I wanted to change my name for this as I'm embarassed, but here goes. I want to know if any other mumsnetters recognise the way I feel. For a long time now I'v had an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach, a bit like a fist pressing where the ribs go up in the centre. It makes me feel full, and sometimes there's a sharper twinge. A couple of times I've seen my GP who prescribed acid reducing drugs for gastritis and they do help but it comes back, especially with chocolate, strong coffee or dry wine, or if I'm stressed. I'm always stressed, and I feel I'm living on a knife edge, and recently I've started getting palpitations. I also feel permanently tired and that I'm aging fast. I'm always stressed, but partly because I stress about my health: I think I have cancer in at least three locations at the moment, and I can think my way all the way to the funeral in about 10 seconds if I try. If there are mumsnet threads about bereavement I read them even though I know they will make me worse, and I can't open our local paper without reading obituaries, and if there are women around my age that makes me even worse. I had some good therapy about 18 months ago which helped, but basically this seems to be how I am. Am I on my own or are there other hypochondriacs out there and if so, how do you cope, or how did you stop it? Is the worrying making me ill? Why am I like this? I sometimes feel I am completely on my own.