How do I stop self-diagnosing? (Anyone with the same symptoms?)

Mental health
1

My latest fear over the past three days has been MS...though I'm certain it's unlikely given my age, I can't help but consider it a possibility considering my symptoms!

I went to a clinic yesterday for a brief examination, and while I walked out with just Amoxicillin and no diagnosis whatsoever, I found myself with no relief and even MORE panic than I had previously. I'm too afraid to ask if I can go to another doctor's office, not because I don't want to, but just out of the fear of being obnoxious.

Has anyone had the same list of symptoms I do, and found out they were all related to anxiety? I'll post them below, but I would really like some reassurance...

-One side of the face on/off puffy + warm

-On/off ear ache/throat pain

-One leg feels weighted

-Burning sensation from inside out

-Sharp chest pain, even after taking a medicine you know you've taken before with no complications

-Chills to 'hot flashes'

-On/off feeling of 'burnt tongue', kinda tingly...

-Ofc, shortness of breath and difficulty eating

-Specifically the teeth feeling heavy when eating

-Lack of bowel movements

-Pain in chest, both center and sides/under arms.

I do have a tendency to work myself up into a panic, and the best I could rationalize my symptoms would be sinusitus + ear infection, considering the clinic doctor did say my ear was a bit red, although she didn't check my sinuses at all + my throat/gums looked fine.

I'm TERRIFIED it's something worse, and I've been crying on/off for days because of it. Everything from MS to Meningitis, you name it, I've 'diagnosed' myself with it.

If it helps for any clarification, I'm 17, female + haven't had a 'cycle' yet this month, and I'm apparently 'constantly' stressed despite being unable to tell the difference -- I don't know how to relax at all, due to circumstances I was in for the past 10 years of my life.

2

I've been dealing with some things lately and I have spent a fair amount of time either googling symptoms of things I fear I have, or seeking reassurance that the thoughts that I have been obsessing over are not rare.

This is a new process for me that I just started over the weekend, but I have restricted access to Safari on my iPhone, the only one who can unlock it is my wife, who set the pin.  The only time I can google things, which is fueling my anxiety and likely can be considered a compulsion at this point, is for a brief periods in the evening when I have access to my laptop. 

By eliminating the ability to check and recheck and search high and low for every possible cause of every symptom I feel, these past few days have been more peaceful.  

As for your physical complaints, I have had probably 40% of those and many others that you don't list which I will not name, because anxiety will make you run with those.  Anxiety can manifest in a lot of perceived symptoms as well as real symptoms.  I too felt weakness in one leg to the point I was concerned about a serious disease.  The best thing I did when i started having that concern was, I went for a long run, and this proved to myself that my leg felt weak but wasn't actually weak.

3

Self diagnosis is just part of anxiety, the only way to stop it is to deal with the underlying problem causing the anxiety

4

Apologies for sounding insincere or a bit naive, but is a heavy feeling the same as weakness? I did check earlier and it does seem the muscles in that specific leg seem a bit tighter, it's a little worrying to say the least--

I do have a question though! Aside from running, do you know of any good stretches to do prior? I'm hoping those will help a bit in the long run...

I've noticed too, a lot of my current symptoms align with a B12 deficiency, of which I've had in the past...something I'll definitely be looking into after getting tests run to make sure.

I appreciate you taking the time to respond!! :&#39

5

At least in my opinion, heavyness and weakness are one in the same.  Heaviness, to me, means it takes more effort to life the limb (therefore,weakness).  

Anyway as for stretching, I get the best results from dynamic stretches: stretches that involve motion as opposed to the standard static stretches where you stand still and hold the stretch for 20 seconds.  Arm circles, leg swings, lunges, etc.  Look into 'dynamic stretches' online and you will find many great examples.  These not only stretch the muscles and prepare them for exercise, they also act as a mini-exercise on their own.