Ever Worry You're Sick?

[PaddyofNine]

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I was just reading a case study where a doctor ordered a test on himself in order to display something to medstudents, only to discover that he had advanced lung cancer!

Does anyone else wish that they could order a full set of tests (MRI, CAT, the works!) just to be sure that they didn't have something? Not a hypochondriac or anything, but sometimes I worry!.........

 

[Seaglass]

I think all medical professionals go through this at one point or another. After all, in our world everyone is sick!

 

[Doc Ivy]

We're doing hematology right now, and I have gone through various stages of panic thinking that I have every strange blood disorder in the book... you start thinking back to the nose bleed you got last year, or that bruise on your arm... checking the bowl for "tea colored urine" etc.

 

[ColoMD]

It's called medical student syndrome...and it happens to almost everyone.

 

[Samoa]

I don't consciously worry about having any of the diseases we're studying, but I occasionally have nightmares about them.

Edit: Well, OK, *one* nightmare, the week before an exam.

 

[divinemsm]

I am currently convinced that I have Rheumatic Fever, since I had numerous strep infections as a kid, and was diagnosed with a mitral valve prolapse years ago...micro will do that to you.

 

[DOtobe]

I agree that everyone goes through a time when they think they have every condition they learned about.

I was convinced that I had the sx of esophageal cancer when we were doing the GI system because I got food stuck in my throat a couple times. Never mind that I have maybe had 5 episodes of heartburn in my entire life and would therefore not be at much risk...

All medical students feel a little and become hypochondriacs while they are in school.

 

[madtowngirl]

I tend to think that I have whatever disease fits along with the pathophys block we are studying. And when I'm in clinic with the doc I shadow, my Ddx always has things on it that are so unlikely its not funny, except I learned about it in lecture that morning.

 

[DrMom]

Just wait until you're on your peds rotation & pick up all kinds of lovely things from the germy buggers...for real. 😉

 

[Stinger86]

Just wait until you're on your peds rotation & pick up all kinds of lovely things from the germy buggers...for real. 😉

No kidding. I started to develop a sore throat and figured it was an enterovirus infection after I developed a minor headache along with it, but after a few days, my snot turned yellow (gross) and alas, it was just a cold. Thanks to the internal med attending who planted the entervirus seed in my poor susceptible head.


Also, during second year, I thought I actually had a AAA. 🙄 And rheumatic fever at one point.

 

[DOtobe]

Just wait until you're on your peds rotation & pick up all kinds of lovely things from the germy buggers...for real. 😉

The only thing I caught on my peds rotation was rotavirus...not a very fun couple of days. 👎

 

[DrMom]

The only thing I caught on my peds rotation was rotavirus...not a very fun couple of days. 👎

I got strep early on & now I have a cold (with the threat of a sinus infection). Sooo glad I didn't get any gut bugs.

They're gonna love me starting my ICU rotation with this cold. 👎

 

[pharmer]

I'm convinced I have rectal cancer right now never mind the fact that I have no family h/o of that and am only 25. I get a sharp pain in that area that lasts for about second and goes away a couple time a day but I haven't gone to the doctor because 1. Its probably nothing 2. DRE 👎 3. what if they want to do a flex sig or endoscope =$$$ 4. Its probably nothing

 

[woolie]

One of the reasons I really went for medicine was because I was always interested in possible diseases I might have. I admit I was a terrible hypochondriac when I was a kid but it was just that I was interesed in medicine and thought it was so cool to think about conditions that people could get. Now, I just take that interest and turn it towards actually working with people who are sick. 🙂

But I still will think, chest pain: am I having a symptom from early coronary artery disease? Anxiety? Blocked arteries? A murmur? An aortic aneurism? A pulmonary embolism? Gas? am I dying and I just don't know it?

I totally want to get one of those full body scans just so I can check and see what my kidneys, bowels, heart vessels, brain (brain tumor?) are all doing. It could be so neat to see.

 

[Stinger86]

The only thing I caught on my peds rotation was rotavirus...not a very fun couple of days. 👎

Ouch. There was an army of rotavirus invading our NICU a while back, and every single day without fail our attending would walk in before rounds and ask each one of us "did you wash your hands? did you wash your hands?" One of the interns was too busy to heed the warning and spend one of the following days entirely on the john

 

[supereagles]

I am totally convinced I am a hypochondriac. I have suspected this for a while but now that I am in med school It seems to have become a lot worse. Are there medications for this?

 

[stoic]

I am totally convinced I am a hypochondriac. I have suspected this for a while but now that I am in med school It seems to have become a lot worse. Are there medications for this?

potentially. SSRI's are used a lot for anxiety and that often exaserbates this sort of thing.

on this issue I speak from personal experience. talk to your doc if it's interfering with your daily life.

