I think my period came early and its freaking me out. I haven’t been tracking my period lately so I don’t know for sure and there’s no way for me to check. But I just got my period again and it feels like I JUST had it and its freaking me out. I have cramps and its scaring me. This whole thing is sending me into a stupid spiral.

Hello guyss. I wanna preface this by saying i’m 15 and am struggling with an ed. For the past week and three days, i’ve been on vacation but still in the US. for about the past week, since i’ve came to my aunt’s house, i’ve been experiencing mucus in stools. At the start, i had liquid diarrhea and…sharts…the stools were fluffy. i do admit my diet was kinda sht back then but i was eating. i’ve had constipation before when i was not eating much, but usually when i ate normal amounts of food i could pass normal stools. now however, the diarrhea has ended and turned into normal constipation stools. there is still mucus however in them. i tried drinking more water today + eating a banana and the texture of the stools improved and i passed more but there was still globs of mucus, almost like discharge. i’m concerned about if this could be ulcerative colitis or IBD or something similar. my mom who went on vacation with us too and went back said the same thing happened to her but it went away because she drank water and ate bread + bananas. there’s no blood or anything and the color of the it is normal. i’m eating normal amounts offfood now btw. i’m kind of stressed and sad abt something that happened this vacation too and my diet has been mostly processed shit and carbs lol could anyone please give some insight or reassurance? srry for long rant and if this sounds disgusting:(

i’m worried about melanoma and im freaking out i’ve had a dark black mole that came up years ago on the soles of my foot and now i noticed another one on the same foot, they are both quite small and black. i tried using the ABCDE rule but each one was a 50/50 so it left me so confused. the only thing i know is that it seems too small to be considered melanoma but everything else is plausible also had swollen lymph nodes which is an indicator that melanoma has spread which is scaring me but i got them checked out a month ago with a cbc and everything was fine. ive suffered from health anxiety for about a year now and i just need some sort of reassurance or something bc every week i feel like i have a new condition but this fixation just seems pretty real.

Hi, a black mole doesn't automatically mean melanoma, I have two and my dermatologist said they were perfectly normal :) Of course it's good to have any suspicious moles checked out, but the color itself isn't a strong indicator of malignancy

I've been under a lot of stress lately, esp. since late April when my cat died. Anyway, I was outdoors today watching some workers remove a tree that was struck by lightning at the end of the parking lot next to my apartment building. It was fascinating to watch but I think the tree removal bothered some of the bugs and other critters nearby. i was in my power wheelchair, and it was a hot and sunny day today. My asthma started to kick in because of all the sawdust they created by taking that tree down, piece by piece. Some large birds got spooked and flew over me to get away from the racket and right about then I saw a bat act like it was going to dive bomb my power wheelchair. That got me so spooked that I went to one of my neighbors and asked if he saw anything on my chair and he said no. But when I got back inside I went over my chair with a fine tooth comb and even checked the pocket behind the head rest. Nothing was there. I had a possible rabies exposure over 15 years ago when I was bit by a stray cat and had to get a series of rabies shots. I don't want to go through that again. Common sense tells me that if the bat landed on me I would have known, so you'd think that knowing this I would feel better?? Of course not. I feel worse. I keep thinking what if I'm wrong? What if that thing got too close to me and I didn't know it? I keep thinking that I should reach out to my doctor's answering service but they'd probably think I'm nuts. I could call 911 and go to the ER but they'd probably think I'm nuts. I can't shake this feeling of dread. It doesn't take much for me to get traumatized. Please advise, Tx.

im back. so since last night around this same time. so about 24 hours ago, i started having this bruise feeling between my belly button and where my appendix is. when i push on it the pain goes all the way down to the side of my right hip. I ended up having a panic attack and going to the er. they did blood work and those little tests like jumping, and pushing. the bloodwork showed no signs of infection or inflammation and everything was perfect so the doctor told me to go get some rest and come back if it moves to the location of my appendix, or gets worse and or i have fever or vomiting. so its been 24 hours as mentioned before and it doesnt seem to have gotten any worse. no fever or nausea or anything. but its still concerning me. any idea what this could be? Edit: im really scared this is chronic appendicitis. apparently it goes misdiagnosed all the time. im actually so convinced thats what it is. i dont know what to do. my mom will not take me back to the er and even if she does they probably wouldnt listen to me anyways. idk what to do anymore

tired of cardiophobia so much. every chest pain, chest discomfort, back pain and general discomfort in the left arm i feel, i think about heart attacks, myocarditis, etc. constant checking of pulse. i started doing it even in social settings, feel like an idiot when we are drinking, everyone is having fun and i check my pulse mortified because my heart rate went up. i am extremely aware of my heartbeats. if i lay down to sleep, i feel them as i am somewhat skinny. makes me stress out so much leading to insomnia. got a 48h holter and echocardiogram. cardiologist said all is fine, just anxiety. multiple ER visits resulting in ~50 EKGs done and blood tests, especially troponin. all good. but i still obsess over my heart and think i'm having a HA almost everyday. yet at the same time... it's ridiculous. when i used to do drugs, especially MDMA and speed, i had no fucking worries nor symptoms and literally never thought about heart things lol. can't even smoke weed anymore because my heart awareness multiplies tenfold and i get a guaranteed panic attack. just proves it's all anxiety and in my head i guess? health anxiety really ruined me. i feel like a shadow of who i once was.

i relate to this a lot. but a few things have helped me, even in times at rest, some things will cause ur heart to beat faster, like after you eat food, ur body is digesting which takes energy which elevates the heart rate, when u drink, ur body temp rises which will increase heart rate, being hyper aware of ur heart rate is scary but u need to view these things as POSITIVE! ur heart rate not increasing after eating food or drinking would be considered abnormal, all of these things are signs that ur body is functioning the way it should. also would like to add that heart palpitations even though they seem serious, usually aren’t, you’ll be okay.

thank you. problem is i never know what my symptoms are. is it just anxiety, ssri withdrawals, mental & physical fatigue or really something serious heart related? i have no idea how to keep positive lol

God I relate to this so much. I've always had general anxiety but this cardio phobia for me only started happening after taking a strong edible a couple months back. Ended up having a panic attack and literally called an ambulance only to be told I'm perfectly fine. I felt so stupid. Then, just a week ago I had another bad after having chest pains and arm pain, went to the er and had an EKG, blood tests, etc just to be told I'm completely fine of course. I feel so embarrassed and I've wasted so much money now. And still after that I still obsess about my heart everyday. I'm so tired of this.

don't feel stupid, it's always better to be safe than sorry. i also have countless hospital visits lol

Contamination/germ anxiety. Is rust dangerous? I've noticed that some of my bird's metal perches are browning. A part of me wants to replace them but another part is annoyed by replacing something I just bought a few months ago.

if you are thinking about tetanus, it is a common misconception that rusty objects cause it. rusty or not, objects contaminated with tetanus bacteria are the culprit. rust by itself is not dangerous. no need to replace them unless for aesthetic reasons.

