[doggiedo]

Am I a hypocondriac? I thought my colitis was flaring up, but it comes down to the fact that I'm fine.

Here I thought I was struggling with depression, an eating disorder (back a few years ago), and this recent stomach thing (that I thought was my colitis).

I feel like all I ever do is complain. I don't want to be this person! I don't want to be someone who complains all the time or is in fear that they are sick.

Am I really that bad? Is it bad that I googled it to see if there was a quiz to determine whether I am or not?

i wouldn't worry too much..i think having the internet & all the medical info right at your fingertips makes it easy to run & research stuff. it's easy to quick look up every symptom to see what it could possibly be...that plus the fact there are so many medicine ads on tv too.

i would guess if you find it consumes you life than maybe you might need to worry about it & discuss it but i find that if i have a concern i look it up & do my research before i address it with my dr...then after i speak with her i take what she says & if need be no some additional reading. "an educated consumer is the best one"

i don't worry about diseases...because well i just don't...everyone is going to drop dead someday of some thing...be it cardiac, cancer, o bus running them over, space junk landing on them...what ever. i have too much to do to spend all day worrying about if my cold will turn into lung congestion that will destroy me...so i get out & enjoy myself. not to say i am stupid...i am careful..but i do plan on enjoying myselft before space junk squashes me into a pancake.

[doggiedo]

yea, how do you know if you legit have it tho? I'm not worried about dying or anything like that. I just get headaches a lot, feel depressed...and am constantly thinking something is wrong, in general. Nothing big. I attend work every day and don't miss out on anything b/c I'm afriad I'm sick.

I think you are right tho - with all the websites and stuff around there.

Do you ever wonder if being a member of this community might be a trigger for you?

a trigger?

no not really..i have been very stable with my mental health stuff for a long time..so i don't worry about that..i do read thru most of the forums...some because they are interesting & some because i have those conditions but i usually don't get triggered to find new facets of conditions

as far as physical ailments...even the multitude of the ones i have ...are all fairly stable at this point...but i have been known to research those on line in case of a twinge here & there.

sometimes if someone does mention something that i am unfamiliar with i will read up on it. i have a strong background in health so it is interesting for me to read...plus i did much research on the public health system & communicable diseases for work (when i was working).

one thing i do is that i make sure i get outside every day with the dogs for a good hour at least..even the winter. we go to the park. the fresh air & sunlight helps...i also try to either take them for a really long walk (1-2 miles) or i use the gym 3-5x/week. for me that keeps the depression at bay & keeps my mind clear.

as an added bonus from all of that by the time i get home, feed them, me & clean up..watch some tv, or do computer work etc...it's time for bed...& i sleep pretty good from all the fresh air.

not the best of systems..but it seems to work for me

Hypochondriasis is excessive worry about "what if" health issues. A hypochondriac is always imagining the worst. For example, a headache automatically means a brain tumor and triggers an "OMG, I'm gonna die" panic. The fact that it could be just from holding the shoulders wrong while sitting at the computer doesn't even come to mind. And if tense shoulders turns out to be exactly what the doctor says caused the headache, the hypochondriac is not satisfied. "No, it's a brain tumor! Do an MRI. You'll see!" Simply wondering about symptoms and what they might be, especially when there is a legitimate medical history, doesn't say "hypochondriac" to me.

I often don't feel good. I'm diabetic, which lowers my resistance to infection and makes me a flu magnet, but if I say I'm not well, I have been accused of being a hypochondriac. In fact, I faced the same accusation when I had an impacted wisdom tooth that had to come out in four pieces. Nothing wrong with me! Always worrying about my health! No, if the health problems are there, then they are there, and it is not hypochondriasis.

[wisdom1]

Originally Posted by doggiedo

Am I a hypocondriac? I thought my colitis was flaring up, but it comes down to the fact that I'm fine.

Here I thought I was struggling with depression, an eating disorder (back a few years ago), and this recent stomach thing (that I thought was my colitis).

I feel like all I ever do is complain. I don't want to be this person! I don't want to be someone who complains all the time or is in fear that they are sick.

Am I really that bad? Is it bad that I googled it to see if there was a quiz to determine whether I am or not?

I am sorry that this is happening for you. Sometimes finding the reason we need worry helps. It has helped me a great deal to find the origin of the things I worry about. If health is an overall worry for you, it may be important to find the origin of this. I find that most things we focus on or worry are really there in place of something else.

Apparently im a hypochondriac according to my psych - i do however have a problem with my chest which has been going on longer than 18 months and no doctor ive been to knows what to do about it. I hate it when i know somethings wrong and not know what to do about it. Anyway, i hope whatevers wrong with your stomach gets resolved

[pegasus]

((((((( doggiedo ))))))))

It's not pleasant having colitis or depression. Anxiety can cause all sorts of physical ailments including stomach upsets and headaches. Go easy on yourself, these are real ailments.

[Perna]

It sounds a little bit like you could have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), if your are just generally worried about things? I can see wanting to have something "specific" one can point to that is wrong, when, in fact, things are pretty vague. I would not get in the habit of looking though (as then you have a bad habit to deal with as well as the worries), would just try to improve one's overall health with diet and good sleep, exercise, etc. and see if that does not help a lot.

[doggiedo]

interesting. My doc said I have anxiety, but I always thought that was just the way my brain works. I don't have anxiety attacks, so I guess GAD is different? Gosh, I wonder what life would be like not having to worry about health issues or other misc stuff...

I think I might try and start a very easy, simple exercise routine and see if that might help. It's time, I think.

[Switch]

hey doggiedo,

I've wondered the same thing. I'm constantly worrying that I'm a hypocondriac, and that I am making myself worse. And yeah, I'm worried being on this site doesn't help, but I don't want to leave, and I have found help here so I think it balances out. I figure if I can make a convincing argument that it's not bad, then it has to have some good in it!

Anyway, back on topic: I don't think you're a hypocondirac. Some people really do have a lot of health issues. I know I do! I walk into the doctors frequently, with a list of things I need to ask about. Everything from general pain in my joints, to my latest symptoms of mental health. But all of it is very real, and I try not to bring in a "This is what it is," just an accurate and detailed description of my symptoms.

Try not to label anything, but bring in your symptoms and history and hopefully your doctor will draw similar conclusions. I did this for my BP, and finally I saw a doctor who said it was obvious, after ignoring one who said it was mild depression and hypo-manic periods.

I'm at the point with my dr's office that I don't really need to bring my health card because they know me so well and have it all on record. And I warn my doctor before hand that I have a few things I want to talk to her about.

I'm most worried about it for my mental health, but what put me at ease was when I had a doctor tell me that I had a compilation of many mental health issues, and they weren't sure what they were.

Like I said, some people just have a lot of issues.

(and even if you ARE a hypochondriac, that too is an issue that needs addressing.)