 

[PaddyofNine]

I'm especially freaked out [occasionally] about the possibility of having something sort of undetectable. I think when Dr. Greene died of a brain tumour on ER, I was like "Parents! MRI! Now!".

<sad, I know!>

 

[Tiki]

Sometimes I think I have a brain tumor, because ever since I started medical school, I feel like my memory had gone down hill. And of course it must be from some brain tumor, not because they just pile on too much information and my brain is being overloaded. 😀

 

[hedera916]

I sometimes think I have dyspnea, and palpitations...CHF?! I don't even smoke, I've never smoked in my entire life! Hahaha...Oh and there was a time I skipped my period and began to think if I had galactorrhea...AND because I had amenorrhea and I felt like my axilla hair was not growing as rapidly as it should I thought, acute adrenal insufficiency?!

 

[leorl]

I think I have narcolepsy!!!!! maybe just a mild form, but !!!

 

[stoic]

I sometimes think I have dyspnea, and palpitations...CHF?! I don't even smoke, I've never smoked in my entire life! Hahaha...Oh and there was a time I skipped my period and began to think if I had galactorrhea...AND because I had amenorrhea and I felt like my axilla hair was not growing as rapidly as it should I thought, acute adrenal insufficiency?!

Wow. You might take the cake for most in need of some ativan.

 

[PaddyofNine]

...and I felt like my axilla hair was not growing as rapidly as it should....

LOL Yea, hate when that happens......

 

[SilverAngel1110]

diseases i've "had" so far this year:

rheumatoid arthritis
sciatic nerve compression
hyperthyroidism
hypothyroidism
diabetes
diffuse full body cancer
farmer's lung

😱 😉

 

[Doc Ivy]

Today I'm convinced that I have bone pain, secondary to lymphoma. Oye I can't wait for heme-onc to be overwith.

 

[carrigallen]

We are doing parasites right now, and I'm worried I have a huge tapeworm inside me. I feel like I eat and eat yet it never goes anywhere, and sometimes I imagine the worm crawling around inside my abdomen..

 

[PaddyofNine]

We are doing parasites right now, and I'm worried I have a huge tapeworm inside me. I feel like I eat and eat yet it never goes anywhere, and sometimes I imagine the worm crawling around inside my abdomen..

We took that class last year. I know we're meant to be all impartial and stuff about diseases, but...

<ew>

 

[leorl]

Yea, I hate micro. Think the whole class nearly puked when shown a photo on big screen of amoebic dysentery...and that's not even the worst thing.

 

[Doc Ivy]

As for micro, I thought whipworm was the worst. Our prof told us to remember that heavy infection looks like coconut cake... there goes that dessert. 👎

 

[stoic]

As for micro, I thought whipworm was the worst. Our prof told us to remember that heavy infection looks like coconut cake... there goes that dessert. 👎

oh man, whipworms are gross. i think the really bad whipworm infections are the grossest pics i've seen yet (even worse than trauma)

 

[peehdee]

yeah it would be cool, if you could do it. i mean get a complete work up that is. we're going to have the power to order these tests for others but it would be nice to able to get them on ourselves

I was just reading a case study where a doctor ordered a test on himself in order to display something to medstudents, only to discover that he had advanced lung cancer!

Does anyone else wish that they could order a full set of tests (MRI, CAT, the works!) just to be sure that they didn't have something? Not a hypochondriac or anything, but sometimes I worry!.........

 

[Newman8r]

I think I have proteinuria

 

[sacrament]

I have conversion disorder. Neuro symptoms that fit no recognizable neuroanatomy or syndrome, etc. Irritating as hell. It used to freak me out, but now I just try to ignore it. Ok, it still freaks me out.

 

[alisepeep]

I am currently dealing with a horrible case of this.
Have convinced myself i had parotid cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer. Currently I am worried I have heart failure due to a mass compressing my heart. Fun stuff, its really debilitating anxiety at times 🙁. Have gone to the ER 6 times within the past year. My heart rate is in the 120s when I come in, after the doctor comes to talk to me and reassures me, my heart rate goes down to 80's. Crazy stuff.

 

[alpinism]

You should probably go see a psychiatrist.

Sounds like a somatic symptom disorder (most likely hypochondriasis).

CBT and SSRIs can help in some cases.

 

[Psai]

Just wait until you're on your peds rotation & pick up all kinds of lovely things from the germy buggers...for real. 😉

Man I was sick every single day of peds and for 3 weeks after too

 

[chillaxbro]

I was convinced I had colorectal cancer when we were doing neoplasms unit

 

[Rocher]

I convinced myself I had MS once, and I occasionally get a little concerned about an enlarged lymph node that is hard and painless. Really though I've gotten much better about it as I get farther along in my career.