Multiple Stress Related Health Issues? Posted: 11-05-07 13:42pm
I've already posted something about the
stomach portion of my problems, but I
wanted to post something here as well...
mainly because I'm starting to think all
of this could be stress related. Hopefully
there's someone that's at least
experienced this kind of thing, so I don't
feel like I'm crazy.
I've never considered myself a 'happy'
person. I make due the best I can. I
always seem to have bad luck when it comes
to jobs, money, relationships... I don't
do drugs and don't drink. I consider
myself a good person. I work hard and
always try to do the right thing. But for
some reason, it never seems to pay off.
I don't have any family or anyone that I
feel I can rely on. I've felt under stress
from money problems and just simply being
lonely for years now. I always seem to
deal with it OK, but over the last 10
years or so, it's just seemed like every
time I step up trying to deal with it, it
just gets worse. If I fix one problem,
it's almost uncanny how another problem
will erase any positive headway I make.
I'm also at an age (41) where I feel
constant pressure to try and fix the
problems I have, because I feel I'm
running out of time. I worry about never
having a family or being poor constantly.
But it seems the harder I try to fix
things the less results I get.
About a year or two ago, I started having
physical problems. I've never been a
person to have a lot of heath issues, but
now I seem to have them often. What I get
I'll call 'attacks', because that's what
they feel like. I'll be doing OK... at
least to the point where I can function.
Then all of the sudden I will have these
attacks that include numerous symptoms in
varying degrees of severity. A constant
burning pain in the upper center of my
stomach, diarrhea, headaches, sores on my
face and the back of my head under the
hair, and just a general feeling of being
tired. These things will last for a day or
so, but they've been getting worse.
Lately, I've started to have mental
symptoms that coincide with the physical
symptoms when they're at their worst. I'll
lay in bed and basically just feel total
despair, like I'm going to die. What
scares me the most is that nothing seems
to give me joy at all anymore. I use to at
least be able to escape through music or
hobbies, but none of that seems to matter
now. I just feel pretty much empty.
These attacks come every month or two, but
they've been getting more severe. I don't
have insurance, so I'm not sure what to
do. Which of course just gives me
something more to worry about. The few
people I've tried to talk to have been
very insensitive and basically just make a
joke out of it.
My gut feeling is that this is somehow all
stress related, but I just don't know how
to solve it. I can't undo the things that
give me stress.
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Marikallees
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Nov 2007 Posts: 8
Posted: 11-05-07 14:52pm
>The few people I've tried to talk to
have been very
>insensitive and basically just make a
joke out of it.
Amen. It seems like people who haven't
experienced this stuff before don't
realize just how draining it can be. I'm
26 and right about where you are now in
terms of symptoms, though I think my
stress is more paranoia about my health
than any problems in my life (barring the
loneliness factor).
>My gut feeling is that this is somehow
all stress
>related, but I just don't know how to
solve it.
Think of a doctor as an investment in your
peace of mind. If you pick the right one
you can get a good opinion on all of your
symptoms and maybe even some helpful
therapy. I think it would be worth the
cost even if you don't have insurance.
I can't offer advice on how to solve
anything as I'm not much better off than
you are, but I definitely empathize with
you.
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dave99
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Nov 2007 Posts: 7
Posted: 11-08-07 20:54pm
Marikallees
wrote:
>The few people I've
tried to talk to have been very
>insensitive and basically just make a
joke out of it.
Amen. It seems like people who haven't
experienced this stuff before don't
realize just how draining it can be. I'm
26 and right about where you are now in
terms of symptoms, though I think my
stress is more paranoia about my health
than any problems in my life (barring the
loneliness factor).
>My gut feeling is that this is somehow
all stress
>related, but I just don't know how to
solve it.
Think of a doctor as an investment in your
peace of mind. If you pick the right one
you can get a good opinion on all of your
symptoms and maybe even some helpful
therapy. I think it would be worth the
cost even if you don't have insurance.
I can't offer advice on how to solve
anything as I'm not much better off than
you are, but I definitely empathize with
you.
Thanks for the support. I did go to a
doctor today but pretty much got what I
expected... I was told I could have about
5 different things, and without a bunch of
tests there was no way to know. The part
that really annoyed me was that this guy
barely even listened to me. I had it all
planed out in my head about what I would
tell him regarding my health history and
problems... He cut me off about 1/4 of the
way through and proclaimed I had GERD,
then reached for his prescription pad. I'm
pretty sure this is not just GERD. I told
him a few more details, then he changed to
ulcer as the most likely problem, even
though I still hadn't finished talking. By
the time I finally finished, it had gotten
to possible gallstone problem. Imagine if
I had just sat there and shut up... I
would have walked out of there with a
prescription for something I didn't even
need and a completely inaccurate
diagnoses. Not to mention the fact he
didn't even bother to read my history
forms, as he started telling me not to do
things that I clearly wrote down I already
don't do. I'm glad they make you take the
time to fill all that crap out just so
they can ignore it.