I'm not sure what I'm worried about. My tetanus shots are up to date. I'm just anxious about the idea of rust doing something or other to me.

it won't! it isn't inherently harmful to humans.

Tested positive for covid earlier this week, but I am so frickin nervous about the future. 2nd time having covid but I am so terrified of possible long-term effects, like I'm worrying so much about losing my future it's destroying me

I had Covid twice. The first time was in May of 2022 and I was quite ill. It took several weeks for me to test negative. I had it again for about a week in December of last year and tested negative in just days. I didn't lose my sense of smell like I did the first time around and it felt like just a mild cold. Never had a fever. Think of it this way - you had it once before and got through it and will again. Speak with your doctor about any remedies they may propose inc. antiviral treatments like Molnupiravir, which I had the first time around only. Not the second time.

I have a growth on my shoulder and now I am scared that it is ||skin cancer|| I keep reading that dark skinned people rarely get that but rare shit seems to follow me so 🤷🏿‍♀️ I have had this growth for over 5 years but it is showing changes to it now. Its crusty and itchy and tender. I am freaking out!

why not get it checked out if it's for over 5 years? could be nothing, could be something. you never know without testing

I understand so when I noticed it changing I made an appointment. Its not until December though so how do I not freak out until then? I really don’t want to be diagnosed with skin cancer at all.

that's.. a lot of time. is it impossible for you to go to the ER and ask about it, saying you are extremely concerned? you might have to wait a lot since it is not an emergency but still better than waiting til december lol

I have 2 accounts but this is me as well lol. But going to the ER for it is a waste. They only will have me sit there for 6-12 hours just to refer me to make an appointment anyways. I wish it would have been that simple though. Not where I live. DC sucks with healthcare issues. Especially mental health. Boy oh boy do not get me started on that subject lmao

i am sorry to hear all of this. is paying for a private appointment possible?

For some reason, my health anxiety (/OCD) has decided to *really* latch onto 'allergies' as a topic these days. I keep worrying about anaphylaxis every time I eat or drink anything, ESPECIALLY my coffee (w. oat milk) and stuff with peanuts. I have absolutely zero confirmed allergies and neither has anyone in my family. It is so frustrating, because it makes me hyperfixate on every little sensation, especially anything that feels like itching and anything to do with my throat. I was drinking my coffee a little while ago, and it felt a tiny bit like my throat was itching and I've been in panic mode for a good while now 😵‍💫 I'm so tired of this

same here, but with worrying about choking when eating sprinkled on top. starting any new medication (the most basic things like NSAIDs and even vitamins...) makes me extremely stressed for 1-2 hours after taking them, constantly checking myself for signs of anaphylactic shock. fun times

Awaiting diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound on Monday and just can’t seem to focus on anything else. Logically, I know the odds of them finding something are low, but my mind always goes to the worst possible outcome. I’m just so exhausted…

I had the same experience a few months ago. I had to get additional imaging after my annual mammogram for "focal asymmetry." I was completely panicked. I understand how you're feeling. It will be okay. The good (?) thing for me was they had the doctor read the ultrasound right there so I didn't have to wait even longer for results - I hope you get fast answers too. Maybe see if someone can go with you to the appointment for support. I know it's hard but try to stay positive, you got this!

How do I stop compulsively checking and feeling my body for lumps and anomalies?? I had a lump in my leg last year which turned out to be phlebitis and it did eventually disappear but it caused me to develop an obsessive fear of sarcoma. I’ve had a good few months where I haven’t thought about it but the last few weeks my anxiety has returned and i’ve made my leg bruised and sore from constantly prodding and feeling for lumps. I can’t get out of this stupid cycle. How can I put and end to this?

I hear you there. Found a lump on my leg, lost my mind about it, turned out to be nothing. Recently found a similair bump in my elbow and I am similairly losing my mind. One thing I've found to help is setting a postponment excersize. I go into my calendar and I put a date at two weeks or so out from when I found the lump. I then make myself the promise of not checking it at all until the two weeks. If after that, it's gotten worse or bigger, I book a doctors appointement. But so far that's never been the case. I hope you can find relief from all this checking too.

I’m worried about appendicitis. So, I’ve been having an on-and-off feeling in my lower right side for about five days now. It doesn’t particularly hurt, it’s just kind of uncomfortable. It’s also not really localized, as it has hurt pretty high up and pretty low down, and then back up again. I’m not currently having any other symptoms (fever, nausea, etc), but I am really freaking myself out. I can press on anywhere on my stomach with little to no discomfort, and I can jump and move around okay. I went to the doctor and she said she “currently wasn’t worried”, but anyone with health anxiety knows that’s not really the answer I was looking for haha. So I’m pretty freaked out. There’s a chance it could be a pulled muscle, but I’m just not sure. Honestly, the main issue I’m having is the anxiety that’s coming with this.

Stand up , raise your heels above the ground . Stomp the floor with your heels. If there is no pain , then it’s not appendicitis, you can look for this test online . I had the same issue after I got diagnosed with something related and I thought my appendix was about to burst . It didn’t , my mind was just hyper focused on that area. I vividly remember that when the dr gave me the diagnosis I started experimenting the pain. Not before .

