of the doctor/patient interplay a real doctor would use to rule most of them out. That said, I've used Dr Google many a time and he's scared me witless, together with his friends Scientist Google, Journalist Google and Expert Google. Have nothing to do with them! Google has its' uses but diagnosing symptoms definitely isn't one of them.:mad:
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Dr Google is not my friend :wacko:
I try to keep in mind that if it was really a good idea to self-diagnose via the internet, then we wouldn't need doctors. But we do, so I try to trust my doctor instead :)
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Great post guys! I too am an X google junkie. I call it my google crack rock. When I 1st began to have physical symptoms of anxiety, I was scared b/c it was 7 months after my Dr. told me I had GAD and gave me Buspirone. In my mind, the anxiety and symptoms were in no way realated b/c of the time lapse.
I am a curious women by nature so what do I do...google my symptoms and that is where it all began....The 1st thing I read wad HIV. I stop and think..could I be at risk, is this something I could have....like most individuals on this planet, I have had sex, so I am at risk, who can really say they aren't???
AHHHHHHHHHH my mind begins to freak. I was obsessed to find a site...any site...that told me my risk was minimal having had a - test in 07 . I did find site after site that said the same thing...I had HIV according to my symptoms. Over time, I really did convince myself that I had HIV. I even pictured the Dr. telling me. I would lose my husband and never get to have kids...life was over for me.
My name is stressed, I am a googleholic and it has been 2 weeks since I have googled my symptoms.
I am feeling better without exposing myself to negative things that scare the s*** out of me. At this point ladies and gentleman, if I have HIV, I have it and there is no going back now. I'll find out eventually...and it will not be from google. Until then, I will live my life day by day and be thankful for the time I have....after all, reality says to me that my chances of dieing in a car crash going to work on Mon. are much higher than me actually having HIV. Take care and God bless u all.
Stressed
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My doctor has banned Me from webMD. Same reasons listed here. Basically told me to quit googling everything too. Sometimes you may not have a symptom but once you read it, you all of a sudden have it.
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I so agree. I had a good night down friends came home I've had swollen glands for ages. I felt tightness in my thoat look in mirror all swollen got panicky kept looking thinking my throat is closing googled it and I feel so weak with nerves now why do I do this to myself never again if I last the nt that is....
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I have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease by Dr Google, before christmas I had MS. It is so tempting to just have a look to 'reassure' myself, but I'm slowly learning.
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I'm guilty of using Google for self diagnosing.
I'm just glad I didn't type in Pregnancy :scared15:
:D
mick
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dr google is definitely not my friend
i googled my eye symptoms and ended up with MS, a temporal tumour, AND glaucoma.
i will NEVER ever google my symptoms again
enough is enough!!
xxx
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This is so true!! we have all done it but thanks to this place my addiction to googling my symptoms has stopped
Google cannot diagnose us, its like asking someone to fix your car without ever seeing it!
STOP, STOP going to Dr.Google!!!!
xx
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I am in a bad way because of alot of things but google is a main culprit definitely.
My right ankle is swollen and I said I wouldn't google but I did and low and bloody behold... cancer! I'm like what!?
Infact,there was also clotting,blockages,water retention linked ot digestion probs which could end in death..that was the turning freaking point..
I been having bowel problems and still am..so that plus swollen ankle now means that I am going to die.
Cause of death: WATER RETENTION
P*** off GOOGLE!
I posted somewhere else a few days ago that I said "If someone said the devil doesn't exist they were lying..it's Google."
I also mentioned somewhere that I actually think they should have some sort of medical block on it for us anxious mindscos it just harms us.
And I too have been sworn by my psychologist not to search symptoms on the internet but it's like telling a child not to push the button.
YOU PUSH!
To be honest,it's ruined my life recently.
And in turn has ruined me and I am ruining my relationships.
I am actually thinking about seeing about gettinga block on google or something.
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Well I have been really good for 3 years not googling and I did it the otherday and diagnosed myself with an early menopause.
Oh boy did I tell myself off!!
Its been a long standing joke with me and my Dr about my previous google exploits!!
Sarah
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I have done the "googling" as well and have vowed I will not do it again no matter how tempting! It is a BAD idea and never gives you the answers you want, just makes things worse.
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Dr. Google has given me every disease from Lupus to Cancer....Turns out I do have a disease....Health Anxiety....Die Dr. Google, die!!
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people using this site should not look up things on google..all information is available on here..after all we are all in the same boat..lol...keep marching people.x:hugs:
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once when I had really bad palpitations I began reading about them on google, after an hour or so I was already reading about asystole. Thinking about it made me laugh actually, because by the time I finished reading about every possible heart disease, I was calm like a baby.
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You know what? I can go a few days without googling my symptoms. But then somedays I feel so bad that I can't wait for a doctor so I have to. Or worse... the NHS website. I'm sorry, but every time I click on an issue there, it flashes up "EMERGENCY - DIALL 999" and that really doesn't help.
I found a great book though, some people have said it would either make me worse or calm me down. It does neither... merely reassures me that I probably won't die just yet. It's Dr Apples Symptoms Dictionary... I think that's what it's called.
