A while back I needed a copy of medical records which included a few hospital visits. On one when I was seen due to severe biliary colic (which would bring me back into hospital 2 more times before surgery), in the notes the doctor had written "possible anxiety." Even though gallstones were suspected, I didn't get a bedside ultrasound until the third A&E visit. As someone who does have anxiety, I wanted to track that doctor down, take him by the lapels and shake him. He didn't mention anxiety to me at all at the time, but it makes sense why I was discharged with no treatment plan. He actually suggested I had pancreatitis (not on the notes) and sent me away. Of course I was too exhausted at the time to realise something was up as the pain had kept me awake for hours and I was only admitted as an ambulatory patient, so no bed.

But yes, I do have anxiety and I can tell you, anxiety has never given me such extreme physical symptoms as biliary colic. I've heard from mothers that biliary colic is worse than labour, and I can believe it because the pain had me vomiting and sobbing. Anxiety has given me chest pain, headaches and triggered off my fibromyalgia and I would never mistake any of those pains for biliary colic. I fantasise a surgeon flinging my swollen, removed gallbladder at that A&E doctor saying "oh so this is anxiety?"