Does anyone google their symptoms?

[Tyga11]

I have never been diagnosed but I think I am a hypochondriac. It seems like I'm getting progressively worse.

I had a mouth ulcer that wouldn't go away for over a week and I was convinced I had mouth cancer. This was 2 months or so ago...

Prior to that, I had really bad stomach pains and thought I had colon cancer...exact symptoms.

Now, I have had a headache for a couple of days and think I have a brain tumor.

I can't help myself but google the symptoms and I read reddit posts etc of people diagnosed.

Does anyone have this?

[M_Six]

Dr. Google is my usual second opinion.

Mostly I use it to check on things like blood test results. I have one test they do where my results are always just slightly below the normal test range. But the possible causes are nothing I have, so I guess it's just my normal range.

I also check out any new drug a doctor wants me to take before I go to the pharmacy to pick it up. I've been prescribed drugs that I refused to take after reading about the possible side effects.

[tranquility]

You may even be psychosomatic, so, ya, you really need to stop googling.

[aliiin]

Yep, because DOs and MDs got their degrees reading WebMD.

[JAI///M3]

You likely don’t have any of those things man.

But google anxiety and start doing what it says to get rid of anxiety. (Get good sleep, eat a nutritious diet, get some excersize) and you’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel.

(BTW I’m not a doctor)

[zx10guy]

Dr. Google has its uses. But you have to take those things into context. If you are really concerned, then set up an office visit with your doctor. Sitting around running through all sorts of imaginary scenarios is a total waste of your mental energy. If you find that this is getting to the obsessive compulsive state where you are having issues functioning day to day, I highly suggest getting some mental health help. And I'm not joking around either.

This is coming from someone that has an actual diagnosed major health condition (three of them) to include your colon cancer that you assumed you had. I actually had it.

[RickFLM4]

My dad is (sort of) the opposite. He has some serious health issues. When he is prescribed medicine, he googles them and then is convinced he has the side effects so he stops taking the medicine. Pretty frustrating for me to watch.

I think googling is fine if you can treat it as partial information. I have figured out some minor stuff like plantar fasciitis, but always rely on a doctor and get regular checkups (now from multiple doctors as I get older). I agree with zx10guy. See a doctor when something is bothering you, especially if it goes on for more than a couple of days.

[billnchristy]

I do it but realize that every time I have a sniffle Dr. G says I'm dying so I just laugh it off usually.

I did get a little freaked out last year. I was in Turkey and suddenly felt like absolute ass. I went back to the hotel and I don't know how bad the fever was, but I'm pretty sure it was epic as I had the room at 80+ degrees and was still freezing my ass off. I had straight liquid diarrhea like every 15 minutes and no desire to eat or drink. Figured it was regular food poisoning and took the next day off. When it didn't get better we went to the Dr. and I tested positive for every typhus salmonella there was. Doc got me antibiotics and some other stuff. I made it home without incident and was doing better near the end of the course of the anti's but the diarrhea just wouldn't go away. I called my doc and get another course. It got controllable, only like 3-4 times a day but stayed with me until the day before NYE. I was pooping for over 30 days straight.

I guess after reading how bad typhoid fever could be I got away pretty easy but it was a little scary for a bit.

[ASAP]

Remember... with minor symptoms, google will tell you that you are about to die lol...

[c1pher]

Pretty soon we will all be using ChatGPT or a variant as our doctor.

[///MPhatic]

I do, but with so many paid advertisements these days it's hard to get anything worth reading.

Remember that your mind is very powerful, and if you read long enough you're going to find something terrible that fits your symptoms, and then your body may start to manifest additional symptoms because of what you read.

Teledoc is the best way to deal with this sort of anxiety, and even then you should wait a month before calling, as very few illnesses will get significantly worse within that timeframe (they usually get better or disappear entirely).

[cooolone2]

Dr Google is both a blessing and a curse!

Which way it goes is largely dependent upon the user! Any Patient can educate themselves, but as noted above, in a secondary sense. Thinking that Dr. Google will put you on par with trained professionals is problematic. It doesn't, and while focusing on the minutiae of an issue, you'll miss a thousand things... So be careful.

AI isn't much better at this time, so be wary of Unicorns! There are none!

[Our03z4]

Well I've had some issues going on and went the Dr to have blood work done. All issues were confirmed on what I thought they were. They didn't think it was necessary to do the one test...I convinced them...and it came back confirming my thoughts. One curve ball is that I'm now being watched for a possible brain tumor thanks to how the tests came back. I would recommend instead of Google looking at the NIH studies, much better.

[wtwo3]

This thread should instead be titled, "Does anyone NOT google their symptoms?"

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

This thread should instead be titled, "Does anyone NOT google their symptoms?"

*raises hand*

I just roll with the punches and toss over-the-counter stuff and vitamins at it until it goes away. I think the last time I went to the doctor was to get a prescription to take care of some poison ivy I got into a few years ago.

[Esteban]

I take a lot of meds so I have to go to my doc twice a year for prescriptions and lab work. I don't like to have my pharmacy call my doc for refills so I have her write me out the prescriptions with refills every 6 months then I turn them in and go online to my pharmacy and ask for a refill when I need it. Between the doc and the pharmacy and my insurance something always gets screwed up.

I google my symptoms every one in a while, nothing wrong with that, but I take what I read with a grain of salt. Google can never take the place of a real doctor and real medical tests but google can give you an idea of what may be going on, and I emphasize MAY BE. It all depends on how you ask. If you ask leading questions you might get answers that are misleading and just not accurate for your particular case.

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

*raises hand*

I just roll with the punches and toss over-the-counter stuff and vitamins at it until it goes away. I think the last time I went to the doctor was to get a prescription to take care of some poison ivy I got into a few years ago.

I was being hypothetically humorous mannnnnnnnnnn

[Our03z4]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

*raises hand*

I just roll with the punches and toss over-the-counter stuff and vitamins at it until it goes away. I think the last time I went to the doctor was to get a prescription to take care of some poison ivy I got into a few years ago.

That's the way I use to be, now I'm regretting it. You should at least get a full panel blood work done if nothing else. Don't even have to go to a Dr. to do that now.

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

I was being hypothetically humorous mannnnnnnnnnn

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by Our03z4

That's the way I use to be, now I'm regretting it. You should at least get a full panel blood work done if nothing else. Don't even have to go to a Dr. to do that now.

My wife is on my ass all the time to at least go get a checkup. I guess I'm flying by the "I'm young" regime.

[M5Rick]

Blood test every year and no worries for now.

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by Our03z4

That's the way I use to be, now I'm regretting it. You should at least get a full panel blood work done if nothing else. Don't even have to go to a Dr. to do that now.

You think you have a brain tumor?