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PATM - My experience so far
Hi All,
I have followed this forum for one year now. I can't explain the relief I felt when I found out that there are other people who understand the trauma of PATM. Of course, I'd prefer no one have to suffer with this condition, but it was a comfort to know that I am not alone.
Like many of you, my PATM started after someone made a comment about a smell in my office. Interestingly enough, this also coincided with me taking a round of antibiotics and plan b all in one week. I become hyperaware of smells and facial expressions around me. I quickly noticed that people would constantly rub their nose or scratch themselves in my presence. This eventually developed into nose rubbing, sneezing, and dry coughing all around me. I'd say I have an effect on about 90% of the people that I come in contact with. People that are around me more seem to build up a resistance, but it could be attributed to the fact that I'm more comfortable around them and therefore, my anxiety drops a lot and I become less focused on PATM.
For those that are new and those that have been around for a while, I want to document my efforts in the hope that it may help someone on their journey. I have seen an ENT for recurring throat infections (staph, MRSA, yeast) and an OB-GYN for recurring candida albicans and candida glabrata infections. My bloodwork is normal, except for low methylamonic acid levels and high albumin. I also have white flecks in my urine, which tests high for epithelial cells. I've been on numerous antibiotics and antifungals with no relief. Some days are certainly better than others, but that's usually related to how long I have to be at work and how many people are working around me.
Like many of you, I suspect that PATM is due to a gut bacteria imbalance. In college, I had a severe eating disorder that definitely messed up my gut flora. I suspect that the antibiotics and plan b pushed me over the edge into PATM. Over the past year, I've spent way too much money on supplements and doctor appts in a desperate effort to find some relief from this pain that comes with PATM. It's one thing to feel sick, it's even worse to feel guilt and shame over making someone else sick. In my experience, eating less meat, dairy, caffeine, and sugar does help, but not enough to allow me to live a normal life without obsessing over PATM.
I'm a very logical person and when this first started, I doubted that it was possible. However, I am certain that this is not a delusion and our illness is not purely psychological. Anxiety and stress worsen PATM, but they are not the source of the problem. I truly believe that the medical community just hasn't discovered this issue and maybe someday in the far future when there is interest or funding, we will find out that there is a medical explanation and hopefully a cure to this awful condition.
I apologize for the long post, but it's my first post and I want to provide all of the information I have so that if anyone is coming to this site for the first time, they won't have to start at ground zero. Please remember that you are not alone and this is not your fault.
I have followed this forum for one year now. I can't explain the relief I felt when I found out that there are other people who understand the trauma of PATM. Of course, I'd prefer no one have to suffer with this condition, but it was a comfort to know that I am not alone.
Like many of you, my PATM started after someone made a comment about a smell in my office. Interestingly enough, this also coincided with me taking a round of antibiotics and plan b all in one week. I become hyperaware of smells and facial expressions around me. I quickly noticed that people would constantly rub their nose or scratch themselves in my presence. This eventually developed into nose rubbing, sneezing, and dry coughing all around me. I'd say I have an effect on about 90% of the people that I come in contact with. People that are around me more seem to build up a resistance, but it could be attributed to the fact that I'm more comfortable around them and therefore, my anxiety drops a lot and I become less focused on PATM.
For those that are new and those that have been around for a while, I want to document my efforts in the hope that it may help someone on their journey. I have seen an ENT for recurring throat infections (staph, MRSA, yeast) and an OB-GYN for recurring candida albicans and candida glabrata infections. My bloodwork is normal, except for low methylamonic acid levels and high albumin. I also have white flecks in my urine, which tests high for epithelial cells. I've been on numerous antibiotics and antifungals with no relief. Some days are certainly better than others, but that's usually related to how long I have to be at work and how many people are working around me.
Like many of you, I suspect that PATM is due to a gut bacteria imbalance. In college, I had a severe eating disorder that definitely messed up my gut flora. I suspect that the antibiotics and plan b pushed me over the edge into PATM. Over the past year, I've spent way too much money on supplements and doctor appts in a desperate effort to find some relief from this pain that comes with PATM. It's one thing to feel sick, it's even worse to feel guilt and shame over making someone else sick. In my experience, eating less meat, dairy, caffeine, and sugar does help, but not enough to allow me to live a normal life without obsessing over PATM.
I'm a very logical person and when this first started, I doubted that it was possible. However, I am certain that this is not a delusion and our illness is not purely psychological. Anxiety and stress worsen PATM, but they are not the source of the problem. I truly believe that the medical community just hasn't discovered this issue and maybe someday in the far future when there is interest or funding, we will find out that there is a medical explanation and hopefully a cure to this awful condition.
I apologize for the long post, but it's my first post and I want to provide all of the information I have so that if anyone is coming to this site for the first time, they won't have to start at ground zero. Please remember that you are not alone and this is not your fault.
I have the solution to your problem. Please message me and let me know if you still need help with this condition..
1 Comments
Pleasee help me:(
I hate this curse... for a while I thought that somebody put a hex on me... it sucks... I cant concerntrate on anything because when I do somebody coughs and I completely lose track of my thoughts... im glad to know im not the only one but I have never met another sufferer of this disease... I wonder how many of us there are and if it will ever be clinically proven. I am too scared to tell doctors in fear if ridicule. Some people I come into contact with clear their throat every minute and others cough, sneaze and rub their noses and eyes and sniff... why do we deserve this, why cant we be normal human beings. I hate the fact that I cause others discomfort... I have been researching this for a year now. Dont give up the fight guys you are not alone
1 Comments
I think it's a bit silly that you did not tell the doctor, how do you want this to be solved then? The only way to solve this is for you to tell the problem to others, whether medical or otherwise, at least if you tell the doctor, they would ask and report at their annual meetings in one way or another. It seems very bad to me that people who have PATM shut their mouths just excused in fear.
Hello, welcome to the cursed club. Don't apologize for the post, it wasn't too long and very easy to read. I myself went to 3 different doctors, one an allergy specialist when I first tried to get medical help. Each doctor discounted my own diagnoses as doctors do not believe of this condition and believe it to be psychological delusion. For a PATM sufferer it is very obvious when certain people exhibit allergy symptoms as soon as you are in near contact with them, or the countless sneezing / throat clearing you hear. Let's hope that doctors confirm this condition soon if ever and come up with a solution to it.
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