Hello everyone,

Health Anxiety is the most horrible thing. I am and still suffering from it, but have just been to my GP here in the UK again.

Fortunately he is understanding, but this little tale can show you just how it effects people. 4 months ago I went to my Dr with parasthesia in my left foot (pins and needles ).

I used to wake up with this in the mornings, and if I wore shoes or trainers ( and I run for excercise, so I needed to ). After a week or so it was still troublesome, but I found that if I wore sandals that eased the problem. I had no motor problems, no signs of anything, just the pins and needles. After almost 3 months I plucked up courage to go to the Dr.

He examined my foot and said he thought it was nothing, but would do blood work. All that came back normal. After a few weeks the pins and needles eased, and eventually, after nearly 5 months they have gone..I presume this was again due to stress.

Earlier this week I was back again with vague stomach pains after I had eaten. They eased, but then came back, so after 3 weeks I went to get checked out. Again he examines me and says he can find nothing and like a previous visit when I had excess stomach acid I have been put on Zantac. Its now the 5th day and perhaps I can say its helping a little but I still have an upset stomach

Interestingly I mentioned I was worried about stomach cancer and he said it does not present that way ( my appetitie is normal, so is my weight, no vomiting, wind, bowels fine..nothing ). He mentioned my last blood test which was normal, and incidently each one I have had for the last 5 years has been normal as well; and said we would notice problems pretty soon if the blood picture was abnomal.

I talked about health anxiety and he said I probably was worrying too much ( but I am 60, so at this age I do panic ). He said with all his patients with such anxiety its not cancer, heart disease or other things that kill them but the effects of stress !!.

I have started CBT ( eventually ) and do Buddhist meditation, so I suspect this problem is just another in a long line of minor irritants. Problem is this is a regular occurance, and even now after seeing the Dr I am wondering if he has got it right or missed anything( that said I have been with him over 20 years and he is very experienced ). My problm is I always catastrophise and think the worse...

I just hope I can keep away from the surgery for a while now.....Does this picture sound familiar to fellow sufferers ??

Kind Regards,

Malcolm