Question: I have VERY bad health anxiety - an obsession over my health and all the things that can go wrong. I don't think it's hypochondria because from what I read, a hypochondriac will "invent" problems, whereas my fears are based on past experience.

Two months ago I had hernia surgeries and found a bulge that I worried was a recurrence. THREE different practitioners (including my primary doc and one surgeon) have examined the area and have found no problem. Yet I still worry.

I still have one more follow-up scheduled with my original surgeon, but that isn't the point - even if he says everything's fine, a week later I'll be obsessing about it again, and I'm deathly afraid of recurrence in the future. If given a clean XXXXXXX of health, my obsession will just move to something else like cancer.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS: Just go see the doctor, it'll put your mind at ease.

While intellectually I know that 99% chance nothing is wrong right now, the point is that no matter how many practitioners tell me that I'm fine, I can't be re-assured - my mind cannot be put at ease. Prior to doctor's appointments I get really nervous and anxious, I can't eat, I sleep too much, and I obsess about the visit, google my health concerns, and drive my family nuts with my "what-ifs". Meanwhile I can't live a normal life because I spend half my time obsessing over what might happen. I cannot just keep going to doctor after doctor, so I resolve to not see anyone else about this until my next follow-up. I hope I can accomplish that

I'm convinced my surgeon did a good job. He used a component separation with biological mesh, and then elevated the muscles to put in a tension-free closure to prevent another hernia sac from developing in that space. Intellectually I'm sure that I'm ok, but why am I still nervous??

I know that this problem is not about the hernia or surgeries, it's about me and not being able to let things go and just enjoy my life.

What can I do??? I have an appointment with my psychiatrist next week but I'm looking at things to try or reassure myself in the meantime (and I'm running out of Xanax). Are there any self-help programs, maybe Internet websites, videos that can help me stabilize/reassure myself in the meantime?

Thank you for your very fast reply! You have confirmed what I thought that it is CBT required for hypochondria. I definitely will look for CBT therapist but as that can take a couple of weeks to get going and find a psychologist I wonder if you have any tips on something I can do in the meantime.