It amazes me that someone who is trusted
with the care of people and their
children, can be so lazy as to sit down
and diagnose a sever stomach pain within 5
minutes of meeting someone. This guy had
an office to himself, and I think there
was at least 10 patients that came through
there in the hour I was there. How can you
possibly do a good job seeing 10 patients
an hour?
I agree, a good doctor can help a lot, but
the problem is, how do you find the good
ones? This guy today was highly rated...
I'd hate to meet the bad ones.
I don't know your exact situation, but
looking back to my 20's... If I made any
major mistake, I think it was allowing
myself to shut down towards the people
around me. I was unfortunate in having
been treated pretty bad by a few people
early on in my life. I eventually took on
the 'I don't need anybody' attitude. That
works at first... But in the end, you're
basically just digging a whole deeper and
deeper for yourself. Eventually it gets to
the point where you can't re-assimilate
back into normal relationships, even when
you try to. Unfortunately, it's natural
for most people to be repulsed by people
with problems, thereby giving those people
more problems and alienating them further.
Which in turn makes them even less likely
to be accepted back. It's a vicious circle
that's extremely hard to break. I would
recommend to anyone in that position... Do
whatever you can to try not and fall into
that trap.
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CarolDiane
Supporter
Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 2396
Thanks: 111
Thanked:156
Hi Dave99 Posted: 11-08-07 21:30pm
I think if I'm not mistaken you and I have
spoken before. Let's start with the
doctor. I hope you did not pay for you
visit yet! Any true quailfied physician
would have done an upper GI first of all
as a base line. If negative then probably
a colonoscopy. If negetive, then you see a
physiciatrist.
Now about funds. Normally, depending on
how much you make, the state you live in
you should somehow be able to get some
kind of state funded medical help. Like
here in Florida we have "MedAssist" and
"Medicaid". Unfortunatly now down here, if
you go to the ER and it is not a life and
death situation, they still have to see
you but are not required to treat your
symptoms.
I would adivse you to call some of you
state Children and Family Services and
other state affiliated agencies that might
be able to offer some assistance.
My next thing is, if you can ever afford
it, please find another doctor! I would
have probably walked right out of his
office. I have fired two doctors in the
last two months. All for the best too.
Now, this does indeed sound stress
related. But, stress can also lead to
stomach problems like, ulcers, colitis,
and nervous stomach symdrome. Your
symptoms sure sound like mine. Not so much
anymore thanks to my meds, there were
times I had to go to work and had to call
in late cause I could not get off the pot.
I have anxiety,stress and colitis. That is
inflamation of the colon induced by
stress.
I know it is easy for me to tell you that
you can change things for yourself. And I
am aware that doing that seems almost
impossible right now. Your to wrapped up
in stressing out over them. But, try to
really calm yourself down enough to see
the forest for the tress. Then maybe if
you take 10 steps back and look at the
whole picture, you may be able to see it
in a different light.
Hope I was of some help. Sorry this was so
long winded.
Carrie
Anyone else want to jump in with some
input here?
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Marikallees
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Nov 2007 Posts: 8
Posted: 11-09-07 09:36am
>Anyone else want to jump in with some
input here?
I just want to say that I agree with the
big picture thing. I get so focused on the
problem that I don't realize how trivial
it is, and it turns into a huge mountain.
But once I get past it, I look back and
say "why was I worried?"
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CarolDiane
Supporter
Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 2396
Thanks: 111
Thanked:156
Just Try And Remember My Motto Posted: 11-09-07 09:41am
"Today is the tomorrow that you worried
about yesterday!"
If you have word pad, type that out in
large bold blue letter and frame it. I did
and I have it right in my livingroom for
all to see.
Carrie
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Georgia59
Moderator
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5557 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 90
Thanked:32
Posted: 11-09-07 13:56pm
This doc sounds like he wasn't very
helpful. Maybe it would help if you go
back (to a different one) with a written
list of your complaints- mental and
physical, and just hand them over. Not
only will you be able to come up with your
list when you are calm and not rushed and
can think of everything, but the doc can
just look at the list instead of having to
ask you about it all. Then the doc can
decide what tests/assessments need to be
done.
