This isn't hypochondria... it's just odd; for the past year or so I just feel like something is NOT right, I don't feel like I used to, and I don't ever feel well enough to enjoy a lot of the things I used to; It's not depression, because I understand the way depression affects me and how I react to it... and this isn't like that. I never physically feel up to par, and on the rare occassion that I do, I get sad that it doesn't seem to happen more often. I keep going to the doctor for all these weird ailments and crap, and they never really seem to know what the hell is going on. It's been a lot of weird stuff since about this same time last year, that's when it started. And, I don't even know HOW to approach a doctor about looking further into this... by now they pretty much just think I overreact, or that nothing is wrong, but something is not right. I know my body better than anyone else, and it might even be minor whatever it is, but I never feel well. So what the fuck am I supposed to do? Just become a lab rat until they find out whats wrong? How do I explain this to the doctor without him thinking I'm just a hypochondriac? Please, suggestions, I'm getting sick of going there every month trying to figure out what the fuck is going on.
Maybe try doing an internal body cleanse? The body tends to get loaded up with toxins and things that leave you feeling pretty awful. Then take some vitamins and probiotics when you finish and see how it goes. Or look up Naturopathic doctors in your area and see if they can help. Hope you can figure it out and feel better!
Thanks, but no offense, at this point I really dont care what treatment is done, all I want are answers. I just want to know whats wrong with me, whats going on, and what my options are for treatment... I dont care whether its "natural" or not, honestly; i know a lot of you would disagree with me, I just am desperate and if something that is less natural works better, Im going with that. Im sick of feeling like this.
Thats understandable. I wasnt suggesting natural because of thats the 'hippy' thing to do or whatever. I know its fustrating being thought of as a hypochondriac by doctors. From my expirance most traditional doctors have a hard time figuring out an illness if its not textbook symptoms. therefore run you around like a lab rat till they can come up with possiblilities and make you wait and wait. While a naturopathic doctor acually takes in account the entire body, mind, diet/ lifestyle,underlying issues, Usually finding quicker answers to a wide variety of odd symptoms. Defanitly go with whatever will work better for you. Waiting a long time for a doctor to figure it out and feeling awful is slow torture in a way. Second medical opinions are usually quite beneficial.
Since I know that you have an eating disorder, I would say its probably from poor nutrition and the fact that your body is starving. gain weight and eat healthy and you will probably feel better. However as someone who has had an ED I know its not that easy. Good luck/.
^^that, and look into food sensitivities. You may want to see an allergist, but those tests don't always pick up certain sensitivities that are not specifically allergic reactions. If there are certain foods you crave, those should be the first you eliminate. Be aware that you may have withdrawal when you stop eating them, which is often worse than the regular reaction, especially if you are addicted. Wheat, dairy, and sugar are the most common problem foods, and the least likely to show up on an allergy test.
