Do you suffer from the Medical Student Syndrome?

[Ezekiel20]

Dear all

I am a 2nd year med student from University of Sydney (yes that's in Australia), and I think I have the so-called Medical Student Syndrome.

Basically it is a psychological phenomenon, whereby medical students suspect themselves of having the disease they learn about. Sufferers often either imagine they have symptoms of particular diseases or notice mild symptoms and convince themselves that they have the disease.

Ever since I started med school, I went to my doctor three times thinking I had serious illnesses.

I've feared that I was HIV-positive, since I worked with blood specimens a lot (some of which were HIV +ve) and my haematology profesor pointed out that I have moderately enlarged cervical lymph nodes (which he assured me was normal). I then noticed that I often feel weak. So I had HIV antibody tests which came back negative.

Then some time after I learnt about rheumatoid arthritis, I thought I had this disease. I was noticing very mild discomfort/pain in my carpometacarpal bones and sometimes in my tarsal bones. I went to my doctor and had FBC, CRP, ESR, ferritin and RF, which came back normal.

Now that I am learning about motor neuron diseases, I am obscessing that I might have amyotropic lateral sclerosis (aka Lou Gehrig's disease). It's because I often get fasciculations in my arms and legs while at rest, and have felt weak for the past 2 years or so (for which I went to my doctor and had blood tests for). When I walk to my classes, I have noticed that I am the only one who is profusely sweating, although many other students in my class walk similar or longer distances than me.

I even did a literature search on whether fasciculations are associated with ALS, and was somewhat relieved to find a Mayo Clinic study that followed 141 patients with fasiculations over long-term, and did not find a single occurrence of ALS from the group.

I haven't talked to anyone about my probably psychogenic condition, and would love to hear from other med students about their experiences with obscessing that they might have serious illnesses.

Thanks for reading.

Ezekiel

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[Gimlet]

Dear all

I am a 2nd year med student from University of Sydney (yes that's in Australia), and I think I have the so-called Medical Student Syndrome.

Basically it is a psychological phenomenon, whereby medical students suspect themselves of having the disease they learn about. Sufferers often either imagine they have symptoms of particular diseases or notice mild symptoms and convince themselves that they have the disease.

Ever since I started med school, I went to my doctor three times thinking I had serious illnesses.

I've feared that I was HIV-positive, since I worked with blood specimens a lot (some of which were HIV +ve) and my haematology profesor pointed out that I have moderately enlarged cervical lymph nodes (which he assured me was normal). I then noticed that I often feel weak. So I had HIV antibody tests which came back negative.

Then some time after I learnt about rheumatoid arthritis, I thought I had this disease. I was noticing very mild discomfort/pain in my carpometacarpal bones and sometimes in my tarsal bones. I went to my doctor and had FBC, CRP, ESR, ferritin and RF, which came back normal.

Now that I am learning about motor neuron diseases, I am obscessing that I might have amyotropic lateral sclerosis (aka Lou Gehrig's disease). It's because I often get fasciculations in my arms and legs while at rest, and have felt weak for the past 2 years or so (for which I went to my doctor and had blood tests for). When I walk to my classes, I have noticed that I am the only one who is profusely sweating, although many other students in my class walk similar or longer distances than me.

I even did a literature search on whether fasciculations are associated with ALS, and was somewhat relieved to find a Mayo Clinic study that followed 141 patients with fasiculations over long-term, and did not find a single occurrence of ALS from the group.

I haven't talked to anyone about my probably psychogenic condition, and would love to hear from other med students about their experiences with obscessing that they might have serious illnesses.

Thanks for reading.

Ezekiel

Yep, sounds like a sure case of ALS if I've ever heard one! Totally kidding...at least you recognize that your worries are somewhat unfounded.

As for me, every time I've had a headache in the past few months, I've convinced myself that I have a berry aneurysm and am probably minutes away from a massive intracranial hemorrhage. Hasn't happened yet, though.

 

[Beau Geste]

Dear all

I am a 2nd year med student from University of Sydney (yes that's in Australia), and I think I have the so-called Medical Student Syndrome.

Basically it is a psychological phenomenon, whereby medical students suspect themselves of having the disease they learn about. Sufferers often either imagine they have symptoms of particular diseases or notice mild symptoms and convince themselves that they have the disease.

Ever since I started med school, I went to my doctor three times thinking I had serious illnesses.

