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When I get like that, I mix 2 Oz of tequila & 10 Oz of 7-up in a glass & drink it before bedtime.

G

Heh, Curtis, what you describe sounds like what i have. I have a constant dull ache or sharp stabbing pain on the left side of my upper body. Pushing in on any part of my chest in the upper left portion, and same on my back will illicit pain, that throbs until it goes away. Sometimes it can cause panic attacks because of the location of the pain in comparison to location of heart. So far, none of my doctors have been able to diagnose it as "Costochondritis" because this condition can sometimes be very elusive without a bonescan, since it is swelling and inflamation, as well as strain and such, it is odd that blood work and X-Rays don't always pick it up. You should get a bonescan for the pain. Because if you can push in on your chest and reproduce pain, it is not just anxiety, but probably muscular or skeletal.

When I began reading your diary, I instantly thought of costochondrotis (sp?) I have this condition, and it can certainly cause anxiety even if you didn't have it. Mine comes and goes in severity, ibuprofen, not tylenol helps the best, but prior to figuring out what is was and what triggers it and so forth, I thought I was on the verge of heart disease. Anywhere from sharp stabbing pain in the upper left chest that made it impossible to breathe to dull throbbing constant aches in the same area that felt like you'd been pounded on for days. Mine never really goes away, I can press on my left chest and it hurts and my back shoulderblade always tingles and aches. When it's bad, my left arm aches and throbs and tingles in my finger tips and I get stabbing pain or bull aching pain up my neck to a point right behind my left ear.

Anyway, do some research on the topic. Avoid eating things that produce gas, which tends to dissapate up the body through this area, which can also cause severe pain in this area. Stay prone, lay flat, not elevated.

I was having a lot of chest pains and pains in my back on the left side. I started going to the Chiropractor for headaches and told him about it. He felt around a little and said I had a couple of ribs that were out of place. He did a couple of adjustments, NO MORE CHEST PAINS. Sometimes they kind of pop back out again, and I can fell slight pains, and I just go back to the chiro. This may or may not be your problem, but it sure is worth a try.
PS same thing happened to my brother in law

Curtis -
I know this is from a year ago but did you ever get tested for Lyme Disease???

Dude, I had very similar clinical signs several years ago. Doctors did every test imaginable, and sent me to every specialist imaginable...neuro, cardio, GI, psych, etc. You name the specialist, I saw them. Everytime, all tests came back normal or non-diagnostic. It was very frustrating and yes, I literally thought I was going crazy. I did have some gastric reflux problems, but it was a side effect of the problem, not the main problem. A doctor finally convinced me to take Prozac. My "pride" told me that I was not going crazy and I was not going to take that drug. Of course mentally I had attached some stigma to it as being some sort of weak person that cannot handle everyday stress. Anyway, I started taking Zoloft and it sort of helped (just took the edge off), but still had the chills, back pains, chest pains, muscle spasms, heart racing, hives, restriction in breathing, times of intense anxiety and stinging sensation all over my body. I literally thought at times that I was going to die due to some serious mysterious disease that was not diagnosed yet while alluding all the doctors. The doctor switched me to another SSRI called Prozac and that is when my life changed. After about three weeks, my life was normal. No more so called "panic attacks", all clinical signs went away. During those three weeks until the therapeutic levels got high enough, I had to intermittantly take alprozalam or lorazepam - the benzodiazapines, to get me through the bad periods. I have what they call panic attacks due to post tramatic stress disorder (PTSD). I am convinced, that if Prozac was not around, I could have died due to sheer stress and nervous breakdown. Apparently, each SSRI drug works differently on serotoninase enzymes; there are several different types of serotonin receptors (5HT1. 5HT2), thus several different types of enzymes that break down these chemicals. Not all the SSRIs work at the same receptor; there are many different types of SSRIs - Buspar, Zoloft, Prozac just to name a few. Even the diet control drugs like Meridian work this way; also the Phen-Fen drugs that were disbanded couple of years agao have anti-seritoninase mechanisms of action. No, don't worry about the current SSRIs on the market, they do not cause cardiac problems like the phen-fen regimen. Anyway, I don't know if that is what you have, but some of your symptoms sound very similar to mine. There is literature out there that has actually named this syndrome - SDS - serotonin deficiency sydrome; this is an actual syndrome that doctors are just beginning to understand. Apparently some people have high levels of anti-serotoninase that deplete the levels of serotonin (ST). ST is the hormone that is secreted by the central nervous system that gives you the " a sense or feeling of well being". ST deficiencies can cause depression, appetite problems, sleep disorders, sexual problems, high anxiety, schizophrenia just to name a few. ST deficiency encompasses lots of types of mental syndromes, including panic attacks and PTSD. ST literally controls how a person feels mentally from one minute to the next. One of the main things that triggers a deficiency in the levels of ST is extreme stress. There is a great book out there called "Panic Attacks". I cannot remember the author, but it is a green covered book. It is awesome; I think all the signs you named are listed in that book as I recall. It really helped me understand my condition. I may sound like a doctor....yes I am a doctor also, a doctor of veterinary medicine. I have researched this thoroughly over several years. Again, I am not sure this is your problem, but I would consider it. I have seen this same history/clinical presentation happen in a few friends of mine too, and they have been "cured" with the Prozac or other SSRIs. Albeit every person is different, I think the Prozac works better, at least better in me than the others. I hope this helps and that your condition is resolved. I will say a prayer for you also. Reply back if you have any further questions.