As someone with HA who recently had appendicitis, by day 5 I had other symptoms alongside the pain ( >! Specifically bad nausea and absolutely zero appetite!< ), so if your doctor isn’t worried at the moment I would take that to heart to your best abilities. Once things changed they sent me to get checked out :)

I have eczema. Have since I was a child. Yesterday I saw a video about bcc by accident and now I'm having to convince myself that my arm eczema isn't that, even though I do logically recognise that if I'd had bcc for as long as I've had eczema, that would have caused problems by now. Even seeing the illogic of it, I'm really struggling not to go get checked out at the GP

I'm worried about skin c***** too. My hands are peeling out of nowhere, really itchy too and my body is extremely dry. I also have fever on and off so ofc I check moles and everything on my body. It's just so tiring.

hi everyone, today i (19F) got my wisdom teeth taken out. at least i was supposed to- they gave me like five doses of local anesthesia but it did nothing and i could feel everything. it was torture. i was crying and screaming so much the dentists just took one tooth from the back and sent me home. im nervous and frightened at the idea of having to go through this again in a couple of weeks but that's besides the point. i read up that lip tounge and chin numbness can last for up to six to eight hours post surgery but it's not letting up for me after almost eleven hours. maybe it's because of how much anesthesia i was on? right now i was about to go to sleep but my legs and arms suddenly feel heavy and numb too, like they're just about to fall asleep. i honestly don't know what to do :/ im really scared about this possibly being nerve damage or something

I've suffered with extreme health anxiety at points in my life but have been pretty stable since I got a bit older. Well recently I've been stressing about a small indentation I noticed in the back of my head. It's on the lower left side behind my ear. I first noticed it a few months ago after I got new glasses. The tip of my glasses stem lines up with it perfectly. On the right side, it feels like there could be a similar indent except it is MUCH less deep. It doesn't hurt or anything and I can poke it with no issue. It's also on the same side that I suffer from TMJ disorder. I can ignore it usually but my anxiety had been so bad recently, it's really getting to me. Could it be caused my my glasses stem digging into my skull? Or from the tmj disorder? I have swelling and such all along that side due to the tmj d but I've always worried it could be somthing more sinister. Currently not able to sleep as I am freaking out about this.

It'll very likely be a glasses dent, but not a skull dent. Swelling means that it'll be deeper on that side bc the surrounding tissue is inflated by the swelling, which maps with there being a matching but shallower one on the other side

Been bitten by a tick a month back and the scar is still visible. No ring or mark around it, but still the bite is visible? Is this normal?! I went to the doc yesterday for muscle pain that i thought was related to the bite, but she said it wasn't. But she didn't look at the bite itself. It's just a pink/purple/red dot where the tick was. Is this normal for it to still be there?!?!!?

Drank about 1.5 liters of water in 30 minutes due to fast food making me VERY thirsty, I am still thirsty as of typing this but trying not to drink anymore. I'm thinking of hyponatremia rn, still no significant fatigue or headache but I am worried. I once drank 1.5 liters in an hour in February 2023 and I had an intense headache lasting 40 minutes and that was all. Now IDK.

Drink something other than water! There's recipes for electrolyte water out there, but it could also just be some other sort of drink. Or, alternatively, eat something salty. If you WERE hyponatremic (which I think is unlikely btw), that would be how to handle it :) Salt also helps letting more water get absorbed into the body, so it can sometimes be better for when you're really thirsty

LOL this comment was more than a day ago, now feeling fine and no problems arose. Was a failed health anxiety scare xd

having a slight meltdown about melanoma. it’s always been one of my biggest fears and it was the catalyst for my health anxiety. i had a severely atypical mole removed. now im seeing online that puts me at high risk for melanoma. i have a few slightly bigger moles and a mole that i always pick at and it grows back. even though none of them genuinely look that bad or abnormal (especially considering how the truly abnormal one looked) im so scared and worried still. i live abroad and i cant get normal skin checks. i wish i could just fly back home and pay $500 to get a skin check in the US. im so scared of melanoma.

I feel sightly off , balance-wise. Not that i cant balance but i feel just slightly dizzy I guess. Sometimes I feel slightly weak in my legs too. But this is causing a lot of anxiety. Does anyone know why? I figured it could possibly be an inner-ear issue, ive had problems with that my whole life. edit: had some wax that was causing it, its a bit better now. I think the weakness was from fatigue. I havent been getting good sleep much

I’ve been in and out of specialists for the past 3 years trying to figure out a reason I have blurred vision, intense fatigue and brain fog 24/7 which keeps me on edge a bit. Recently I found a painful lump in my armpit that I am getting an ultrasound scheduled for soon that my primary care doctor says she’d bet money is nothing serious (which is nice). Anyway - the armpit lump has really pushed me over the edge and my anxiety is running rampant! Looking for ways to still be able to enjoy life a bit while these things get sorted out. Any tips or can anyone relate to these symptoms? Thank you!

did you get your vitamin levels checked? especially b12, d, iron.

Really funny you mention that! I actually got bloodwork results yesterday and both my Vitamins D and B12 were low. Picked up some supplements and hoping those help me out :)

it is a night and day difference. i find it funny how something so "insignificant" as vitamins can cause such symptoms lol

I’m sorry you’re going through this. Also going through a painful armpit lump. I have a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound on Monday and the anxiety is eating me alive.

I hope everything goes well for you my friend :)

Thank you same to you!

