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[Neonivek]

So unfortunately my hypochondria has kicked in. I woke up today with problems with breathing like my lungs simply can't breathe in a lot of air, as if it was filled with phlegm and I am very sure I just have a cold.

Then I heard that Legionaire's disease had an outbreak near me. So I wanted to check up the symptoms but I lack the fever.

So I was curious as to what I could have and typed "Should I be concerned over Shortness of breath" and gone to a site and I went down the list.

Horrifically every single option lead to "See a doctor" or "See a doctor immediately you are dying!" (there was no "Ohh your just sick" possibility) but that isn't the best part.

You see I've been using Epson Salt on my feet to kill a possible fungal infection (My feet have been VERY itchy for a long time and arn't healing properly) and because the calises on my feet are thick it causes days long swelling on the pads on my feet (Pin needle pain quite often). In otherwords my feet are swelling.

So I get down the list and "Feet swelling" and "Shortness of breath" AND tougher to breathe when lying down actually fell onto "You are dying, get to a doctor ASAP now!" levels (Specifically it indicates a type of heart failure, something VERY likely for me to have)
-Actually about three of those sections actually applied to me...

Dang it Online Medical advice! Your playing on my fears! Now I am going to HAVE to go to the Walk in Clinic... and he is going to be "Why is he coming in here? I hate when university kids come in here and waste my time" and I am going to be all

So have any of you ever looked up a symptom online and by sheer coincidence came up with the results of life threatening illness?

---------

Edit addition: Apperantly I had Exema and Asthma. It sure took a long time.

[TheBronzePickle]

Most websites are sensationalist. A select few of the ones you can trust (mostly) are the Mayo Clinic website, the National Library of Medicine website, and to a lesser degree WebMD. I wouldn't trust any of these sites about whether or not you have a lethal disease, though.

The rule of thumb is that if you're not better in a week or have debilitating symptoms, go to the doctor. Otherwise, everything should be okay.

[freeformschooler]

I am reminded of the Modern Family episode where the old guy has Appendicitis.

Anyway, TheBronzePickle's advice is great. I would listen to him.

[Neonivek]

I am reminded of the Modern Family episode where the old guy has Appendicitis.

Anyway, TheBronzePickle's advice is great. I would listen to him.

I believe him alright. Honestly I just love the way that the site predicted my imminant death in 3 different ways based on symptoms I had LONG before this one.

It just doesn't help when I am a little bit crazy.

My original plan was to see if my breathing was worse tommorow (as it was pretty bad in the morning) and then if it was, to drop by the drop in clinic after classes.

DANG IT INTERNET!

Though thanks for saying so. I made this topic to calm me down.

[Footkerchief]

You see I've been using Epson Salt on my feet to kill a possible fungal infection (My feet have been VERY itchy for a long time and arn't healing properly) and because the calises on my feet are thick it causes days long swelling on the pads on my feet (Pin needle pain quite often). In otherwords my feet are swelling.

You should probably go to a doctor about this if you're overweight (which I'm guessing you are based on the heart failure thing).  I don't think swelling is a normal reaction to Epsom salt.

[Neonivek]

You see I've been using Epson Salt on my feet to kill a possible fungal infection (My feet have been VERY itchy for a long time and arn't healing properly) and because the calises on my feet are thick it causes days long swelling on the pads on my feet (Pin needle pain quite often). In otherwords my feet are swelling.

You should probably go to a doctor about this if you're overweight (which I'm guessing you are based on the heart failure thing).  I don't think swelling is a normal reaction to Epsom salt.

From what the internet has told me it is an uncommon reaction to soaking your feet. Though it is mostly Pain from soaking (which for me only happens with Epson) but the pain is very similar to swelling so I am guessing it is swelling (That sort of sudden wave of pin needle pain with some pressure of some sort).

Though yeah I am embarassingly overweight.

Though the problem is always... "See a doctor, and then what?"

[alway]

If something seems out of place, go see a doctor; self diagnoses are pretty much useless and almost always incorrect, so unless a doctor with full knowledge of any symptoms you may have says you have something, you can pretty much assume you are fine.

Edit: Just tell the doctor about any symptoms or generally anything out of the ordinary. Doctors assume you haven't the foggiest idea about what is going on aside from symptoms, whether you claim a self-diagnosed condition or not. After all, there's a reason they go to med school for years.

[Neonivek]

Oook.

So back to "see a doctor".

And another blood test (the last last time I had one, I fainted and got a cramp while unconscious causing me to scream in pain during semi-consciousness and being unable to walk much afterwords. They thought my screaming was fear annoyingly) to fail.

Is it even useful to go to a drop in to see if this is even worth bringing up to my doctor?

Ok, I'll try to convince my family somehow to let me see the doctor. Though they will probably just talk me out of it.

THOUGH, I may have a reason why my feet hurt after using Epsom Salt...  ERRRRR internet

Edit addition: After collecting myself from another scare... I decided not to go. Though I guess I should schedual a check up soon.

[ChairmanPoo]

The edema would go beyond the plants, and be quite evident (eg: deep imprints remaining after pressure). Plus, it would take some time for a left heart failure to progress into right heart failure, and by then the shortness of breath would be quite bad. So don't worry too much.

[Flying Dice]

No, but I have a very good example of why not to: For a period of time my mother was having severe allergic reactions to something, and attempted to self-diagnose using internet resources. She spent close to two years cutting various things out of her life with no result. Finally, when we were about to leave on vacation this spring, she had a very bad reaction and had to go to the emergency room for a few days. As soon as she got out, she went to her doctor and they ran some tests. About a week or two later, the results came back, and (IIRC) it turned out that she was allergic to chicken.


tl;dr: If you think you have a medical problem, talk to a doctor. They will almost always know more than an internet site, and will be able to directly address your symptoms rather than general ones experienced by other people. Not to mention that a number of symptoms can mean practically anything, or nothing at all.

[squeakyReaper]

The symptoms for "falling on the floor and cutting your knee" are roughly similar to dangerous foot fungus, brittleness of bones and hemophilia. My mom injured herself while running, tried to look it up, and it turns out that she has cancer.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Don't give medical diagnosis sites too much trust.

To wit:

Headache

Brain Cancer

Terminal Illness

You think I jest, but that was actually the result of a WebMD query that someone posted an image of. I can't find said image now, but it really exhibited how crazy the diagnoses can get. (Oh, and for the record, Brain Cancer was the only result given, not just one.)

[Leafsnail]

I've tried that out, and actually there's a whole questionnaire attached to the "headache" symptom.  It may be that there's a certain set of answers there that strongly imply brain cancer and nothing else.

[ChairmanPoo]

THere isn't, really. Brain cancer (in particular, malignant brain tumors, rather) doesn't provide very specific signs. (though in certain situations, at certain ages, it must be checked out. For instance, a 50-60 y/o man having seizures out of the blue is highly suspicious of having brain cancer, whereas at later ages the same signs suggest vascular disease)

[Bohandas]

I think that most of these sites are trying to cover their asses with regard to possible lawsuits.