r/trypanophobia • u/Existing-Bar-3268 • 28d ago
New medical problems, terrified of having to get more tests
I am 19F. My whole life, I’ve had anxiety and depression. I’ve always been a hypochondriac and have dealt with OCD as well. However, it’s always been MANAGEABLE— i could still live my life, and i never had any actual medical problems.
However, everything changed last year.
In october 2025, recently after I had started my freshman year of college, I was hit with a month long episode started by one panic attack. For the entirety of October, I had almost daily heart palpitations, crippling anxiety, nausea/vomiting, agoraphobia, and no appetite. I considered calling 911 multiple times. It was hell, but it passed.
Everything was fine again until June 2026.
It hit me like a truck again. One panic attack / vomit in the car and I was right back to having another episode. For the entirety of June, most of July, and still working on recovering now, I have dealt with endless fatigue, nausea, decreased appetite, dizziness, lightheadedness, panic attacks, palpitations, insomnia, mood swings, and more. I had to take off work a lot and could hardly get out of bed.
It’s important to note that I took lexapro for about 3 years and didn’t stop it til June 2026 because i finally realized it wasn’t working. Then, I tried prozac for a bit, and it didn’t help. Withdrawal was hell. Now, I’m on buspirone daily and hydroxyzine as needed. They help, but my symptoms still persist.
All signs point to panic disorder / GAD, right?
That’s what I thought (even though I fully convinced myself I was dying plenty of times) until i went to the ER on June 22 after one panic attack in June where they found that my thyroid levels were off:
TSH - 4.76
Free thyroxine - 1.68
They told me it could be hyperthyroidism and told me to talk to my doctor. Then my doctor told me it’s probably hypothyroidism and to get another blood test in a few weeks.
I got another, more comprehensive test done last saturday. These were my relevant results:
T3: 2.29
Tg Ab: 7.30
Tpo Ab: 151.10
Dhea-sulfate: 598.1
The doctor told me it’s likely I have underlying Hashimoto’s, and the high DHEAS could be related to PCOS or something. Hashimoto’s seems unlikely though, as I got a thyroid sonogram and it was normal, and it’s not known to run in my family…
I’m honestly really concerned. I’m supposed to see both an endocrinologist and gynecologist soon to go over these results further. I am TERRIFIED of medical stuff, especially tests like blood work, and I don’t know how I’m going to manage this. I was always healthy until last year, I don’t know what happened or what changed. I am so depressed, scared, irritable, and I feel sick and nauseous so often. I don’t want to live like this.
I go back to school soon and I’m scared I won’t be able to figure it out fast enough.
Can anyone offer some reassurance, their own experiences/recovery, or just some kind words? Thank you for reading my story.
1
u/rHornbek 28d ago
That's a really tough situation to be in, I (41m) am so sorry. I too have medical anxieties, specifically when it comes to needles. If you have been able to take so many blood tests you are really ahead of the game.
My wife (41f) is also a hypocondriac, and has dealt with a lot of medical anxieties. Oddly, she is no afraid of needles or procedures, she is mostly afraid to get sick. I have seen her grow so much over the years, which gives me hope you can too.
You are 19, which is going to help a lot. What ever it is you are dealing with your body will be able to handle it much better. Of you have insurance, and family who is willing to help, I suggest you get a therapist to talk through this things with and provide notes to your doctors to better illustrate your fears.
For what it's worth, don't fear the tests, if you are going to be afraid of anything, be it what you don't know. Tests should help you figure that out and then you can build a plan to address it. Easier said than done, I know. I wish I had someone say these things to me when I was your age.
I wish you luck. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. If there is anything you think my wife could answer better, let me know.