17 year hunt for mystery ailments answer is OVER

[chowder66]

In case anyone else is experiencing similar issues I wanted to share a bit about my situation and the solution (for me).

Around 1996 I was working for a corporation and started having ear problems, then equilibrium problems and eventually anxiety issues. These went on for about 10 years. I saw a fair amount of doctors trying to figure it out but nothing seemed to work.

Somewhere during those 10 years I started having more issues; dizziness, overall unwellness, fatigue, sleeping problems, sweating, more random anxiety issues, chest tightness, mystery pains and aches, weird numbness around my forehead, the list goes on and on.

I have been searching and describing to all kinds of doctors over the years and a theme kept popping up. Stress. So I started working on my stress levels and when I felt less stressed I was still having many of these issues. Foggy brain, even speech problems from time to time. I went through a nuclear stress test, ekgs, other acronym tests to find out that my heart is fine.

I went to urgent care last night and finally met the doctor I had been hoping to find, he is an internal medicine doctor. And he gave me the diagnosis and plan that I need. It all made perfect sense and I have been learning more about it today.

My diagnosis is that I'm a shallow breather; only using the top portion of my lungs which is not distributing oxygen efficiently.
This led to hyperventilation syndrome which mimics anxiety and mini-panic attacks at times and causes a myriad of other health issues including; metabolism issues, fogginess, speech issues, comprehension, pains, exercise intolerance, sweating and dizziness and muscle atrophy. My symptoms became worse lately because my chest muscles are super tight and this is not allowing my lungs to expand properly so the plan is to do chest stretching exercises, normal exercise and deep breathing starting with 20 minutes a day for two weeks and building up to 30 plus minutes in 30 days to build the habit so it becomes my natural way of breathing. Obviously I have to keep going beyond the 30 days but that is the time it takes to really get it going. The stress issue wasn't just about external stresses it was the biological/anatomical stress my body has been going through and that is where the disconnect was happening with me and some of the other doctors.

I wanted to share this because it's been such a long journey and my life has been missing for years. It's coming back though and I couldn't be more hopeful and relieved. I hope this helps someone somewhere.

[Warpy]

1. Illness to diagnosis took 14 years for me, it's not that unusual

especially since when I got sick I was barely a teenager and everybody "knows" kids that age don't get seriously ill.

They just blamed me for being lazy, or clumsy, or careless.

That turned out to be rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes I look back and am amazed with what I was able to do, as sick as I've been. All it took was one doc who said "we've done everything else, why not try an immune panel?"

[chowder66]

4. It's sad that it's not that unusual

And it's an amazing day when someone actually listens, asks the right questions and educates you all at the same time.
One of my first reactions, after my jubilation subsided a bit was, all doctors need to look for this. I saw so many of them and this guy figured it out in minutes. It's a very simple thing to review or look for. Especially since it is so common.

The one thing I am most glad about is turning down anti-depressants that some doctors thought "might be good for me". This was based on my frustration with not figuring this stuff out. And those frustrations and yes sometimes very mild depressions during a particularly nasty run of issues were very short lived and were an appropriate response. Am I supposed to be happy and all giggles if I feel like shit for days in a row, year after year? Yeah, I don't think so. But there are people out there that won't know to say NO to a doctors advice which is concerning.

I'm so glad you found your answer Warpy. I can imagine how you must have felt that day.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Wow. That's fantastic news!

A cure, and an indisputably natural and safe one to boot!

I've often wondered about deep breathing. A number of years ago I took a pranic(?) yoga class, which focused on breathing, and felt amazing after class. If I were smart, I guess I'd do it again...

In any case, congratulations!

[chowder66]

5. I know, right?

Simple. The breathing exercises have been really interesting already. The first thing I noticed is my cheeks tingling then my whole face. After that it felt like my head just "cleared" and the feeling of head-fog went away along with the feeling of tightness. The tinnitus in my ears stopped for about an hour last night so that right there would be an incredible issue to remedy. Another thing I noticed was that some of the smaller issues were kind of popping off. Weird twinges in my legs - I liken it to muscles getting more oxygen. Not that I know that's what it is but I suppose as the oxygen distributes more efficiently those areas that are affected will probably be sensitive and noticeable as they become healthier. Or so I hope.

And yes, breathe deeply!!

[KC]

3. I'm glad

you happened to get a good internist there.
I'm a shallow breather too so think I will
start doing those exercises too. Maybe I
will be able to feel a difference.

[chowder66]

6. It surprised me to know most people do not

breathe correctly, including myself obviously.

I feel so incredibly hopeful and am seeing the potential in this already. My energy is starting to pick up as well. Not a lot but I can feel it changing. I am really interested in seeing how many of my issues may benefit from this.