"Mystery" Symptoms for Months

[AStewart]

Hi All,

I'm new to this group, I found it recently during my health anxiety crusades.

Let me start out by saying that I know I've been hype fixating recently. I never used to have health anxiety, but I've always been an anxious and high strung person. It just never targeted my health before as I never had a reason to worry.

I was hoping to get some opinions on my experience, so I can better focus on the real problem at hand. Whether that's health anxiety, or something else....


Symptoms:
Tinnitus, eye floaters, more frequent numbness and tingling in hands and feet, ears popping and crackling

Past Symptoms:
Pulsatile tinnitus, headaches, dizziness

Background:
For context I'm a 26 year old female who is technically considered highly overweight, even though I don't look it. BMI is like 30.

About 10 months ago, I started a new and highly stressful job as a financial advisor. I don't particular care for the people and the culture can be toxic. Around that same time, I got a new cat, and got a fluid build up in both of my middle ears from the allergies and sinus backup. This really caused me distress, and led to multiple urgent care and ENT visits. Eventually the fluid seemed to clear, but I still have crackling and popping in my ears.

A couple months after, I also developed tinnitus/ringing in my ears. This came on at the same time as a huge test I had to take for work, as well as buying my first home. The tinnitus I've had for about 8-9 months and it hasn't gone away.

At this point, I set out to find a fix for this tinnitus at all costs, trying everything. I still have the tinnitus, but it's not very severe, and I only notice it now and again. I've been examined by multiple ENTs and nothing is wrong with my ears.

Then, maybe 4 months ago, I developed eye floaters. I'm only 26 years old, so it seemed a bit sudden and convenient that it was happening amongst other symptoms going on. My eye doctor did examine my eyes at this point and didn't have any notable findings.

I also started getting headaches, and pulsatile tinnitus. The headaches and pulsatile tinnitus seem to have subsided mostly, with only vague mild experiences with those intermittently.

Finally, I started feeling dizzy and have felt like my hands and feet get pins/needles easier than they used to.

The dizziness I mostly attributed to my anxiety. It seems to go away when I don't think about it, and I've been seen by audiologists and ENTs and have ruled out ear issues.

The numbness and tingling I'm unsure about. It seems to happen much more frequently when I fall asleep on my arms, or when I walk long distances for my feet.

However, I went to the ER recently for something unrelated that has since cleared up, but given my other symptoms they did a CT and MRI. They found a few things that all point to a condition call IIH, but did not diagnose me with it given I don't have frequent or severe headaches, and that I don't have any spells of vision loss.

The Problem:
Basically, I'm driving myself crazy. I don't know what could be stemming from anxiety, what I'm manifesting due to hyper-fixating, and what maybe is a real concern.

In terms of the IIH, even though I have not been diagnosed, I've been trying to lose weight as I know that can help if this really is the condition I have unknowingly.

But I'm struggling so badly with catastrophizing. I'm worried the doctors didn't diagnose me in error, and that I'll lose my vision (as IIH can cause vision issues). I'm worried that the numbness and tingling could be MS or diabetes (even though my BP is always perfect), I'm worried the headaches are going to come back.

I can't stop obsessing about my health, even though I've been to ENTs, Eye Doctors, and the ER where I saw an Ophthalmologist, Neurology, and multiple attending MDs. I want to trust the doctors, but I still have another appointment coming up with my PCP and my eye doctor just to confirm my eyes seem okay.

I do always wonder though if this was all a domino effect given I've been under such extreme stress and worry since this all started.

TLDR:
I've had a number of seemingly mystery symptoms arise, and I can't stop obsessing about my health. I've been trying to figure out what I could be causing myself due to anxiety, and what may be something more concerning.

[NoraB]

The numbness and tingling I'm unsure about. It seems to happen much more frequently when I fall asleep on my arms, or when I walk long distances for my feet.

I'm worried that the numbness and tingling could be MS or diabetes (even though my BP is always perfect), I'm worried the headaches are going to come back.

Or it could be because you're sleeping on your arms?

I can't stop obsessing about my health, even though I've been to ENTs, Eye Doctors, and the ER where I saw an Ophthalmologist, Neurology, and multiple attending MDs. I want to trust the doctors, but I still have another appointment coming up with my PCP and my eye doctor just to confirm my eyes seem okay.

It's highly, highly, highly (highly) unlikely that you would have serious problem and it not be picked up by this many doctors and tests..

I've had a number of seemingly mystery symptoms arise, and I can't stop obsessing about my health. I've been trying to figure out what I could be causing myself due to anxiety, and what may be something more concerning.

Therapy?