Health Anxiety... I think?

[WaitingForATrain]

Ugh I am so stressed and freaked out right now. In brief, I have been having strange, seemingly unconnected physical symptoms for about three months now. It all started when I noticed these little bumps in the back of my throat. I immediately headed to the internet to find out what they were and of coursed self diagnosed myself with throat cancer. I am an 18 year old male, who smoked lightly for about 6 months and haven't touched cigarettes (nor do I plan to) since. I noticed the bumps about the end of august. Since then I've been tortured with these ever-changing physical symptoms (more on these in a bit). I've been to the doctor three times, he said my throat looked normal, he recommended an MRI for my head, had an EKG done, full blood panel, and all three tests say I'm fine. I also had an eye test, found out I'm a little farsighted, but everything else is fine (I have reading glasses now, which take away the eye strain, but everything else remains).
Now the thing is, ever since I noticed those bumps, I have been stressing out and spending most of my waking hours thinking about cancer and death. Like, really freaking out. I was certain I was dying. I am reasonably certain at this point, that most, if not all, of these symptoms are caused by this extreme stress and anxiety. But basically, even after pinning this stuff on anxiety, I'm still feeling most of them, and some almost seem to be getting worse. I CANT afford to go back to the doctor, unless it seems to be something actually worth checking out. My family has already spent WAY too much on these tests and visits (we're not a wealthy bunch), and we frankly just can't afford to do much else unless the situation is dire. I'm just wondering if those of you with similar anxieties have the some of the same types of symptoms that occur in the same way, and, more to the point, if you think I should go back for more tests (like a stool culture or urine sample) or if this is most likely just anxiety.
My complete list of symptoms, in the order they appeared:
Tight throat
Post nasal drip (allergies I think)
Severe headaches
Eye strain (solved)
Feeling faint
Nausea
Pain in throat (wakes me up at night) - Not really a "sore throat" like you'd get from strep or tonsillitis, it's deeper down, and more of a throbbing ache.
Bloated, strained feeling in stomach at night (also wakes me up at night, more discomfort than pain)
Neck pain, spreading into throat and back of head, fairly severe
Severe stabbing pain in lower gut, in pelvis region (has gotten a little better over the last few days)
Pain in back of upper ribcage (feels internal, not muscular)
None of these have gone away (except the eye strain), even though I've been intentionally calming myself and trying not to think about it.

So I know there must be about a million posts like this out there, but all I'm asking is whether this sounds familiar to anxiety sufferers or if maybe I should go back one more time to my doc. I haven't seen him since the abdominal pains started, so nothing's been checked out in that region, and we've never discussed anxiety. Another way of phrasing this is how do health anxiety sufferers know when they should go to a doctor, and when it's just an anxiety symptom. Thank you so much in advance for any help I might get, I know there must be 10 billion posts like this, so I apologize, but any advice would be helpful.

Let me also add that my current freak out is an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Probably not relevant but whatever.

[Anne1221]

Two sentences sound very much like health anxiety: "I have been stressing out and spending most of my waking hours thinking about cancer and death. Like, really freaking out. I was certain I was dying". and "Let me also add that my current freak out is an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Probably not relevant but whatever." But not sure what you should do about it.

[boeing256]

I'm sorry to hear this. I suffer from this as well. I think you have a case of just health anxiety.

[Dahila]

I think 95% of people here, suffer with health anxiety, and it is a b**** to overcome. I am sorry you deal with it, maybe try some meditation, visualization or herbal remedies

[JohnC]

Dahila is right and yes health anxiety is a bitch!

[Im-Suffering]

Reasons for health anxiety: (briefly now just to get you thinking, there is ofcourse much more involved) -

Overprotective parents, caretakers, relatives, school health classes, the news, rhetoric from doctors. All consumed in childhood when the psyche was developing and absorbing information about the world. Notice I did not say 'factual' information.

Along with telepathy between the mother and child where the mother has severe health anxiety herself or as a group with her mother and other relatives, is anxious about your survival and health, and her actions stemming from this psychological framework of fear and a lack of inherent safety, and false beliefs within the past century dealing with the human frailty of the body and it's susceptibility to attack by disease.

Your health anxiety as some stated as hard to cure so to speak, is exactly so because it started at such an early age as conditioning. Most likely pre 5 yo. And so it takes work and inner reflection to heal.

Or you can just keep running around like a frightened chicken.

You will ALL know this to be true as you remember thoughts of ill health going way back before any physical symptoms manifested. Another words you have been thinking yourself into this dilemma since early childhood, every one of you.

The way out then is to 'think' yourself into health with just as much focus and determination or persistence of thought as you have through the years of the opposite (illness), no exceptions, no other way.

You must think yourself into a healthy state even among the situation you have already created. Meaning even as you suffer, you must consistently hold healthy thoughts, and allow time for those fertile thoughts to germinate. It took years remember to manifest unhealthy symptoms. It is possible however to reverse any condition much quicker.

[Dahila]

I thought about this thread and I started to wonder, is the health anxiety (I have it) the life itself saying "stop and smell the roses"
Whole my life I was rashing things, I had never time for myself,. Maybe it started because body needed rest? Less projects, more laugh, pleasurable trips .............

[WaitingForATrain]

Thanks so much guys. It helps just to hear from people that have similar thoughts. Most people's reaction when I describe my symptoms and follow it with "...but maybe it's just anxiety" is to just roll their eyes and think "Oh what a wimp." which is infinitely frustrating. Although I will confess that I used to think social anxiety was something people made up to convince themselves it's not their fault they're awkward, so this paranoid hell I'm in is karmic justice I suppose. I'm certainly sympathizing now. Thanks again though. I gotta learn to chill out.

[idk2012ftw]

Dude I WAS and AM in the same situation as you. Im a hypochondriac obsessivley worrying about my health. A few years ago, I had convinced myself that I had cancer because I was having symptoms that correlated with it(i had searched the symptoms up online). I spent A WHOLE YEAR.....CERTAIN...that i had cancer. I was so sure i was bound to die any moment. Those were tough times. The anxiety that i was going to die and that i had cancer was ruining my all-ready shitty life. Eventually i got over it, and realized i didnt have cancer. Now i dont worry about cancer except for that fact that now i have been having unexplained chest pain for 5 YEARS!! and doctors tell me my heart is fine but i have a feeling that its something serious. I keep living in fear that im gonnna get a heart attack, cardiac arrest, etc. I'm even having the chest pain right now as im typing this.Now this is whats currently ruining my life. So i completely understand your struggle. Im also 18. If you wanna talk to feel better, you can talk to me. It was very helpful for me to talk to my best friend about my problems/issues so if you need to talk about your problems, im here.