I've feared that I was HIV-positive, since I worked with blood specimens a lot (some of which were HIV +ve) and my haematology profesor pointed out that I have moderately enlarged cervical lymph nodes (which he assured me was normal). I then noticed that I often feel weak. So I had HIV antibody tests which came back negative.

Then some time after I learnt about rheumatoid arthritis, I thought I had this disease. I was noticing very mild discomfort/pain in my carpometacarpal bones and sometimes in my tarsal bones. I went to my doctor and had FBC, CRP, ESR, ferritin and RF, which came back normal.

Now that I am learning about motor neuron diseases, I am obscessing that I might have amyotropic lateral sclerosis (aka Lou Gehrig's disease). It's because I often get fasciculations in my arms and legs while at rest, and have felt weak for the past 2 years or so (for which I went to my doctor and had blood tests for). When I walk to my classes, I have noticed that I am the only one who is profusely sweating, although many other students in my class walk similar or longer distances than me.

I even did a literature search on whether fasciculations are associated with ALS, and was somewhat relieved to find a Mayo Clinic study that followed 141 patients with fasiculations over long-term, and did not find a single occurrence of ALS from the group.

I haven't talked to anyone about my probably psychogenic condition, and would love to hear from other med students about their experiences with obscessing that they might have serious illnesses.

Thanks for reading.

Ezekiel

Come back in 5 years and post. If you can, it's not ALS.

 

[Mike59]

I think the key here is not letting your knowledge of medicine dominate what you think about your own health. Being a medstudent, we obviously have specialized knowledge that makes us better informed but at the same time, it's not your job to diagnose yourself and come up with differentials to your own problems.

You're fueling your own fire here by doing these EBM searches and looking stuff up, and it's quite premature when you haven't even been diagnosed with anything yet.

If you continue to have worrisome symptoms, find a good doctor you trust and let them do the thinking. Let them work things up and don't tell them what to order or what differential diagnoses you want ruled out. Just cross each bridge when you get to it or you're gonna end up in the psych ward REAL fast...

 

[fantasty]

I do think it's common to have these feelings. I know I have, as well as my friends. I've had about a dozen chronic or potentially lethal conditions since I've started med school. I think my physician at student health is pretty good at reassuring me of times that I may be reading too much into my "symptoms", especially if I've already worked out a differential in my head. (You know you're heading for trouble if you present your case like you're on rounds - "I'm a 30 y. old med student complaining of 2 w. of XXX, w/ no history XXX. ... Social history non contributory. Fam Hx: 2 aunts with hypochondriasis".

On the other hand, when I was a pre-med, I used to volunteer at student health. When I sought care for what I thought were relatively mild symptoms, I got way more of a work-up than I ever expected.

EDIT: The key thing, though, is to seek a professional's opinion, as the others mentioned. We aren't immune to disease simply because we are training in a health field - I know some med students who did end up with diagnoses of serious conditions.

 

[lilmo]

I have displaced Med Student Syndrome. I've diagnosed my poor cat, with everything from bipolar disease to IBS. Sometimes I even listen to her heart with my stethoscope. She really didn't like it when I practiced percussing for liver and lung margins.

 

[chef_NU]

Now that I am learning about motor neuron diseases, I am obscessing that I might have amyotropic lateral sclerosis (aka Lou Gehrig's disease). It's because I often get fasciculations in my arms and legs while at rest, and have felt weak for the past 2 years or so (for which I went to my doctor and had blood tests for). When I walk to my classes, I have noticed that I am the only one who is profusely sweating, although many other students in my class walk similar or longer distances than me.

You're fat.

 

[emack]

You're fat.

Or hyperthyroid.

 

[lilmo]

or forgot to put on deodorant that day sorry to make jokes about a serious concern, but sometimes med student syndrome can get out of control!

 

[Law2Doc]

Or hyperthyroid.

pregnant, maybe?

 

[Flobber]

I've had: bone cancer, liver cancer or cirrhosis (never figured out which one), testicular cancer, potentially lethal ventricular arrythmias, costochondral disease, and skin cancer (basal cell). So no, I don't have your problem. You're just weird.

 

[jonb12997]

just this morning I went from having Kidney stones to wilson's disease to having a whole host of different tumors

 

[Ezekiel20]

Thanks all for that.

Luckily, I had a lecture this morning given by a neurologist, and I approached him after the lecture to get a quick consult on what I should do.

