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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 18:29:15
I have all these weird symptoms..
Had I not known myself before December of this year, I would think for sure I am just a hypochondriac nut. However, BEFORE all this, I saw my doctor once maybe twice a year.
In my 5 years here- I had been to the doctor 8 times. I don't think that would qualify me as a hypochondriac.
Now here I am and I feel like I am becoming one.
Am I just too anxious about my body and am noticing this stuff more?? Or is there something really going on and it's just not being treated?
UGH!I don't know..
Here is one symptom that is bothering the most.... see if anyone can figure this out.
I have a weird "fullness" feeling in my throat/neck all the time. It makes me want to swallow constantly becuase it is almost a "choking" feeling.It's so weird and hard to even describe. It's just a "full" feeling in my throat.
It's annoying, it freaks me out, and it makes me think I might be choking.
Yes.. like I said.. the hypochondriac dork who believes she is choking to death from some unknown thing in her neck.
LOL
Posted by alexandra_k on April 19, 2005, at 20:47:17
In reply to I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me., posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 18:29:15
Sounds to me like...
Anxiety.
I have known people with anxiety who say that they feel like there is pressure round their neck. Like they are being strangled by invisible hands or something like that. They find it hard to breathe, or find their breathing laboured, or are very self-conscious about their breathing and that was what the Dr's said it was - anxiety.Sometimes it would get bad and they would feel like they were choking and they couldn't breathe - panic attacks.
I guess there could be other things that result in similar symptoms though. But that would be my guess (but I am fairly ignorant of such things...)
Posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 21:07:49
In reply to Re: I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me. » Spriggy, posted by alexandra_k on April 19, 2005, at 20:47:17
You are actually probably right.
I am sure it is anxiety. I wish I knew for CERTAIN so I could just tell that to myself and calm my fears down.
THere's just something about the ability to breathe well that concerns me.. LOL
Thanks for responding Alexandra.. :)
Posted by Phillipa on April 19, 2005, at 21:29:38
In reply to Re: I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me. » alexandra_k, posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 21:07:49
Or it's your thyroid that you've forgotten about. Or you just had psurgery and your neck is tight from all that sucking out of the fat around your neck. Ick! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 22:04:37
In reply to Re: I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me. » Spriggy, posted by Phillipa on April 19, 2005, at 21:29:38
Oh Phillipa,
It couldn't possibly be from my plastic surgery- that was on my rear end. LOL
Posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 22:05:08
In reply to Re: I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me. » Phillipa, posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 22:04:37
OR would that make me feel like I was choking if they tightened me too tight??
Posted by Phillipa on April 19, 2005, at 22:41:55
In reply to Re: I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me., posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 22:05:08
Oh Spriggy! You're so cute! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by alexandra_k on April 20, 2005, at 0:06:21
In reply to Re: I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me. » alexandra_k, posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 21:07:49
> THere's just something about the ability to breathe well that concerns me.. LOL
Heh heh, yeah, I think thats the point.
Sometimes people get anxious at the thought of having a panic attack.
(Not being able to breathe).
The worst that can happen is that you faint...
... And then your breathing will return to normal.Breathing deeply and slowley can help.
Relaxation.
That kind of thing.
Posted by Phillipa on April 20, 2005, at 0:52:42
In reply to Re: I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me. » Spriggy, posted by alexandra_k on April 20, 2005, at 0:06:21
Very well said Alexandra. And it works if you can concentrate long enough to do it! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Spriggy on April 20, 2005, at 10:42:40
In reply to Re: I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me. » alexandra_k, posted by Phillipa on April 20, 2005, at 0:52:42
You say "relaxation" as if it's an easy task.
LOL
Posted by alexandra_k on April 20, 2005, at 23:53:29
In reply to Re: I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me., posted by Spriggy on April 20, 2005, at 10:42:40
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is pretty good. If you have a t you could ask them to make you a tape. You have to tense your muscles as hard as you can - then let them relax - then tense them hard - then let them relax. The muscles do relax because you tire them when you are tensing them, see?
There were lots of people in hospital who have anxiety and a great deal of difficulty sleeping who manage to sleep for a few hours after doing PMR. They really should do it at night rather than at 10am!
It might be worth a try.
I do mindfulness meditation.
Or, I should say that I SHOULD do mindfulness meditation. It really helps me. If I get into the habit of doing it then I am more conscious of how tense I feel during the day and I am able to relax a lot more. Especially my shoulders and back being at the computer most of the day.
Posted by Phillipa on April 21, 2005, at 0:08:09
In reply to Re: I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me. » Spriggy, posted by alexandra_k on April 20, 2005, at 23:53:29
I wish there were groups with a leader you could go to, or a leader come to your house. I used to do yoga in a group, but try and go slow on your own! Especially when you're the anxious type. I know I need it the most. I haven't given up yet! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by anastasia56 on May 6, 2005, at 0:21:41
In reply to I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me., posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 18:29:15
ok let me get this straight...your throat feels like it is tightening and closing.
meanwhile your butt had something done to it that tightens it. theory of relativity or fluke.
in order to rule out physicalities have you had a doctor look in there. Like have one do a swallow test. They give you progressively less liquid based items and xray your esophagus as they are being swallowed. One of the things they are looking for is a web. Webs can form across your esophagus and food can get stuck on it and you begin to feel like the food is coming up. When you finally get to the end of the test where you are to swallow a pill, you can watch it go traveling down your esophagus. Then it stops. Just sits there in your esophagus like it forgot which way to turn. Many times it is stuck in a web which is virtually invisible. Easily remedied.
so there you have some possibilities anyway. good luck.
ana
Posted by kid47 on May 17, 2005, at 15:17:14
In reply to I'm the hypochondriac dork.. humor me., posted by Spriggy on April 19, 2005, at 18:29:15
Have you ever been checked for or dx'd with acid reflux. The only symptom I had was a feeling as if I needed to swallow or had something stuck in my throat.. I had no indigestion or heartburn. Every time I would get this feeling it would set me into a panic. My doctor told me my brain was signaling a suffocation alarm even though I could breath with no trouble. I was finally dx'd by an ENT doc who said I had swollen vocal cords from stomach acid refluxing into my throat. They put me on meds (proton pump inhibitor) and had me elevate the head of my bed. I also changed my diet and a few other things. The symptoms disappeared after a couple a weeks. Good luck.
peace
kid
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