i think i have what you have do you no what it is yet :eek:

You sound alot like me, you should look in to histadelia. Its a condition with 3 causes that Im aware of so far, which is a folate metabolism disorder, sulfur disorder, or a sepiapterin reductase deficiency disorder. A real good indicator if you have histadelia is your sex drive, which should be pretty high. There are other symptoms that come with it too obviously, Just search any search engine for it youll be able to find something, when you do and if it sounds correct let me know and ill let you know what you need to do after that. Try to find the Histadelia page made by The Analyst, its a realliy good site and should help you figure this out.

Qaiphyx

I'm going through this now myself. Started earlier this year, and now it's like I feel like everytime this pain sensation stuff happens im going to die. But it passes, then I'm stuck like startled. August of last year "2003" one night I just got this pressure pain in my upper left region of my chest and my left arm hurt and was numb. Went to the doc, said it was high blood pressure, took my blood did the ekg etc.., told me to come back in 2 days to check and see. The day I went back checked my pressure again, it was fine. Doc diagnosed me with "Spiking High Blood Pressure" said that from time to time it just will spike up, i thought to myself "what a crock!" So between August and December I lost 25 lbs. I'm 5 foot 4 and was 180 pounds. During that time the pressure pain went away but i kept getting these strange pain sensations and fits of "IM going to die" feelings. Around allergy season throat felt swelling, doc said it was allergies and conjestion. Gave me Allegra D took it for 2 days (guess then i had an anxiety attack) went to the doc during an episode of something the doc said it wasnt an allergic reaction. Gave me something else. During taking these meds my heart was just racing and the anxiety type symptoms hit me, though i was drained of energy. Thats when this other thing started happening, I began to just every once in a while at night having this flare up of pain in my right mid side. I never figured out what that is yet, it still happens, seems to occur if i eat alot of cheesy type stuff. Anyways, Throughout the summer of 2004 i kept having these bouts of anxiety (says the doc) I'll never forget the way it felt the first time, hands drawing up numb tingly etc.. really harsh. Each visit to the doc never showed anything. I was put on Xanax as well. Right now im down to 140lbs and holding steady. Though my heart seems like im running a marathon constantly. I check it's beats per min and stuff. everything is always normal. Sounds just like your case. Did you ever figure out what was happening? Right now im going through the (sudden hit of pain in the upper left region around left arm and upper back, and the electrical feeling too.) Like someone suddenly hits me with this explosion of pain and i feel like im unaaware of my surroundings for just a split second. Each time thsi happens it scares me to death. I litterally think I don't have much time left to live. :( What is wrong with us?

