“Do my symptoms sound serious?”
I'm so concerned for my health but so scared to go to the doctor, a little insight would be great. I'm a 25y/o F, 5'3 & a healthy-ish weight (I suffer from mild eating disorders) at 120/125 lbs, and naturally red-haired. My grandmother's sister suffered & died from breast cancer, ovarian issues run in my family although no one knows what they are. I have a lot of moles, three, in particular, have pain in them when pressed on, two of those more recently, and one has always hurt. An area in my gums always bleeds although I've asked my dentist to check it repeatedly and he assures me the tooth & gum are fine?
My periods are SO long, and only as of recently, (past 3? months). The month is April it lasted 3.5 weeks and I almost fainted twice, it was VERY dark, black, blood, and my May period was so bright it was almost orange. My stomach always hurts & I chalk it up to eating, but even after eating I will feel STARVING. To the point of feeling so nauseous and sometimes vomiting because I think I'm mistaking pain for hunger (my grandmother suffers from diverticulitis, and other intestinal/digestive issues) it will wake me up & nothing helps.
I get weird sharp pains throughout my body sometimes but again much more frequent these last three months, as well as burning sensation patches I get on my skin. My head rushes will almost knock me down but I'm not sure if that's normal. I'm always dizzy and winded, and my stamina is so low like it's very hard for me to do a basic work day vs everyone else it seems & I can't enjoy my environment because I'm just trying to stay on my feet but my lungs are least feel fine.
Then my biggest symptom is a small lump I discovered on the base of my neck/skull with fairly aggressive ice pick migraines & burning sensations all down half my head and face. It has died down since I first found it. About three months ago but I still get the same symptoms and they would be stronger if I also experience a headrush or almost fainted. I would really like to know what this sounds like to anybody because I am just so nervous about the Dr. I've been putting it off bc of that but the stress of my health is getting to me. Please help.
My periods are SO long, and only as of recently, (past 3? months). The month is April it lasted 3.5 weeks and I almost fainted twice, it was VERY dark, black, blood, and my May period was so bright it was almost orange. My stomach always hurts & I chalk it up to eating, but even after eating I will feel STARVING. To the point of feeling so nauseous and sometimes vomiting because I think I'm mistaking pain for hunger (my grandmother suffers from diverticulitis, and other intestinal/digestive issues) it will wake me up & nothing helps.
I get weird sharp pains throughout my body sometimes but again much more frequent these last three months, as well as burning sensation patches I get on my skin. My head rushes will almost knock me down but I'm not sure if that's normal. I'm always dizzy and winded, and my stamina is so low like it's very hard for me to do a basic work day vs everyone else it seems & I can't enjoy my environment because I'm just trying to stay on my feet but my lungs are least feel fine.
Then my biggest symptom is a small lump I discovered on the base of my neck/skull with fairly aggressive ice pick migraines & burning sensations all down half my head and face. It has died down since I first found it. About three months ago but I still get the same symptoms and they would be stronger if I also experience a headrush or almost fainted. I would really like to know what this sounds like to anybody because I am just so nervous about the Dr. I've been putting it off bc of that but the stress of my health is getting to me. Please help.
Female | 25 years old
Complaint duration: 04/01/2022
Medications: None
Conditions: Idk
1 Answer
Good morning,
First of all, you are quite stressed. Being under all the stress you are experiencing affects the body similarly to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Your first task right now is to calm down and relax. Meditation or prayer for many of my patients have a very calming affect. Going for a little walk outside can help also. I don’t recommend watching news or suspenseful television programs when you are needing stress relief. I believe many of your symptoms could be related to all this stress.
You are going to need to see your PCP. A PCP is a specialist in evaluating complex sets of symptoms and referring their patients to various medical specialists for further evaluations or sometimes order tests to narrow down and eliminate possible medical conditions. Many of my patients come to my office with just this kind of anxiety. As they share their concerns they often begin to feel a little better from just unburdening their minds from all their worries. Many have been spending lots of time searching for their symptoms on the internet and imagine that they are suffering from dreadful diseases. This compounds their stress. Your PCP should be able to see you within a day or two.
Your body gives you symptoms to let you know that something is happening in your body that needs your help. And don’t forget that the mind is also a part of your body. Your PCP may find that your symptoms indicate that you need to see a counselor to help you think differently about one or more things in your life. I have often seen patients with severe physical symptoms find that their issues quickly improve after seeing a Psychologists, psychiatrists, or counselors. I recommend that your make seeing your PCP priority 1 for this week!
Thank you ,
Luz A López , md
Ohana Kids & Family Kare
First of all, you are quite stressed. Being under all the stress you are experiencing affects the body similarly to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Your first task right now is to calm down and relax. Meditation or prayer for many of my patients have a very calming affect. Going for a little walk outside can help also. I don’t recommend watching news or suspenseful television programs when you are needing stress relief. I believe many of your symptoms could be related to all this stress.
You are going to need to see your PCP. A PCP is a specialist in evaluating complex sets of symptoms and referring their patients to various medical specialists for further evaluations or sometimes order tests to narrow down and eliminate possible medical conditions. Many of my patients come to my office with just this kind of anxiety. As they share their concerns they often begin to feel a little better from just unburdening their minds from all their worries. Many have been spending lots of time searching for their symptoms on the internet and imagine that they are suffering from dreadful diseases. This compounds their stress. Your PCP should be able to see you within a day or two.
Your body gives you symptoms to let you know that something is happening in your body that needs your help. And don’t forget that the mind is also a part of your body. Your PCP may find that your symptoms indicate that you need to see a counselor to help you think differently about one or more things in your life. I have often seen patients with severe physical symptoms find that their issues quickly improve after seeing a Psychologists, psychiatrists, or counselors. I recommend that your make seeing your PCP priority 1 for this week!
Thank you ,
Luz A López , md
Ohana Kids & Family Kare