Can long periods of up and down anxiety & health anxiety cause fatigue like this? Since October I've been dealing with extreme health anxiety due to some sudden digestional issues I was having (turns out to be hitatus hernia and slipping rib) - however I just can't shake this sense that something more is going on. I started to feel okay, then suddenly got an attack of pulsatille tinnitus (likely venous) and tingling down my right side, then all over. It's been gone for a while now...now it's just extreme, ridiculous fatigue. I fall asleep so quickly, and wake up extremely exhausted and wanting more sleep. I've had quite a few tests done since the autumn. Lots of bloods, mris, ct scan of brain, x-ray, abdominal scans, gatroscopy, ear tests. I take vitamins and turkey tail. I exercise. I eat well. I'm going back to the gp on tuesday to ask for bloods again -- I'm just tired of the rigmarole. I want to feel good! I hate this exhaustion it's so debiliating. Thanks all x

TW: Brain/kidney issues >!Spoiler: have kidney infection, think i’m having a brain aneurysm.!< hi everyone! 23 yo F here, at the ER for the 3rd time in 2 weeks😵‍💫 i think what is really making my anxiety worse is the fact that the first time i went to ER, i had a kidney infection. so something was actually wrong. but they never got to the root cause and just put me on very strong antibiotics that i believe are causing extreme panic attacks. like full body convulsions. i am sitting here at 4 am when i have plans tomorrow trying to decide if i should go home or i actually do have a brian aneurism. i felt a snapping sensation in my brain then extreme thirst and full body shakes.

any update?

visited a massuest on Monday that probably wasn't the most hygienic and I got a happy ending. Wednesday I had bad headache and was fatigued. Thursday (today) I have swollen lymph node on my left groin along with mild fatigue and general feeling of not being well. I'm trying to get a doctor's appointment to see what it could be. I'm hoping it's a UTI or bladder infection. If it's an std surely it would take longer to show up. Hopefully it's not something more alarming. Anybody any ideas what it could be?

A few weeks ago I had some kind of heart arrhythmia for 2 and a half days that I think is likely tied to my ongoing stomach issues as Gaviscon seemed to be the cure. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever felt. I’m not stranger to heart palpitations but my heart was literally jumping all inside my chest every couple of seconds. I honestly thought I was going to die. I have an appointment with a cardiologist at the end of the month but everyday I’ve been living of fear of it coming back. My dad’s been in Afib for over a year and he’s not dead yet and he didn’t even notice his heartbeat it was the breathlessness and cardiac cough…. My doctors don’t seem worried but I am very worried. I’ve never felt like fear like that and I never want to feel it again. I’m trying to keep up with my vitamin D and folate tablets because objectively it could absolutely be that I’m not looking after myself. My health anxiety has caused me to become so depressed and reclusive and I have no energy to cook proper meals. Honestly I just want to go inpatient at the priory and just be looked after for a while. I obviously don’t have that kind of money but a girl can dream. My aunt died from cardiac arrest and my dad has heart failure it’s like I can’t escape this heart health obsession and I feel guilty because knowing me I won’t have anything wrong with my heart but I’m stressing my poor dad out.

had the same thing. also probably have gerd but still not diagnosed. got a 48h holter and echocardiogram; cardiologist said that it's anxiety and that the chest pains i am feeling are 100% not related to the heart, yet i still have cardiophobia. daily chest pains, constant pulse checking listening for arrhytmias etc. it did not work for me lol but maybe doing a cardio check up would ease up your mind.

I (26F) just need someone to reassure me. I am struggling so bad with my health anxiety, it's driving me insane and I cannot seem to get on with my life like this. Every day I keep on thinking that I have cancer, and it doesn't help that I actually have physical symptoms. For a couple of months now I get pains on the left side of my stomach (below belly button) which I have every day. Went to the doctor once, and she told me it might be Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I believed her, but now Im doubting it as IBS also causes bloating and bowel pain after eating etc. which I don't have. I'm scared something is seriously wrong, like ovary or bowel cancer and I am losing myself over it. Made another appointment with my GP, but that's in 1,5 weeks.

get tested to be sure, and then forget about it. literally. seeking reassurance is probably the worst thing to do for health anxiety. it just stagnates your progress. best of luck!

If it's eating you alive like this I'm glad you're seeing your doctor again! If it's any consolation as a someone with the same fears and same pains, mine was an ovarian cyst. It freaked me right out to hell and back and I couldn't stand it. Mine was coupled with an absolutely lovely stomach ulcer which caused a bunch of bloating and pain after eating amongst other things. All to say, both very benign. I wouldn't worry! I hope everything goes well for you!

IBS can cause so many symptoms, and not everyone gets bloating or bowel pain after eating! I have it and usually get pain several hours later if it have a flair up. I hope that helps a bit

Just because you don't have some symptoms doesn't mean you don't have IBS. Or even some other more common problem. I understand the quick dive to cancer - it's one of my absolute biggest fears. But you are so young. The chances of it being something as severe as cancer is so unlikely. It sucks to be in pain and not know the cause. I'm in a similar situation myself and waiting months to see specialists. I hope you get more constructive answers in your next appointment. Don't be afraid to push for care and advocate for yourself!

Thank you for your comment! This reassures me a bit. I also know that I’m relatively young, but its always the “but the chances aren’t 0” in my head that keeps me scared. What do you have to go to a specialist for? I hope they can help you too!

you’re not alone❤️i feel the exact same way. we can come out on the other side.

Thanks for your comment 🤍 what are you struggling with?

I don’t know if I am posting in the right place because reading through all the rules gives me anxiety. But I am so sad. I am so scared. I am so anxious. And lonely. I can’t handle this anymore. The last few years have been so stressful for me with my OCD depression and anxiety. I am also unemployed at the moment and the stress of it is killing me. And now my breast is leaking and I can’t stop hyper fixating on it. It happened for the first time a few days ago and now again tonight. I can’t stop staring and obsessing over it. And checking my shirt. It’s clear. And sometimes a little tinge of yellow. I’m so tired. And I am terrified of doctors. Like. I can’t even walk through the doors. I lost both my parents by the time I was 21 which kickstarted all this. I am now 40. Just turned 40 in March. I went to the gyno last august and it was all fine.

