My hypochondria had been under control for years, until this week. I've never had stomach issues before but for the past three days I've had what is felt like indigestion. Now I'm freaking out about having a bowel obstruction. I'm terrified I feel like I have a fever and the pain is minor, but googling my symptoms makes me believe I'm on deaths door. How do you know when to seek medical attention for these types of symptoms and when to chalk it up to hypochondria?
worried
- Thread starter amanduh
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Cuchculan
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Anxiety / stress can lead to such stomach issues. I would be looking at any pain, if there is any? If that was to get too bad, I would visit a doctor. More to be safe than sorry. Can be hard to tell what is real and what is our anxiety. My rule is to give it a few days. I do that with everything. If it is anxiety related, chances are it will stop.
matisworried
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sorry you're going through this. it really sucks.
i think it's very important to stay off of the internet. googling symptoms will ALWAYS make your anxiety worse and when your anxiety is worse, you're physical symptoms will be worse. besides, google is not a doctor. you are not a doctor. leave doctoring to doctors. they went to school. they have thousands of hours of hands-on experience. you don't and either does a search engine you can also use to find cat pictures.
going from indigestion to bowel obstruction is a pretty giant leap. why can't it just be indigestion? if you had a bowel obstruction, it would be a medical emergency and you would likely be in an ER. you're not, though... you're here on an anxiety message board. i had an employee that had a bowel obstruction. she described it to me after she got out of the hospital. trust me... you DO NOT have that.
being able to navigate when to seek medical attention and when not to is tough for people like us. my general rule on urgent care or the emergency room is that if i am hemming and hawing over going, or if i'm not sure if i need to go, i don't need to go. i feel like if i really needed emergency care, there would be no question about it. for regular doctor visits, i will wait a minimum of one week before i go in but potentially two depending on the symptoms i'm experiencing.
i think it's very important to stay off of the internet. googling symptoms will ALWAYS make your anxiety worse and when your anxiety is worse, you're physical symptoms will be worse. besides, google is not a doctor. you are not a doctor. leave doctoring to doctors. they went to school. they have thousands of hours of hands-on experience. you don't and either does a search engine you can also use to find cat pictures.
going from indigestion to bowel obstruction is a pretty giant leap. why can't it just be indigestion? if you had a bowel obstruction, it would be a medical emergency and you would likely be in an ER. you're not, though... you're here on an anxiety message board. i had an employee that had a bowel obstruction. she described it to me after she got out of the hospital. trust me... you DO NOT have that.
being able to navigate when to seek medical attention and when not to is tough for people like us. my general rule on urgent care or the emergency room is that if i am hemming and hawing over going, or if i'm not sure if i need to go, i don't need to go. i feel like if i really needed emergency care, there would be no question about it. for regular doctor visits, i will wait a minimum of one week before i go in but potentially two depending on the symptoms i'm experiencing.