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Gastric vs anxiety
by ade31070177, Jan 24, 2008 12:45PM
I am a 31 yr old male from London in England. For the last 3 years I have been suffering from, well, a variety of 'symptoms'. To give you an idea, I'll describe a typical day for me. I wake up in the morning with a sharp, acute and intense pain in the centre of my chest above the sternum. It's like something is trapped in my chest somewhere. My chest muscles are tense and tawt. I have excessive gas/belching accompanied by a reflux of very acidic bile. I also begin to sense a feeling of nausea, lightheadedness and faint, which comes on in waves along with bouts of exhaustion - and lasts all day! My appetite is completely thrown out the window, due to being worried that when I eat the symptoms become more acute. I have even tried to keep a food diary of what I eat and I just can't seem to find any form of pattern! The sharp pains in my chest last practically all day and never dies away, eating or not. This brings on quite regular and chronic anxiety attacks, no matter where I am or what I am doing. I also have a 'poking' type feeling/pressure to the upper left side of my chest, between my armpit and left nipple. My skin color is literally a pasty/grey color and I have dark rings around my eyes. My weight seems to be stabilizing around 11 stone and, apparently 'normal' for my height, 5ft 11 inches. Although looking at me, you would think I am under nourished, anorexic and skinny! My stools are regular, at least one movement per day, and 'normal' in color and texture. They are however, either very solid and sharp like, causing pain/ruptures as I pass motion. Or they are very soft and potent. Sometimes I get a dull ache in my belly, around the mid-region, which feels like my bowls could be blocked and certainly feels better after passing motion.
I have seeked medical the advice and 'help' from my doctors who just seem to be completely baffled by what I am suffering from, and simply offer no additional help. They would rather prescribe me a pill and expect me to go away happy! They first prescribed me a whole range of ant-acids and lozingers such as lanzoprazol and nexium. Nothing worked. I have also been on anti-depressants such as cipralex to try and control anxiety attacks, but now have no affect. They only exasperate my nausea and exhaustion. I have had ECG, echocardiogram, 24-hr B.P. test, countless blood tests and urine tests, and 3 endoscopes. The first endoscope found I have a hiatus hernia and prescribed me lanzoprazol. After some time the symptoms did not get better, and so prompted further endoscopes, but they actually found nothing wrong with my stomach and hernia had gone. The 24-hr B.P. test has shown I have low blood pressure, sometimes reading as low as 111/57... think I have that the right way round! This would explain the faint feeling and dizziness. And especially if I am not eating properly. Lately, I have taken matters into my own hands by seeking medical advice from other sources, such as a local chinese herbal specialist. I receive regular acupuncture, acupressure, cupping and reflexology to help calm me down and relieve stress. I am also taking various herbal teas and medicines. Lastly, I had to force my GP to refer me to a counsellor (psychiatrist) to seek additional advice on coping skills, which is due to begin later this week.
I found some very interesting info on the web about various things my 'condition' could possibly be. I found out that the symptoms for pancreatitis is very very close to my symptoms, especially the sharp pain in my left upper chest area! I also thought that it could be a form of fibromyalgia, again especially the tense, tender and stressful feelings in/around the muscles around my chest area. I have tried to consult my GP about my ideas who just fobs me off with, "don't go looking anything up on the internet!" excuse! There's a northern British saying, "as useful as a chocolate fire guard!" That sums up how I feel leaving the doctors!
I am at a point now where I am completely fed up and exhausted of feeling **** all day, every day. It has affected my work, my social life, my life at home with my kids and girlfriend. When I get in from work, all I want to do is lie down and fall asleep, in the hope that when I wake up I may feel better... maybe! Ok, time for the being true to myself part; I do lead a stressful life. Always busy and I guess always working. If I am not out and about traveling around London seeing clients, I am on the computer emailing and processing work. I go to bed late, and always have done! My appetite is very bad, but I put that down to simple fact that I am bored of food! I am bored of feeling unwell. Bored that no doctor seems to be able to actually tell me, this is what you have. Or these are the things you are suffering from, and this is what we can/will do about it.
I would like to know if there is anyone out there that can help me! Is there anyone else out there who feels similar, or same as me? Is there anyone who has managed to control and deal with their 'conditions'? If so, how? Please! Tell me! Or am I just looking for a miracle that doesn't exist, or a needle in a hay stack? Maybe the answer lies within myself? If so, what else can I be doing? I am just fed up... fed up... fed up!