CosmicGaia: I'm open to the idea of possibly getting any sort of diagnoses with a natural doctor, but I have hesitation with taking herbs or natural remedies for things, because I'm allergic to a lot of it. For a long time I was trying things out on my own, and drinking herbal teas, and I was allergic to a lot of it, which wasn't fun to experience. I'm allergic to a LOT of plants, period, which is also sort of strange considering they are the only thing I can eat without feeling sick to my stomach lol. I would be open to other natural ideas though, that don't involve things that I might be allergic to... acupuncture is something I've always wondered about, and I'm open to trying things like that. But I would want to gather opinions of more than just one doctor, because right now I'm skeptical. Hipkatmeow: Thing is, I don't think a lot of it is from my eating disorder; most of the problems that come along with eating disorders derive from vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which somehow, I dont have... Im constantly having blood work done, because of my eating disorder, to check for deficiencies, and everytime they come out perfect. I still always take vitamins so maybe that helps, I dont know. Plus, this start last year October, and at that point and time, I was really healthy and had been recovered for about a year, maybe a little longer. I was feeling really healthy, after I went vegan, started taking vitamins, and eating like a normal person, and then without changing any of that, my health just went to shit. I didn't relapse with my eating disorder til around spring time this year... and the symptoms that are irritating me have been going on longer than that. It's possible they arent getting any better because of the way I eat though, but I dont know... Maybe I'm in denial about a lot of things that relate to my eating disorder, and I just dont know it yet. I did a lot of dumb things before I tried recovery, and after I relapsed, which could have an effect on my body, but why was I okay for a long time then, when I was eating healthy. A couple years ago, I had an addiction to diet pills and laxatives, but I haven't taken ANY of those substances SINCE like two years ago... I dont know, after I reply to mamaboogies response, Ill fill you in on some of the symptoms so that maybe it can give you guys an idea of why Im so worried. Mamaboogie: I know I'm lactose intolerant, and Im allergic to eggs, so I'm vegan, and I don't eat those things anyway..... Im not sure about wheat and sugar though. I do make the mistake of eating a lot of sugar substitutes in my coffee and such, but, Im looking into stevia... Ive tried stevia, in liquid form before and HATED it, so now Im trying the little powder packets soon. Ill see if I like that... Ive been to an allergist for basic outdoor and indoor allergies and I already know a great deal of what Im allergic to, and my god, its a great deal: certain types of trees [too bad i cant even remember which kind], pollen, like ALL pollen, all grass, cats, birds, MILDLY allergic to dust... and I think that about covers it for what I got tested for. Aside from that I'm allergic to latex, and the foods I listed, as well as I was diagnosed with GERDS, and the doctors suggestion for that was to basically avoid carbonated things, or anything too spicy or citrusy. I have an issue staying away from tomato products so that could be part of the problem .... but most of my problems arent in my stomach or anything, so I dont know... I am thinking about going back to the allergist, because lately, I notice I seem to have a LOT of sensitivities to cleaning products, and fragrances and so on... so maybe he can give me some better suggestions so that I dont have to live in a bubble the rest of my life lmao. The symptoms that are really bothering me, and worrying me are these: weird rib/chest-backish pains, knee pains, and problems with where, when I touch my legs ever so slightly it HURTS...like how it hurts when you touch a bruise, but I dont have any bruises..... I get constant ringing in my ears, I have been having issues with sensitivities to light and sound, but its not accompanied by a headache...so I doubt its a migraine... My skin acts up in weird ways every single day, which could very well be allergies, and thats the least of my worries right now... For a while my hair was falling out in tremendous amounts, but it seems to have stopped now... I get twitches that wont go away... sometimes they keep me up at night. I'm always exhausted...not necessarily SLEEPY, just worn out, and cant stand around or walk around much, I just always have to be sitting or lying down because I dont have anyyyy energy most of the time. My face flushes for no reason, and my cheeks will start burning up so hot, but I dont get a fever. I will got a HOT sensation in my thighs that scares the crap out of me, every now and again.... and I've been unusually terrible with my moods lately.... they