Last call for help, as mystery condition destroys my life

[Bear All]

I just got back from a funeral for a dear family member, and I couldn't even act like myself because I was getting sensations of things moving up and down my back--pressing against my spine, kinda--which made it feel like I could fall if I wasn't watching the ground. Not to mention intense brain fog where I would see someone in my line of sight one second, look away for 5 seconds, and then forget they were even there once I looked back again.

The head pressure I have is constant, 24/7, and intense. And also the constant gas pain associated with severe constipation/IBS, 10 minute trips to the bathroom to urinate--just to urinate, and I'm a 27 year old male--because it takes 5 minutes to get my bladder going and 3 minutes to make sure it's all out to prevent leakage after I leave. I can't even tell anyone about this because they would not believe me--I have learned to hide these problems, but it takes a lot of effort. The hypochondriac stigma is alive and well in my family, especially for someone like me who has also suffered with mental illness.

I can barely have a bowel movement anymore, even with 2 stool softeners every day, about 130% of the RDI for fiber, lots of water, and even 4 mile walks daily. All this at 27 years of age, good shape, good weight, no history of neurological diseases anywhere in my family.

I took the suggestion FROM THIS FORUM for the severe constipation, to take Miralax every day. I did this ON TOP OF a stool softener, lots of water, 150% of the RDI for fiber and every day, and it still barely helped. How can this be explained???

What--pray tell--what kind of condition could affect all these body systems? I don't have any asymmetrical symptoms which would match with MS. It's just that everything's a bit off. There seems to be a link between the pressure in my head, pressure/stabbing/shooting pains in my back, and awful digestive problems. That seems to have become the "trifecta" of the mystery condition.

I can't live like this anymore. My brain fog is so intense I have not been able to work a decent job, and I'm therefore stuck with no health insurance. I feel diagnostic tests are the only thing that could shed light on this, now. But how... with no insurance and no way to get a good job?

This condition gets slowly worse every year, although some symptoms come and go. It seems to be a PROGRESSIVE SYSTEMIC AILMENT... if that helps anyone.

Can anyone run down the list of PROGRESSIVE SYSTEMIC AILMENTS which could cause the problems listed, and help me out.





I can't do anything I want to do without having to "wrestle" through all 50 symptoms of this damned thing distracting me. I want this thing gone, or at least, I want it identified.

[JaLacy93]

Look up the symptoms of scleroderma. Also other similar auto-immune diseases; Some of the symptoms sound like this. If you can get referred to a rheumatologist, that may be helpful. Sera.

[mikey m]

I do not think you can rule out MS. Bladder and bowel dysfunction is very common, as are the spinal and brain symptoms. I know you don't have insurance, but have you had any tests done in the past couple years? You need bloodwork, a colonoscopy and an MRI of the brain. Since you can't work, would you qualify for disability, like Social Security? Then you get Medicare. If you qualify for Social Services, you could get Medicaid. Best of luck to you, and do let us know.

[koryjones90]

I didn't mean to worry everyone or make my case sound worse than it is--I still function pretty well, and can hide most symptoms of my condition with some effort.

However, it has a very destructive effect on certain aspects of my functioning, and I'm getting sick of having no way to curtail this thing.

I thought I had found a lead with B12 deficiency, and I'm now supplementing heavily with B12 and several cofactors, and while the results show promise, there has been no dramatic improvement yet--most glaringly, no improvement of the worst symptoms.. not yet anyway.

[Alicia Arroyos]

You're going to need test to get to the bottom of this. Would you qualify for disability and medicare for you mental health issues. I think those might actually be related to whatever is physically wrong.

If you can get insured, then I would include bloodsugar and thyroid levels in testing.