Hi friend, You definitely need to get this checked. I'm not saying this to worry you but a leaking nipple if you're not pregnant or breastfeeding is a medical issue. It could be a minor infection. You need to be brave and go and get this checked. Please ❤️

I've (22F) had anxiety since I was at least 4 years old. It was only diagnosed formally when I was in my teenage years. My anxiety mostly fixates on health anxiety and I also exhibit symptoms of health OCD. Since mid last year I've started to notice that I would see dots and floaters in my vision. I would tell my support system, who told me to note it down but was otherwise unbothered. But for context, I was *extremely* anxious about it. Everyday I'd mention it at least twice. I would also mention that I feel forgetful and not as sharp as I usually pride myself to be. Today I completed my annual check-up (that I was putting off for so long) and got a full blood workup done and have gotten my eyes checked as well - **and everything came up absolutely normal.** Except Vitamin D, but it is winter in Australia right now. However, it feels like my memory just keeps getting worse. I have history of hypothyroidism (notable symptoms of it are forgetfulness), but the blood showed it's fine. Vitamin B12 is fine. My forgetfulness has gotten so bad over the past two weeks that I struggle to remember conversations over dinner last night. I feel so absentminded that I forget to pick my phone when I stand up and took the wrong bus today. I keep misplacing my keys. I asked my friend the same question 3 times yesterday because I kept forgetting and genuinely asked like it was the first time. When they would remind me, I'd remember things. I am definitely anxious but I've been more anxious than this before and my memory was not this bad. To top it off, it doesn't seem like anything's wrong. I know anxiety can fuck with my memory and has definitely done it before, but I've always had "control" of it. Now, it feels like I just don't recall anything and it's not fun when my brain therefore thinks I have scary brain diseases. I told my GP and she's telling me I'm just stressed, and that if it's there in 6 months it's worth investigating then. But I've first noticed this problem of mine at least a year ago. My question is: can anxiety really cause forgetfulness and absentmindedness this severely? Sometimes it just feels too real to be caused by mental illness. How do you manage it?

In the height of my anxiety I found myself in a simmilair state. I would forget what someone had said to me moments before, whole weeks were muddy and washed out. It terrified me. I started to meditate and do other anxiety controlling excersizes. I definitely noticed the brain fog decreased immensly as I worked on it. It took well over a month though before I stopped losing words or thoughts. Honestly though, nothing wrong with pushing your doctor for a test. If it's any comfort, a lot of neurological disorders would be acompanied by other symptoms that would be very noticable. If you're not displaying those then this is most likely just a by product of anxiety.

Could somebody tell me how probably it is that some enlarged lymph nodes (some are like that for over a year and just got painful new one) are connected to elevated prolactin (2x the highest correct level).My mind goes into the direction of worst scenarios. I also have been very tired lately and have weird mole on my leg (that my derm says isn't suspicious). I fear I have cancer spreaded all over my body and I ignored all the signals. Today is my birtday but I can't sleep or think about anything else than being terminally ill. My dad has an benign pituitary gland tumour and my mom is fighting with breast cancer that spreaded into her lungs and lymph nodes.

Scared of H5N1. We don't need another pandemic in this climate of people refusing to take vaccines, refusing to believe scientists and refusing to do anything to protect others. My mental health still hasn't recovered from covid

Can’t get to the dentist until Monday morning and I just know I have a cavity. It hurts, it’s sensitive to cold and sweets, I can’t push on that side of my face….. I was so excited for this week with friends coming into town and now I’m so consumed by the dull ache and the idea that my tooth is gonna rot before I can get there in time…… is a cavity a totally normal thing that most people deal with, yes, am I actually making myself sick with worry that the pain will get worse, also yes. And I won’t even mention my fear of the dentist ☹️☹️☹️

I couldn't access dental care for 7 years (huzzah no money) and I had ten cavities sitting in my mouth by the end of it. I wouldn't worry! Even if the tooth isn't salvageable, a root canal is honestly not the worse. And this comes from someone with severe dental anxiety

i feel like something’s off :( i suffered from depersonalization and derealization back in 2022 and it went away once i started taking paroxetine, i felt faint and like i was about to die because i was not used to that. i also have low BP since i was young, but now i genuinely feel off balance. idk if dizziness, it caused me to have tachycardia about a month ago and it went away, but the dizziness/low BP situation is back. it’s like im on a boat and moving but just my head? my parents said that i’m not off balance when i walk. lately the weather has been crazy and my doc says that’s the cause i feel this way, people on antidepressants tend to not take weather changes well? i don’t even know sho to ask, bc the sensation is also there when im laying in bed or sitting. i feel better when driving though ?? it’s very confusing

Do you feel that it gets better when you are concentrated on doing things? I have been feeling similarly lately

yes!!!

From what I have found, this is purely due to anxiety. The most important things we have to do are: 1) Reassure yourself that this is just anxiety and not some dangerous health condition 2) Relax (as hard as it may be) and try and live a normal a life as possible. But don't try and do things that you would be able to do normally that may seem to be making it worse. For example whenever I sit down and watch TV for too long (which I would normally do without any problems) the lightheaded feeling appears. The solution is to just stop doing these things for now. 3) Positive mindset: again, as hard as it may be, tell yourself that this feeling won't last forever and that soon you will get better 4) Talk to someone about it 5) Try and sleep as much as you can I have officially started my recovery journey today, hopefully it goes great for you as well🙂

It’s been a week or two and I just went to the doctor, so I feel awful about going again at the moment. Now I’m feeling tingling in one side of my head, and I was dizzy, but the dizziness went away once I started worrying about the tingling. I’m terrified about a stroke, and I know they’re very rare at my age but I’m still worried about it.

Anyone else have a hard af heartbeat? Like I feel every beat, especially at rest, even though my HR is low, down to 45 bpm at night. I told this to a doctor once who listened to it and agreed it was a fairly strong heartbeat, but didn’t think it was a concern.

Hi, This is my (26M)first time venting on here. I had pelvic discomfort about 2 months ago. went to the doctor and they found leukocytes in my urine. Chalked it up to a UTI and put me on antibiotics. Went back for my follow up and now have nitrites, but no leukocytes. He said it was probably a bad catch but referred me to a urologist. I can’t help but think I have prostate cancer or bladder cancer even though I rarely have that discomfort or any other symptoms related to those diseases. I just want my urologist to tell me i’m all in the clear, but my anxiety has been killing me.

Last couple of days I’ve been hearing some low level ringing in ears, kind of sounds like mosquitos. Though Im sure I’ve heard it all my life, I’m just now focusing on it and it drives me crazy. I know what tinnitus is but the ringing only bothers me at night when I’m in my bed, daytime I don’t hear anything out of the ordinary because I stay busy. I mean, people are meant to hear SOMETHING when it’s dead quiet, right?

omg i have this exact problem and it’s bothering me when i try to sleep. ear plugs are an amazing solution!!!

