Hypochrondia

[Cruncher]

Hi everyone,

It has been awhile since I have been here. Lately my anxiety has been functional but mentally distressing. I am so fearful that I have a brain tumor. Some stupid little symptoms that I get daily keep me feeling stressed and fearful. Of course if stuff gets worse I need to go to a doctor. But I am trying to keep my cool until something is obviously wrong, like people who don't have health anxiety. Any tips for those who suffer with health anxiety? There are so many great things going on in my life right now and I am upset that I can't just be fully happy because I have this looming fear of a brain tumor.

[Titan4757]

Hi Cruncher. I've been there and only recently stopped giving in to my health anxiety. I realized after getting test after test and seeing so many specialists because of symptoms that I'm fine. I had the thought that maybe there was something wrong with my brain because my arms and hands would shake but never ended up going to a neurologist. I knew that even if I had and that doctor said everything was fine I would still believe they had missed something or tested for the wrong illness. That is why I stopped going to doctors and understood I had a problem. I had to separate myself from being around doctors, waiting for test results and googling symptoms. Fast forward a month and I'm so much better. Most of those symptoms have passed and anxiety/panic is less and less. My advice is to either stay away from more tests and actually believe in yourself that you're healthy or go see a doc and get a CSCAN or MRI. I wish the best for you but please ask yourself, "Will you truly move on from health anxiety when they tell you nothing is wrong and you don't have a brain tumor?" That's what I had to come to terms with and as soon as I really believed my doctors and test results my body and mind started to heal and the symptoms started fading away.

[Hidden]

I'm in the same boat as you, except I have symptoms that line up perfectly with a tumor, like a degraded sense of smell. However, my doctor thinks I'm nuts and prescribed 10mg cetalipram. I am also a hypochondriac, though what I am experiencing is quite real. I will not relent until I get an MRI.