There is something wrong with me...

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2005-07-10 04:55pm

Ok, i'm serious this is a plea for any advice or help. I dont know what to do or where to ask anywhere else so, please if this si agains board policy or something just let me know.

I dont know why but i have a serious problem and i have few options because of certain phobias i have. It's rather humiliating to talk about in some parts but i need advice and i need it now and i dont have really any adults beisdes my mom (who is REALLY upset and freighteend about this and doesnt know exactlyw hat to do) to ask.

It started a few months ago, got progressively worse, then disappeared and within the last week seems to have returned. When it first hit me it was this coughing combined with the fact i could barely keep any food down except something very mild like bread or toast. Anything else and i'd puke it up in a few minuets. This was compounded by this diherea type condition that came and went someone randomly. Also major fatigue, as if the above wasnt bad enough. I couldnt leave the house without feeling tired, walking ro standing for more than half an hour zapped me and caused me to become sick and vomit. Happened in a store, at one point. I went to a doctor, he said he wasnt sure but it was probably a stomach flue or virus and owuld be gone soon but he wanted to do some blood tests.

Now comes the phobia. I'm terrified of needles. I almost pissed myself when i DID get up the courage to go to try and get a blood test, i just couldnt bring myself to even go through with it. So not knwoing what it was i tried to ride it out. After at leats three weeks, it seemed to disappear. The coughing remained, but onlyslightly.

Now about a week ago, i was eating some food and suddenly here i go again feeling liek i was going to throw up. I didnt, and so i wrote it off. The diherea came back too, far more mild this time, it wasnt full blown before but now is more like an anoyance. My fatigue is returning too, and i have thrown up my food now three times in the last three days, once just a few minuets before i write this, in a store again. Humiliated and scared i was trying to think of why it came back. My mom is about to have a heart attack she's so worried. And more than anything i wish i could just get a blood test like a normal person and find out what is wrong with me.

So there is my problem, again if this is a violation of policy i am sorry and you can lock it or flush it or whatever. I just ask for any advice from anyone who might know what this is, or have any help to suggest. I'm all ears. Anything will be deeply apprecieted. Thank you for any help or repsonses.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2005-07-10 05:00pm

Seeing as it's been going on for more than a week, I'd recommend visiting an actual doctor rather than posting on an internet message board. Seriously.

Although just as a guess, I'd be inclined to say what you're describing sounds vaguely like food poisoning, except for the fact that that usually goes away after 48 hours. But not being any kind of trained professional, I definitely wouldn't take my guess as any kind of official statement.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2005-07-10 05:04pm

Get yourself to a doctor right away, for fuck's sake. Why are you talking to us?

Jalinth · Post by **Jalinth** » 2005-07-10 05:04pm

Get to a doctor - ASAP. Tell them you have problems with needles. I believe they do have some way of minimizing the problem. I know a friend where they put a screen beside him, froze his arm so he couldn't feel the needle, and got enough blood for tests.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2005-07-10 05:30pm

Take this from a needle-phobic who knows:

LIVING > AVOIDING A NEEDLE

Dooey Jo · Post by **Dooey Jo** » 2005-07-10 06:51pm

That sounds similar to a condition I was in back in 4th or 5th grade. Although I only threw up once, I felt like I was going to throw up all the time I ate anything (so I tried to avoid eating). I also had diharrea and was generally tired. It lasted for a month or something. I was also scared to death of needles (still don't like them. Does anyone?), but they managed to drain five gallons of blood from me to see what was wrong. Turned out all was good. My theory about that is that I was so fucked that they didn't have the heart to tell me. But I got better eventually (had to shit in the woods once while on a field trip before that though). Ate a lot of yoghurt and drank much water, that could've helped...

But if just walking is making you actually vomit... well you should definately have a doctor check up on you. It might be nothing serious, and just stomach-flu (there are lots of kinds of that you know), but why take the chance? If needles scare you that much, maybe they can sedate you and then take the blood sample

Though blood samples don't hurt that much. Not the ones I've taken anyway. Felt more weird, in a sucking kind of way.