Upon hearing about my 'symptoms', he assured me that it's most likely to be nothing, as he's had fasciculations for the past 40 years (which he first discovered when he learnt about it).

One thing it made me think about is how much the mind can affect the body. As med students, we are quick to dismiss any sort of mind-body concept as rubbish. But seriously, when I was thinking I had motor neuron disease last night, I felt so weak and had to slouch down in my chair while studying. But now that I am convinced that I am healthy, I am again full of energy!

 

[Psycho Doctor]

ah this is so normal, it's not funny. The danger comes when you're convinced it's medical school syndrome and then do nothing about it, and it turns out to be something. sorry i had to say that.

and how's Sydney? My gf is presently doing study abroad in Perth. I may travel over there to see her. What should I see in Sydney?

 

[Ezekiel20]

and how's Sydney? My gf is presently doing study abroad in Perth. I may travel over there to see her. What should I see in Sydney?

I think I exchanged messages about this before, but here are a short list of places to see in Sydney:

- The Rocks (Opera House, Harbour Bridge)

- Mrs Macquaries Chair (best place to get a picture-perfect shot of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge together)

- Darling Harbour (do a google image search for this one)

- George St (nightlife)

- Chinatown

- Homebush Olympic Park (go at dusk to see light displays)

- the beaches (Bondi, Coogee, Manly, Bronte etc etc)

- Sydney University main campus

 

[Beau Geste]

ah this is so normal, it's not funny. The danger comes when you're convinced it's medical school syndrome and then do nothing about it, and it turns out to be something. sorry i had to say that.

and how's Sydney? My gf is presently doing study abroad in Perth. I may travel over there to see her. What should I see in Sydney?

If you're headed to Oz, I also highly recommend a stop in New Zealand.

 

[azzarah]

I had this on psychiatry. I was convinced I had histrionic, obsessive compulsive & narcissistic personality disorders when I read the descriptions for the first time.

 

[azzarah]

My gf is presently doing study abroad in Perth. I may travel over there to see her. What should I see in Sydney?

Sorry to hijack this thread....

What is she studying there? I'm trying to set up a rotation at Perth. If you have any ideas and have the time, please send me a private message.

 

[Deanmonster]

Sydney and Perth are hella far apart. I'd focus on Western Australia since you're already going to be over there.

p.s. My left eye twitches sometimes. What the hell?

 

[Psycho Doctor]

If you're headed to Oz, I also highly recommend a stop in New Zealand.

Sydney and Perth are hella far apart. I'd focus on Western Australia since you're already going to be over there.

p.s. My left eye twitches sometimes. What the hell?

yea I know, but the plan is (if I go) for her to meet me on the east coast and then for us to explore Sydney and Cairns and then go on to New Zealand. She doesn't want me to come to Perth because she wants to be able to visit other places on her break.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Sorry to hijack this thread....

What is she studying there? I'm trying to set up a rotation at Perth. If you have any ideas and have the time, please send me a private message.

She's actually a junior UG so I don't think anything I say can help you. She just recently switched to pre med and is attempting to take: microbiology, physical chem, organic chem, physics and Australian studies. You wanted to work in a hospital there?

 

[Psycho Doctor]

I think I exchanged messages about this before, but here are a short list of places to see in Sydney:

- The Rocks (Opera House, Harbour Bridge)

- Mrs Macquaries Chair (best place to get a picture-perfect shot of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge together)

- Darling Harbour (do a google image search for this one)

- George St (nightlife)

- Chinatown

- Homebush Olympic Park (go at dusk to see light displays)

- the beaches (Bondi, Coogee, Manly, Bronte etc etc)

- Sydney University main campus

thanks so much. Actually you may have told me this and I saved it, sorry, I do appreciate it and am a litlte absent-minded.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

If anyone cares to read Michael Creighton's Travels, there is a funny tidbit in there about his med-student syndrome. He ultimately channeled this paranoia into the Andomeda Strain during his clinical years.

 

[deleted29780]

The danger comes when you're convinced it's medical school syndrome and then do nothing about it, and it turns out to be something.

THIS IS SO HILARIOUS. YOU HAVE A POINT THERE MATE. THE TRUTH IS OUR WORST FEARS MAY BE UNFOUNDED... THERE IS ALWAYS A POSSIBLE MAYBE