Aa
At last resort and need medical advice... help me?
Hello,
I am an 18 year old college student who's been noticing several things wrong with me. I almost feel like a hypochondriac because no one has been willing to reach out to my cry.
For almost two years I have been feeling run down and extremely fatigued no matter the situation. I would feel pain all over on and off. I have also been having several moments of sadness. I stress out a lot about what is going on in college and at home every day. The stress lately for about two months has turned into anxiety, and since that I have been picking skin off my hands. My chest hurts all the time and my heart would race. My chest also feels heavy every single day and sometimes it would hurt to speak. I do have asthma, which I have been diagnosed with when I was ten. The recent attacks I have had were set off mainly by fear. When I was nine or ten I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because of severe domestic troubles as well as Mood Disorder, but even the counselors and psychiatrists I spoke to then did not think I was worth it. I have dealt with a lot of domestic problems until recently when my family and I moved out of a bad situation. This is the only thing weighing me down.
I have tried reaching out on Yahoo! Answers and other health sites. I even wrote to the Dr. Oz show--that is how desperate I feel. I feel like I am alone in this, and sometimes I feel like taking myself out because how I feel is bringing me down. All I want is some advice and for someone to listen to me and believe me. That's it.
Sincerely,
Kylea
I am an 18 year old college student who's been noticing several things wrong with me. I almost feel like a hypochondriac because no one has been willing to reach out to my cry.
For almost two years I have been feeling run down and extremely fatigued no matter the situation. I would feel pain all over on and off. I have also been having several moments of sadness. I stress out a lot about what is going on in college and at home every day. The stress lately for about two months has turned into anxiety, and since that I have been picking skin off my hands. My chest hurts all the time and my heart would race. My chest also feels heavy every single day and sometimes it would hurt to speak. I do have asthma, which I have been diagnosed with when I was ten. The recent attacks I have had were set off mainly by fear. When I was nine or ten I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because of severe domestic troubles as well as Mood Disorder, but even the counselors and psychiatrists I spoke to then did not think I was worth it. I have dealt with a lot of domestic problems until recently when my family and I moved out of a bad situation. This is the only thing weighing me down.
I have tried reaching out on Yahoo! Answers and other health sites. I even wrote to the Dr. Oz show--that is how desperate I feel. I feel like I am alone in this, and sometimes I feel like taking myself out because how I feel is bringing me down. All I want is some advice and for someone to listen to me and believe me. That's it.
Sincerely,
Kylea
Best Answer
Rachel's post above is excellent! Took the words right out of my mouth. I'm sorry you've had such bad experiences, that certainly makes trying again feel like an uphill battle, but like Rachel said, keep looking until you find a good team of professionals. They're out there. Now that you're an adult, I think you'll be treated very differently.
Psychiatrists mainly just handle the medication regimens and overseeing therapy progress and the maintenence visits are usually only a few minutes. That's totally normal, don't take that as a sign of being dismissed. It's the therapists that do the lengthy talking and digging. Both are important in a holistic approach that includes therapy and meds.
Good luck, keep trying!
Psychiatrists mainly just handle the medication regimens and overseeing therapy progress and the maintenence visits are usually only a few minutes. That's totally normal, don't take that as a sign of being dismissed. It's the therapists that do the lengthy talking and digging. Both are important in a holistic approach that includes therapy and meds.
Good luck, keep trying!
I absolutely believe that your struggles are genuine, and no one has the right to dismiss them. I am sure that there are many therapists/support groups/psychiatrists out there that will believe you. In fact, most will. I strongly encourage you to do these two things:
-See/continue to see an actual psychiatrist (not just any doctor) on a regular basis, and don't switch to a different psychiatrist unless you're in the most dire of circumstances. That way, s/he will know who you are and how to help you best.
-See a therapist *in addition* to the psychiatrist. Most psychiatrists will tell you that they cannot take the place of a therapist. Therapists see patients more often and for much longer sessions. I LOVE the CBT-trained social worker I've been seeing for 7 years. Even when I was away at college, I made sure to have a session once a year during summer breaks to keep that relationship going in case I needed it later. Boy, did I! No therapist can have more insight on who I am (and how much I have accomplished) than her, because she's known me for so long. I'm so sorry about your experiences with counselors. Maybe after sticking with one for at least a month or two, s/he'll start to understand you really have a problem?
Hope I helped!
-See/continue to see an actual psychiatrist (not just any doctor) on a regular basis, and don't switch to a different psychiatrist unless you're in the most dire of circumstances. That way, s/he will know who you are and how to help you best.
-See a therapist *in addition* to the psychiatrist. Most psychiatrists will tell you that they cannot take the place of a therapist. Therapists see patients more often and for much longer sessions. I LOVE the CBT-trained social worker I've been seeing for 7 years. Even when I was away at college, I made sure to have a session once a year during summer breaks to keep that relationship going in case I needed it later. Boy, did I! No therapist can have more insight on who I am (and how much I have accomplished) than her, because she's known me for so long. I'm so sorry about your experiences with counselors. Maybe after sticking with one for at least a month or two, s/he'll start to understand you really have a problem?
Hope I helped!
Thank you for answering. :)
And I've been wanting to go see another counselor/psychiatrist for a while--but just for the fact I've had bad experiences I'm honestly scared to.
From ten years old to now I've had about five counselors and two psychiatrists. All of them had their personal agendas, and while they have said they were going to help me, they did not.