are very up and down, and its not like depression... its different, its weird, and I cant control them, even through therapy and/or medication. I get tingling in my hands or feet, sometimes my legs or even my face. My sleep is erratic and I never know what to expect out of it, I try to keep a strict schedule to keep it in line, but I cant control it sometimes because there are a lot of nights when I either just pass out before my "bedtime" or I lay awake in bed all night... there are other times that no matter what sort of hours Im asleep for I just can NOT get rested up...Ill wake up tired and draggy no matter if I slept, 6,8, or 10 hours...doesnt matter. Ill have bouts where, its really well, and I can go to bed around 10 and wake up at 5 or 6 AM and feel great, but it never lasts.... all of a sudden Im bombarded with insomnia, or I cant STOP sleeping or feeling tired. Ive done everything to get my sleep under control, tricks like not using the bedroom for anything but sleep [something my therapist suggested], drinking teas or other warm beverages like warm soymilk... Ive tried getting up and reading until Im sleepy, dimming the lights an hour before I have to go to bed... EVERYTHING... and it doesnt matter, my sleep does what it wants. My hands and feet are ALWAYS cold no matter what I do, but yet, my doctor does NOT think I have poor circulation... so I dont know whats going on with that. Anyway, so thats all my crazy crap thats going on, and maybe its just a series of issues related to my allergies and mental issues, but I guess I just have a hard time believing that because its always something and it seems like no matter what I do to keep these things under control it just gets worse..... I also just have this weird gut feeling, that something isnt quite right, and it bothers me. I try not to concentrate on it, because I DONT want to be hypochondriac and think something is wrong when something other than allergies and stuff may not be... but, its difficult to battle this awkward feeling I have everyday...I just dont feel right. Hope someone had the patience to read all that! P.S. When I was 13, I got into a terrible car accident which knocked me out unconcious, and I went into shock when I came to... the doctors x-rayed my chest and stuff to make sure I didnt swallow glass, because I had cuts all over my lips from the windshield.... but they didnt do much of anything else. I came out really with half my face cut up from glass [weirdly enough I only have one scar, not complaining though] and a fractured rib and a bruised hip bone... that was really it... But my mom always suggests I should get an MRI because my problems seem to have a lot to do with the brain, and I never got any sort of tests after the accident even though I was knocked out---- I dont disagree with her, Im just very clostraphobic [sp?] and freaked out by the idea of getting an MRI....
Whiskey and honey(good for anything-just plain good!) Mix a third glass of whiskey with 1 teaspoon of honey and drink.Try Booker's,the only bourbon bottled straight from the barrel.
if you are allergic to latex, avoid eating bananas and avocados, as they are in the same family. Tomatos and potatoes often cause symptoms of arthritis in sensitive people, avoid them as well as eggplant. Dairy, even trace amounts found in "non-dairy" food can cause all kinds of other symptoms besides just intestinal, like skin problems, sleep problems, nasal congestion, it really can affect your entire body. If you have reflux (gerd) you should avoid anything with casein or whey (dairy), and if you can figure out what exactly the problem foods are, the reflux should get better. Your symptoms could all be explained by food sensitivities and/or allergies. Taking digestive enzymes and probiotics might make a huge difference for you, they really help me a lot, but I had to start by eliminating the wheat and sugar, now I'm working on eliminating dairy and eggs as well, but our diet is already so restricted, it's a very frightening idea. here are some links I've found to be quite helpful (I could type all day long and not list everything I'm allergic to): http://users.bigpond.net.au/allergydietitian/fi/foodintolerance.html http://www.enzymestuff.com/
whoa, about the very first point. I eat avocados (well, guacamole) on a pretty consistent basis, as well as bananas.... weird... I had no idea... I eat lots of potatoes and tomatoes too... boo. All my favorite crap is the stuff I can't eat.
Okay, I'm still looking at the first link you provided, but ... fuckin' a. I don't doubt this might be what I'm dealing with, but how do I know? And how would I even go about finding what foods they are that are bothering me??? The reason, this makes most sense to me, too, is the fact that when I don't eat.... I actually feel better.... which is not good at all.
could you have fibromyalgia? Do some research. My aunt has it and that sounds like a lot of the symptoms. Ih ope you feel better!
