andypee
21-05-09, 02:05
Hi all
Very glad i stumbled across this site. Let me introduce myself, my name is Andy and i'm 21 years old. Anyone who good could give me advice on my problem would be very much appreciated.
About 2 1/2 months ago i began to feel strange, like the outside world was unreal and foreign almost. At the exact same time i noticed some enlarged lymph nodes in my neck under my jaw. Previous to this i had been on a complete bender for about a month, or maybe from christmas time really. Ever since i have not felt right, the lymph nodes have not reduced in size but not got any bigger nor have anymore popped up. I have been a little more tired than usual, and my drinking habits have maintained to escape my symptoms. I was a victim of dr. google and saw all the horrible diseases relating to swollen lymph nodes and ignored the simple causes. I had to move back to my parents house from university because i couldn't cope with the worry, i would ring my mum up crying every night, i felt bad on her as she had some health problems of her own recently.
I have been to my GPs around 6 times, each time i tell them how worried i am about the nodes, they have a feel and check me out all over and give me the all clear, i have had 2 complete blood counts and inflammation blood tests, all normal. I was so worried one day i paid £130 for a 60 second HIV test because i knew i couldn't wait for the normal test result (the guy at the clinic after i had told him my sexual history said i had more chance of winning the lottery than having contracted HIV).
After these tests i was diagnosed with GAD, which didn't come as a great surprise, i have been over-anxious all my life but have hardly ever been ill. I was prescribed 10mg ciltalopram, which i did not take as i was too worried about the side effects, so i decided to go herbal with st johns wort but unfortunately the gastric side-effects were awful and i stopped taking it immediately.
But after all this i still feel these nodes are being over-looked, i am so anxious about them, i feel i may have a panic attack or start crying if i just look at my neck. I very lucky in that my parents have private health care, so im going to visit a consultant general physician for what will be a 3rd opinion.
I feel some other symptoms i have are caused by GAD, like muscle aches, headaches but i can't convince myself of that while these nodes are still up.
I have been all my life a happy person, i am in a working band and enjoy that very very much and never thought id get to a point where i don't believe 2 separate doctors diagnosis. I want my life back so much, to be able to sit on my sofa in my university flat and have a cup of tea without worrying about my health.
Thats about it, i am going to stop drinking for a while and see how that goes, ill be more anxious in the evenings but i know that the booze is a short term solution that creates a longer term problem.
Thanks for reading!
Andy
Very glad i stumbled across this site. Let me introduce myself, my name is Andy and i'm 21 years old. Anyone who good could give me advice on my problem would be very much appreciated.
About 2 1/2 months ago i began to feel strange, like the outside world was unreal and foreign almost. At the exact same time i noticed some enlarged lymph nodes in my neck under my jaw. Previous to this i had been on a complete bender for about a month, or maybe from christmas time really. Ever since i have not felt right, the lymph nodes have not reduced in size but not got any bigger nor have anymore popped up. I have been a little more tired than usual, and my drinking habits have maintained to escape my symptoms. I was a victim of dr. google and saw all the horrible diseases relating to swollen lymph nodes and ignored the simple causes. I had to move back to my parents house from university because i couldn't cope with the worry, i would ring my mum up crying every night, i felt bad on her as she had some health problems of her own recently.
I have been to my GPs around 6 times, each time i tell them how worried i am about the nodes, they have a feel and check me out all over and give me the all clear, i have had 2 complete blood counts and inflammation blood tests, all normal. I was so worried one day i paid £130 for a 60 second HIV test because i knew i couldn't wait for the normal test result (the guy at the clinic after i had told him my sexual history said i had more chance of winning the lottery than having contracted HIV).
After these tests i was diagnosed with GAD, which didn't come as a great surprise, i have been over-anxious all my life but have hardly ever been ill. I was prescribed 10mg ciltalopram, which i did not take as i was too worried about the side effects, so i decided to go herbal with st johns wort but unfortunately the gastric side-effects were awful and i stopped taking it immediately.
But after all this i still feel these nodes are being over-looked, i am so anxious about them, i feel i may have a panic attack or start crying if i just look at my neck. I very lucky in that my parents have private health care, so im going to visit a consultant general physician for what will be a 3rd opinion.
I feel some other symptoms i have are caused by GAD, like muscle aches, headaches but i can't convince myself of that while these nodes are still up.
I have been all my life a happy person, i am in a working band and enjoy that very very much and never thought id get to a point where i don't believe 2 separate doctors diagnosis. I want my life back so much, to be able to sit on my sofa in my university flat and have a cup of tea without worrying about my health.
Thats about it, i am going to stop drinking for a while and see how that goes, ill be more anxious in the evenings but i know that the booze is a short term solution that creates a longer term problem.
Thanks for reading!
Andy