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Play Dr. House! (Health Problem Thread)
Shurakai
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hello fellow denizens,
I feel like I'm going to die young, and for the longest time the answer to the question "so what's wrong with you?" has evaded me through countless doctors visits and tests and even lately psychiatrists.
I figured that you folks must be at least marginally better than WebMD, or at least easier to use :winky:.
It all started when one fine day I was going for a walk through our local nature trails and encountered a hill. I was walking up said hill when I began to feel a heavy pressure in my chest. "Thats odd." I thought, but continued, until a cold hand plunged into my chest and brought me to my knees. I managed to make it up the hill, but I was left struggling with the sensation for a good 5-10 minutes. As my heart rate slowed, the sensation (I dont call it pain because its more of a really debilitating cold/pressure/tingling pain than real, sharp pain) receded, and I tried to make it back home.
Well that didn't quite work out, and in the end I had to call an ambulance. To my surprise, they hooked my up to thier machines and gave me a clean bill of health. They let me out and I walked home, still feeling a little lightheaded but seemingly unharmed.
Every since that fateful day (probably around 18 months ago now), my 22 year old self has been experiencing such symptoms as: Weakness, Inability to walk up hills or do strenuous excessive, Tingling (in lower chest and abdomen), Sharp random pains throughout my body, Pins and needles or numbness in my feet and legs (especially while walking, and especially the right leg), heart palpitations (generally right before I try to sleep), and this curious sensation of blood pumping through my veins (mostly noticeable in my hands, sinuses and the back of my throat when it occurs.).
I did at one time go to the hospital from work because some of the above symptoms got so bad as to disorient me and cause me to freak out a little. They too found nothing wrong and sent me on my merry way.
Before you go OMG THIS GUY HAS HEART PROBLEMS have no fear, I have undergone rigorous testing, including but not limited to: Blood tests of various sorts, Chest Xrays, Echocardiograms, Abdominal and Chest Ultrasounds, and A Halter Monitor (wearable heart monitor).
So far they have found absolutely no trace of anything out of the ordinary.
And so of course there next conclusion was that I was simply crazy!
So now I have a nice lady talking to me once every couple weeks about how to go to my happy place etc etc. Now this is fine, I actually *like* talking to therapists 'cause it lets me get things off my chest, but the symptoms are still ongoing, if a tad erratic in their occurrence.
I experience some or all of these symptoms at seemingly random times, but it *seems* to be about every two weeks for approximately 2-5 days. If its bad enough I can barely get out of a chair (even though it gets worse if I sit for too long). When its mild, I can walk a fair distance but I feel very uncomfortable and I fondle my cell phone in case things get worse and I can't get home.
So, gentlemen. Am I simply crazy? Do I have an undiagnosable disease of some rare sort? Are the doctors I have been seeing simply incompetent?
And the biggest question: Am I doomed? I'd rather not be doomed, but I have already written a Will just in case.
As I sit here I am experiencing the lower chest/abdomen tingling, and if I sit up I get lightheaded and feel as if I'm not getting enough oxygen. It certainly feels dangerous.
I feel like I'm going to die young, and for the longest time the answer to the question "so what's wrong with you?" has evaded me through countless doctors visits and tests and even lately psychiatrists.
I figured that you folks must be at least marginally better than WebMD, or at least easier to use :winky:.
It all started when one fine day I was going for a walk through our local nature trails and encountered a hill. I was walking up said hill when I began to feel a heavy pressure in my chest. "Thats odd." I thought, but continued, until a cold hand plunged into my chest and brought me to my knees. I managed to make it up the hill, but I was left struggling with the sensation for a good 5-10 minutes. As my heart rate slowed, the sensation (I dont call it pain because its more of a really debilitating cold/pressure/tingling pain than real, sharp pain) receded, and I tried to make it back home.
Well that didn't quite work out, and in the end I had to call an ambulance. To my surprise, they hooked my up to thier machines and gave me a clean bill of health. They let me out and I walked home, still feeling a little lightheaded but seemingly unharmed.
Every since that fateful day (probably around 18 months ago now), my 22 year old self has been experiencing such symptoms as: Weakness, Inability to walk up hills or do strenuous excessive, Tingling (in lower chest and abdomen), Sharp random pains throughout my body, Pins and needles or numbness in my feet and legs (especially while walking, and especially the right leg), heart palpitations (generally right before I try to sleep), and this curious sensation of blood pumping through my veins (mostly noticeable in my hands, sinuses and the back of my throat when it occurs.).
I did at one time go to the hospital from work because some of the above symptoms got so bad as to disorient me and cause me to freak out a little. They too found nothing wrong and sent me on my merry way.
