Posted 4/12/2011 2:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, I have been feeling unwell for almost 8 years now and things are getting to the point where I feel like I will be dead within the next 6 months if I don’t get some answers. I do not know what is wrong with me and I am posting with the hopes that someone will recognize some of my symptoms and possibly identify what I might be going through. I am desperate and appreciate any and all comments.
In the beginning when this whole thing started I had just come back from a camping trip and I remember driving home completely exhausted and I was experiencing what I would call brain fog or a spaced out feeling. I thought maybe I was sleep deprived, and I may have been, however this has not gone away even to this day, it has only gotten worse. But, this is just the tip of the iceburgh.
To make a long story short, this was the beginning of what would turn into a long battle with insomnia and anxiety. The insomnia was so bad I would fear going to bed because I was afraid of not sleeping. I spent the next several years on anti-anxiety medications, sleeping pills, alcohol… basically anything that would relax me and help me sleep. I would have to say that I went through a very emotionally and physically draining period of time with all of this and believe it did a lot of damage to my nervous system.
I have been medication and alcohol free for some time now however my “illness” whatever it may be continues to get worse.
Here’s the symptoms I’ve been experiencing over the last several years:
• Feeling spaced out all the time, brain fog, mental clarity off, eyes feel unfocused/dazed
This has been the worst of my symptoms over the years and it’s there 24/7… some days are better than others, but it’s always noticeable. This is especially worse when in busy visual environments, and under fluorescent lighting.
• Unable to Concentrate
I have a hard time concentrating or focusing on things. This is especially troublesome when talking to people, I often hear what they are saying but my concentration isn’t there so I don’t comprehend or remember most of the conversation.
• Fatigue
I always feel sluggish and just plain exhausted. I can’t do more than 10 minutes of housework even without feeling the need to rest. Even though my body feels tired and run down, I often can’t nap or rest during the day because my brain doesn’t feel like it needs sleep and it won’t turn off.
• Yawning
I yawn all day long no matter how much sleep I get. Sometimes more so than others but every day I yawn at least 50 to 100 times without exaggeration.
• Stomach/Gastrointestinal
I feel nauseous quite a bit and get this “flu like feeling” where I also get clammy, chills, and lose my appetite. These episodes have been happening much more frequently now. I am always gassy, and feel slight pain in my stomach (like a bloated pain). I have spent years on PPI’s and Antacids but they don’t help and I can’t seem to heal my stomach. I have lost 30lbs over the last year because of how I feel all the time. I’ve had a GI Endoscopy twice and there aren’t any problems.
• Chronic Sinus/Nasal Stuffiness/Ear Fullness
I get a lot of sinus colds (6 this past year), and I always seem to be clearing my throat and blowing my nose. Yawning all the time doesn’t help, because when I yawn my sinuses get plugged and I need to blow again. For the most part the mucus is thick and clear, except for when I have a sinus cold then I get yellow or green color.
• Dizzy, wooziness, off balance feeling
Not noticeable all the time but something that I do experience often.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, I was hit with new symptoms on top of these which started in December of 2009. It started with a dull ear ache which I experienced off and on and then dizziness and head pressure which lasted 24/7 for a couple of months. Since then I have developed these new symptoms which I now have daily as well:
• Eye Floaters
I have never had eye floaters before, and over the last year I have developed 20+ in each eye. If I even squint my eyes just the slightest little bit I can see hundreds more raining down like a waterfall. My floaters are chains and clumps of transparent cells and are noticeable even in low light conditions. I’ve been to the opthamologist and they don’t see anything, which indicates they must be close to the retina (as they also appear very large to me).
• Tinnitus
Started around the same time as the eye floaters and has gotten worse along with the eye floaters. Sounds like the electrical buzzing noise you hear from your television or computer monitor.
• After Images
I see after images of certain things. Reading text off a computer will create an after image of horizontal lines which can last up to a minute before it fades away. Car tail lights will also create strong after images. I can look outside at a tree in the yard and look away and see an outline of the tree for a few seconds.
• Eye, Ear and Jaw Pain
I get a dull earache pain and pain in and around my eyes which is almost constant. The eye pain is made worse by certain lighting conditions and when looking at certain objects like car lights, traffic lights, etc. The pain also feels like strain or tension which goes across my forehead and in to the temple area.
• Muscle Twitching, Weakness and Numbness
This started as an eyelid twitch and has now progressed to muscle twitches all over my body… sometimes I have 3 or 4 in a minute or two in various parts of my body. My muscles have also become very weak and I experience a very irritable sensation in all of my limbs that is similar to restless leg syndrome. My muscles are also sore as if they are contracted all the time. I have numbness in my left hand which goes into a couple of my fingers. I feel what I would describe as resistance when I move my limbs. They feel heavy, as if I am trying to walk in water. These symptoms are progressing very rapidly.
• Headaches at base of skull
Experiencing occipital neuralgia… was getting these daily but now only get them maybe once a week
Tests that I have had done:
• MRI of Head – Normal
• MRI Spine – Degenerative Disc Disease & Disc Bulging
• Blood Work – Normal (Thyroid – Always borderline normal (high)), Heavy Metals (Aluminum High)
• Lymes Disease – Negative (Tested 1 time in Canada)
I know most people will say to stop worrying about things so much and it’s just anxiety but I know my body and I know there is something seriously going on. Things have progressed so much over the years slowly but now I see huge changes from one week to another and I feel like time is now running out. I need to get some answers, and I’m tired of doctors telling me they don’t see anything wrong. If I have to live with this stuff the rest of my life then I can deal with it, I just want to know what’s going on. If anyone has any comments or can relate to my symptoms please let me know.
Thanks in advance.