hi there, finally after months and months of searching, worrying, visits to A&E , doctors and specialists , this site has given me hope that I am not going insane !!
Like many of those that have posted a message on this forum, I thought I was going insane and was going to die and on more than one occasion. I've been so frightened with the heart racing and feeling dizzy I honestly thought it was curtains for me and that I was going to die at the grand old age of 38 .
I've had the chills, the pain in the chest, the dizziness, the pain down my arms and stinging sensations in my ribcage near my heart, reflux and acid and all the ECG's, treadmill tests, blood tests and visits to the docs have all proved inconclusive. Again, I was wondering like many of you that have posted on here, that I had some incurable disease that I was going to die from whilst they tried to discover what the heck was wrong with me.
I had all these symptoms back in March this year ( 2004 ) went to hospital complaining of chest pains etc and nothing apart from good news regarding my heart which is reassuring to know. This problem also cost me a relationship, I got dumped whilst in hospital having the problem checked out and this just made me worse. Also lost my job and my home, so all was not going well for me all of a sudden, ya know, I went from getting engaged to a girl to sharing a home with her and building a new life after divorce to suddenly out on my own with no job, no home and no prospects and my folks lived abroad so had to travel to get to them feeling very unwell. I couldnt believe a person that supposedly loved you could do this to you, her reason for dumping me was she thought I was a mental case because the doctors had told her there was nothing wrong with me !
Anyway, I went off to spain and stayed with my mum n dad and then came back and stayed with my brother for a few weeks, no work, no hassle no worries (had money in the bank fortunately) and I began to relax and chillout and I realised I felt better and wasnt getting the symptoms Id had a while earlier. A month went by, felt great, got a new job, found a flat and moved back up to northamptonshire and started to rebuild my life once again. My only mistake was taking a job in the same line as before, a service engineer for a coffee company, driving 200 + miles a day and doing 7, 8 or more calls on top of that, all was well for a month or so and then I had one of these "turns" as I call them whilst asleep, racing heart, dizzy, hard to breathe, though no chest pain associated with angina or heart attack, and generally thought i was going to croak it etc. Fortunately my new girl is extremely supportive and caring and has stood by me through all of this. I cant thank her enough for her support, its made such a difference and im on the road to recovery. Have just recently been to see a cardiologist cos i was convinced my heart was the cause of the problems despite 8 days in hospital and they did every conceivable test you can imagine on my ticker all of which were negative saying my heart was healthy and in great shape despite having type 2 diabetes.
Anyway, to all of those that have posted on this forum, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me hope and inspiration to finally get my life back on track and be a happy go lucky person that i once was.

THANKYOU ALL and i hope those that are suffering are on the road to recovery or are in good shape now.

Curtis:
I was searching the boards for Pheocromocytoma when your posts popped up. I've read several of your posts and at least scanned most of the others. I'm no Doctor, but I can say with max confidence that YOU ARE ME 18 years ago.
Yes, I was sent to mental health many many times, like you, for many, many years. I know how it feels to KNOW something terrible is wrong, while the whole medical community was treating me like something sub-human.
The main problem is the medical community treating mental health problems as less worthy than "real" problems.
Trust me, man, your problems are REALLY all mental. And they are REAL!!! Now, I'm not saying that you're less than human. I'm not saying your problem is less worthy or acceptable than others. I'm just saying that your VERY REAL problems are best treated in MENTAL HEALTH. Actually, your problems are more common than you could imagine. Mental Health problems are very common, but they are all too often "swept under the rug".
To solve your problems you have to accept the fact that you have been swept up in a sea of panic, from which many are never heard from again. You have to somehow take control of the situation and declare that you WILL NOT be just another victim. You must, because no one else will.
That's unfortunate, because most people in your position have been turned into emotional wrecks, and aren't in any position to stick up for themselves and find solutions for their problems.
So, my advice to you, my friend, is SLOW DOWN!!! Your mind is going a million miles per hour. You don't have to. Trust me!! Have you died yet??? NO??? OK, that's a good sign. Now take the next step. I won't wish you luck, because there is no luck involved. Everything depends on how brave you can be. I can't do it for you. Take control of your life! You can do it!
My Dad
PS: I can feel your mind churning now. You're really stressed because yet another person has misunderstood you. Sound familiar? It feels like me 18 years ago.

I think it is very sad that you sit and constantly diary your every ache and pain. I have anxiety, and have the same symptoms at times. When I first started having problems no doctor could convince me i wasn't dying. The more you think about your problems the worse they get. I think if your start enjoying life a little, and focusing less on what is ailing you, you will be surprised at how much better you feel.
By now you are pretty used to the pain, and obviously your not dead yet. So try putting it out of your head. When you feel weird, just continue on. that is what i did, and boy what a difference.
It would be really sad if you lived to be 90, and all you did your whole life is worry about dying.

JUST LIVE!!!!