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2005-07-10 07:02pm

My mom is finaly backi talked with her about it...needless to say consider the doctor called and oppointment set ASAP. I intend to get a full test this time, if i have to drag myself in there. I'll just make it as clear as possible neeldes are my greatest Earthly fear. Thanks for any advice guys, really i had to talk to someone about this besides my family, like adults i mean. Thank you for not flushing this or anything, really.

I'm feeling better now, when i was writing i still wa sfeeling ill but i'm not anymore. I'm going to get to a doctor as soon as i can get the oppointment set and find out once and for all what is wrong and how to fix it. I cant take this come-and-go plague whatever it is, and i intend to do what i have to.

Again thank you.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2005-07-10 07:07pm

Out of sheer curiosity, how old are you? Are you 18? 16? 27?

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2005-07-10 07:08pm

HemlockGrey wrote:Out of sheer curiosity, how old are you? Are you 18? 16? 27?

20.

Edit: in case you're wondering, about the name...funny story, and yes pointless...18 Till I Die is the name of a Bryan Adams album that i liked so i chose it randomly.

Trytostaydead · Post by **Trytostaydead** » 2005-07-10 08:45pm

Thank God you're going to go see a doctor. Well, nothing to be ashamed of. Phobias are just that, rather unreasonable fears.

Post by **weemadando** » 2005-07-10 08:58pm

DOCTOR - NOW.

And I hate needles as well, but a blood test is likely going to be needed here - having had something similar to this previously, you'll likely have enzyme levels checked, which can account for a lot of this kind of nausea/gastric complaints.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2005-07-10 09:16pm

Too bad phobias can't be reasoned away; but as you know, 18, needles are the only thing that keep me alive.

Don't be ascairt of no slivers of metal, they're your friends.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2005-07-10 09:28pm

Darth Wong wrote:Get yourself to a doctor right away, for fuck's sake. Why are you talking to us?

Blunt.

Two things man.

A. Man up and just take the damn needle.
B. Talk to a doctor to get proper help.

My solution is point A. It's probably going to hurt man, but just tough it out. Not like the damn things going to pierce your heart or gut you. Besides, a lot of times you don't feel a damn thing if you don't concentrate on the pain.

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » 2005-07-11 03:14am

As another needle fearer try to just sit down with your eye's closed so that you dont even see him take out the needle and keep your eye's closed and talk to someone until you feel that tiny prick.

darthdavid · Post by **darthdavid** » 2005-07-11 03:45am

I'm in the same boat man. When I was 4 it took multiple grown men to hold me down for blood work involved with kintergarden screening. I've basically gotten past my fear recently though by a simple solution. Sit there and take it like a man. If you can sit through it once and be rational and calm and not tense (so you don't bruise from it) you'll probably get over your fear. And if you need to just get someone to let you crush their hand to a pulp while it's happening. If you're as sick as you say you are then you can probably guilt somebody into being the victim...er...moral support.

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2005-07-11 04:02am

I too used to be extremely afraid of needles. Heck, one time I found out I was going to get a blood test in a week, and I literally didnt sleep for more than a few hours a night that week, I was so freaked out. But really, the lead up is the worst part. With a competant doctor handling you, all you have to do is sit there, look the other way, and it'll be over in a few seconds. Believe me, when you feel the prick in your arm (and it is only a very brief sting) you'll feel a whole lot better.

mr friendly guy · Post by **mr friendly guy** » 2005-07-11 05:50pm

I don't like needles, and I do feel some apprehension when getting a blood test. However it usually doesn't bother me that much any more, especially since I have to stick needles into people frequently. In fact I find the thought of being undignified because of a needle phobia more frightening than the needle itself.

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2005-07-11 06:18pm

Cal Wright wrote:A. Man up and just take the damn needle.

It's just not that easy for someone with a geniune phobia, man. People with an actual phobia of something are completely irrational about it and many (know they are irrationally afraid) of it. I have a completely paralyzing phobia of flight, to the point where it triggers a fight or flight response when I'm on a plane with the intervention of drugs/alcohol. Even though in my mind I KNOW it's safer than driving, I KNOW that the chances of dying are very VERY low. I KNOW the pilots are professionals who do this all the time. But to me, every shudder of the plane means something is horribly wrong, every bump in the air is an engine component failing, every power-down of the engines means the thing is on fire, and every drop in altitude is one step away from an uncontrollable nose-dive. And don't even get me STARTED on how bad I freak out when they speed brake. when coming in for a landing....sheesh...

