Misery

I am a 29 year old father of one.  I have had a long road of problems that was always difficult to diagnose because I convinced myself that it was normal or I was overly paranoid.  I am hoping I can layout a detailed history and description of my symptoms with hopes I can figure something out.
Symptoms:
     15 year history -
           moderate to severe anxiety (primarily social)
           mild periodic depression
           persistent moderate nauseau, diarrhea and vomiting
           facial flushing as anxiety increases
           low testosterone
Surgeries:
           Gallbladder removal due to stabbing pain 2 years ago
Medications:
           Testosterone
           Propranolol
           Suboxone - Currently tapering

Basically, my stomach symptoms appear worse around anxious events, but can continue during relaxing weekends or for days after high anxiety events.  My job is high pressure and I am not a "let it go" personality.

The few doctors I have seen believed this was primarily caused by the anxiety, which I believed for a long time.  But, nothing is working and I am willing to think outside the box to get a solution.

Please help!        

    

[ggreg]

Hmmmm.  I remember when I was in a terrible situation and threw up.  I'm going with the anxiety theory here.  I have anxiety and panic disorder.  So, I can offer a couple "natural" tips that help me with my anxiety.  If you are already doing these things, just ignore what I say.

Because you have a high-stress job, you need to release the tension that builds up in the body.  This is to do plain and simple exercise several times a week, preferably something that gets you sweating and breathing hard, like walking or running, tennis, swimming, any sport.  Exercise releases the feel-good endorphins, and also lets the cooped-up muscles relax.  Surgeons, for example, they do a lot of golfing, or self-defense classes, or at least participate in a favorite hobby like motorcycle riding.

Now, whenever you are in a situation where anxiety builds, you can do deep-breathing to counteract it.  I learned this from a behavioral psychologist who treated me for a year with my panic disorder.  If you can control your breathing, your heart will slow down, and thus your anxiety will automatically decrease.  I count to ten, breathing in very deeply on the first count, letting it go slowly, then breathing normally for a few times.  Second count, same thing.  Keep going, and you probably won't get to ten.

Another suggestion is best illustrated by Cesar Millan on the Dog Whisperer.  They got a dog in his center that was severely traumatized, could not relax, shaking all over.  They gave him acupuncture, his shaking slowly subsided, and I have never seen such a sweet look come over that poor dog's face as he relaxed and fell asleep for the first time in his doggie life.  People, they don't necessarily need acupuncture, rather ordinary meditation type activities will do fine.  

Like something as simple as soaking in a very warm bath in complete silence, by candlelight, will work.  Or sitting and staring at a favorite object, or reflective glass in a windowsill, and begin to breathe nice and easy, and one-by-one let your thoughts go, forcing them out by concentration on the visual object.  Close your eyes and ask what is troubling you.  A wave of emotion will come over you, and often with me, I will cry.  Lots of relief comes with that.

I will also say that when people get all worked up, their body pH will change to acidic.  You could take an Alka Seltzer when your stomach starts churning up.  It will put you in a more alkaline state and calm the stomach.  

I might add one more general thing, and that is you have a lot of responsibilities piled on top of you and you have determined you've got to perform miracles and to keep your head above water.  You have been through a lot and you might even feel trapped.  You have got to step back sometimes, slow down a little, take a quiet walk in the sunshine.  You should sort of float above all the turmoil, look down below at Les Miserables, and see that as "activity," but realize the core of yourself is separate from all that crazy stuff.  YOU are a good person, you have hopes and dreams, you deserve a quality life.  So, give yourself a quality life whenever you can squeeze it in, to enable a stronger connection to the center of who you are.  In other words, look at things from another point of view.

Change what you can in your life to make it easier on yourself, it's okay.  The rest of it, ask yourself this question, "Is this the worst thing that could happen to me today," and that'll help snap you out of it.  Hope all this jabber helps you.  I know you will understand what I'm saying, altho regular people might have no idea what this means.  God speed and keep us posted.