OK not relux related but I have to ask. In my 5th month of preg with Connor (3 years ago)I started to get this odd presure on the right side of my neck. It sort of feels like I am being strangled on the one side and I can hear my heartbeat very loud in my right ear. Some times it is so bad that I feel like I am going to pass out. I have had every test in the book and my head, neck and heart are all OK. So I am now getting mild anxiety attacks, achne, and odd periods. So the doc tells me that the neck thing is stress and the only thing you can do for the neck thing is antidepresents. Well..... With the other symptoms it would lead you to believe that there may be a hormonal issue (started at 5 months gestation, effects periods, adult achne...) Well hormones can cause anxiety and axiety can cause stress so I asked the doc wouldn't it be better to figure out what caused this in the first place and check my hormones instead of jumping to a bandade. He sort of blew me off and tested my blood sugar and blood panel. So what is so scarey about checking hormones anyway?

First - does anyone have the neck thing? and second who can test your homones since the doc wont?

Sue

I have neck pain due to depression/anxiety. It's on one side and it always feels tight. I am on Wellbutrin for PPD. I do not however have problems with my periods or acne. I would want tests done, too. I would see about finding a new doctor for a second opinion.

I had similar symptoms (minus the acne) with my neck and also my heart. I could hear it beating and I could also feel it pounding against my left side when I was laying down. I was getting anxiety attacks because I didnt know what was wrong with me. I had blood work, ekg's, stress tests etc done, and all were fine. My doc put me on Zoloft for the anxiety. I only took it for 3 days because it actually made my anxiety A LOT worse. I ended up finally going to a chiropractor. After just a few visits with him, my neck issues went away, and so did my heart pounding. During this time I also started taking more vitamins. Around the time of my period, when I would usually feel worse, I took extra vitamin B, Omega 3 capsules (great for hormonal/anxiety issues), and also drank more milk. There is some hormone in milk that is supposed to help. I think the supplements I took helped with the hormonal issue, and the chiropractor helped release the tension and stress in the muscles.

I would really push for the hormonal testing. I would also get an opinion from a Naturopath. I think they are more likely to try to fix the problem instead of using a band-aid for the symptoms.

I get tension, stress-related pain at the back of my neck on the one side. Massaging and taking ibuprofin seem to help. I have also been dealing with the irregularities that you mentioned and increased adult acne. I've been seeing an ob/gyn to try to figure it all out. From a couple of on-line friends, I learned that many of my symptoms could be caused by the thyroid. I've had my initial test and am awaiting the results. Can you somehow do a bit of research on-line about your symptoms?

did a few searches but it alway went to a heart condition which I know I don't have. Had all the "test"...ekg, ultasound, mri... Thyroid is fine, platelets are back to normal. The heart beat thing is what is causing my anxiety. I just can't help but feel a sence that there is something wrong with me and since I have been trying to get it to stop for three years now I feel like they are going to eventually tell me that I have some sort of condition that if we had found it earlier it would have been curable but now it's terminal. It is such a uncomfortable feeling and it is starting to dictate how I do things. Stopped working out because it made the sound louder. not wanting to go out because what if I am out with my children and I pass out. Thank you all for sharing with me. Since I have not had one doc tell me he has seen this before I was starting to feel like a freak.

Sue

Okay, hormonal issues can cause anxiety and neck tension/ heart pounding are all symptoms of anxiety (if all other physical causes are ruled out). There is no reason why you can';t have hormonal tests done. Do you think you are entering menopause?? I know some women have had these sorts of things, along with irrational fears and worries, and it was menopause. I even know of a lady who refused to wash her clothes with her DH's because she couldn't handle it.. it was hormone related. I would also like to add that hormones can do strange thigns to you. When I was doing IVF and on the drugs, I felt like a real crazy woman!! They put you into menopause with the drugs and then stimulate you so your ovaries work overtime- it was a lot for the body to cope with and as I say.. I felt like I was crazy some days!!
The other thing, too, Sue, is that it may just be anxiety and if you just embrace the symptoms and learn to manage it, gain some coping skills, it will get easier. I used to work in psychiatry and I know alot of people with anxiety do look for physical reasons to try and explain why they are feeling the way they do and get very disatisfied as they never find a reason or answer because it is anxiety- plain and simple.
ANyway, I would definiteyl seek a 2nd opinion for some hormonal tests, and if that comes back all fine, then get yourself some help with the anxiety.
(((HUGS))) I had dreadful anxiety when doing the IVF (drug related) and it was HORRID. Oh, and you are NOT a freak.... :-)

I don't think it's metopase because this all started when I was 5 month preg. Well not the period thing. I have never had much of a period, two maybe three days. But now I spot for three, bleed to death for one and spot for three or four. Does that sound pre-medop?

You know the anxiety doesn't bug me as much as the feeling that there is something wrong with me and no one can figure it out. It seem odd that one day I am exercising and the very next day this started. There was no defining moment it just started one day and won't stop. I am obsessed almost with the "why", and the feeling that I might die and leave my children. Do you really think that I am being irrational about the symptoms since all the doc tests have come back normal (about the neck anyway) If that symptom would go away (because it is so bad that it scares me) I would be back to normal. It is that one symptom that has me the most concerned.

