KG421

@Bobnnat My boyfriend was at the appt with me and thought the results were great and the doctor clearly said I don’t need surgery. I was feeling a little better until just a minute ago when I got the results of my exercise stress test... abnormal. However, they said it wasn’t abnormal due to the Pectus but due to deconditioning. Basically, I weak and out of shape. I can’t help thinking about the “what-if’s” though. What if it’s wrong? What if I have something wrong with my heart? She also said anxiety could have played a role in the results. I started off with an already high heart rate and hyperventilation.

Yesterday I had a full day at the Mayo Clinic, having tests done regarding my Pectus Excavatum. I had horrible anxiety for the 2 weeks leading up to this appt. Even having panic attacks, which I don’t generally have with my anxiety. I had a pulmonary function test, exercise stress test, ct scan and finally a consultation with the surgeon to go over my results. My lung capacity is 84% which he said was very good and better than about 90% of people he sees. My Haller Index is 4.5 which is worse than I was expecting but the Dr. said it was good. The results of my stress test were unfortunately not ready yet. He and his assistant told me about how extremely painful the corrective surgery is and when I finally asked him if he thought I needed to have the surgery, he said no. He said my results are good and living with it won’t affect my lifespan. He said they generally only treat people who are having significant pain or shortness of breath. I should be so relieved, right?? Unfortunately, I feel just as anxious about the condition as I did before I got my “good” results. I’ve spent 3 years researching the condition online and reading about how a Haller Index of 3.5 or more is considered severe and needs correction and for some awful reason, I’m placing more weight on that information than on what the thoracic surgeon at the MAYO CLINIC said to me. I’m feeling really stuck right now. If those results weren’t enough to take my focus off of my chest how will I ever move forward from this?

Been experiencing dizziness for a week now. It’s 10 times worse in the morning and I can’t walk straight. The back of my neck feels tight and I’m worried about having a stroke. I just don’t feel right. I saw an ENT on Wednesday who couldn’t figure it out and my chiropractor the day before said she didn’t feel anything concerning with my neck. The dizziness is really debilitating. I feel like I’m falling to the right and if I turn my head the room starts spinning.

@MARC 6 weeks of dizziness?! Yuck! Glad it subsided for you and encouraging to hear other people’s experience with it. Every single pain, symptom and unpleasant sensation I’ve felt this year has felt like the end for me. “This is it! This is how I’m going to feel for the rest of my life. There’s no way this could be temporary. My life as I’ve known it has ended and I’m going to have to adjust to being disabled by this pain/symptom forever.”

I am VERY anxious about an upcoming appt I have. I’m going to the Mayo Clinic next week to have a consultation regarding my Pectus Excavatum (a congenial chest-wall deformity). I have to do several tests while I’m there and am very nervous for the results. I also have a lot of responsibilities at work over the next 3 weeks. So this dizziness is really not what I need right now, which is probably why my anxiety has given it to me. I also have a lot pain in my neck, back and legs. I going to be getting back into therapy after being out for 6 years. Which I’m excited for because I really need some help but I can’t get in until Nov. 18th!

@Leah1976 ENT went pretty well. He couldn’t find any medical cause for my dizziness. He said to just rest and wait it out. They did a hearing test (I have early hearing loss) and no significant change there. He did a scope through my nose and down my throat. Found a scab-like build up of mucus that he said a lot of times is a bacterial infection, usually staph. He removed it and will let me know the results next week. I’m feeling slightly more calm but still dizzy and nauseous. I saw your post and am sorry you’re having a rough time as well. Glad your day turned out ok though!

