Serious health problems..HELP should I go to ER?

[iamdetermination]

I've been suffering from severe dizziness, balance issues, vision changes, migraines, stiff neck, pain in both calf muscles, shaking internally-tremors, ice cold sweaty feet / hands, panic attacks, insomnia on a daily basis. (The bolded ones are the main issues. I also partially fainted for no reason)

I'm at a complete loss of what to do. I've been to an ENT for dizziness, he thinks its brain related. I'm scheduled to see a neurologist but its taking forever to get in. I feel like this is impossible and not right to be living with. My parents have taken me to the ER numerous times for chest pain / stomach pain and now don't believe hospitals can help me at all. But this problem is completely different from those past experiences. My ability walk, bathe, do basis tasks around the house is deteriorating. I can't walk around a store anymore my mom pushes me in a wheelchair.
They refuse to take me to ER. I beg daily, I've developed panic disorder from this. Its awful and I feel like nobody is taking me seriously. My regular primary doctor thinks its anxiety, presribed me anti anxiety medication and refered me to the neurologist. I'm so frustrated its taking this long.

I feel like I should just call 911 myself.. What should I do? I honestly feel like my life is in danger!!!

[MyNameIsTerry]

If your doctor believes it is anxiety, the referral to a neurologist is surely a reassurance check to rule things out? It's the ENT saying it's brain related that I'm wondering about.

It's not unheard of in severe cases of neurotic disorders for sufferers to reach extremes such as wheelchair use, and others I won't discuss on this board for obvious reasons, and if your doctor believes it to be so they should be referring you to such as a psychiatrist.

[AHF]

Hi there! I think it's important to remember that if a doctor believes something is urgent they don't just make you wait. They put you to the front of the queue. They have the risk of malpractice if they did. But all of your symptoms sound exactly like anxiety issues which don't get me wrong is very real in the symptoms it causes. It's neurological and will give you muscle cramps and muscle tension in your neck causing headaches. It causes dizziness and weakness in the limbs. The blood flow leaves your hands to focus on your vitals because your body starts to go into a sort of emergency mode and when that happens your hands will get cold and you'll start to lose body heat from it. You get very real symptoms because the body makes a biological response and isn't imagined ok remember that. You should try to relax take a warm bath and get a massage! It'll help with your symptoms and over time things will get better. Also remember that there's medical care for you out there if you'd ever need it and you'll be talking with a neurologist to help calm your fears!

[ElectricAlice]

Hi there - I'm really sorry you're going through all this, it sounds truly difficult and awful. I hope you feel a lot better soon. If it helps my sister has episodes of REALLY bad vertigo/dizziness, where she feels almost drunk like the room is spinning and she finds it difficult to function. She's had a lot of tests and seen a lot of Dr's and they have told her it's either anxiety or labrintitis (ear problem).

Since she accepted it and stopped getting anxious so much she hasn't had it in a very long time *touches wood*

Vertigo and dizziness are indeed classic (but awful) symptoms of anxiety. And can also be caused by chronic shallow breathing (chronic Hyperventilation syndrome) check you're breathing from your stomach and not your upper chest. Perhaps work on your anxiety and do some meditation (check YouTube for help videos) and see if you feel better. There's also a great book called 'self help for your nerves' by Claire weeks that is fantastic about physical symptoms of anxiety. And a website called anxiety centre that has a lot of information about dizziness.

There is absolutely no doubt that this could all by from anxiety. But great you're going to get it investigated further also, you've done everything you can so try to breath and not panic.

Your life won't be in any immediate danger!

Does it ever get better when you relax, when you're watching a film perhaps? Try to just accept the sensations (I know that's sooooo much harder than people realise) because once your body doesn't see them as a threat, it'll stop releases adrenaline and stop engaging 'fight of flight mode' and after a while you will hopefully stop getting these symptoms.

I've been to emergency room a couple times and sometimes it does help you see there's nothing to worry about but either way take care and have a peaceful evening if you can! We are all here for you.

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

This sounds like me. It started as a teenager and I was told it was just anxiety. It turns out that I did have some minor health stuff, but I'm learning to manage it more & more each day. You're being sent to a doctor that's going to help you improve your symptoms, and you're going to be able to have your life back.

Anxiety definitely makes things much worse, so even talking with a therapist can be beneficial for you. It will get better because you're going to find out what's going on and how to fix it! If you have what I have, it's not serious but it's a pain in the butt sometimes--which I'm sure you've realized.

If you have what I have, it's common to develop it during the teenage years. Not everyone carries this stuff into adulthood which is good, and if you do then you'll learn to manage it like I have. I'm not going to mention what I'm talking about because I'm not a doctor and I can't diagnose you, but I want you to know that you're not alone.