hypochondriasis

A little knowledge is dangerous. I know juuuust enough to freak myself out, but not enough to do anything about it. So on Monday I went to the ER to see if I could get stitches placed for my laceration. Long boring story.

More importantly, they took my BP at 137/88. Holy shit. I was 90/60 just a year ago. No FamHx of HTN. In fact, I clocked my 60yo dad at 120/85 over Christmas. I'm freaking out now. Pheo? Aldo-secreting tumor? Graves'? Renal artery stenosis 2/2 ascending UTI? (I saw a 14yo kid last wk w/ renal artery stenosis decompensating into ESRD 2/2 multiple undiagnosed ascending UTIs. That could be me!) I lay awake in bed last night, extremely aware of my bounding PMI/pulses. Do I have a hyperactive precordium? Or LVH?

Worse, since I've been counseling every appropriately-aged girl on Gardasil, I'm convinced I already have HPV and am going to die of cervical cancer. Funnily enough, I'm also in denial and convince myself I'm too busy to make an OBG appt for my annual pap. I'm going to be the person who presents w/ a 20lb tumor b/c I was too avoidant to see a doctor sooner.

I had a hilarious story from clinic yesterday but I'll save it for a time when I'm freaking out less.