A lot of my symptoms are in there with probable, possible and rare causes. It's great. It just means I don't jump directly to cancer, stroke, HIV, Meningitis... you name it, I've probably thought I've had it.
Google just makes me go straight to the bad things.
I think my doctor hates me, because I'm in almost every week feeling anxious about one pain or another.. all because google tells me I am not a well person!!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
ubermod
Right, i've been a member a few weeks now but like all here i've fallen trap to looking up symptoms on google....... PEOPLE THIS MUST STOP!!! we are making ourselves worse, i know we are only trying to put our minds at ease but we all know what it makes us think, yep the "C" word. Post after post i'm reading about how you've all looked on google and how its made you freak and rush to the doctors thinking you're dying. Its a healthy thing to want to know whats wrong with us but all advice out there isn't from professional sources.
Its time us health anxiety sufferers got Dr Google struck off!!
Post for newbies how searching the web has made you feel worse and lets try and stop people doing it and learn from our mistakes.
Just to add my agreement, trouble is, I find, is time, if it is 2am and you need an answer, and I guess I am like almost everyone else, it is answers we seek, where else do you go? I have what I hope and am trying to convince myself is IBS at the moment, so I made an appointment to see my Doc, cant see her, so will see another Doc, 10 DAYS before I can get in!! OK so ring NHS Direct, all they really do, in my opinion, is take a few details and say " see your Doctor", Of course they cannot diagnose over the phone, so where to turn?.....................mmmmm.................I know lets Google it and see what it says, Bad thing to do, but sometimes it is the only thing, well apart from this excellent site I guess. So I agree whole heartedly what the point is and I admit I am a patient at Dr Googles surgery, but as I say what else to do when you need an answer?
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Originally Posted by
Chrismascray
Just to add my agreement, trouble is, I find, is time, if it is 2am and you need an answer, and I guess I am like almost everyone else, it is answers we seek, where else do you go? I have what I hope and am trying to convince myself is IBS at the moment, so I made an appointment to see my Doc, cant see her, so will see another Doc, 10 DAYS before I can get in!! OK so ring NHS Direct, all they really do, in my opinion, is take a few details and say " see your Doctor", Of course they cannot diagnose over the phone, so where to turn?.....................mmmmm.................I know lets Google it and see what it says, Bad thing to do, but sometimes it is the only thing, well apart from this excellent site I guess. So I agree whole heartedly what the point is and I admit I am a patient at Dr Googles surgery, but as I say what else to do when you need an answer?
I have hilighted part of this quote because i think it is absolutely the reason we all "Google" we need an instant answer and there is no one to help us:weep:
and when NHS tell you to phone 999:ohmy: :ohmy: when we know in our hearts we are not that ill - we just wanted someone to say "no you are fine it is just ........... " and we say "Oh thank you, I was so afraid you have really put my mind at rest:yesyes: "
As Chrismascray says at 2am or even daytime if you have HA you need and INSTANT answer and that is not possible:ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy: unless YOU GOOGLE:weep:
That said Nicola or your team would it be possible to make your "Problems and Issues" more prominent ???? you have a lot of answers to our questions in there...:yesyes: I just wonder how often people find it? or know what is in there???
Best wishes to you all
June
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Ok Chrismascray and june do have a point,
When you suffer from health anxiety sometimes you do want fast answers to put your mind and rest, but really we all know Google isn't the place to turn to (even at 2 in the morning) all we are doing is feeding our anxiety by letting our minds think we are more ill than we actually are. We arn't medical professionals and for us self diagnosis is possibly the worst thing we can do and by using Google we will never be better off because it makes us panic more and this will cause us to worry until we finally see the doctor. So wouldn't it be better in the long run just to wait for the appointment anyway?
I've suffered on and off with heath anxiety for 16 years and i have many older family members who have also suffered, but one thing is true, before the ability to Google self diagnose, people were not worring themselves over things they would never of even thought they had and seeing the doctor was the only SAFE option, and i believe still is..... Stop Dr Googling people!
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"before the ability to Google "
Families were more close knit - we had friends and neighbours that we chatted to.
The art of friendly conversation where if there was a worry it was discussed in the family and / or with friends you trusted.
You saw the milk man or the baker - even the postman said "hello":ohmy:
And you shopped in a "proper shop":yesyes:
There was not the same type fear that we have today - the constant reminders of death and destruction every 24 hours. WE NEVER get a break from it.
Even when I was young and run ragged with caring for my family and my aunts and uncles - I always knew i could pop into xxxxx for a cup of tea and unwind for an hour.
Now the TV is on and conversation is about The news:weep: or 'soaps' etc
Even if you do voice your fears today you are thought of as a whinger so you suffer in silence and have a quiet chat with "Dr Google" who else will help?????
