primitives discuss mystery ailments

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/11471614

Oh my.

I was hoping the hypochondrial primitive, the "mopinko" primitive, would show, but she didn't.

chowder66 (1,244 posts)    Sat Aug 17, 2013, 06:53 PM

17 year hunt for mystery ailments answer is OVER

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 (70,798 posts)    Sat Aug 17, 2013, 08:06 PM

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?"

franksolich's good pal Manny, always effervescent with bonhommie:

MannyGoldstein (22,699 posts)    Sat Aug 17, 2013, 10:21 PM

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!

KC (1,771 posts)   Sun Aug 18, 2013, 12:58 AM

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.

[Mr Mannn]

So, the question is how to turn this into a disability claim?

[vesta111]

So, the question is how to turn this into a disability claim?

This is not a disability any more then Dandruff or black heads.

Shallow breathing can be treated, as long as there are no Lung problems.     Not unknown for people to even forgetting to breath in a sudden startling experience.   Or to be so rapped up in a mental exercise they put their all into what they are doing and for some reason, odd as it is forget to breath.

What is this sleep apnea, sound asleep and suddenly awake to low oxygen and a feeling of dread.

[Aristotelian]

Their mystery ailments are all forms of the same dangerous illness - liberalism.

[JohnnyReb]

My diagnosis is that I'm a shallow breather; only using the top portion of my lungs which is not distributing oxygen efficiently.

But what about the health of the earth....climate change.....and all that.....you're still putting out to much CO2.

[hillneck]

My diagnosis is that I'm a shallow breather; only using the top portion of my lungs which is not distributing oxygen efficiently.

I was thinking more on the lines of oxygen thief, just like the rest of the idiot DUmbasses on Skin's Island.

[Celtic Rose]

Sounds like obesity hypoventilation syndrome.  I wonder how much this Dummy weighs. 

[Bad Dog]

Sounds like obesity hypoventilation syndrome.  I wonder how much this Dummy weighs. 

Same thing I was thinking.  Big mass of fat stopping the diaphragm from filling the lungs.  It's symptoms seem pretty universal to most DUmmies.

[67 Rover]

I was thinking more on the lines of oxygen thief, just like the rest of the idiot DUmbasses on Skin's Island.

What I was thinking also. See image below.

[Doc Savage]

My diagnosis is that I'm a shallow breather; only using the top portion of my lungs which is not distributing oxygen efficiently.

For the fun of it at parties, I often only use 1 lung at a time, switching from side to side while people watch.  It is a real conversation starter.  Then I swim underwater and call all of the life in the sea, just like aqua man.

[JohnnyReb]

I see the problem, DUmmie is sucking air.....Stop and so will all aliments.

[GOBUCKS]

My diagnosis is that I'm a shallow breather

Is that like a Close Talker, or a Sentence Finisher?

[Delmar]

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.

Bain Capital?  Not just cancer, they can give you all kinds of mystery ailments now, too.

[miskie]

The bottom line is the DUmmy actually forgot how to breathe.

And they wonder why we make fun of them.   

[JLO]

The bottom line is the DUmmy actually forgot how to breathe.

And they wonder why we make fun of them.