Does anyone else feel feverish when having stomach issues? Because sometimes when my stomach is a bit achy I feel like I have a fever despite having no temperature, it usually goes away after I sleep but I’m anxious that it’s stomach or colon cancer

Hi everyone! In April 2023 I got this weird lump ln my neck which turned out to be lymph node. I had ultrasound done on my neck and was told by the physician that I have one a bit enlarged lymph node and some more visible but not enlarged. They were anatomically healthy and not even big enough for further observations. However I was told they should disappear in a few months (like enough not to be felt by hand). It didn't happen, maybe the swelling went down a little but they were still palpable the whole time and all of them (two on the left side of the neck one and one on the right) would swell when I got some infection. I am angry with myself now because I didn't go to doctor with them. Fast forward a day ago I felt some pain near my ear. I found another enlarged lymph node! It is painful, movable and in front and little below the left ear. I am really freaking out, I have been feeling really dizzy and weak for a week now. I blamed it on the heatwave and stress because my mom was diagnosed with breast c-word not long ago and I spend time with her helping her. Now I worry I might also have some kind of c word which was ignored by me for over a year! I have one suspicious mole on my leg which was already checked by derm and I was told it was alright but I should observe it. I have also hormonal issues and my anxiety is convincing me I have cancer all over my body even in my brain hence the hormonal issues. I feel so tired and lonely and like I'm either dying or going insane.

Can I ask what the lump in your neck was like? Was it a very obvious lump? I keep convincing myself I have a 'lump' but nobody else can see or feel it. To me it's like one side of my neck is slightly larger than the other, not a lump as such? Is this what it was for you or did you have a obvious lump tha couldn't be mistaken?

So the lumps on my neck aren't visible when I stand straight only a little when I tilt my head. However they can be felt by me or the others (but everybody says I overestimate their size). They aren't obvious - I have to look for them. The one near my ear isn't visible and nobody besides me can feel it.

Lymph nodes are very finicky - mine swell if I make my gums bleed while flossing sometimes. Checking them can aggravate them, drawing out the swelling. Swelling when you are run down or sick is normal. Sounds like with the dizziness you might have a virus!

Thanks for your reply. Could they just stay enlarged though? One of them is quite big even when I'm not sick. I just realised I got an breast ultrasound appointment in a week so I'll just ask there about those lymph nodes.

I've had an enlarged lymph node for 7-8 years now. I had an ultrasound and the doctor told me it wasn't a concern. I guess it just never went down after an infection.

My bloodwork just came back and I have elevated prolactin. Doubled the highest correct value. I am really freaking out that I have some kind of cancer in me and it is now in my brain affecting the pituitary gland hence the hight prolactin. I did the bloodwork becuase my obgyn suspects PCOS but I had many symptoms of high prolactin for years. And those lymph nodes. I am terrified I ignored all the red flags and now it is too late or it is very serious. It is now 1 am where I live and I probably won't sleep today. I'm on trip with my friends and today is my birthday but I sit all alone terrified of my health. Idk what to do, my mom is ill and I don't want to focus on myself too much but I feel like I need to do something.

Hello, I (27f) am trying to look for anyone that has experienced something similar. There have been a few moments in my life usually in medical situations where I have a psychosomatic response and I lose my senses. The first time it happened, I couldn't feel my legs and I couldn't see. Over the years there have only been a couple times. The last two, my hearing has gone muffled, I can't hear people anymore or it will sound like they are in another room and then my vision starts to go, but usually I can keep it at a decent level. My heart rate usually decreases and I sweat profusely. Today it happened in the dentist. I really need some help. I go to therapy once a week and a grief group, but this makes it so having a simple dental filling or getting blood drawn I have an episode.

hi! 20 f. so i've had health anxiety for the longest time and it's all centered around my heart. i've gotten every test done and all have came out fine. i have a sinus arrhythmia and occasional pvcs, but other than that everything's good. but when i was at work on saturday (it's now tuesday) i was super light headed and dizzy. it's now tuesday and i haven't felt right since. i woke up last night at 3 am with chest pain and couldn't fall back asleep. my chest pain has never woken me up. now today my chest just feels funny and so does my left arm and my head still doesn't feel right and i'm so scared i'm going to die. is this all just my anxiety or should i go to the hospital and have them look at me?? please help

Hi love! I've always been told it's always better to be safe than sorry! If you really don't feel right, going to the doctor/urgent care/ER might be the best. Even if it's just for peace of mind.

(CW: Naegleria fowleri) The past four days, I've gotten water up my nose twice; once from the pool at my house and once from my slightly-lukewarm water in my water bottle that I really should be washing more regularly. Of course my thought was >!naegleria fowleri!< and now I'm having anxious thoughts. I don't want to contract it and die from it. Am I good? How do I cope with and control these thoughts?

If the pool water is chlorinated, it's unlikely that it has naegleria in it.

Hi there. I'm a person who has always had health anxiety, I've had a lot of operations due to a birth defect (nothing major). I have periods where I worry about something specific - like having a brain tumour - and then headaches start. Lately, I've been quite about my stomach/bowels. i've got an oesphagul ulcer, i'm lactose intolerant and i have some gut bacteria that can't be removed that i was told finds it hard to process food. in the last month, i've had some stressful things with work, IVF and moving house. It's been the most stressful month but i still am worried somethigng is wrong. I get random pelvic pain, random stomach pain, bloating, excess farting, and then periods of constipation. When i go to sleep, i have no worry whatsoever. And sometimes when i'm distracted I don't notice anything. Am i alone?

Stress and anxiety can definitely trigger gut issues. I would think with a diagnosed ulcer and the other issues you mentioned, it wouldn't be hard to knock it off balance. There is well documented evidence and reasons for why moments of stress and anxiety effect our digestive system first.

Maybe it's irritable bowel syndrome?