Before you go OMG THIS GUY HAS HEART PROBLEMS have no fear, I have undergone rigorous testing, including but not limited to: Blood tests of various sorts, Chest Xrays, Echocardiograms, Abdominal and Chest Ultrasounds, and A Halter Monitor (wearable heart monitor).
So far they have found absolutely no trace of anything out of the ordinary.
And so of course there next conclusion was that I was simply crazy!
So now I have a nice lady talking to me once every couple weeks about how to go to my happy place etc etc. Now this is fine, I actually *like* talking to therapists 'cause it lets me get things off my chest, but the symptoms are still ongoing, if a tad erratic in their occurrence.
I experience some or all of these symptoms at seemingly random times, but it *seems* to be about every two weeks for approximately 2-5 days. If its bad enough I can barely get out of a chair (even though it gets worse if I sit for too long). When its mild, I can walk a fair distance but I feel very uncomfortable and I fondle my cell phone in case things get worse and I can't get home.
So, gentlemen. Am I simply crazy? Do I have an undiagnosable disease of some rare sort? Are the doctors I have been seeing simply incompetent?
And the biggest question: Am I doomed? I'd rather not be doomed, but I have already written a Will just in case.
As I sit here I am experiencing the lower chest/abdomen tingling, and if I sit up I get lightheaded and feel as if I'm not getting enough oxygen. It certainly feels dangerous.
Shurakai on
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On the other hand, these symptoms sound a lot like panic attacks. Panic attacks can happen seemingly at random, with no apparent cause, and are often mistaken for heart attacks.
Heres the wikipedia article, and you can decide if it sounds like what you're going through:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_attack
GT: Tanky the Tank
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I want to know more PA people on Twitter.
But I do jest...and shadydentist does bring up a good point - all of the symptoms you're describing match well with those listed in the wiki page that s/he linked.
This in particular might be worth noting, pulled right off the wiki article: "These physical symptoms are interpreted with alarm in people prone to panic attacks. This results in increased anxiety, and forms a positive feedback loop."
All of the things you're describing - including the fact that you're having symptoms while writing about your concern over having symptoms make me want to say that you should probably seek out help from a psychologist or a psychiatrist. If nothing else, at least they might be able to tell you what's going on and hopefully help you get better.
24, normally healthy. Went on a trip from Omaha, NE to Rapid City, SD. I'm hiking around Thunder Falls at night and my chest starts feelling like someone is sitting on it. Then my heart rate starts picking up, and won't stop. I could barely move anymore and found my stepdad in the cabin and got him to wheel me to the hospital, where hey stuck like 4 bags of water into me. It turned out it was a perfect storm of high stress, dehydration, and too much caffiene while those were occuring,
I got back to Omaha and it happened again.
The day after, I could barely walk, lost a bunch of hair, lost 10lbs, walking up any hill was out of the question. Each time around sunset my heart rate would pick up. Also I could freaking feel/hear my heart picking up every time this happened.
Today I have none of these problems.
Are you properly hydrating with around 6 glasses of water? Apparently I was doing a horrible job of hydrating myself.
High/low salt intake?
How much caffiene?
Have you tried to walk for 10 minutes in the morning and night each day? Excercise? They immediately made me start running / cycling for 30 minutes a day to work down my stress, because apparently I was really stressed. You can feel the difference after a week.
Also let me guess: your attack happened near nightfall? Yeah, if so, it was just like me, and I think it picking up each night was something of a pavlovian reaction by the body going "oh shit it's getting dark again let me ramp up to get ready again".
You should definitely find a way to take a vacation if you can, and I would try any extended workouts that you can do for 15-30 minutes a day.
Like you, I was otherwise 'okay', besides the fact that they couldn't quite figure out why I was talking with them clear as day with my heart going over 200.
I didn't see a counselor but I was aware after a couple of days that I was postive-feedback-looping (getting worried about it happening again at night, then it happening, then that ramps it up even more). The working out gets your mind off it and makes your body too tired to ramp itself up.
ALSO don't eat anything super salty like blocks of ramen or anything. Those will get your blood racing. Since that day I have eaten zero ramen, immediately drastically cut my caffiene/soda intake, and so on, and started paying attention to sodium content in foods.
Had one of these too. Under observation, the symptoms did not recur. I was angry when they didn't, let me tell you.
I do my best to drink enough water, but I don't force it down my throat or anything.
I've lost alot of weight recently (started to do so about 5 months ago) and at first the diet was a bit to high in salt content, but since then I've got it under control. I'm doing Atkins, have lost ~40lbs so far. My decision to do so was driven by fear, really. I was at 250lbs and figured my weight had something to do with my health problems. My goal is to get to 175lbs eventually.
I avoid caffeine like the plague. I know too many people who are addicted to it.. plus, I don't want to risk any complications with my heart.
