Can anyone relate to any of this?.

Not sure where to post this but since I have a life-long history of anxiety (and related disorders) I guess this is a good place.

I sometimes get this odd sensation in my eyes, face, neck, arms and/or chest. It's almost as if I had just finished a tour of a vapor rub or methol factory and the smell is so thick that it lingers on my skin after I leave resulting in this sort of "icey-burning" feeling. It's mild and not what I'd call "painful" but it's enough to get my attention. Anyway, thats the only way I can think to describe it. Oddly enough (and perhaps related) I first began to notice this after I used 9 cans of roach fogger in a room where I should have only used one or two. My sinuses and eyes burned like fire for days afterwards. That was almost a month ago though.

I was diagnosed with cervical arthritis (w/bone spur) at C-4 and C-5 a few years ago. I was also in a car accident awhile back and have suffered from Tourette's Syndrome (head and neck jerking tics - which can be severe at times) since I was a child (I'm middle-aged now). I also have other conditions such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), stress intolerance, OCD, ADD, Panic Disorder, Hypochondria, Insomnia, etc.

In addition to these conditions, I also have a deviated septum, Chronic Sinusitis and allergic Rhinitis and get frequent sinus infections that seem to linger forever with or without treatment. Recently, I was put on Z-Pack which I have taken many times before so I'm not sure the sensations I mentioned at the top of this post would have anything to do with this but who knows.

On top of this (yes, I'm pretty messed up!) I also have GERD, Gastritis, IBS and Lactose Intolerance. I have all the usual burning, belching, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, constipation, spasms, etc, but lately (for the past week I'd say and shortly after I began to take the Z-Pack) I had this terrible burning, aching pain that extended from my upper-abdominal area all the way around to my upper back on the ride side. This slowly got better over a period of days but I am still unable to eat anything without feeling like I have just swallowed a handfull of tacks. I ate dinner (just a salad with blue cheese dresing this evening and it felt like instead of going into my stomach, everything just went into my guts and made my whole insides burn, spasm, etc.

Before all of this I had a lot of otheer issues with random dizziness, head pressure, INSANE brain fog, elevator/shifting senasations, dazed, spacey, somewhat off-balance at times (especially in the mornings), vision issues (I see double when I focus on a stationary object and look to one side and my vision gets blurry or unfocused at times), hot/cold flashes, Occassional fatigue, left-sides headaches, prickles, goosebumps, numb spots, etc.

Many of these symptoms have come and gone or been replaced by others. Some I've had in the past (many years ago) but have returned. Some are easily explainable and have a rational cause. Others are a mystery.

As far as going to see a doctor is concerned, I have spent the vast part of my life seeing various speicalist and having all sorts of tests done. Recently I have had a brain and cervical MRI, TONS of bloodwork on 3-4 different occassions, I've seen a Neurologist, Opthamologist, Gastroenterologist (who did both an endoscopy and a colonopscopy) and removed some benign polyps, etc. The list goes on and it's a very long one.

I'm so weary of feeling this way day after day...year after year. Won't someone please take a personal interest in me and help me?. It's so frutrating when you feel so bad every day and yet you look normal, your symptoms are difficult to describe and almost every test comes back "normal". While "normal" test results are always a good thing, if everything were really "normal" I wouldn't be feeling this way.

Sorry for the length of this post. Some of it may sound familiar (like a broken record). Other parts of it are new and have never been shared before. I just don't know what to do or who to talk to anymore. There must be some other person out there who shares my circumstances (or at least some of them) or a doctor who can help me figure all of this out. It's also possible (I suppose) that all of the conditions I have been diagnosed with (and have mentioned here) are responsible for all of my symptoms but I don't know which is why I am writing and seeking answers.

Again, sorry for the length of this and thank you for reading it and for any input/advice you can provide.

- Seth

Hi Seth, all I can say if everyone actually made a list of their issues, man oh man. It takes a strong and honest person to hop on a site and say hey, I got these things what is wrong with me??? I feel your pain about "not looking sick". Something does make me wonder, you said you have sinus issues? Have you had your ears looked into? the balance thing? I did have a friend that had horrendous stomach upsets and sinus problems to only find that he had blown his eardrum out and it never healed correctly.  Just saying...I ain't no doc or professional on this subject by any means...

Take care and I hope you get some relief soon

Hi Seth,

I can recognize and relate to a lot of your symptoms... all the advise our members have given is good advise >> maybe the ears, or liver... also remember you have a sinus problem being in the same room with the roach bombs was by no means a good idea... could have triggered your new symptoms. While you have your ears checked advise the doctor what happened with roach bombs you might have inhaled too much and need to be checked out.
You are a brave person... I have dealt with anxiety over 40 years and yes it has gotten better, and yes I still get new symptoms and just recently, which has caused great anxiety attacks .. I have a bad heart, had quad by-pass in 1992, eight heart attacks (silent heart attacks no pain worse kind) an ICD implant also have breathing problem, so when the anxiety/panic attack along with breathing problems start, I go into congestive heart failure several times since my new symptoms flared up. We anxiety suffers, we think too much of our bodily functions, not on a conscience level, hence we increase anxiety without realizing.
Want to share something with you. When my husband was in hospital (he died several years ago), he called me one night crying... could not imagine what was wrong he finally explained he said: "sweetheart I never really knew what you were going through when you had a panic attack... I do now... awhile ago thought I was having a heart attack or worse still going crazy, they claimed me down gave me meds, told me not to worry was just a panic attack.... just a panic attack dear Lord, you have been going through hell, I never really understood, please forgive me". There was nothing to forgive he was my greatest support made feel safe.
Many people do not understand if they have not endured these attacks. I know you feel that your life has been spent with doctors, meds, etc., I know I asked God many times, just one day without any attacks. My prayer was answered in this way >> It is wonderful to have place to come too, talk with, ask advise. Once thought I was the only person going through this, but look at all of us now, we are all with you and we understand all to well. Take care, chin up, God Bless!! you are in prayers. Let us know how you are doing.

Irish