@Leah1976 My ears feel very clogged. Especially the right one. The dizziness is constant. I can barely walk straight. Going to an ENT this afternoon. Hoping they can provide some relief. I have to coordinate a big event at work this weekend and am currently pretty much stuck lying on my back. Even turning over in bed makes the dizziness worse. Of course my anxiety is thinking it’s something chronic and incurable. I’ve talked myself out of going to the ER a few times. Just have to make it til 3:30 today. I hope your’s passes quickly! I suppose it’s the time of year for sinus issues. 🤷🏻‍♀️

After a bit of panic this morning, I made an appointment with my Chiropractor. She talked about the inner ear crystals and gave me instructions on the Epley Maneuver. She said it could also be related to tension in my neck. Hopefully the Epley helps. I’ve been dizzy all day.

I’ve had neck pain and tightness on my right side for a couple of weeks now. It radiates down into my shoulder blade and causes some weakness in my right hand. I was thinking it was just a pinched nerve but when I woke up Sunday morning I experienced an episode of vertigo after stretching in bed. The room started spinning and I felt very nauseous. I experienced it again later that same day, last night and again this morning. I’ve never had vertigo before. Is this something I should be getting checked out immediately, like ER visit? I’m concerned about possibly having a stroke. I haven’t had any notable injuries that would be causing my pain. I’ve also had diarrhea the past two days. The vertigo is very debilitating.

I realize this is a very old thread but Connective Tissue disorders are a raging fear of mine right now. I have several symptoms/characteristics and am seeing a Rheumatologist in December. @lofwyr, your comments here have calmed me down (for now 😜) so much! So happy the site is back up!!

@MobileChucko and @bin_tenn, Thank you so much for your replies! He goes in for a consultation with a specialist on Monday so I guess we’ll find out more then. Good to hear that people can live pretty normal lives. My anxiety (and google) have me coming up with all kinds of what if’s and catastrophic thoughts.

Hey everyone! For the past month, my boyfriend has experienced some mild bleeding with BMs. Doctor recommended a colonoscopy, which he had yesterday. They found some inflammation and took some samples. Doc called today and said Crohn’s is suspected. I’m In a bit of shock right now. He’s 34 years old and has NO symptoms besides bleeding. I’ve had horrible anxiety several times around the idea of having crohn’s myself( I don’t). Now all I can picture is him being in massive amounts of pain in the future and in the hospital because of blood loss or colon cancer or needing his colon removed. I’m afraid to google too much and get too deep into the horror stories of the internet. Does anyone have knowledge about Crohn’s? Can it be mild? Does it get progressively worse over time? Do most people live normal lives? I appreciate it!

Update: After spending DAYS googling and diagnosing myself with an uncommon form of tendinitis and convincing myself that I had somehow ruptured a tendon in my right foot that was worsening beyond repair by the minute, I saw a foot and ankle specialist and had an MRI. The doctor said my MRI was clear but that he knew what was going on. Anterior Ankle Impingement. Anytime my feet are in a standing position, the soft tissues around my ankles are being pinched and becoming inflamed. He gave me a steroid injection in the right one (which is way worse than the left). Said if it doesn’t fully take, he’ll do another one and if that doesn’t work, he’ll go in and surgically remove the inflammation. Either way it’s fixable and shouldn’t be a chronic problem. The injection has helped but I’m still having a good amount of pain so will probably go for a 2nd. Thanks for the support everyone! Bummer: I’m now experiencing a lot of pain in my low back and right hip. After I get my feet under control I’ll probably have to start all over with appointments and tests to figure that out. UGH!

Has anyone experienced actual swelling of a body part caused by stress and anxiety? I just can’t figure out why I would suddenly have swelling in both my feet, in the exact same area! The doctor I saw seemed a little stumped as well.

I was in so much pain at work today, I ended up going to an orthopedic urgent care. They did xrays of both feet which came out perfectly normal. The doctor said, “well, we could just call it tendinitis for now.” He prescribed a steroid, ice and rest. I’ll have a follow up appt next Monday to possibly do blood work. That fact that he couldn’t give me a definitive diagnosis is really worrying me. What if it’s not tendinitis? What if this doesn’t get better and I can’t work or even walk or for more than a few minutes, forever?? I’m also thinking, “what if this is all another anxiety thing?” Although I’ve never had actual swelling with anxiety.