"Dr google will see you now!!!"

[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.

[ubermod]

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

[violet33]

Truthfully, I'd have to disagree. There are times when looking things up on web has freaked me out & then there are times it relieved my fears. What I've found is that as I do more queries I get negative AND positive info, not ALL NEGATIVE.

[Stacers1985]

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.

[vickykelly]

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?

[nomorepanic]

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.

[mick_uk]

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

[ubermod]

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.

[Pcdaft]

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.

good answer wish i saw this befcore tonight goole is not my freind any more? thanks again xx

[Edward_1980]

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.

Now, why does that sound familiar Nicola?

Most likely because yesterday I googled "Migraine Brain Haemorrhage" and read all about my impending death. The things we Google sometimes are unreal. I agree with everything you say.