At least with "Dr Google" no one is going to call your fears stupid or laugh at you and tell you that you are exagerating - "get over it" Etc.etc.:mad: :mad: :weep:
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Hey all,
I have been avoiding Dr. Google for the past 3 weeks now and have found that it has made me much, much better with my health anxiety! I have found that, if you see a real doctor and explain to them that you suffer with health anxiety, 9 times out of 10 they will go out of their way to reassure you in every way possible that your symptoms are not life threatening.
I have recently had some terrible problems 'down below' and, after googling, decided it was something seriously wrong with my womb and that I was not going to be able to have kids and was going to die a slow and painful death...
I went to the doctors who, after ruling out a simple water infection, sent me to the hospital for an X-ray and an ultrasound, and found that it was nothing more than kidney stones! :D
(For those of you that don't know about kidney stones, they can be excrutiatingly painful but are completely harmless; mine were little ones and as such they hurt me but don't cause the slightest bit of damage! They go away by themselves and all you have to do is drink more water!)
Doctor google diagnosed me with everything under the sun that was untreatable, nasty and life threatening, and was 100% WRONG.
Don't google guys. Please. Don't google.
Danny xxx
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If I feel the need to 'google' I now come on here - everyone is so helpful and 9 times out of 10 someone has had your problem and can reassure you its not life threatening.
Giving you enough breathing space until you get to see the DR
BAN GOOGLE:bansign:
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Quote:
I have been avoiding Dr. Google for the past 3 weeks now and have found that it has made me much, much better with my health anxiety!
Good on you Danny! I have been telling people for weeks not to visit Doctor Google and I put my money where my mouth is -- I haven't been researching anything health related for the last few weeks and it has made a huge difference! No more health paranoia, no more wondering if I'm dying of ummer-gummer disease!
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A much better alternative to Dr Google
http://www.harryzimmermanpodcast.org.uk/
:D
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I won't google any more as in the past it freaked me out and confused me. So it is best for people like us not to do it..
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I waste so much time googling symptoms.
I have tried to stop myself so many times and it is fine until something happens and i head straight for the internet to see "what is wrong" even tho I have been told time and again nothing is wrong!!!
My GP has now instructed me to try as hard as i can to stop because he thinks that the constant googling is keeping me so stressed and keyed up and is keeping a lot of my symptoms alive.
Why do we google though?? I have asked myself this question many times.
I really don't know what I am looking for or what I expect to find.
If the first site I look at gives positive feedback and shows no down side to my symptoms i don't stop, happy that I am ok, I keep looking until I find something bad that it could be and then start worrying about it.
My 2 big worries are heart attacks and brain tumours.
I have ectopic beats and various other anxiety related heart things going on and regular headaches and head pains all of which I google to death almost daily.
Even tho I have had all the tests and all the reassurance in the world it is never enough.
So how do we stop ourselves from falling in to the google trap??
I have tried so many times but always go back "for ressurance"
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR I HATE GOOGLE!!!!
Even tho professional medical people say it is bad for people with health anxiety to do this all the time it is like an addiction..I have to get my google fix!!
Any tips on Google withdrawal techniques??
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I had a chat with my lovely new doctor last time who banned me from Google - she told me that if I did need to use the internet to use www.patient.co.uk which gives a much more balanced view on things.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
Norwich
I have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease by Dr Google, before christmas I had MS. It is so tempting to just have a look to 'reassure' myself, but I'm slowly learning.
I googled my chin burning and it told me I have MS. So of course I was crying earlier today, but feel alot better after reading all these posts, thanks!
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The thought of googling a symptom now makes me shudder. Since the very first time I came on this site and read about googling symptoms and how it has affected people, as well as putting the fear of god into me, I have never ever done it again. Actually, the very thought of googling a symptom petrifies me.
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I no longer EVER google symptoms - even simple things will have the horrible word in there somewhere and then I convince myself that's what I've got.
At present I am having investigations for possible early menopause. Just one light period in the last year (am 43 - Mum went through at 45 and paternal grandmother at 38 so entirely possible). I also have polycystic ovarian syndrome as well but that does not stop me wondering about womb cancer and ovarian cancer even though ALL my symptoms suggest my PCOS is just being a bit more awkward now that I am in my forties. Stupid me! Although my lovely doctor says I am not stupid but a busy Mum with a stressful job to boot and it's all a reaction to that. I know she's right but still I sit there sometimes wondering........
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I totally agree. I have pins and needles in my hand this morning so instead of looking it up on a medical site and worrying about strokes or heart problems, I came on here to see if anyone else had had these symptoms and they have. It's comforting to know that it's just another anxiety symptom and not a serious health issue.
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It's a difficult one really, Dr Google has helped me before (and recently), but there always some 'horrible experiences' and ill-formed opinions which you can't help but read. Best idea it to take a balanced view! 3000 positive opinions should make you take comfort; don't focus on the 10 people with bad ones making you worry...
Oh and don't say to you Doctor "I read on the internet that I could have blah blah disease", just tell them all of your symptoms and let them do the diagnosis. If you don't feel the GP has helped you (i.e. you don't feel better or your treatment isn't working as desribed to you), then go back and share your concerns, or get a second opinion then; don't just assume when you've come back from the GP that he is wrong because someone on google had a different response or treatment.