there are several means of figuring out food allergies. many people see an allergist first. I know that gluten sensitivity, in particular, often does not show up on the allergy tests, and even the tests for celiac aren't very accurate. Many people try an elimination diet, switching to a very specific bland diet and slowly re-introducing foods one at a time to see if there's a reaction. This is a very long, drawn out process, because some foods may take a month or more to completely clear out of your system, and if you are addicted (which happens when you are allergic to something and eat it anyway) you may experience a rather severe withdrawal reaction when you stop eating it. Another problem with elimination diet would be if you happen to be sensitive to the foods that are allowed, like my oldest child is sensitive to rice, which is considered by many to be the least allergenic food out there, and often the staple of an elimination diet. But it really works for most people who try it. I trusted my instincts, and went with my gut feelings about food. I already knew we had problems with wheat, I was hoping it wasn't the gluten, but it is. I already knew we had problems with sugar, so that was out. I knew we had problems with dairy, but those problems were so mild compared to what happens when we eat gluten, that eliminating it became a low priority. I took it very slow, and didn't beat myself up when I let the diet slide. Funny thing is, that every slip-up only reinforced to us why we shouldn't eat those things. Getting started was the hardest, most intimidating part of it all. I'd suggest you start with eliminating the foods you crave to eat. For me, cravings are always a sign of something I should not put in my body.
mamaboogie, you have been so helpful, thank you. I think I actually figured out what the main problem is... and I think it IS wheat. Last night, I ate a very bland supper, made of things that are not common food intolerances, such as green beans and carrots; but I added a common allergen/intolerable food: wheat bread. I made wheat toast and put some strawberry jelly. Almost immediately after taking a few bites of toast my hands started to tingle.... I didn't get much a reaction afterwards, so a few hours later, I tried again, and ate another piece of plain wheat toast and all of a sudden the small red bumps that I get on my toes, which WERE diagnosed as "pernio" popped up. They are very itchy and sore, and when they start to fade away I get "symptoms" of arthritis in said toe or finger. It will be difficult to bend that particular toe/finger without it aching. I also noticed a scratchiness in my throat after eating the wheat toast. However, there could be other things in the bread that I'm allergic/intolerant too, and I guess that's going to be my next step. One of the allergens listed at the bottom of the ingredients was soy, and I'm going to test this out as well, because I have noticed a much greater downfall in my "health" since I went vegan and started to eat lots of soy products.... I'm hoping like hell it isnt soy because I LOVE soy EVERYTHING. But, I do believe you're right about the intolerances/allergies, because I was fine all day yesterday until I ate that stupid toast. Also, the reason I chose green beans and carrots for the other part of my meal was because I've come to realize over time that almost any raw vegetable seems to agree with me best. I've never had stomache aches or cramping or anything like an allergic reaction after eating raw veggies. When you were talking about the bananas and avocados, I was wondering, is that more like a cross reaction to an latex allergy? I know allergies can come at any time, but I was never allergic to latex in the past, and the past year, it's been terrible... I used to wear those rubber bracelets that have the "peace" "love" things on them, and I had to take them off one day when I noticed a terrible rash starting all over where they were. I was reading in that link you provided me, that some food intolerances can actually make you more sensitive to other things, could this be possible? Or is it probably just the allergies nature of popping up at any time? The past year, I developed an odd looking rash on my chest and back. The doctors had no idea what it was, thought it might be an allergic reaction to something or more specifically dermatitis... since I wasnt getting answers I went to a dermatologist who diagnosed me with pityriasis rosea.... it was supposed to go away within a few months TOPS.... it's been here for about a year now, and sometimes starts to fade, then comes back... and for pityriasis, it is rare to get it more than once. I feel this rash is from something else. Ive gotten all sorts of blood tests for CRAZY things ....one being syphilis, to make sure the rash wasnt from some underlying disease...its not... so all the doctors are very confused. and I want to add that, the skin rash is ugly as hell..... I was embarrassed to wear my swimsuit the entire summer because of it... its not appealing.
i looked it up... the only thing that I find similar is the fact that it said it could develop from traumatizing events like car accidents, but ...the symptoms aren't very head on like the food intolerance thing is... it's weird, because when i brought this up to my mom yesterday, she said, "That could be VERY possible. When you were younger, you were ALWAYS sooo hyper, and a lady I knew, asked if you had food allergies or intolerances because of that....she was sure you did" I dont know. Im not going to diagnose myself one way or another though, but Im going to do a helluva lotta research so I can bring things up to the doctor when I do see him, and get his opinion on these things.