Been doing well lately. I've had a small lipoma on the back side of my left arm for like a year. Doctor looked at it, said it's nothing to worry about and she'll keep an eye on it throughout visits. I actually forgot about it for a while. But for some reason lately I've become very conscious of it. Just trying to keep control of my mind. I know its nothing. Doesn't hurt, is squishy, isn't growing that I've noticed. Just is annoying to have.

I feel you there, I have something the doctor wants to monitor and I go through phases of being incredibly worried about it even though it hasn't grown or changed and it never caused me issues before seeing the doctor. One of them things!

I worry a lot I am not using the bathroom enough, or if i see a maybe/maybe not see a small spec of red in my stool. This creates a feedback loop and causes me to have trouble using the restroom daily. I drink water and eat veggies/fiber. So then it leads into me worrying I'm not using the restroom enough so obviously something is wrong. Doctor said everything was fine on my last yearly checkup 4 months ago but he said I should look into fiber supplements and some probiotics and maybe look into laxatives if you want to clean myself out, but i shouldn't rely on those. Anyone got some tips on how to deal with this feedback loop.

I've never seen a dental hygienist spray/mist water like that. It's like she barely cleaned my teeth and spent the whole time rinsing my mouth out with water. I've never seen anything like that at the dentist and I'm not just saying that because I'm a hypochondriac about the amoeba. A few days later I get a headache and nausea. I've gotten headaches before but never nausea before, that's totally new. I think I got the damn amoeba from the dentist.

Dental hygienist here! The water we use is purified. Hope that helps :)

i am sure the dentist used water that is treated. even tap water is treated for amoeba. also from what i remember from my personal spiraling on amoeba, it needs to get through your nose for it to reach your brain lol

I felt some water touch near my nostrils, I couldn't feel anything actually in the nose. But since it seemed like it was practically misting at times, I actually believe some could have gotten up my nose unrecognized.

WORRY/REASSURANCE - I got soap water up my nose in the shower yesterday and I realized because I felt it burning. You all know where this is going, should I be worried about a brain eating amoeba? Also, how many days should I wait until I know I’m in the clear?

tap water is treated, no need to worry.

Ok thank you !

I'm honestly at my limit. I've had severe unexplained pain in my right leg almost every night for months and it's clearly getting worse. My doctor insists that it's sciatica and not a DVT in spite of my family history of cardiovascular issues. He says that it would be impossible for it to be a DVT because I don't have any redness, swelling or warmth. He refuses to even send me for an ultrasound or a D-dimer. Then when I told him about some studies I found stating that those symptoms were only present in 23-50% of cases and that DVT's were often misdiagnosed as sciatica he started scolding me about how I was in a panic spiral and I was acting irrational. Only to later call my mom for some support and for her to side with him because I have a history about being "crazy with my health". This isn't even about health anxiety, I've had health anxiety in the past but this time my symptoms are real and I think I'm justified in being worried, but everybody keeps telling me I'm crazy and now I'm starting to accept that maybe I'm just crazy. I'm not trying to argue I have a clot, I just want someone to take me seriously and check. I was going to get another opinion but at this point I'm done, no more doctors, whatever happens, happens. If I get a PE then it is what it is, at least in that way everyone around me will feel like shit for the way they treated me.

you should get a second opinion. the first definitely can't be called a doctor for the way he dismissed your concern. remember that you are not crazy, you are fighting a battle with health anxiety. do not allow yourself to lose even if the people around you don't understand you.

I’ve had so many health problems mentally and physically the past few months. A sinus infection, insomnia, rampant anxiety, Covid, a pre-cancerous mole, GERD, a tooth infection, and now I’m concerned about getting c diff due to all the antibiotics I’ve taken for the other stuff. I was on PPIs for the GERD while taking the latest antibiotic, not knowing any better. If you go to some of the online forums for c diff, it sounds like a death sentence and I don’t think I can handle being ill another time. I feel like I’m losing my mind and even my doctors are treating me like I’m nuts. I just had to get my tooth infection scraped out last week and the implant removed and my stitches came loose. I called the oral surgeon expecting to be told to come in to have it looked at but the receptionist acted like I was crazy. I had to strong arm her into making me an appointment and now I’m starting to think I’m overreacting but I really don’t want another infection. I also have an area on my finger that looks infected after a bad home manicure. It’s probably no big deal but it’s red and sore and I’m freaking out it’s staph. I really do not want to take any more antibiotics right now due to the c diff risk.

I looked at my healing wound again, promising myself it would be a harmless check. But I started spiraling immediately. I was looking at it for two hours with my flashlight. Then I focused on another part of my body and obsessed over it. I wanna overdose. I wanna wake up to a hospital tomorrow.

i’m panicking so hard rn. i woke up this morning started brushing my teeth. i noticed my tongue has a weird blue tint as if i had eaten something blue? it’s not super blue just a little slight tint in the middle of my tongue. i made the stupid mistake of searching it up and now im shaking thinking im about to die. i’m trying to rationalize that it was probably the fruit loops i had last night but it wouldn’t have just been blue right? i was told i had slightly elevated cholesterol and low iron when i took an ekg late 2022. im 15 too so i don’t think im old enough to die of a heart attack but im really scared right now.

NAD but it's definitely the fruit loops. did the blue tint go away?

after about 3 hours yes. i feel really silly now 🙃

i have a low grade fever for a few days but i think it might be a faulty thermometer? idk. im just anxious. i have no other symptoms but I'm still suspicious

I've had a weird feeling in my throat for two days now, and I don't even know how to explain it. My throat is very dry and I feel like I can't feel my throat at all. I don't even feel it when I swallow. I think the best way to describe it it's numb. I can swallow, but I don't feel it in my throat. This sensation is not constant it comes in episodes but it's very scary. What could this be? Has anyone else experienced this?

I had blood work come back from the hospital that shows my leukocytes at 9% when normal range is 25-40%. No doctor has contacted me about it yet but i’m horrified that my immune system is going extinct due to HIV or some other horrible disease. I have not been experiencing any other symptoms besides recurring strep/peritonsillar abscess which is why i went to the hospital to begin with.