To say that he should simply "Be a man" is not only cold, but it's downright mean. It serves no other purpose than to make him feel worse about an already crippling fear. A fear of something most other people see as nothing. A fear he has no doubt taken great pains to hide, generally speaking, and the only reason he says anything to us about is it is through the power of anonymity. Don't do that, man.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2005-07-13 01:21pm

As an aside, but why do people voice their medical problems onto an internet message board? I'm not knocking 18, because he isn't the only person who has done it, and it's not the first time the overwhelming response has been "SEE - DOCTOR - NOW" by all that do reply.

Asking the Agony Aunt for advice is one thing, but a medical problem is clearly beyond the scope of a internet message board. I don't think we even have a doctor in the house, beside Mr Friendly Guy. So why do we do it?

Oh and another thing - needles don't bother me. Actually the last time I went to get a blood test I was transfixed by the whole affair. The needle went in, and my blood came out. It was too cool. The weird thing is, I went in thinking "Awright, man up you pussy, it's not like you were using that blood" and afterwards I was like "Wow I wanna do it again!"

Junghalli · Post by **Junghalli** » 2005-07-13 03:59pm

I'd definitely get that checked out. It sounds like probably food poisoning but there's no reason to take chances.
I know what you mean about needles, I hate them. I have this mild phobia of anything going into my body. I don't even like to put forks and spoons all the way into my mouth, forget about getting stuck with stuff. Don't even get me started on getting cavities filled...

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2005-07-13 04:29pm

I don't think we even have a doctor in the house, beside Mr Friendly Guy

Broomstick is an MD, I think, and I seem to recall someone else who was/is going through medical school.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-07-13 04:44pm

Sounds like a possible bacterial infection, but I'd need more information.

Go to the docs anyway. They will draw blood (yes, I know it's horrible, I hate the idea more than anything, I can't even take my own pulse without feeling gooey inside and I HATE needles) and send that off to a clinical analysis lab on sight where it will be tested, much like what I used to do. If it's clear of microbes, then I'm out of ideas right now.

Needless to say, seek someone who has an M.D. on their wall. Coming to a webboard, no matter how intelligent on average, is stupid when this could be your life on the line.

Lord Woodlouse · Post by **Lord Woodlouse** » 2005-07-13 08:49pm

I inject myself before each meal, and I'm hardly the bravest chap in the world. Just look away if it bothers you that much. Like any and all fears it can only be handled by facing it. There's little else to say. We don't exactly have a secret nobody knows for bypassing needle usage here.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-07-14 04:08am

HemlockGrey wrote:
I don't think we even have a doctor in the house, beside Mr Friendly Guy

Broomstick is an MD, I think

Oh, gosh no - I just work with MD's in a medical research unit. Not a doctor at all.

That said, have them check you out for food allergies/intolerances. Some of them can manifest as something like food poisoning that won't go away. IF that is the case, then you simply have to never eat the offending substance ever again and all symptoms will cease.

BUT - there's no way for anyone to know from what you say here. You must see a real doctor in real life.

Post by **Edi** » 2005-07-14 04:42pm

All the people here have given some good advice, but I've something to add:

18, you're black, aren't you? At least that's what I think you said sometime back. I read an article some months ago about stress and hypertension in the Time Magazine, and it said that hypertension is a serious problem that some portion of the black population in America is particularly susceptible to for some reason (possibly genetic). People your age who have had hypertension problems have simply dropped dead for no readily apparent cause and it was only later found out that hypertension was what killed them.

Some symptoms of hypertension or just plain highly elevated blood pressure due to other reasons are possible dizziness, feeling generally unwell and getting very tired and fatigued very easily even from very normal activity. Sleep problems are also possible. My dad has hypertension and he's on some pretty powerful meds to keep it under control. He's talked about how it feels when the condition starts acting up, and I've had high blood pressure at times so I know some of it firsthand.

So just have that possinility checked out as well, you can't lose anything. If it's bacterial or an allergy, then this post was all a waste of time, but I've wasted time doing far less productive things.

Get well, man!

Edi