Question:
Since I was 11 I can remember getting some of the symptoms below. Over the
years the number has increased and now I'm 29, I am realising these are not
just 'me' but may be due to some other underlying physiological or
psychological condition. The trigger for taking this active interest in my
health was gradual darkening/reddening of my under-eye area of the past 5
years, which has now got to the stage where people are commenting on how
ill/tired I look. This has left me no choice but to look into it. I have recently tested negative/normal for:
General Blood Test
Thyroid Panel (TSH only)
Adrenal Fatigue Blood Pressure Test
Liver Function Test
Blood Glucose Levels
Please take a look at the symptoms and let me know what else springs to mind
in your opinion:
Dark rings under eyes
Allergies (cow's milk, dust, pets/dander, hayfever)
Nervousness/anxiety
Acne
Need lots of sleep/difficulty getting up
Sweaty palms and feet etc. when others don't
Ice cold hands and feet when others don't
Waking up with headache/foggy head
Irritability/anger
Dry skin
Light-headedness when standing
Mild insomnia
Unsocial/shy/self-conscious
Pale complexion/facial pallor sometimes around mouth
Numbness/tingling around mouth and limbs when anxious/nervous
Heart palpitations
Post nasal drip/Sinusitis
Gradual weight gain
Very easily startled/scared
Shallow breathing/forgetting to breathe/sighing
Increased early morning urination
Puffiness/bags under eyes
Pitted fingernail/Psoriasis of the nail
Answer:
You have some common, non-serious physical conditions as well as anxiety
and/or depression. I'd see a psychiatrist and get a diagnosis and see what
treatment he suggests. I strongly advise you to seek advice and treatment from a psych doctor.
You need to be diagnosed and treated either with meds and/or therapy.
Has your anxiety and depression ever been treated? If so, what were the
treatments? The answer isn`t running from doctor to doctor having tests
after test performed............as you see it hasn`t help you much at all.
It can be so hard to believe that anxiety and depression can cause so many
problems but they can. Until you get your depression and anxiety under
control, many of the distressing symptoms you are experiencing will
remain. Also consider the amount of time you spend outdoors, I have naturally
pale skin and don't try to get a suntan in the summer, so I stay
pale. Excersise or relaxation outdoors could help if it really
bothers you.
For your anxiety a referral to a psychiatrist for diagnosis would
be a good idea, and cognitive behavioural therapy has been helpful
for many people. Do try the breathing excersises, I've found them
very helpful myself.
