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Multiple years with anxiety, fatigue, tinnitus and others
Hello everybody
I will try to summarize my issues and maybe you can advice me on how to handle my situation.
In 2017 I had my first panick attack after an agitated year. In 2016 my mother has died and also gone trough a breakup.
After that panick attack I had a few months with extreme agoraphobia, fatigue,dizziness, unable to concentrate, blurred vision,etc. I couldn't leave the house, I couldn't go to work, nothing.
I started seeing doctors: neurologists, ent, family doctor, etc. Blood tests were ok with cholesterol high. Vitamins and minerals ok.
After 6 months I also got tinnitus which became constant, but intermittent- a few days off and then a few days on.
After many doctors couldn't find nothing physical, they said I had neuro vegetative dystonia and recommended to go to psychiatry.
There, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and put on Xanax and sertraline. I also started CBT and go to a psychologist.
But until now, nothing improved my situation.
I have a few summer months were I feel 50% ok but tinnitus and fatigue is still here. I get tired very quickly, no mood for activities, shortness off breath sometime, poor sleeping and anxiety
On winter and spring the situation is bad, anxiety takes over and need to take Xanax and antidepressives.
This is going on for about 4 years now and nobody couldn't give me a definitive answer.
So main symptoms which makes my life almost unbearable:
- Fatigue , but just the sensation, I'd I do exercise everything is ok. It's just a sensation.
-Tinnitus which started to be more permanently present( no silence days). Tinnitus does not going away with nothing.
- Anxiety when in public, crowds, stores, new situation. I need to run away, I cannot concentrate on people's faces, sometimes I get shortness of breath.
- Sweaty hands, pale face, tremor
- lack of interest for many activities I enjoyed.
It's a mix o physical and psychological symptoms.
As for my tests:
- Cholesterol high in last years, but eating healthy
- Vitamin D low, started taking a supplement
- Serum protein a little high, specially gamma globulin. No other blood indicator abnormal so doctors says is nothing.
- endocrinology markers ok, a small thyroid nodule which doctors said is nothing
- MRI ok, ears ok, nose ok
- cervical spine ok with c6 c7 osteophytes
- internal organs and heart ok.
Diagnostics: dystonia, imbalance in parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, depression, agoraphobia, asthenia...etc.
40 years, 1.85cm, 81 kg, male.
What do you think? Thank you.
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Hi @emi1980, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. We are each our own mixed bag of conditions and symptoms aren't we? I've added your discussion to the Depression & Anxiety group as well as the Mental Health group. Additionally, here are some other discussions on Connect that may interest you:
- Agoraphobia: Wondering if anyone ever got back to normal way of life?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/agoraphobia-1/
- Characteristics of mental burn out: Depression and anxiety https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/the-characteristics-of-a-burn-out/
- Suffering with Anhedonia https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/incredibly-lonely-shutting-down/
- Tinnitis https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tinnitis/
- Cervical dystonia (Spasmodic Torticollis): Looking for support https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/spasmodic-torticollis/
I'm tagging fellow members @jimhd @wsh66 @mkqq and @guener to join this discussion as I believe they have shared similar symptoms and experiences, some if not all, including vitamin D deficiency, high cholesterol, fatigue, tinnitus, agoraphobia, dystonia, anxiety and panic attacks.
Emi1980, how are you doing during this time of social isolation? Are you able to work?
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3 ReactionsThanks for your response. Isolation amplified my issues a little bit.
IWhen all started in 2017, in the first months I couldn't work, but after taking Xanax and antidepressants I was functional at some level( no anxiety but fatigue and with tinnitus). Some days I needed to stay at home, I avoided discussion and meetings were I need to talk with people maintaining eye contact which induce me dizziness and I need to escape.
Also, i get very tired after just a few hours at work , like I'm sleepy after a party, and that's really bad.
It's hard but I try do live a normal life.
In the last few weeks a did a few changes - give up smoking, give up on coffeine and a healthier diet. But I think my symptoms have spiked.
For the last 2 weeks my tinnitus became permanent, all these years I had it for a a few days and the off another 2-3 days. Also I'm extremely fatigue and have anxiety even when I'm driving, like I'm sick and dizzy.
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1 ReactionI am always suspicious of sodium especially when there is dizziness, stomach upset and tinnitus. Meneres disease can cause those issues and sodium can be a real issue with it. You mentioned a healthier diet, cut your sodium to about 1000 mg a day for awhile and see if there is any difference.
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1 ReactionAsk your doc about sodium intake.
Salt is in many of the foods I like to eat!!
I have had relatives and guests who ask for the salt shaker and LIBERALLY sprinkle it over my excellent (🤥🤢🥱}
Cuisine. ... before they taste it🙄
Too much salt is detrimental to your healthy. I will NOT Give up popcorn (with a little😨 salt)
Again: Check with your doctor if you have a medical condition which limits salt intake.
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1 ReactionAmen!
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1 ReactionVery interesting about the sodium.
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1 ReactionHi. Dizziness is not one of my regular symptoms, is more like weakness. I think I get dizziness very rare, once in a few months or more.
I will check with my doctor also. I suspected Meniere a long time ago, but beside tinnitus nothing from this disease matches my symptoms.
years ago I was diagnosed with POTS at the Cleveland Clinic and was told to increase salt especially during the summer then the ENT said I had Menieres which salt made things worse, somewhere in there I developed anxiety attacks, extreme fatigue, dizziness and had to quite working. These attacks came on suddenly but I could function during times without all these symptoms then as I got older the symptoms became debilitating and now I have an acoustic neuroma, ringing in my ears has been so long I have names for the different noises. I am supposed to have radiation for the tumor but it won't take all these symptoms away. God only knows how long I have had the tumor. I no longer drive or go out. When docs see anxiety or fibromyalgia, CFS,etc they dismiss you so if you know something is wrong trudge on. Verigo and dizziness are a constant problem.
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2 ReactionsHello.
I hope you are feeling much better by now. I read your post and it seem as Im the one who wrote the post. Identical!!!
Were you able to find a solution ? If so , kindly share as Im going crazy. Same exact symptoms and somewhat similar life story.
Your review and description are excellent. Thank you for sharing. If not already, ask about a sleep study. Sleep apnea can be a hidden and powerful culprit behind physiological ills that can then go on to impact our psychological conditions. Best wishes to you.