Discussions By Condition: I cannot get a diagnosis.

serious or stress?

Posted In: I cannot get a diagnosis. 4 Replies
  • Posted By: Anonymous
  • July 4, 2009
  • 01:26 AM

I have had a 3 week history of R arm and R leg numbness/ burning pain. I have had the occasional feeling of clumsiness (but no real weakness). I have also been feeling like my neck is swollen and feeling like I have something stuck in my throat but can't swallow very well. I have had a loss of appetite and dry mouth. I have had difficulty sleeping. Doc gave me ambien, but still don't feel rested in the morning. I recently noticed a bunch of petechiae (small red spots) on my chest and neck. Doc said they are nothing to worry about. He ran a bunch of blood work and everything came back normal. I am an otherwise healthy 31 year old. Doc is just chalking this all up to stress ( my husband was recently laid off and is now working nights so we hardly ever see each other...and we have a toddler). I get no relief from these symptoms and just find it hard to believe that all of this stuff is just related to stress. How do I know that this isn't something more serious?

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4 Replies:

  • Also forgot to mention that if I even drink a few sips of alcohol, the numbness and tingling goes all over my body.
    Anonymous 42789 Replies Flag this Response
  • 31 y F-3 wk h/o r arm and leg clumsiness and burning painno weakness-feels neck swollen/something struck in throat/can't swallow very well-loss of appetite-dry mouth-difficulty sleeping -- ambien-rash (small red spots) on chest and neck -husband recently laid off ... working nights... hardly see each other... have to care for toddler -bunch of blood work normal -doctor says it is all due to stress query-how do i know it is not something serious? Not much can be said based on a limited history, but one can surmise what happened in the doctor's office. Symptoms can be attributed to stress in the presence of a psychosocial stressor, nonspecific symptoms, and a detailed history and evaluation ruling out organic causes. Your question is: how do you know it is not something more serious? The truthful answer is you don't, but in terms of probability it is more likely that what you have is due to stress as opposed to anything else. This is based on the fact that your symptoms are nonspecific, there is a clear psychosocial stressor present that may have precipated the symptoms, and medical tests do not show any organic abnormalities (among other factors).
    m3dh31p 69 Replies Flag this Response
  • You can know that you are having stress or not by this symptoms it includes social, mental, and physical manifestations. It includes loss of appetite, crying, exhaustion and oversleeping. Sometimes, your body itself can cause stress.
    ianpeterson 3 Replies Flag this Response
  • It's hard to say if that is just stress or not. Not enough going on for one to know if it could be more than just stress many of your symptoms are extremely common in stress. Sounds like you may have an intollerance to alcohol thou, I strongly suggest avoiding it. There are a few conditions which have Alcohol intollerance as a symptom (i cant think of any you could have thou right now). More likely your symptoms are stress related.
    taniaaust1 2267 Replies Flag this Response
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