Am I the only hypocondriac??????????

[paulaplumpbottom]

I don't go to the doctor often but I always worry that I have the awful thing I have just read about. For example I read an article on Ovarian cancer the other day and proceeded to convince myself that I had it. I try not to read these sorts of articles and try not to catch it on the TV but its hard to avoid altogether. Am I the only crazy who does this?

How long does it take you to get over it?

I can so associate with you all on here! I am definitely better than I was in my teens, twenties and thirties. I do tend to have a bit of a problem checking Moles for changes though (family history of Melanoma/skin cancer). I absolutely hate going to the DRs and always think I am either wasting their time or they will find something awful! Irrational I know.

I know, I never want to go to the doctor. Mostly its because I'm terrified that they will confirm my fears.

I am like this too. I mostly think I have cancer. or brain tumours. My doctor refused to refer me for CBT or any anti-depressants etc- apparently I am just normal, but it is very wearing constantly worrying about my health (like you ppb I never worry so much about my children). The link with tiredness is interesting though...

I can hold my hand up and say I'm the same. Benn to the doctors on more one occasion convinced I'm dying. I've stopped buying magazines like Take a Break and Chat as the stories were so depressing and I'd start to worry I'd have a brain tumour etc. Lucky DH is very patient with me.

I find telling my DH aleviates the fear a bit because he tells me how silly I am being.

I find going to the doctor alleviates my fears a bit. He usually manages to convince me I am being silly (he must dread seeing me walk into his surgery ).

My doctors not a fun guy and he scares me a bit to be honest. I wish I had a doctor like yours who would indulge me

My friend is like that, I always used to take the mickey out of her. She went home one day early saying she had a headache and felt dizzy. She thought she had meningitis. I laughed and said, "maybe a brain tumour".

She phoned the next day from the hospital where she was being treated for menigitis.

In my defence, she really was terrible with her imaginary diseases but I did feel horrible about teasing her. She saw the funny side though and now when she has some strange symptoms, she always phones to get my second opinion.

She recovered fine, btw!

I think thats whats worrying though, that one day our symptoms will be real and we will ignore them because we'll think its our imagination.