Desperately Need Answers?

Question

This may be a bit long, but please hear me out, I'm thinking about ending my life over this (it may seem stupid but 'not knowing' is driving me insane)

I'd like you guys to help me do the impossible and aid me in finding out what this problem is. It started on June 6th, 3 months ago. I went on a drinking binge and had 3 hard drinking sessions, one at night, one the next morning, then the next night I tried gin for the first time.

After drinking about half a bottle of gin, I got short of breath, so I stopped (keep in mind I've drank more alcohol than this, so likely a reaction w/ the gin). I wokeup the next day, still short of breath and with a cough sensation near my trachea, like a constant tickle.

Since that day I've been from doctor to doctor. I've had an EKG, lung workup, Chest X-Ray, blood tests, an barium swallow test, an endoscopy, a laryngoscopy, a naturopathic assessment, acupuncture, and homeopathic treatment,

Everything came up negative, and the alternative medicine is giving me ideas but they aren't curing me.

Let me make it clear that, no, I do not have the new fallacious title of "GERD", that is a condition created by the pharmaceutical company that basically means "acid indigestion". I was thoroughly tested for it as I tried Aciphex, Zegerid, Protonix, Zantac, Pepcid AC, Prilosec, and tons of OTC and home remedies for "heartburn", but what I have is not heartburn, as it was unresponsive to all of these things. Also, the endoscopy showed no inflammation or irritation, and the laryngoscopy showed nothing as well.

The symptoms are an extremely intense throat tickle that is persistent throughout the day, regardless of what I eat, when I eat, or how I eat. It does not hurt to swallow at all. Often times the cough will subside and turn into a heat that goes around the neck, even to the back of the neck and shoulders that spreads to my arm at times.

At this point, my doctors are pinning it on psychological factors, however, I have no history of having psychological symptoms. This just happened overnight, and I'm open to the idea that I may be "manifesting my own symptoms", but I feel that it is physical.

I've became severely depressed, feel like my life is ruined, and get nostalgic for when I didn't have to deal with this. I feel like a completely different person because my well-being has been torn away by this mysterious intense tickle/burning that never ceases and has no explanation whatsoever aside from "gin" possibly bringing it on.

I have tried the spiritual route, people telling me that I have to "let something out" or "accept it", that's BS, I tried that and it didn't work. I changed my diet, stopped drinking, etc. it's still here.

The only 2 other things that my doctor(s) can think of is a thyroid problem or allergies. I've never had allergies to anything ever, and the mostlikely possible allergy would be the birds in my house that aren't mine (staying temporarily, been here for 6 years).

I'd like any help I could possibly get, I am losing my mind. My doctor (who is a very good doctor and an expensive one) has basically told me she's seen cancer patients with less mysterious/odd symptoms and that my problem was beyond her expertise and likely psychological.

It's stopping me from functioning, I had to leave college for the day twice because I got so anxious/nostalgic and didn't feel like myself. I even got scammed by a fake naturopath until I found a real one, that's how desperate I am.

I 'd really like some advice...thanks.

Answer 1

I can only imagine how horrible it is to deal with this constant irritation.  I have excema, and when it flared up really bad when I was 19 i sometimes would have to take time off from work from extreme itching.  Like you, it was not a major illness, like cancer, so people were sometimes unsympathetic and sometimes even teased or belittled my misery.

But worse than your illness, I am concerned about your mental state.  While you are certainly suffering, there are many things that you can still find that makes your life - your unique and special life - worth living.  I copied and pasted the following excerpt out of a digital article.  While it is from a Christian magazine, it doesn't matter since the suggestions apply to everyone, not just Christians.  If you would like more information, IM me:

"Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Cope With Being So Sick?

JASON was only 18, but it looked as if all his life’s goals were now unattainable. He had hoped to serve full-time as a Christian minister, but then he learned that he had Crohn’s disease—a painful and debilitating bowel disorder. Today, however, Jason is successfully coping with his circumstances.

Perhaps you too are dealing with a serious illness. In a previous issue, Awake! considered the challenges faced by young people like you. Let’s now look at how you can make the best of your situation.

A Positive Mental Attitude

Coping successfully with any illness involves a positive mental attitude. The Bible says: “The spirit of a man can put up with his malady; but as for a stricken spirit, who can bear it?” (Proverbs 18:14) Dark, pessimistic thoughts and feelings make healing more difficult. Jason found this to be true.

At first, Jason had to fight negative feelings, such as anger, which were dragging him down. What helped? He explains: “The articles in The Watchtower and Awake! on depression really helped me to maintain a positive attitude. Now I try to take just one day at a time.”

Seventeen-year-old Carmen likewise learned to look on the bright side of things. Although she suffers from sickle-cell anemia, she counts her blessings. “I think about the others who are worse off than I am and who can’t do the things I can do,” she says. “And I feel grateful and not so sorry for myself.”

Proverbs 17:22 says: “A heart that is joyful does good as a curer.” Some might feel that laughter is inappropriate in the face of serious illness. But good-natured humor and pleasant company refresh your mind and increase your will to live. In fact, joy is a godly quality, one of the fruits of God’s spirit. (Galatians 5:22) That spirit can help you feel joy even though you are fighting an illness.—Psalm 41:3.

