The "OMG I'm dying" hypochondria/mental health thread

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by skcin

No, not really. Sometimes just get behind returning calls; or don't want to leave message on a voicemail d/t confidentiality issues.



See?
And you sound disappointed.

Regarding the cough thing - my husband has had chronic throat-clearing/cough for like 3 or 4 years. Went to an ENT, who shoved the camera tube up/down there & saw no problems. Said it's chronic post-nasal drip probably due to allergies OR reflux. He's tried both allergy and reflux meds without much success. He just lives with it - it's annoying as hell (probably more for me than for him.) it does get worse when he's been drinking beer - an allergy nurse I know said it's possible he has a wheat allergy of some sort.

Has he been prescribed some kind of a steroid-containing inhaler? I had a similar ailment many, many years ago. A couple of months of using the steroid inhaler totally eradicated my symptoms, including exercise-induced asthma, which I'd had since childhood. What it did was... it saved my life... I won't forget it.

[skcin]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Paula, it sounds like Mark and I have EXACTLY the same thing. Meds did nothing for it. But I also did 85 allergy tests(injections), and mold was the ONLY thing I reacted to. I suspect the carbonation in the beer is setting off his acid reflux.

And yes, it's more annoying for you. After 2.5 years, I don't even notice that I'm coughing anymore, until someone points it out to me, or I'm in a very quiet social setting.

He didn't react to anything in allergy testing, so they just assumed he had some seasonal issues. I take it back - he did react to grass & some kind of weed, so yeah - seasonal.

The thing about the reflux is that he used he get bad heartburn & now he rarely does. I'm doubtful that it's reflux since there are no other symptoms, and he can drink other carbonated bevs like pop (that's right, I said POP, not soda!) just fine.

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Has he been prescribed some kind of a steroid-containing inhaler? I had a similar ailment many, many years ago. A couple of months of using the steroid inhaler totally eradicated my symptoms, including exercise-induced asthma, which I'd had since childhood. What it did was... it saved my life... I won't forget it.

Hmmm...lemme think. No. I think just nasal sprays. Astepro & Zyrtec D work well during allergy season, and the throat-clearing did lessen but it never completely went away.


He's kind of given up. He hates going to the doctor anyway, so it was a big deal for him to actually go & see more than one over the course of a few weeks. But at this point he figures screw it. I just worry that years down the road there will be something REALLY wrong; whether they missed something or all the years of reflux or post nasal drip will cause more serious issues.

[HomerMcvie]

What is this male obsession with shaking hands? So I'm in Nashville, going out and watching bands. Well, the singer made a round through the crowd, with the tip jar, shaking everyone's hands.....

"Oh god, maybe if I pick up my phone, and pretend I'm busy texting, I can get him to not try and shake my hand". So he makes his was through the whole place, and I'm at the end of the line. Nope, he's not falling for my phone trick(I threw money in the tip bucket with my left hand, so that my right hand was still busy. He just stands there, holding it out, until I FINALLY lay my phone on the table, and shake his damned hand. So he shook about 60 hands before he got to me, so I essentially shook hands with every person in the room. I had gone to the restroom twice before(since you only rent beer), and had seen guys leave both times, without washing their hands.
Thanks, Mr. Singer Guy. Why don't you just stick your hand in sewage, and come at me for a handshake?

I've tried to say, "I don't shake hands", but it just seems so antisocial.

This seems like the right thread, for me to tell y'all how much I dislike shaking hands!

[ButterCookie]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

What is this male obsession with shaking hands? So I'm in Nashville, going out and watching bands. Well, the singer made a round through the crowd, with the tip jar, shaking everyone's hands.....

"Oh god, maybe if I pick up my phone, and pretend I'm busy texting, I can get him to not try and shake my hand". So he makes his was through the whole place, and I'm at the end of the line. Nope, he's not falling for my phone trick(I threw money in the tip bucket with my left hand, so that my right hand was still busy. He just stands there, holding it out, until I FINALLY lay my phone on the table, and shake his damned hand. So he shook about 60 hands before he got to me, so I essentially shook hands with every person in the room. I had gone to the restroom twice before(since you only rent beer), and had seen guys leave both times, without washing their hands.
Thanks, Mr. Singer Guy. Why don't you just stick your hand in sewage, and come at me for a handshake?

I've tried to say, "I don't shake hands", but it just seems so antisocial.

This seems like the right thread, for me to tell y'all how much I dislike shaking hands!

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by ButterCookie

I keep it in a cupholder, in all of my vehicles. I guess it's time to go Super-Anal, and carry a bottle in my pocket? That seems more extreme, than I'm quite ready for.....

I sing for 8 hours, almost every weekend. Getting sick, isn't an option. And when I do, it's an absolute nightmare.

[skcin]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I keep it in a cupholder, in all of my vehicles. I guess it's time to go Super-Anal, and carry a bottle in my pocket? That seems more extreme, than I'm quite ready for.....

I sing for 8 hours, almost every weekend. Getting sick, isn't an option. And when I do, it's an absolute nightmare.

I don't know how extreme it is to carry it on you - I have some in my purse. Now, if you shook hands & immediately whipped out your Purel, that might be a bit much.

I have to say, I'm not a fan of handshaking either. People greet at my church & I try to politely wave but they usually chase after me with their hand outstretched. In winter I've said "sorry, cold & flu season" or "sorry, I'm ill right now & don't want to spread my germs." In nicer weather, it's a bit more challenging not to offend someone.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by skcin

I don't know how extreme it is to carry it on you - I have some in my purse. Now, if you shook hands & immediately whipped out your Purel, that might be a bit much.