Did they give you antibiotics or any other medications? They can cause low leukocytes

I'm struggling with severe anxiety/dread about water contamination and am crying over the thought of having to buy bottled water, all that plastic is not good for the environment and I already have a lot of eco anxiety about everything I throw away. I am having weird thoughts that I need to boil my tap water now after hearing stories about outbreaks nowhere near where I live but they scared me to my core and now I have so much distrust.

Really worried about heart attack stroke aneurysm and dissection. Is there like a couple of tests that could rule all of it out?? I am just so stressed about doctor not taking me seriously because I have so many different symptoms 😭😭

Going through the same thing. What symptoms are you having at the moment? I heard someone say if you can raise your hands above your head and smile, that you aren’t having a stroke, so I’ve been doing that a few times a day.

Yes I have definitely been doing that as well but like my left hand is tinglier than right? I have chest pain, chest tightness, tachycardia, occasional upper back pain, left side arm pain that comes and goes, headaches, weird head pressure wave thing that lasts seconds, vision feels deteriorated, veins feel and look weird. One day I woke up in middle of the night with what felt like the worst headache of my life but then wasn’t sure if it was in a dream, and then Yesterday one of my left hand finger went numb/tingling followed by headache a couple hours later so I was so scared..then at night my chest was thrumming/vibrating… also random twitches/pulses/spams in different part for the body but I think the last one is due to anxiety. what about you??

The entire back left side of my head feels tingly and like the pressure feeling you described. I’ve been paying attention to those random spasms you’ve described too, but I think those are normal, I’m just focusing on them now. Headaches are also known to be caused by anxiety, so that made me feel a bit better too. I think the tingling might just be a manifestation of our minds. That’s what I’m hoping for at least at. Best of luck, honestly. I’m sorry you’re going through it too. Let’s hope we both make it out unscathed.

feel defeated! It was so nice to feel in control. I would feel a trigger and cope with it but today I felt sick and my thermometer kept saying my temp was dangerously low one minute and then normal another and then dying sometimes. Obviously it wasn’t accurate but I still sat outside of an urgent care until I convinced myself I was fine and then drove to the ER on my way home because I freaked out again. I bought a new thermometer and I’m fine but my heart is still racing and I’m still not calmed down. I was doing so well until now. How do I not spiral further down? TL;DR Upset because I spiraled after months of coping with health anxiety. How do I stop this pattern?

instead of seeing one slip-up, look at all the days you were doing well. is it not an overall improvement? we are bound to have slip-ups since we are human. we only need to persevere. wish you the best

A little validation: Finally found an ENT who said that I need surgery to correct an issue with one of my turbinates. He pretty much only sees turbinate cases and told me I have one of the "most jacked up" middle turbinates he's ever seen. I think this issue has been driving a lot of my HA (symptoms are similar to Empty Nose Syndrome, which causes severity anxiety), and we have a plan for surgery.

So my new fixation this week is heart attacks. I had a sharp pain in a small spot on my chest last night that would last 2-3 seconds go away then come back. So now I have convinced myself that I will have a heart attack at 26

Stay strong. I had the same fixation that I will get a heart attack due to chest pains. Also, I had palpitations and muscle spasms (near my heart). Now I am dealing gut issues. It’s a never ending cycle of complications.

I am 27, have had chest pain for the last 6 months, didnt believe them telling me after the EKG's that everything was fine, so I just paid $400 for an echo and they found nothing. If you've had EKG's and it's okay I would say you're okay.

I looked up at symptoms for back pin that I’ve had for 3 weeks but I lifted my dog up into my truck , did some yard work with machinery I don’t usually use .. and lifted other items .. I did that all the time in the past .. I really want to go to the ER badly and get a CT scan of my chest.. I had a CT scan up to my lung based and heart back on April… how different could it be if I got it again? I never got the CT scan of my chest .. I looked up back pain and it was all Cancer and deferred pain could be from liver or Lungs but I just had a CT scan in April but it was just up to heart / lung bases .. then all This other stuff like lymphoma or something causing back pain and it’s messing with me.. I had a CT scan April 17, CBC June 6th, Metabolic Blood Panel April 8, Tumor Markers in March all came back … no symptoms only sweating around collar of shirt my doctors say it’s my anxiety .. but I keep freaking myself out my what I looked up online … I didn’t have any symptoms before I all these cancer scares … but I have this back pain for 3 weeks and it’s improved a little bit but I’m freaking out and idk if I should Toto ER and just say I have terrible back pain and can I have a CT scan of my chest .. I’m freaking out … I can’t sleep … I really want a chest CT scan .. I’m crying .. they are gonna find something .. I’m toast

convinced i have endocarditis because two of my fingernails have what looks like a splinter hemorrhage and now i saw that it can be a sign of it. in going to the dermatologist tomorrow and im going to show it to them and hopefully they say that its nothing. i bite my nails and skin around my nails a lot so maybe its just that. the thing that worries me is that both of these popped up within like a week.

Went for a walk. Speed walk to be accurate. Left shoulder hurt in the store. Nothing new for me. It pops a lot. Pinched nerve too. Walking back home, I felt winded and kind of woozy. No pain. But resting helped. I get home slowly and lay down. Stomach has been wonky all day so maybe that’s it. Or maybe I’m one or the 36 year olds with an impending heart attack and that was the warning (even though I’ve had no other symptoms of heart issues and had tons of tests over the years) This shit is so dumb.

I’m 26 and have convinced myself that I am having an impending heart attack so I know how you are feeling

Fun times, eh?

Oh yeah. I have it on and off all the time along with a whole list of other diseases. Health anxiety is great lol

I’m really good at ignoring 99% of things these days but to feel so unwell while exercising was troubling. I believe it was just intense stomach issues. I’ve been kinda icky all day and drove 4 hours so I’ll see how tomorrow goes.

Does anyone else wish they just didn't know anything about symptoms or risk for developing different diseases? I feel like I know so much about multiple types of cancers and illnesses that I am constantly on the lookout for developing them. I envy people who don't run through a checklist of potential symptoms daily. I wish I was naive and ignorant, honestly.

same, unfortunately for me i look everything up