I have been trying to implement an excersize regime I can handle, but its slow going. I have an eliptical that I use for 20 minute stretches which I want to see if I can push to 40 by January.
Well, yea. I mean, no one can totally avoid stress, can they? I am a college student with money issues. However, during the 18 month time period there has been times of R+R. The symptoms persist even when I am not busy.
Yes, this seems odd, but its such a regular thing now that I go about my business doing things while its happening. I have been told the whole panic attack thing before, so I figure if its all in my head then I might as well pretend it doesn't affect my daily routine. Of course ignoring it does nothing,as it persists no matter my state of mind.
Trust me, I really want it to be this. If the problem were not a byproduct of a flawed body that will eventually kill me I would be very much relieved. However, in my daily life I have simply not found it to be the case. It happens at mundane times and at stressful times. It happens outside when I am walking and inside at the computer or tv. ABout the only time it seems to be more rare is when I am around other people, which I put down to simply being distracted enough not to notice mild symptoms.
Basically right now I'm just waiting for something serious to happen to I can send myself to the hospital and I can be proven right. I try to stay around people in case I can't dial the number myself.
If these actions sound paranoid, think about what you would do if you had to live with the fear of death for 18 months straight. You would start to take precautions after awhile.
Fear might even be the wrong word. Its not the instant, panic inducing fear of being chased by a predator. Its more of a steady, tiring dread that a person sitting on death row might feel. After awhile you just begin to accept it. Even taunt it.
As I've mentioned in my original post, I am already seeing a therapist. I enjoy talking with her, but it doesn't accomplish much other than me feeling like I've had a good conversation. If this persists for long enough I may eventually try head drugs, but for now I flatly refuse to medicate myself with such things. I like my brain just fine, I'd rather not change it unless absolutely necessary.
The symptoms were exactly the same before and after. I am getting the proper nutrition through the standard supplements and the fat is melting away, so I am satisfied with the diet. My hope is that if I get fit enough the symptoms will go away. I realize that being fit is more than losing body fat, which is why I am trying to fit more excersize into my routine.
By the by, alot of the controversy surrounding the Atkins diet was stirred up by, wait for it, studies sponsored by the wheat and corn lobby. Eating this way is no different than eating like our ancestors in the hunter gatherer days. Our bodies are built for it. The "farmer's diet" is the cause of the obesity epidemic, because unlike actual farmers, we don't move around enough to burn off all that sugar. Unfortunately, eating bread and cookies and pasta is sort of ingrained (lol pun) in our societal traditions, so people are very willing to accept results that allow them to eat such foods. In any case, this isn't an Atkins debate thread, ha.
Indeed. However, I am a terrible stickler about not knowing things. I am the type that has to know, which is why I am an atheist among other things. Not knowing really bugs me, perhaps even more than the actual prospect of being ill itself.
If the doctors told me tomorrow that I had *insert terminal disease here* I would actually be relieved, just because then I would actually know what sort of enemy I was fighting and how to go about fighting it.
but thats not the point of this thread.
The body is sort of like lightning. It will take the quickest, easiest path to its survival first. Sugar (carbs) are super easy to break down into energy. Alcohol is kind of easy. Meats and Fats are surprisingly difficult. That difficulty actually works in our favor, because some of the caloric energy of the food is lost when it is transformed into other stuff our body can use like ketones. A calorie is in fact not always a calorie!
its SCIENCE! Which I enjoy, as you may have suspected.
sugars/carbs >fats>ketones > death
people do get results on the atkins diet, but it usually only lasts until they start bringing carbs back into the equation and they regain most of the weight.
like i said not trying to argue about the atkins diet. was making a point on Heir's comment.
My Phd was in physiology/exercise metabolism so I can argue all day if you really want to ( i don't)
Next time you feel it coming on do some shit to preoccupy yourself instead of sitting around thinking you're dying. It sucked when I started having them because I didn't know what was going on (first couple times I was convinced I was dying), but once I realized it was panic attacks and finding something else to focus on when I felt them coming on was the key I've had far less problems with them.
I've heard thyroid problems can lead to weird symptoms that Doctors might not be able to figure out.
At this point my doctor thinks I am a hypochondriac, so I'm not sure I'd be able to just walk in and say "I want tests done on my lungs and thyroid, stat!"
That's almost akin to asking for an MRI, in my mind.
Healthcare is free up here, but they also don't want to throw away money if they can help it. They have already spent thousands of dollars on me, so I would understand if they are reluctant to spend more.
The glandular thing is interesting though, because I do in fact have an excess of testosterone (which causes me to be a beast hair wise but unusually I have an almost nonexistant aggression response) and most likely a slow metabolism (I have been overweight for much of my life).
Unfortunately, panic/anxiety attacks don't always come when YOU think you are stressed. I get anxiety attacks all the time when I thought I was relatively calm.