The first one listened to my dad more than they had listened to me. He was a drug user and an alcoholic, mind you. Because I was a child, I had no say it felt like. The second one replaced the first one--did the same thing. It was as if I did not matter. The third one had no experience at all, and kept taking phone calls rather than speak to me. The fourth one also acted like I was not important, and the fifth one felt like she was entitled after she spoke to me ONCE.
The two psychiatrists were only prescribing medicine after they concluded my diagnoses. They would speak to me a little bit, but at the end of the day I felt like they did not care as well.
So after that the only ones I could turn to were friends and teacher during high school, and now that I'm not there anymore... I really have no one. The rest of my family are emotionally unavailable. My twin sister just now accused me of being unemotional and static.
So basically, my confidence is shot all over the place.
I'll be going to a doctor soon, and once again thank you.
And I've been wanting to go see another counselor/psychiatrist for a while--but just for the fact I've had bad experiences I'm honestly scared to.
From ten years old to now I've had about five counselors and two psychiatrists. All of them had their personal agendas, and while they have said they were going to help me, they did not.
The first one listened to my dad more than they had listened to me. He was a drug user and an alcoholic, mind you. Because I was a child, I had no say it felt like. The second one replaced the first one--did the same thing. It was as if I did not matter. The third one had no experience at all, and kept taking phone calls rather than speak to me. The fourth one also acted like I was not important, and the fifth one felt like she was entitled after she spoke to me ONCE.
The two psychiatrists were only prescribing medicine after they concluded my diagnoses. They would speak to me a little bit, but at the end of the day I felt like they did not care as well.
So after that the only ones I could turn to were friends and teacher during high school, and now that I'm not there anymore... I really have no one. The rest of my family are emotionally unavailable. My twin sister just now accused me of being unemotional and static.
So basically, my confidence is shot all over the place.
I'll be going to a doctor soon, and once again thank you.
Thanks, you guys.
@29sillygirl: Over the course of this I have seen a counselor a few times, and like the ones previous I felt pretty much cast out as if I was stupid. I will be going to the doctor next. But thank you.
@Rhyabby: I have been prescribed Celexa and Serequel when I was diagnosed. Those have only increased my thoughts of suicide, so I've stopped taking them after six months. Then as far as my fear goes... it's as if I am scared of my shadow sometimes. For example, I would wake up at least five times a night because I get so paranoid of someone either breaking in or one of my family members get hurt or haven't returned home. Sometimes I would barely sleep because of that as well. I'm also scared of failing in life, which sounds silly to a lot of people, but from where I've came from that was all I expected of myself. I guess now I DON'T want to go back to that point... but with the symptoms I have now it feels pretty close.
@29sillygirl: Over the course of this I have seen a counselor a few times, and like the ones previous I felt pretty much cast out as if I was stupid. I will be going to the doctor next. But thank you.
@Rhyabby: I have been prescribed Celexa and Serequel when I was diagnosed. Those have only increased my thoughts of suicide, so I've stopped taking them after six months. Then as far as my fear goes... it's as if I am scared of my shadow sometimes. For example, I would wake up at least five times a night because I get so paranoid of someone either breaking in or one of my family members get hurt or haven't returned home. Sometimes I would barely sleep because of that as well. I'm also scared of failing in life, which sounds silly to a lot of people, but from where I've came from that was all I expected of myself. I guess now I DON'T want to go back to that point... but with the symptoms I have now it feels pretty close.
I'm with Rhyabby on this.
You have reached out....but....I don't think I saw that you have talked to a psychiatrist or counselor at school. Maybe I missed something.
You mention getting help for childhood trama..
Two years is long enough to be feeling so miserable.
We can be your online support group, but seeing a doctor is probably next step to feeling better.
You have reached out....but....I don't think I saw that you have talked to a psychiatrist or counselor at school. Maybe I missed something.
You mention getting help for childhood trama..
Two years is long enough to be feeling so miserable.
We can be your online support group, but seeing a doctor is probably next step to feeling better.
I understand that you've been goin' through a lot of things these days. It's like so many things have happened to you, yet nobody's there to be called for help, or everytone is just too busy doin' their own agendas. You said that your recent attacks were set off mainly by fear.. Can you tell me more about the fear you're feeling? from your message, I can see that your emotional feeling are being converted to physical symptoms. For you to relieve those symptoms you have to know eaxactly what causes the anxiety. And yes, it's good that you've posted here, because venting out is a way to somehow ease what you're carrying now. Ie a question.. Since you had that mood disorder you're talking about, has any of your doctors prescribed you with anti-anxiety medicatons? If so, what are those meds? :) By the way, if you need someone who can listen to you, I'm just here. :)
I completely understand what you are going through I have been dealing with an array of symptoms for the past year and everytime I see a doctor it seems like no one take me seriously... It is important not to give up you have to be an advocate for your own health and push until you get an answer you are satisfied with.. It is also important to realize what you are experiencing is very real and don't let others try to tell you otherwise.. No one knows what you are experiencing and I know how alone and desperate it can make you feel but like I said you have to fight for yourself.. Know that you are not alone an regardless of how you are feeling there is nothing better than being alive.. You are worth the fight and you deserve answers because no one should ever feel the way you do.. If you need a friend to help you through this I am always here with an open ear and an open mind :)
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You can't do this alone, you need professionals to guide you in learning how to cope with these feelings, and a new psychiatrist who can discuss treatment options, which may include some different medications. The reaction you had to the meds was pretty common, due to your young age, but there ARE a lot of med options out there, just be open minded to what the doctor has to say!
Hang in there, please let me know!