I have to say, I'm not a fan of handshaking either. People greet at my church & I try to politely wave but they usually chase after me with their hand outstretched. In winter I've said "sorry, cold & flu season" or "sorry, I'm ill right now & don't want to spread my germs." In nicer weather, it's a bit more challenging not to offend someone.

Yeah, I've faked sickness too, to get out of shaking hands. "Sore throat, I probably shouldn't". And when I'm doing sound for bands, when I see the bus pull up, I know that 10 handshakes are coming my way! So I usually load my hands up with about 15 mic cables, and look busy, so that my hands are too full to shake!!!!

ENOUGH WITH THE DAMNED HAND SHAKING! KEEP YOUR FECAL MATTER TO YOURSELF!

[markolas]

So I had another "episode" a few days ago, but nothing since. Seems like there's a little bit of pain/burning now, and I'm obsessed with my bathroom habits. I thought I saw blood again just now, but I'm not sure. My mind could very well be conjuring things up - my boyfriend has forbidden me from talking about it.

I told my shrink I wanted to taper off of the Zoloft, which I've been doing for the past week. I'm starting to wonder now if I really do need it after all.

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by markolas

So I had another "episode" a few days ago, but nothing since. Seems like there's a little bit of pain/burning now, and I'm obsessed with my bathroom habits. I thought I saw blood again just now, but I'm not sure. My mind could very well be conjuring things up - my boyfriend has forbidden me from talking about it.

I don't know all the details of what is happening to you, but have you seen a doctor for this blood/pain/burning thing? if it were a UTI - which I've had (oh the horror) - the antibiotics would clear it up very quickly and keep it away assuming you took the doses as instructed until the botttle was empty.

If it was not a UTI, and was a treatable STD, the situation would still be the same - take the antibiotics as prescribed until the bottle is empty, missing no doses, presto, get better.

However, I am wondering if you could have bladder stones, and your body is trying to pass them? This would explain the periodic but not consistent burning, pain, blood and the ineffectiveness of the antibiotics (assuming you took some to begin with).

Anyway, none of my business really, but I am a naturally empathetic person and therefore cannot help but be concerned.

[markolas]

It started with blood in my urine about two and a half weeks ago. I went to the doctor that day, they tested my urine, said there was a little blood and bacteria, but no white blood cells present. He didn't seem concerned about it at all, but said to come back in a week and if there was still blood, he'd send me to a urologist. I didn't see any more blood after that one day. A week later, urine analysis came back normal and I figured that was the end of it. About 3 days later, I got up to go to the bathroom and there's the blood again, but everything's been normal since that one time.

Then I've started noticing a very mild burning when I urinate (and even when I'm not), and mild groin pain and I *thought* I saw more blood when I went a little while ago. But with me, it's entirely possible that's all psychosomatic. A couple of years ago I went to have blood drawn, and I was convinced they'd find that it had all turned to powder like in The Andromeda Strain.

[markolas]

Also, it has occurred to me that it could be kidney stones. I've never had them before, so I have no idea what it's like. I always imagined excruciating pain as you tried to pee out a rock. But, with anything like this, my mind immediately goes to the worst possible thing it could be and I hardly give a thought to anything else. So, blood in the urine automatically equals either cancer or kidney failure.

Ugh. And I'm so edgy about this now, that I can't go to the bathroom when I really need to. I took a Xanax just a minute ago.

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by markolas

Also, it has occurred to me that it could be kidney stones. I've never had them before, so I have no idea what it's like. I always imagined excruciating pain as you tried to pee out a rock. But, with anything like this, my mind immediately goes to the worst possible thing it could be and I hardly give a thought to anything else. So, blood in the urine automatically equals either cancer or kidney failure.

Bladder or kidney stones can be detected by a doctor, and you might consider mentioning to your doctor that you are wondering about the possibility. One of my bosses has bladder stones, and sometimes he has very bad days. It's exactly like you said - trying to pee out a rock, except it's not round or smooth, more like a crystalline formation that is sharp and spiny so it tears tissue as your body tries to pass it (hence the pain and blood when urinating). Changes in diet can go a long way towards preventing future occurences, and existing stones can be dissolved with medication or sometimes zapped away with laser treatment.

I'll tell you something else - by immediately assuming the worst you are doing yourself more harm than good with the stress you put your mind and body through. Ultimately, you have to trust your doctor, but don't be afraid to push for tests or other options that might get to the bottom of the issue.

[Travisevian]

Markolas, you didn't answer my previous question about brain fog. I'm concerned. Have you discussed that with a doctor?

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

What is this male obsession with shaking hands? So I'm in Nashville, going out and watching bands. Well, the singer made a round through the crowd, with the tip jar, shaking everyone's hands.....

It's not necessarily an obsession, just considered a sign of good breeding.

[WildHearted]

I'd rather give someone a hug than shake their hand. Shaking hands feels awkward to me, for some reason. I feel like I'm out of place doing it.

I think I have OCD, in all seriousness. I've got some compulsions about locking doors, and checking the locks multiple times (by multiple, I mean dozens of, including going out of the room and coming back in to make sure they're still loff, turning lights on and off to make sure they're still locked, all sorts of weird obnoxious crap that I know is ridiculous but I still do anyway because I have to), I also have to write a note to every person in my household every night before I go to bed... I also unplug anything in sight (lamps, toasters, etc, even if they aren't on) before I go to bed, for a fear of catching the house on fire.

[desertangel]

My daughter had that blood in the urine thing several years ago and tracked it down to some medication (an antibiotic -?) she took that said you're not supposed to drink alcohol with it and she did because she didn't read the label or something. Anyway, it nearly trashed her kidneys, didn't show up as an infection or anything. So she had that little problem for a long time. Had to abstain from alcohol and any other thing that could be hard on the kidneys for quite awhile or else she would pee blood.