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What Causes Hypochondria?
Question: To start off, i feel that i have become a little bit of a hypochondriac in the past few months because there is something wrong with me, but my doctors never give me a real diagnosis, so my new fear is esophageal cancer, first i have been having gastro issues and headaches for a few months now, i dont know if you are able to look at my previous questions but they are all about my current situation, i just keep asking about new things, for about four months now i have been dealing with constipation, yellow stool, abdominal pain, headaches, pain on the sides and some in the middle of my chest, i have been getting sore throats a lot lately too, which is the reason for my new worry, i also feel like i have chest congestion causing me to clear my throat a lot the past few days, these are what worry me about my esophogus, i also have like a growth on the right side of my XXXXXXX apple that im able to push in and out, its kindve painful, i do get heart burn, not like every day, but its not really like an uncommon thing though, i was prescribed with omeprazole a couple months ago so now i just take that whenever i feel a little heartburn and im fine for a few days, ive gotten a bunch of tests and stuff done with no conclusive results, i had high bilirubin one test, but then the next one was normal again so they just called it gilberts syndrome, i also have very bubbly urine whenever i pee so i dont know if that has to do anything with it, ive gotten bloodwork, ive gotten an ultrasound on my liver and digestive tract but it still came back normal, i now take VSL #2 for my constipation and abdominal pain and it pretty much works, barely any, so now im worried about my throat stuff, and i also still have yellow stool, do you have any idea what i could have?
Brief Answer:
The problem can be Psycho-somatic in origin .
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query, an elucidate history and a hint about the old queries you have posted.
To recapitulate: Very young, just 20 years old male - feeling hypochondriac in past few months- not getting the real diagnosis from Doctors - new fear of Cancer of esophagus - gastro issue - headache - looked at previous questions - 4 months > constipation, yellow stools, abdominal pain - headache -pain on sides and middle of chest - sore throats (reason of new worry) - growth near Adam's apple - heart burn - Omeprazole - bunch of tests and stuff done, blood work and ultrasound of abdomen > no conclusive results - now normal bilirubin - bubbly urine - VSL#2 works, barely now - Most worried about throat stuff, yellow stool and Cancer of esophagus....
Cancer of the esophagus is not known to occur in the age of 20 years- so just forget about this worry.
Yellow stool: yellow or yellowish brown is the normal colour of stool, varies with the bile you secrete, the time your food takes to reach the colon, the concentration effect of the colon, Bacterial load in the colon, and so on... It is possible in your case that the transit time of intestinal contents is hastened causing stool to appear yellow.
Throat: As per the history you have provided, you are getting sore throats a lot lately too, (which is the reason for my new worry, I also feel like I have chest congestion causing me to clear my throat a lot the past few days).. The chest congestion can be seasonal / mild flu. The clearing of the throat can be due to sore-throat.
The reason for these and all other symptoms can be due to the multiple factors including the Bodily + Psychologically instigated factors. All these problems cause disturbance of Gastrointestinal bacterial flora, mild deficiency of the essential vitamins and nutrients adding to the existing problems you have, and does reduce the body resistance of a person. Usually an young man of your age should be full of enthusiasm, vigor and no disease of any sort at all.
The growth on the right side of Adam's apple can be simply a lymph node secondary to throat infection.
After discussing the three important points you specifically stressed at, let us discuss about your old / other problems.
If all the investigations are normal, and when the Doctors are not giving you a definite diagnosis, all the symptoms and the problems you have might have been mainly related to the stress and the anxiety along with development of bodily problems. This is called Psycho-Somatic in old times.
I would advise you the following.
Get a few more tests like CT scan of the abdomen, Endoscopy of the upper GI and Lower GI, and the other tests if your Doctor suggests so.
If these tests are necessarily normal, you can take this to be more towards IBS- Irritable Bowel Syndrome or so and request your Doctor to treat you on this line too. This will help you the most.
You too have to reduce your stress/ anxiety, where you can help yourself the maximum. Avoid all the foods, beverages, situations, relations, acts, activities which increase your stress or anxiety and see most of your problems will be over.
I hope, I have tried my best to give you a proper guideline and please feel free to ask more if you need any clarification or if you feel there is a gap-of-communication. I really want you to help to come out of the present problems.
The problem can be Psycho-somatic in origin .
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query, an elucidate history and a hint about the old queries you have posted.
To recapitulate: Very young, just 20 years old male - feeling hypochondriac in past few months- not getting the real diagnosis from Doctors - new fear of Cancer of esophagus - gastro issue - headache - looked at previous questions - 4 months > constipation, yellow stools, abdominal pain - headache -pain on sides and middle of chest - sore throats (reason of new worry) - growth near Adam's apple - heart burn - Omeprazole - bunch of tests and stuff done, blood work and ultrasound of abdomen > no conclusive results - now normal bilirubin - bubbly urine - VSL#2 works, barely now - Most worried about throat stuff, yellow stool and Cancer of esophagus....
Cancer of the esophagus is not known to occur in the age of 20 years- so just forget about this worry.
Yellow stool: yellow or yellowish brown is the normal colour of stool, varies with the bile you secrete, the time your food takes to reach the colon, the concentration effect of the colon, Bacterial load in the colon, and so on... It is possible in your case that the transit time of intestinal contents is hastened causing stool to appear yellow.
Throat: As per the history you have provided, you are getting sore throats a lot lately too, (which is the reason for my new worry, I also feel like I have chest congestion causing me to clear my throat a lot the past few days).. The chest congestion can be seasonal / mild flu. The clearing of the throat can be due to sore-throat.
The reason for these and all other symptoms can be due to the multiple factors including the Bodily + Psychologically instigated factors. All these problems cause disturbance of Gastrointestinal bacterial flora, mild deficiency of the essential vitamins and nutrients adding to the existing problems you have, and does reduce the body resistance of a person. Usually an young man of your age should be full of enthusiasm, vigor and no disease of any sort at all.
The growth on the right side of Adam's apple can be simply a lymph node secondary to throat infection.
After discussing the three important points you specifically stressed at, let us discuss about your old / other problems.
If all the investigations are normal, and when the Doctors are not giving you a definite diagnosis, all the symptoms and the problems you have might have been mainly related to the stress and the anxiety along with development of bodily problems. This is called Psycho-Somatic in old times.
I would advise you the following.
Get a few more tests like CT scan of the abdomen, Endoscopy of the upper GI and Lower GI, and the other tests if your Doctor suggests so.
If these tests are necessarily normal, you can take this to be more towards IBS- Irritable Bowel Syndrome or so and request your Doctor to treat you on this line too. This will help you the most.
You too have to reduce your stress/ anxiety, where you can help yourself the maximum. Avoid all the foods, beverages, situations, relations, acts, activities which increase your stress or anxiety and see most of your problems will be over.
I hope, I have tried my best to give you a proper guideline and please feel free to ask more if you need any clarification or if you feel there is a gap-of-communication. I really want you to help to come out of the present problems.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
Answered by
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