I have seeked medical the advice and 'help' from my doctors who just seem to be completely baffled by what I am suffering from, and simply offer no additional help. They would rather prescribe me a pill and expect me to go away happy! They first prescribed me a whole range of ant-acids and lozingers such as lanzoprazol and nexium. Nothing worked. I have also been on anti-depressants such as cipralex to try and control anxiety attacks, but now have no affect. They only exasperate my nausea and exhaustion. I have had ECG, echocardiogram, 24-hr B.P. test, countless blood tests and urine tests, and 3 endoscopes. The first endoscope found I have a hiatus hernia and prescribed me lanzoprazol. After some time the symptoms did not get better, and so prompted further endoscopes, but they actually found nothing wrong with my stomach and hernia had gone. The 24-hr B.P. test has shown I have low blood pressure, sometimes reading as low as 111/57... think I have that the right way round! This would explain the faint feeling and dizziness. And especially if I am not eating properly. Lately, I have taken matters into my own hands by seeking medical advice from other sources, such as a local chinese herbal specialist. I receive regular acupuncture, acupressure, cupping and reflexology to help calm me down and relieve stress. I am also taking various herbal teas and medicines. Lastly, I had to force my GP to refer me to a counsellor (psychiatrist) to seek additional advice on coping skills, which is due to begin later this week.
I found some very interesting info on the web about various things my 'condition' could possibly be. I found out that the symptoms for pancreatitis is very very close to my symptoms, especially the sharp pain in my left upper chest area! I also thought that it could be a form of fibromyalgia, again especially the tense, tender and stressful feelings in/around the muscles around my chest area. I have tried to consult my GP about my ideas who just fobs me off with, "don't go looking anything up on the internet!" excuse! There's a northern British saying, "as useful as a chocolate fire guard!" That sums up how I feel leaving the doctors!
I am at a point now where I am completely fed up and exhausted of feeling **** all day, every day. It has affected my work, my social life, my life at home with my kids and girlfriend. When I get in from work, all I want to do is lie down and fall asleep, in the hope that when I wake up I may feel better... maybe! Ok, time for the being true to myself part; I do lead a stressful life. Always busy and I guess always working. If I am not out and about traveling around London seeing clients, I am on the computer emailing and processing work. I go to bed late, and always have done! My appetite is very bad, but I put that down to simple fact that I am bored of food! I am bored of feeling unwell. Bored that no doctor seems to be able to actually tell me, this is what you have. Or these are the things you are suffering from, and this is what we can/will do about it.
I would like to know if there is anyone out there that can help me! Is there anyone else out there who feels similar, or same as me? Is there anyone who has managed to control and deal with their 'conditions'? If so, how? Please! Tell me! Or am I just looking for a miracle that doesn't exist, or a needle in a hay stack? Maybe the answer lies within myself? If so, what else can I be doing? I am just fed up... fed up... fed up!
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Are you truly bringing bile up in the morning? If so, have the docs run a gallbaldder ultrasound and HIDA scan with CCK injection?
Latest developments are that my doctor has put me on 4 week course of citalopram 10mg, and reluctantly diagnosed me with IBS. I'm not 100% convinced. Had adverse reaction to meds within first 2 weeks. Couldn't take nausea feeling after week 3 so stopped taking. Nausea was and still is consistent whilst taking citalopram or not.
Chest pains feel they are related to nerve pain? Can feel sharp tingley pain similar to that of a pinched nerve in lft arm... runs down to fingers/knuckles and seems to radiate into chest. Throat is tight and hard to swallow. Have deep hacking chesty cough, makes 'nervy' pain worse. Feeling very nauseated, drowsey and dizzy. Getting worse.
but I stopped it because it actually did not work any more,what did help me was cutting out all bread, cakes,cookies etc.Now on a kind of healthy Atkins type diet(if there is such a thing)I eat mostly white meat,fish and green salad.(no tomatoes) I'm careful with tea and coffee and no sodas at all.oh yes I eat nothing with wheat!. chocolate is another no,no.
Im going for an upper GI endoscope so will see what they find with me.
Also losing weight helped me,but your weight is fine.you may want to try a whey protein supplement like "reflex pure whey",it always makes me feel good.it contains loads of those natural healthy bacteria that live in your tummy.also helps me to stay away from solids for a while.I also use" fibre gel"in with my protein drink(just once a day!)