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View Full Version : Is it Anxiety? HELP!!!



Andrew89
01-15-2010, 11:21 PM
Hey guys, first of all my names Andrew I am 20 from Toronto, Canada and I am new to the site. After over a year of medical issues I am finally wondering if the doctors were right about anxiety after all.

I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LONG POST IN ADVANCE JUST DONT WANNA LEAVE ANYTHING OUT.

Bit of background info first around a year ago Jan 2009 I developed intense constant headaches out of nowhere and was in and out of the ER for about a month straight. During that time it felt like my head was going to explode 24/7 I was on the verge of being suicidal. I also had light sensitivity that was so extreme I wore sunglasses in the house most of the time. I started to develop fear of things like brain tumors,meningitis,etc. dropped out of school for the rest of the year and quit my job. I finally felt some reassurance after the MRI of the brain was done in April 09, and after about a month the headache pain was much more managable.

Over the summer the headache pain came back a few times for periods of weeks, the light sensitivity dissappeared. However I started developing other symptoms. I became extremley temperature sensitive (i didnt sweat more i jus felt extremley hot inside especially my hands and head which was worse based on the temperature), dizziness when moving my eyes, scalp sensitivity (headache related).

Near the begining of september I tried alternative treatments for the headaches (because the neuros and the pain pills were totally useless) which included nerve blocks from a headache specialists and chiropratic treatment. After about a month of these treatments I felt better than I had in a long time my head no longer felt in knots, the diziness subsided, my scalp was no longer sensitive ( i couldnt even put hair product in my hair because it would cause pain).

After a month of thinking this nightmare was over (late sept-oct 09) i developed extremley bad abdominal pain that would radiate all over sometimes the upper, lower, right, left. I wound up in the ER twice had a ultrasound done (negative of course) One day the pain was so bad I couldnt walk. The abdomen was also very sensitive to touch, this all lasted a month.

Out of nowhere after a month the abdominal pain goes away and for about 2 weeks I start feeling better. After those 2 weeks 2 new symptoms appear really bad shortness of breath and fatigue that i had never experienced before in my life. I was in the ER once for this had a negative chest xray and blood workup and given puffers. Ironically the puffers helped me with my energy (assuming because its a steroid) but not really with the shortness of breath. Over this period i stayed away from going outside due to the cold weather and being unable to breath in it, and i was wheezing a lot of the time.

Once again after about a month (were in Dec 09 now) the shortness of breath gets better by itself but while a new symptom takes over right away. This time its chest tightness (mostly in both breast areas) also fluttering in the same areas, rib cage pain (especially with moving) and alot of mucous running down my throat (post nasal drip). My doctor just told me he really has no clue because of the odd combination of symptoms and sent me for another chest xray (neg) and blood workup (neg). In the middle of this I got a cold and sinus infection which wouldnt go away for about 3 weeks.

So finally were here now and over the past week ive developed pain in the chin/lower jaw that radiates to my lower teeth at times, and rapid heartbeat when climbing the stairs or with even minimal movement. The rib cage pain is slightly better (still hurts when i twist) chest tightness in both sides of my chest (breast/lung area) is prolly worse, and the mucous seems better.
What I find funny is that the mucous disappeared the same day the jaw pain appeared?

So with these symptoms appearing one after another I am starting to think I have some kind of anxiety disorder. The thing is I havent really been scared for about 6 months now yet i keep developing symptoms one after another, one goes another one comes in vice versa. Also my body tends to feel whatever is worse so lets say for example i have this chest tightness, but ill get a headache and wont feel the chest stuff just the head until it disappears then iam back to the chest tightness feeling its a vicious never ending cycle. Ive prolly had a problem with every part of my body literally in the last year. With not one positive test does this have to be anxiety? The only thing that seemed to be real was the original ocipital headache thing but could my fear of a tumor inititally sparked all of this to a point where i just have symptom after symptom now? Is there anything else i should ask my doctor or testing that shuold be done? Thanks in advance if you managed to get through all my rambling lol

Andrew89
01-16-2010, 07:48 PM
bump?

CindyE
01-17-2010, 09:27 AM
It sounds like it could be anxiety. Anxiety is a strange thing, and can cause a wide range of symptoms, both physical and mental. I did not realize I had anxiety until I took some online surveys about mental disorders. (I was actually looking for help for my husband, not me!)
Once I figured out it might be anxiety, I started seeing a counselor/psychoanalyst. He recently referred me to my doctor, to try meds for anxiety/depression. Mostly i have generalized anxiety/social anxiety disorder. Just knowing what is wrong has helped me a lot. When I was young, I had a lot of stomach problems, probably because of anxiety. As I got older, I started experiencing lots of dizziness, feeling disoriented, heart palpitations, and just feeling really weird, especially around people.

ThePhoenix
01-19-2010, 08:33 PM
Definately sounds like anxiety to me, anxiety is excellent at picking out a symptom and magnifying until we fixate on it and it consumes us. You have been to the doctor and checked over, if he says its anxiety then I would put my money on it!