ethan2003
25-09-22, 23:10
Hi all, I hope everyone reading this is doing great!
I'll start off by mentioning that I've made 2 posts before this, one about a brain tumour fear, another about low heart rate concerns.
To give a background about me, my name is Ethan (18M) and I have been suffering with Health Anxiety since January. I have always been a worrier, but never about myself, only others (parents and extended family). I've been suffering all forms of pains, aches, and overall mental health issues for the past 8-9 months of my life. I can abstract 4 events/reasonings that's happened in the past 9 months that could all have a contributing factor, and/or be the cause itself. Those being:
Morbidly obese (23st, 6' 0", male)
Lost job in December, caused a lot of financial stress as well as general wellbeing due to it being a massive portion of my life.
COVID positive starting December 22, 2021.
COVID vaccine (first injection) on January 05, 2022.
The first time I had issues was January 27th, 2022. I was admitted to hospital after a night drinking at a friends how because I had severe pain in both of my arms. I could only describe it as a deep pain, as if something was coursing its way through my veins. It was impossible for me to move or life my arms/body. I managed to ring 111 and 999 (UK*), to which paramedics came and checked my heart via an ECG machine and a blood pressure machine - both came out normal. They sent me to the hospital anyway, where I had several ECGs, a blood test, and a chest X-Ray. Again, all came out normal and I was sent home diagnosed with anxiety (of course).
Prior to this event, I was a whole other person. I had the whole world at my feet, knowing I would some day become a millionaire (hasn't happened yet...). But, this mindset came crashing down once the pains hit. And just to be clear, the pains came before the anxiety.
After this event, the pains stopped for a while. Then they came back again in April, a few days after drinking (common factor, right?). I once again went the hospital, had a blood test and ECG's - all was fine. But then I started to have the pains more frequently, and different pains, different side effects until it became constant. So ever since April I have had pains in my chest and arms every single day. Eventually, after several visits to the hospital and doctors they said that it could be GERD. They've given me propranolol, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, and many other PPI's. NONE WORKED! The doctor's said it's a mix of GERD and Anxiety, and that I should find a way to become more active. And so recently (September 05th, 2022), I got a manual job at JCB. Still taking propranolol and esomeprazole (which, btw, is supposed to be the most potent - says my doctor). And it's only gotten worse.
I'm aware that my weight is NOT helping. I'm fully aware that my lifestyle will only make it worse and I need to rectify that before it's too late. But I just have this overwhelming feeling that these pains aren't GERD, or anxiety. I feel there is an underlying condition that was brought on by either having COVID itself, or from both of the vaccines. Since the first vaccine started the pains, but the second made them constant.
I'm really hoping someone out there has similar experiences to me, or someone who has an answer because I am becoming desperately hopeless. I obviously cannot describe the pain and misery I've been in for the whole of the past 9 months, but if you knew the way I was and am now, you genuinely wouldn't believe I was the same person.
I'll end by listing as much of the issues I suffer with to potentially formulate a true reason:
Constant daily chest pain that occurs in both breasts, mainly in the left (pain can vary in both type and places on the breast); pains in both arms; pains in shoulders and back; breathing difficulty (cannot catch a satisfying breath); increased heart rate & palpitations after a meal/dessert/drink with high sugars; constant confusion (cognitive function is really poor since January); can't lie down flat; wake up feeling oxygen deprived; overbearing fear of death; and much more not relative to chest pains.
This post isn't to seek sympathy by any means, nor am I really looking for advice (though I will take it). I guess I just want answers. The doctors won't send me for an MRI no matter how much I ask. I want to find a way to make the pain stop, because it's becoming too much. I also hope (not in a bad way) that there's someone out there experiencing a similar thing, to see if there's a way to join collective info and find solutions.
I genuinely believe that the vaccine or covid itself has caused these issues. I don't believe the other events I listed before has helped, but considering everything was caused just weeks after the vaccine - it makes sense?
Anyways, if anyone actually read through the entire thing, thank you! I appreciate it.
