POLL: Did you ever find out you really had the illness you feared?

Of course we're talking about serious illnesses, disabling or life-threatening.

Thanks guys.

I've been frequenting NMP since April 2012, and in that time I've never read of anyone actually getting the disease they feared the most - whether it be at the time they post, or months/years after the fact.

I have also never read of anyone online getting a disease they fear the most. I'm not sure how we could work out a statistic of people who have health anxiety, find an illness they fear the most (for me, this is Glioblastoma) and then actually develop it. Nothing is impossible, sadly, although I'd say the chances of people getting the disease they fear the most is probably up there with winning the lottery. There are so many ways in which one can die, that each time you have a HA flare about a particular illness, going by statistics you're probably (?definitely) wrong.

Answer to your question, in short, is a resounding "no".

Good luck

I agree that I can think of one of two people over 18 years that got the diagnosis they thought - everyone else was fine or never even came back to update us

Nope - the closest I got was (amid my obsessive fear of having pancreatic cancer) I got diagnosed as having pancreatitis. In hindsight it was a much more likely outcome that I had completely discounted due to my fear of the worst! No other fears of mine have come true in the 10 years that I've now been suffering health anxiety (thank goodness!).

Very curious who the person is that answered yes. I feel like that story might be useful to others who frequent here..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shadowhawk

Very curious who the person is that answered yes. I feel like that story might be useful to others who frequent here..

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I don't think it'd be useful at all. It'd just feed the irrational 'yeah but I read about this person who thought they had something and it turned out they did' gland in peoples brain, ignoring the 8000 other people who didn't.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ankietyjoe

I don't think it'd be useful at all. It'd just feed the irrational 'yeah but I read about this person who thought they had something and it turned out they did' gland in peoples brain, ignoring the 8000 other people who didn't.

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Well, ill be more honest - i say i am interested because i actually doubt the yes vote in general. I was thinking it would be "enlightening" to see WHO said yes, just as much as the why and what (it was). ;)

Probably something like pneumonia. Common, but feared.

I was absolutely, 100% CONVINCED I had cervical cancer a month or so ago. I had every single symptom. I matched so many patient stories. I was so convinced that mentally I’d moved onto it being treated, thinking about managing work etc etc. I didn’t have it.

Yet the weird thing is, this doesn’t reassure me that I’m wrong with future health worries. And that’s super super irritating!!!

I know of two members that were actually diagnosed with a serious illness. One of which knew felt something was up but it wasn't what Dr. Google diagnosed. I know of another who was worried about her child and indeed he was ill. In all cases, it wasn't some willy nilly niggle, they were really not feeling well. I've stayed in touch over the years and they're all doing well.

Interestingly, their anxiety took a back seat while they dealt with things and has remained in the back seat since. I will say that of the hundreds of thousands of posts and fears I've read here, 99.99% are not serious nor anywhere near what their minds and Dr. Google try to to convince them of.

Positive thoughts