please help

[alex74alex]

I’m new on this forum so please bear with my (too) long story. I’m just trying to figure out what is wrong with me and I’m definitely looking forward to hear what other people with (maybe) similar problems have to say.
Couple of months ago I started having some episodes of tachycardia – out of the blue my heart would start racing so of course I went to the ER lots of times, have been diagnosed with sinus tachycardia and given bisoprolol 2.5 mg to take once a day. About a month after the onset of the tachycardia I started experiencing chest pain that radiated into my arms. (sometimes the tachy and chest pain would occur at the same times, sometimes separately, sometimes I’d experience arm pain as well, but there was/is no pattern to that). During one of the ER visits the dr said I have costochondritis and prescribed celebrex and Percocet for the pain. About 2 weeks after starting on celebrex and Percocet (I took celebrex 200 mg once a day and Percocet only as needed) I have started developing new symptoms: a feeling of "buzzing" in my whole body that comes and goes, diziness, a sort of lightheadedness, headaches that come and go, a combination of itching/tingling/pain in my arms, legs, hands and feet (mostly on the left side of the body), as well as in my face and scalp. Plus at times I feel my pulse in my whole body - particularly in the head. The itching/tingling/pains come and go at different times during the day, and they vary in length and intensity. Pretty much all of my symptoms have the tendency to come and go and they have the tendency to go away whenever I am in the hospital or in a doctor’s office… go figure…
As the headaches got worse and I spent several sleepless nights because of them, I went back to see a doctor and I was told I might have a vascular headache/migraine, so I was given toradol by IV in the hospital and pills to take at home – the pills don’t always help, so I have yet another doctor’s appointment this week.
Yesterday as I experienced both a headache (which seems to affect not only my head but also some muscles in my neck and shoulders) and some chest pain I took 2 toradol pills 6 hours apart (as prescribed). The pains subsided and I was able to rest over the night, but this morning I woke up with a large painful bruise on my right thigh (and yes I am 100% sure I have not bumped into anything, the bruise appeared out of the blue).
Many of the doctors I have seen have told me that my symptoms don’t add up, and they are most likely stress related, so they suggested I have anxiety attacks – even prescribed ativan for me which sometimes seemed to help, still I am not convinced that all these problems are “in my head”, so I am desperately looking for some answers.
Here is a list of all the tests I have had: blood work (at least 15 times) has always come back normal except for my blood iron which is low and a positive ANA titre 1:160 with a homogeneous pattern, chest X-rays (4-5 times) normal, EKG's (about 15) - all of which showed either normal sinus rhythm, or sinus tachycardia, 24 h Holter monitor – no symptoms, echocardiogram – normal, stress test – normal, 2 weeks loop monitor – awaiting the results, thyroid hormone (TSH) – normal, CT scan of the head – normal, MRI of the brain – awaiting the results.
Needless to say that my stress levels are extremely elevated, not to mention that medical bills are piling up and all I have gotten from the doctors I have seen is that I have panic/anxiety attacks.
Is it possible that the increasing amount of stress in my life is responsible for this mess I'm in? Are there any tests that I may need in order to get a proper diagnostic? I have no idea where to turn or what to try... I used to be healthy and full of life, and now all I do is go to doctors looking for solutions to regain my... self.
Please help.

[spacebunnyx]

alex, i don't know what it is you have, but it does sound like anxiety. the bruise is strange..however, i often get random bruises on my legs without realising... especially on my thighs (knocking table edges i guess - i'm a teacher!)

hope u get an answer soon.

Jess xxx

[alex74alex]

Hi Jess,

thank you for your answer.
Indeed, the bruise is strange, and I keep thinking of how I may have gotten it ... but nothing. Don't get me wrong, but it's too big and painful for me not to remember getting it.
I'm just keeping my fingers crossed as I'm waiting for the results of the brain MRI and loop monitor for my heart.
Again, thank you for taking the time to read and for answering.
Alex

[blondinou]

Hi Alex,

I have had similar symptoms to you, mine all started with tachycardia out of the blue and I feel my heart thumping anywhere in my body quite a lot. Tingling really sounds like anxiety too.

I don't know whether you've come across this idea before, but worries about health are definitely made worse by having lots of tests done. I used to worry about my heart loads, and having a 24h ECG and echo (both normal) made me feel apparently better for a little while but in the long run tests actually added to my feeling that there was something wrong with me. I used to check my pulse all the time, and I made myself stop doing it, and it dramatically reduced the amount that I worry about my heart. It sounds like you've had loads of tests, why so many X rays, here in England you'd never get all that on the NHS!! Every time you are waiting for a medical opinion test result you are just delaying your recovery from anxiety. Also all these pills you've been prescribed might actually be giving you side effects and adding to the feeling that there are things wrong with your body. I don't think you need a single other test at all. I think the doctors have actually not handled this very well. If I were you I would try and start seeing a counsellor regularly, or find strategies that work for you like meditation or something, you don't need this to be medicalised so much, you will just be feeding it more - you need stress relief and emotional support!