Many thanks,
Ethan.
I'll start off by mentioning that I've made 2 posts before this, one about a brain tumour fear, another about low heart rate concerns.
To give a background about me, my name is Ethan (18M) and I have been suffering with Health Anxiety since January. I have always been a worrier, but never about myself, only others (parents and extended family). I've been suffering all forms of pains, aches, and overall mental health issues for the past 8-9 months of my life. I can abstract 4 events/reasonings that's happened in the past 9 months that could all have a contributing factor, and/or be the cause itself. Those being:
Morbidly obese (23st, 6' 0", male)
Lost job in December, caused a lot of financial stress as well as general wellbeing due to it being a massive portion of my life.
COVID positive starting December 22, 2021.
COVID vaccine (first injection) on January 05, 2022.
The first time I had issues was January 27th, 2022. I was admitted to hospital after a night drinking at a friends how because I had severe pain in both of my arms. I could only describe it as a deep pain, as if something was coursing its way through my veins. It was impossible for me to move or life my arms/body. I managed to ring 111 and 999 (UK*), to which paramedics came and checked my heart via an ECG machine and a blood pressure machine - both came out normal. They sent me to the hospital anyway, where I had several ECGs, a blood test, and a chest X-Ray. Again, all came out normal and I was sent home diagnosed with anxiety (of course).
Prior to this event, I was a whole other person. I had the whole world at my feet, knowing I would some day become a millionaire (hasn't happened yet...). But, this mindset came crashing down once the pains hit. And just to be clear, the pains came before the anxiety.
After this event, the pains stopped for a while. Then they came back again in April, a few days after drinking (common factor, right?). I once again went the hospital, had a blood test and ECG's - all was fine. But then I started to have the pains more frequently, and different pains, different side effects until it became constant. So ever since April I have had pains in my chest and arms every single day. Eventually, after several visits to the hospital and doctors they said that it could be GERD. They've given me propranolol, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, and many other PPI's. NONE WORKED! The doctor's said it's a mix of GERD and Anxiety, and that I should find a way to become more active. And so recently (September 05th, 2022), I got a manual job at JCB. Still taking propranolol and esomeprazole (which, btw, is supposed to be the most potent - says my doctor). And it's only gotten worse.
I'm aware that my weight is NOT helping. I'm fully aware that my lifestyle will only make it worse and I need to rectify that before it's too late. But I just have this overwhelming feeling that these pains aren't GERD, or anxiety. I feel there is an underlying condition that was brought on by either having COVID itself, or from both of the vaccines. Since the first vaccine started the pains, but the second made them constant.
I'm really hoping someone out there has similar experiences to me, or someone who has an answer because I am becoming desperately hopeless. I obviously cannot describe the pain and misery I've been in for the whole of the past 9 months, but if you knew the way I was and am now, you genuinely wouldn't believe I was the same person.
I'll end by listing as much of the issues I suffer with to potentially formulate a true reason:
Constant daily chest pain that occurs in both breasts, mainly in the left (pain can vary in both type and places on the breast); pains in both arms; pains in shoulders and back; breathing difficulty (cannot catch a satisfying breath); increased heart rate & palpitations after a meal/dessert/drink with high sugars; constant confusion (cognitive function is really poor since January); can't lie down flat; wake up feeling oxygen deprived; overbearing fear of death; and much more not relative to chest pains.
This post isn't to seek sympathy by any means, nor am I really looking for advice (though I will take it). I guess I just want answers. The doctors won't send me for an MRI no matter how much I ask. I want to find a way to make the pain stop, because it's becoming too much. I also hope (not in a bad way) that there's someone out there experiencing a similar thing, to see if there's a way to join collective info and find solutions.
I genuinely believe that the vaccine or covid itself has caused these issues. I don't believe the other events I listed before has helped, but considering everything was caused just weeks after the vaccine - it makes sense?
Anyways, if anyone actually read through the entire thing, thank you! I appreciate it.
Many thanks,
Ethan.