New Here

So I've always been anxious in my life for as long as I remember.  If my mom came home 15-20 minutes from work I would always worry about her and if my fiancee doesn't pick up her phone sometimes I worry.  I had a job interview on the 20th of September and I couldn't fall asleep the whole night before.  I though maybe I'm anxious and its no big deal.  For a week and a half I sleep just fine.  This is until I'm sitting at my computer and I feel large amounts of gas in my stomach that creates a sharp pain in my left side.  I'm stunned for about 20 seconds and am kneeling on the floor.  Being at my computer the obvious thing to do was to look up what had happened.  The internet being evil made me worried that I had a heart attack.  I worry when I sleep, but try to forget about it.  I wake up the next day with a temperature and as days go by I have diahrea and have pains all over my back, shoulders, neck, arms, and chest.  I start to fear the worst and I can't sleep until it is very late.  My temperature goes away after a week, but I'm still anxious and have trouble sleeping.  So last saturday I check into the ER and they run a chest x-ray, urine test, several blood tests, and an ekg.  The ekg and blood tests turn out fine, but there is glucose in my urine and mycreatinine is 1.2 with a low BUN 8.  I am only 25 years old and my blood pressure was racing when they first took it.  It normalized after a while and they discharged me.  They give me vicodine and ibuprofen (which I haven't taken yet because I know that stuff shouldn't be messed around with) So I monitor my blood pressure and its usually a little over 130 and around 95.  I can't seem to shake it so my dad wants to get a 2nd opinion and then sends me to see his friend who is a Chinese herbal doctor  who has done work at Harvard Medical School (so he's legitimate).  He says that everything is fine with me, but I need rest because my adrenaline levels are high and it is causing my blood pressure to go up.  He gives me some stuff and I take it last night.  I wake up because I can't sleep and have diahrrea multiple times.  Try to sleep from 12-3 a.m. but wake up at 3:30 with my heart racing and a cold sweat on my forehead.  I take my blood pressure and it has gone done to the 120s/80s but my pulse is at around 100.  Do you think this is a panic attack?  Its weird because now my bp is around 110s/low80s with my pulse in the low 80s.  I feel as though the virus has come back but at least my chest isn't pumping and I don't feel as though I have high blood pressure.  I slept most of the day and ate very little for dinner today...  I feel awake and can't sleep right now...  any thoughts please?  I just want to be the same old me again!  I am 5'7" and weigh around 145 (used to weight 150 before this illness)

Welcome to the HW " family"
Glad you found us but am sorry for the reasons

You will find that many can and do relate to your experiences..............you will get unconditional support here from all the great members .........no judgement just understanding caring and support

I would want to have a complete check up as well with your physician.........I dont understand why the Diarrhea after the herbal meds .....but perhaps it was to cleanse your body ??
I would most certainly be calling that Herbalist and telling him about this episode you went thru ..........
It may be that you are one that cannot take herbal meds......there are a few of those

Vicodin and Ibruprofen if taken properly will go to the pain not get you " high" and I would at least give them a shot to see if and how they work for you .....My opinion only

Some of the sypmtoms you describe should also be checked into
I get the gas........... the pain in left side................ and bloated like I am ready to give birth

I have been in such severe pain even after taking oxycontin to the point of tears ........thats when I know I am in probs wih my crohns ...........

Please I am not saying you have any type of bowel disorder BUT it would not hurt to be checked out totally


I also agree that our BP will go up if in anxiety zones such as Doctors dentists ect .........

PLEASE do stay with us AF and know that this is a warm family community of VERY caring and supportive people .........

Post and let us know how you gt on will you ..........LYN

Hi,

I am increasingly surprised at how my anxiety can cause aches, pains, etc... you are likely perpetuating your symptoms by worrying about them. I struggle with a lot of abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, rapid heart rate, higher blood pressure, muscle aches/pains, headaches, etc... I've been to the Dr. repeatedly to be told that everything is fine so I know that my fear of having something wrong with me is what often makes me feel worse. Please see your Dr. again to rule out anything medical but if they give you a clean bill of health then chances are you will need some CBT therapy to help you change your thought processes and perhaps some meds to help ease the anxiety. Good luck to you.

Liz

Thanks for all your support everyone!

Well with God's help, a positive and hopeful outlook (support from my family, friends, fiancee) my mind made it through the worse time in my life.  I still had a fever for a few days after, but forced myself to eat which lowered my palpatations and blood pressure.  I went to the doctor again and he took blood to see if everything was fine, but chalked it up to a virus that had caused all my distress.  The problem I get now is being able to eat solid cooked foods as I have lost my appetite and I can now get to sleep, but the sleep is never deep enough causing me to wake up every two hours.  So last night I slept at 10:30... woke up at 12:30... fell back to sleep really quickly... woke up at around 2:30-3... fell back to sleep again quickly and woke up at around 4:30... It's 8:48 now and I'm so tired... I can hardly keep awake, but I'm trying to avoid naps in hopes that it doesn't further mess things up.  I'm considering quitting my new job (started yesterday and had to leave early because I was so tired and took the day job)  Not worried about the job or getting to sleep, but wanting to get that deep constant 6-7-8 hours of sleep back... blah...