Hypochondria: Heart Problem to Stroke now Brain Cancer?

[nh_user_1061568]

Hello! I'm 19 years old and I'm seriously suffering from some really severe health anxiety. I'm no stranger to the dose of health anxiety, but I always instantly freak out if there are any new symptoms that show up. Way back, I had esophageal spasms, I felt as though I had a heart problem. I went for an EKG, holter, ultrasound, etc. all clear. I had a night where I left the window open and the right side of my body had pins and needles(I woke up with some pins on my cheek and tips of my fingers). I freaked out, and walked around a bit. I was shivering from the cold, so it was probably that(the window was wide open with the air blowing at my face), but since then I was terrified of TIA or stroke. A day or two later, I had a bit of a pulsing headache on my left side of my head that I can pinpoint to a tender spot(oh my god, a new kind of headache!). When it spikes in pain, I get kind of faint and nauseous(headache doesn't really respond to anything. I tried squatting, moving, etc to see if it changed, but it seems to have a mind of it's own). Of course, I started freaking the hell out again and instantly went to examining my body sensations for any small changes. Lo and behold, the left side of my body felt a bit funny compared to the right. Was it my right being numb or my left being ultra sensitive? I couldn't even tell. Is my left eye blurry? It feels funny. Everything starting going to the typical cycle of freaking out and being scared. I couldn't sleep comfortably, I had a weird headache that I never really had before. I was absolutely terrified. It's about day 5 with this headache(comes and goes, no real pattern), but I couldn't really get much good rest from the raw amount of anxiety it gives me. I've never had one this long and I think I've fully convinced myself that I have 2 weeks or so to live. It drives the people around me crazy and it drives me crazy as well. Any little sensation from a tiny twitch to a sudden tingle or coldness makes me react sharply to it. There have been some stressful things lately, but this utter fear just takes over my life and makes it so that I can't recover(if it's not a god damn tier 4 brain tumor).

A weird headache that lasts even when lying down! It must be a tumor! It's on one side! One side of my body feels a bit strange! I feel kind of weak! Am I having a seizure? Why do I feel so fatigued? I can't balance as well on my left side as on my right! I'm not gonna wake up if I sleep tonight, am I? 

I go into a full blown panic and it's like having to relive every waking moment in fear of fatal disease. Financially it's very stressful for my family and it breaks my heart that I'm like this. I was considering medication, but my family's very against medication for mental issues, so I'll just have to make do in that case. 

I'm thinking about getting an MRI next week. In the off-case it is brain cancer, will that 1 week period make it metastasize or grow out of control that it's inoperable by then? I guess if the symptoms are this sudden, it's probably too damn late anyways.

AGH! Why do I do this to myself? Has anyone else experienced this kind of crippling anxiety? I mean it's like constantly having a brain cancer diagnosis put on you. Relived again and again. 

[nh_user_998356]

 What has happened is that fear has taken you over so that you are not able to think realistically and in a more positive light. 

 anxiety leads to negative thinking which leads to fear. 

 people get all sorts of aches and pains, tingling, headaches, with a vast majority being harmless .  You were working yourself up into such a frenzy that you are developing symptoms. You see, all anxiety starts in the brain and when it builds up you get an I had everyone of your symptomsover anxious brain .  All that energy the brain has mustard up has to go somewhere, so it comes out as symptoms you experience. When you get the symptoms you get more anxious and thus creating more symptoms! It's a vicious circle! 

 The only way to settle everything down is to calm down your brain! 

 what you are doing is overthinking everything and getting all wound up which makes everything worse. 

 Believe me, I know what you're going through because that happened to me in my 20s. I had several symptoms all at one time and thought for sure I had some horrible disease. Turns out, all my tests were normal and it was all from years of anxiety and stress. But I know how scary it can feel , But at the same time we cannot allow negativity, anxiety and fear to take us over! The odds are extremely in your favor that everything is OK. You have to believe that. 

 I had everyone of your symptoms and more! All very common to anxiety. 

 do an experiment and listen to some mindful meditation is on YouTube for anxiety. Do them as often as you can and see if your symptoms settle down even just a little bit. If they do you know they are all due to anxiety.  Use earbuds for a better effect. There are many meditations  to choose from! 

 there's one called detachment from overthinking. 

 you're going to be just fine 😁🌸

[nh_user_1070943]

Try and relax- you answered the problem to this all in your first sentence... you have health anxiety! Like myself and many others.

All this is anxiety ... trust me I dealt with it to with my head and convinced my dr for and MRI... guess what, nothing there! Then magically all my symptoms went away.

Anxiety can really cause awful symptoms. You are a young person, enjoy this time if your life and try not to worry....

[nh_user_1079478]

I ended up having my tonsils removed and esophagus widened. Took care of the throat problem, but the rest I needed meds for. Also be aware of the acid reflux that can cause throat problems. Happens with anxiety. Sleep with head raised and get a stomach acid blocker like nexeum. This may help with throat problem too. I would see a doctor and start meds when you are able. Good anxiety meds take 4 to 6 weeks to start working so the sooner you start, the sooner you get relief.