"Dr google will see you now!!!"

[NoPoet]

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!

[mick_uk]

A much better alternative to Dr Google

http://www.harryzimmermanpodcast.org.uk/

[agent orange]

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..

[willtheconk1998]

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??

[Allye]

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.

[chasity]

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!

[mummyto4]

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.

[Amanda3266]

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........

[Claire240380]

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.

[MaWi69]

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.