WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY HEAD?

[Jennifer B]

Hello...I am a 26 year old female, married, and a mom to three children. For the past 4-5 months I have been having strange symptoms. It started out with short bouts of lightheadedness, mostly when driving or moving. These bouts became more frequent and severe. These spells are accompanied by a sort of "head pressure", not pain, just a feeling of pressure on the sides of my head. My scalp feels sore and I even get these sore spots on the sides of my head that last for several hours and feel similar to an insect bite. I am also tired and weak nearly all the time. My doctor referred me to an Ear/Nose/Throat doctor, assuming it was an inner ear problem. All tests were fine. He also put me on Paxil for stress, but it actually made me feel worse, so I stopped taking it. The problem is, I have always had this fear of diseases and illnesses, and I always seem to overreact to my symptoms, thinking there is something terribly wrong with me. In fact I began having panic attacks when I was 10 years old. Therefore, when I start having these lightheaded spells, it throws me almost instantly into a panic attack. I have been having panic attacks frequently (at least once a day). Plus my youngest child is 8 months old now and still not sleeping all night, so I have not slept a full night in almost a year. My husband works midnights, so I have no help at night. I seem to feel my worst toward the end of the day and into the night. I am wondering if these feelings could be caused solely from stress or being overly tired, or if it is something more serious. Last week my doctor sent me home with a 24 hour EKG monitor (no results yet) to check my heart. I just had a 5 hour glucose tolerence test today, to see if I may have a sugar problem. I am also scheduled for an MRI in a couple of weeks and may see a neurologist depending on the MRI results. I am just so tired of feeling this way, and it seems like it takes forever for doctors to get you in for tests. In the mean time I have this fear that I am dying all the time. Is there anyone would could give me some insight or advice, or anything that may be of help? I sure would appreciate it.

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[This message has been edited by Jennifer B (edited 01-22-2003).]

[Jennifer B]

Hi again....This is an add-on to my posting. I wanted to add that my scalp feels sore most of the time, sort of like a mild bruise. And sometimes I get these spots that actually swell up on the sides of my head for several hours at a time. They feel similar to an insect bite. My face and ears also get flushed and hot quite often, maybe from my nerves also?

[nervousdave]

hi,
i know these feelings really suck. but, if this is any help, i'm inclined to say they're stress related simply due to your fear of death. that is a very common fear for those suffering from stress and anxiety.

nd

[brands11]

Your fine! I just went to the doctor on Friday for the same exact symptoms. I thought I was dying, or so i convinced myself I was. THe doctor assured me I was ok, then took me off my paxil..hmm makes you wonder about paxil eh? I am now on a different med. and feel 100 times better, the symptoms are still present but not as intense. I tend to get the symptoms when i sit there and think about it, so i have forced myself to get active and forget about whats going on. Oh by the way the doctor said it is all stress, and the headaches are called tension headaches, wiht the pressure. THe best thing to take for them is motrin (they said that) then i tried it and amazingly it worked wonderful! Just gotta relax and reassure yourself you are healthy and you have a long life ahead of you, your kids need you to be strong, so start working on you and stop worrying about things that could happen. SO what if they did happen, you would still be strong, and at least then you had something to really worry about. SO until then, say who cares and start living. I know how you feel and it really sucks. (Now i need to go take my own advice) GOOD LUCK

[Mandie]

Hi read your post and I felt like I was talking- I have the same symptoms- head pressure on the temples, and general pain all over as well. I have had the same symptoms for years on and off and I panic every time I get anything, like you do, for fear that I have something terrible. I have womderful doctors, but they are tired of giving me tests every time I have a symptom, so they just tell me that it is stress and relax. I call my dr. so much everytime something feels wrong that I think he is getting disgusted with me. I have such panic about sickness and my body and everyday I get up I feel tht something else is going to wrong, and it usually does. I have been in therapy and they keep telling me to think positive, but how can I when I never feel good. I get up every day, dreading the day, and finally, around 3 o'clock I have to take a nap because I am so tired of fighting all of these pains and fears of the pains that I have. I am on wellbutrin, but I don't know if it is helping me. I have tried the others and they make me feel sicker, and I just can't take any more now. I am so afraid of this pressure in my head now, but my dr. who has been treating me for years feels that I will be giving into my fears by running for more MRI's and tests and does not want me to go I am tempted to try another dr., but to tell you the truth, I have been to so many, I am running out of nice and compassionate doctors- they all get so disgusted with me- like the girl who cried wolf- only I fear that when the wolf really comes, no one will believe me. I would love to find a support group for these problems , even if it is online, but it is hard to find people that have these fears. I really don't think it is panic attacks, because I can function. I just am weary and tired of fighting all of these horrors that I am enduring, and having no answers to help me. I am also, so tired of taking drugs--- thanks for listening, and if you can help me in any way, I would appreciate it---