I'm a medical student, I don't want to get high and mighty this is only my opinion and not necessarily right. But this is what I feel from my experience of anxiety and what has helped me, and as an outsider reading your story. I hope this helps you, let me know what you think, you can get this sorted :-)

[alex74alex]

Hi Blondinou,
thank you so much for your time and thoughtfulness.
I really appreciate your answer, and I hope and pray that you are right and I will soon manage to get to the bottom of this.
To be honest, lately myanxiety and worries are no longer about my heart, but about the rest of the symptoms I am experiencing. The tingling as you called it (more of pins and needles really) makes me think it's some neurological problem as it's quite different than the tingling I would feel if hyperventilating (which I have done in many instances lately). Plus what worries me is the fact that it's coming and going, and I feel it not only in my arms and legs (like I do while hyperventilating) but in my face as well.
I tend to agree with what you sai with the extra anxiety created by waiting for test results to come back, more than that I wore a loop monitor for 2 weeks twice as my cardiologist said that in order to be sure he gives me the right diagnostic he needs to "catch" an episode of tachycardia from its beginning to the end. (I forgot to mention in my initial posting that I have also had numerous EKG's done all of which showed normal sinusrhythm, or sinus tachycardia).
And, "of course" th latest "star of the show" - my bruise which I can NOT explain, that sent me worying even more.
Mabye it's a stupid question to ask, but can all these symptoms jut come and go randomly, without any particular trigger? I did have panic attacks where I'd feel my heart race, chest pain, arms getting numb, hyperventilating ... the whole 9 yards, but they all had (at least in my opinion) a definite beginning and ending, while all the symptoms I have described seem to have mind of their own and just about come and go as they please (I guess I'm repeating myself).
I do have a second appointment with a psychologist tomorrow - the first time around I pretty much explained to him my story - so I'll see where that goes. Plus I have found a bunch of self help books for anxiety and I have startedd reading them.
Again many thanks for your reply, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you again.
I'll definitely continue posting here - it seems to have a sort of therapeutic effect on me, plus, maybe at one point I'll be able to help others.
Alex

[blondinou]

Hello,
You're very welcome!

This pattern sounds familiar. I go through worries about certain things, phases which then pass. For a few weeks I kept feeling my neck lumps and worrying about lymphoma, then I was having palpitations and tachycardia and was so scared of my heart packing in, and now it's all about my breathing. It seems like once I've worried enough and had a few medical tests that come back normal, I move onto a different set of worries. So I would be open minded that this could be happening.

Also that this tingling and other symptoms you've had come and go - this really sounds like what I get too. My symptoms do sometimes happen when I'm actually stressed/worried - but the rest of the time they seem to come out of the blue. This makes them really hard to deal with cos you think "well if they're not triggered when I'm stressed then how can they be related, there must be something physically wrong instead?!" But I'm trying to convince myself that the symptoms are my anxiety, that my anxiety is very physical (i.e. my body causes me these symptoms without me consciously doing it) and free-floating (i.e. comes out the blue).

One theory is that in anxiety/panic, the amygdala (fear centre) in our brains has become oversensitive and is triggered by the slightest thing, causing a flood of physical reaction [insert symptom here!] really fast, even before we consciously have a fear. So it seems like the symptoms come before the worries, and therefore appears that the symptoms are genuine. Does that make sense? This idea helps me to come to terms with my symptoms sometimes.

If it convinces you any more, the first panic attack I had, I was just sitting watching TV feeling fine and suddenly my heart was racing and I thought I was going to die, it was so out of the blue. And although I don't really have panic attacks any more, which are in some ways easier to deal with, because like you said they have a beginning and an end, I find generalised anxiety really hard because it floats around coming and going and creeping up on you when you think you're just getting on with your day! Fun :-D

Over several months I have thought long and hard trying to unravel and make sense of my anxiety and the symptoms I get. The concepts I've talked about above have taken me a while to start coming to terms with. I still have doubts and moments (or whole days) where I'm convinced I am going to come to serious harm or die from an illness. As a medical student this makes things even more complex! What I'm trying to say is you are already doing really well by questioning what's going on with your mind/body and coming to this site and seeing your psychologist etc. Keep going and making progress, I feel like it's like trying to find your way through a dark forest or something!

[ronski]

blondinou the reasons your anxiety sometimes hits when you are feeling ok is because of the sensitivity of your nervous system and the length of time that is needed to lower that sensitivity. It takes around 90 days to see some real improvement.
Yes I agree that the Amygadala being hyper sensitised is a major factor in anxiety and panic disorders. The way to lower that hypersensitivity is using true acceptance and stopping any negativity specifically with symptoms and sensations. Mind you I can echo the remark you made about being a medical student can complicate things as you know the risks. I worked in healthcare for 33 years and that sometimes is an issue for me, I witnessed things that have stayed with me and at times have given me cause for concern with my own health.

[alex74alex]

Hello there,
thank you both for your messages.
As I promised I'm back as I have received the results of my MRI scan and ... guess what it's all normal ... no surprise there, right.
Also I had a second session with a psychologist yesterday who at one point admitted that he doesn't really see any anxiety/panic/stress related issues in the way I'm presenting myself.
What I have been looking into lately is ativan withdrawal, as ativan was prescribed to help with my panic attacks, plus side effects of all the other pills/medications the doctors have given me ever since July, and in perfect honesty the only one(s) who had anything to gain here were the pharmaceutical companies.
Pins and needles, headaches, muscle aches, dizziness - symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal (to prove to myself I am right I took an ativan this morning as my legs were hurting, I had random pins and needles all over my body, I also had all sorts of strange tinglings, chest pain, buzzing in my left arm and leg, shaky legs, and guess what, 1/2 hour later when the ativan kicked in all my symptoms were gone).
My big ugly bruise - can be a side effect of all the NSAID's I've been prescribed and that I have been taking lately.
Sorry if I am jumping from one thing to another I guess I just needed to vent off a bit.
My conclusion - and I will definitely have a conversation with my family doctor about it - given that the results of all the tests I have had are not showing anything wrong, I strongly believe that what I am experiencing are side effects of all the wonderful drugs I have been taking lately, therefore no more pills for me! From what I've read ativan withdrawal can be quite a challenge,but I am not going to allow it to take over my life.
I’ll keep updating my posts here and let you know how it goes.
All the best to you.