Questions About "The List of Symptoms"

[mds319]

I've never had any problems dealing with stress so this is new to me. I quit my 20 year smokeless tobacco habit back on Jan 30, 2013 and I think my brain is still in shock and doesn't know how to react. So..... I have an increasing list of personal symptoms that are on the sticky master list but some of my symptoms point to brain tumors, stomach cancer and all other sorts of bad things as well. How do you differentiate between the symptoms and KNOW that it's not something else (other than having every test under the moon done)?

My combo list of symptoms:

7+ weeks: left ear ringing (all of the time), pressure in the back of my head, lightheadedness (except for the first couple hours after I wake up), post nasal drip, sore neck and sore along the base of my skull, traveling tender spots that feel like bruises when touched.

Recent symptoms (4+ days): All of the above but now nauseated, tingling hands, occasionally feel like I'm running fever but not, occasionally feel faint, no appetite (eating very little) because my stomach stays in knots.

I've been to the doc 3 times over the last 2 months: blood work fine, neuro exam appears normal, ordered a CT scan but I havent done it yet.

I've been under a LOT of additional stress over the past 6 weeks with more to come but these symptoms started prior to my wife's cancer diagnosis. I want to be there for her during chemo and future surgeries but I constantly fear something bad will happen to her AND me and then our 3 kids will be on their own.

[Cobra]

Sounds like a lot of stress. Your wife is sick, you quit a tobacco habit for your health, so you have that in the back of your mind, the what ifs, and you feel like you can't get sick because of your children. This is a perfect recipe for hypochondria and panic attacks. Your symptoms are typical of anxiety tho.

[mds319]

Cobra,

Thanks for the info. The nausea and lack of appetite that I've gotten recently has made things worse. I was always pretty healthy and symptoms would clear on their own in the past. This has done nothing but gotten worse and added symptoms to the growing list. I wish there was a switch to turn everything off and just reset.

The ironic thing is that I always silently criticized folks who couldn't cope with stress. My wife and I have very busy lives and I figured that if we could handle it, these other folks should be able to do so as well. I never knew how bad of a problem this is. Our health problems have changed my perspective on things emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

[JustAnotherAttack]

I am sorry to hear about your wife. I had a cancer scare a while back which was terrible, so I cannot even pretend to know what you guys are going through.
I do know that it was hard on my husband, but he didn't really show it. He feels the same way you felt...if he can deal with the stresses that are in his life then everyone else should be able to.

Thats not always the case. I hate medications, but I ended up having to take them because of how I felt. I'm not on anything now, but I should be because its getting harder and harder to handle.

You still need to find time to do something that you enjoy doing...having a hobby and something to look forward to will help a lot.
Also if you need medications...take them. Don't think less of yourself for not being able to handle it on your own. Your stresses are very real and causing you problems which need to be addressed.
I'd love to say that everything is going to be fine, but you have to take the steps in order to make sure that you're okay. Visiting these forums has helped me a lot...just knowing there are people who feel what I feel.
Stress and panic attacks are horrible, but there are ways to go about treating them. :)