Finding an Understanding Doctor

Having a doctor who understands young people is very helpful. A young person’s mental and emotional needs are usually different from those of an adult. Ashley was only ten when she had to go to the hospital for treatment of a malignant brain tumor. Ashley’s doctor dealt with her compassionately and in terms she could understand. He told her how his own childhood illness had motivated him to become a doctor. He gently but clearly explained the proposed treatment to her, so she knew what to expect.

You and your parents will want to seek out medical personnel who respect you and who understand your needs. If for some reason you do not feel reasonably comfortable with the care you are receiving, feel free to express your concerns to your parents.

Fight for Your Health!

It is also essential that you fight your illness in every way you can. For instance, learn as much as you can about your condition. “A man of knowledge is reinforcing power,” a Bible proverb observes. (Proverbs 24:5) Knowledge removes fear of the unknown.

In addition, an informed young person can be more involved in his treatment and is in a better position to cooperate with it. He may learn, for example, that he should not stop taking a prescribed medication without his doctor’s recommendation. Carmen, mentioned above, read books on sickle-cell anemia, as did her parents. What they learned helped them obtain medical treatment that could help Carmen the most.

Ask your doctor specific questions—more than once if necessary—if you’re not clear on some matter. Rather than saying what you think the doctor wants to hear, explain honestly what you are thinking and feeling. As the Bible says, “there is a frustrating of plans where there is no confidential talk.”—Proverbs 15:22.

At one point Ashley seemed quite uncommunicative regarding her illness. She would talk only to her mother about it. A wise social worker asked her privately: “Do you feel that maybe you are not being told everything?” Ashley confided that she did. So the woman showed Ashley her medical records and explained them to her. She also asked the doctors to spend more time talking with Ashley directly, rather than just about her. By finally expressing herself, Ashley was ab

Answer 2

You want to end your life over a tickle in your throat?

Allergies are a possiblity, which can crop up at any time in your life.  They can lead to a chronic feeling of a lump or tickle in the throat, and also cause the coughing and flushing.

You could also have serious post nasal drip, which will coat your throat and can feel like a lump in there that won't go away.  Even coughing or flushing might not be enough to loosen hardened mucus if it adheres to any of the structures of the throat.  This can be a daily renewing problem, as you sleep the mucus will run down and harden and cause the tickle you feel during your waking hours.

It could be a psychological problem, like your doctor said.  Since you're saying you're depressed & have anxiety you probably should see about going to a psychiatrist or psychologist to see what they have to say.  It would be as effective as going to a naturopath or whatever else you've been to see.  Depression and anxiety are both known for causing unexplained aches, pains, and other sensations.

Lay off the booze for a while.  It's possible to have an allergy to alcohol, as well as to whatever else is in it to flavor or distill it.  It also adds to depression & anxiety.  Try using a sinus flushing kit (you can get them at pharmacies for about $12) to see if it could be post nasal drip causing your woes.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I wish I had some health answers for you, but I don't.  What I can tell you is my own story.  Ever since I started taking thyroid medication, I have had shortness of breath.  Sometimes it's very mild, sometimes not.  I have talked to many doctors about it, some holistic and none of them had a clue what to with it, so they did nothing.

A couple of years ago, I had a 48-hour period where I couldn't get a satisfying breath.  I had to take a deep breath every 20-40 seconds.  With each breath it felt like I wasn't getting any oxygen.

When I went to the doc, the first thing he checked was oxygen in my blood -- it was fine.  Then he went down the protocol.  I don't remember all the tests or what order they were in, but they ranged from lung diseases to heart diseases and cancer.  I remember sitting in the hospital waiting for a test and thinking how odd it would be to have to die from it, sitting in a hospital, with no help and no relief because they didn't know what it was.

I knew intuitively it was not related to my heart or my lungs.  I started searching on the internet.  At first I got nowhere.  I kept typing in my different symptoms, in different order -- oh, by the way -- typing in shortness of breath will get you a whole different set of results than dyspnea will (the medical name for it).  I finally started getting some insight after visiting several forums for thyroid patients.

At my next visit to my doc, who was ready to diagnose depression(!), (it's the default diagnosis, when they can't figure it out, they say it's psychological), I told him to test my thyroid.  He said it couldn't be my thyroid, because he had tested me 6 months ago and I was fine, and "you've lost weight and you can't lose weight with low thyroid".  I said, "do you agree that some of these symptoms look like low thyroid?"  He agreed.  I asked him to test me again.  Fortunately he agreed.  I was right.  He adjusted my dose, no more shortness of breath.

Here is my advice to you.  Do your own research. No one knows your body like you do. No one else has the time and motivation you do to solve it.  The internet is a great resource for this....thank God we have it available to us.  DO NOT GIVE UP!!! You can do this.  Do not let doctors make you feel crazy or any other thing.

Trust your instincts.  If you think someone is going in the wrong direction, you're probably right.  You are not crazy.  

Don't rule out something just because you were tested and found negative.  Tests are fallible.  There can be false positives and false negatives.  I belive that what we know about health, disease and the human body is the tip of the iceberg to what there is to know.

Good luck.

CH