Thank you for entertaining me for a moment. I haven't really had anyone to talk with since it started.

Sue

Just wanted to tell you to see an Endocrinologist... they will test your hormones and everything... or a GYN could help too. I have PCOS and had to get all that testing done and went to a Reproductive Endocrinologist to conceive my daughter as well.

Good luck, hormone issues stink!

I think I would look for a new doc if you can. What kind of doc were you talking to???/ Maybe you can talk to your GYN---I find my gyn much easier to talk to that my PCP.

I hope you figure things out, good luck.

Sue, I would definitely get a 2nd opinion, but also, if you fear what may happen to you and why the pain is there.. that could all be part of the anxiety. Also, do you think you may have depression? Anxiety can co-exist with depression.
About the periods thing.. I used to have standar 3-4 days of bleeding. But since they re-started after the boys were born, it is 1 heavy day and then 1 or 2 days of very light bleeding.. so these things can change. **secretly** I like my new, light periods as I had very heavy ones for years!!

I have to agree with Michele about seeing an endrocrinologist or your ob/gyn because they are the ones that would do the hormonal testing. I can tell you from experience that the anxiety and fear can bring on real physical symptoms that wont go away. Also you said that it started during preganancy which can happen and if your anxiety has increased it can also cause a problem with your menstural cycle.

The thing is though that the doc should rule all physical issues out first before saying it is all related to the anxiety. I would try the antidepressant but also would want all the other testing done. I do wish you luck and hope that you are able to get some real answers soon.


Melanie

Amanda in answer to your question... a quack pcp. You know before this neck thing, I could say no to the depresion but now it sort of caused a bit of it. not nessesarily depression but a lack of motivation because to much activity makes it get worse. I use to be very active but now I am not even doing 1/2 of what I use to.

You know, Michelle... i never even thought of this unil you said endocrenoligist, but I had been told by one of them that I have adrenal hyperplacia. I wonder if all this doesn't have anything to do with that????

I have an appointment to go see a naturalist tomorrow. Thank you

Sue

I have PCOS and had to get all that testing done and went to a Reproductive Endocrinologist to conceive my daughter as well.

Good luck, hormone issues stink!

Did I know this? I've got PCOS, too. And you're right, hormone issues stink.

Sue,

Is the pounding heartbeat the symptom that has you the most uncomfortable/worried? What kind of heart tests did you have run, and who did the testing? I had really bad heart pounding during my 5th month of pregnancy. I was freaked out. My OB sent me to a cardiologist, but I couldnt get in for 2 weeks. So I took matters into my own hands and did lots of research. I discovered that low potassium and magnesium can cause the heart to beat differently than normal. I started taking one pill a day and after 3 days there was great improvement. Then right after delivery, the same thing happened. I told the doc and asked him to run blood work on my electrolyte levels (they normally dont do this in routine blood work), and sure enough, both my potassium and magnesium were low. I got I.V's and my symptoms went away. Then again about 3 months after having Noah, I started having similar symptoms and I could feel and hear my heart beating. When I would take my pulse while at rest, it would be really really low, like in the 40's. Again I freaked out and went to the cardiologist who had me wear a 3 week heart event monitor and a 24 hr constant monitor. Plus we did a stress test and ekg, and an echo. And again we checked my blood and potassium and mag. and were in the normal range. This is when I started taking more vitamins and eating lots of bananas just to make sure my levels were on the high end of normal. And I went to the chiro for the muscle tension in my neck (caused by anxiety from worrying about my heart!) I too was so stressed from worrying that I was going to die and leave my 3 children without a mommy. I think the stress from worrying made my symptoms even worse.

Lucy I'm not sure if you knew that or not... not sure I mentioned it here before or not. Any hormonal imbalances stink and cause ALL kinds of issues!

I hope you get somewhere with someone, Sue... it's no fun being undiagnosed either!!

You know I did have the three week thing but came back normal. My hr runs at about 60 most of the time. Even when I am having the problem. But I have never had an ekg or anything like that. I did get blood work but I guess they didn't check that. I did howver have low postas and mag druing preg so much so that my legs cramped four or five times during the day. But even when I was taking the vit I still had the problem. I do however think the problem is getting worse due to stress. Now my eye on that same side feel odd. Have you ever looked into a light and got a floating spot that you could see even with your eyes open. That's what I am getting now. This is just crazy. KNowing me, it will turn out to be this rare reaction to stress that was exsaserbated by stressing out because of the reaciton to stress (roll of eyes) But thank you for letting me know that I will tell the doc to check the electrolytes. I sort of think I should see a cardiologist though

Sue

Sue,

I had the exact same thing going on with my eye. I would see a spot, and sometimes several spots floating in front of my eyes while they were open. It went on for several weeks. Finally I went to the eye doctor because I had had gestational diabetes and knew that eye problems like that could be caused from high blood sugar. So anyway, the eye doc said that these spots, or floaters, are perfectly normal. Typically people dont get them until they are in their late 40's or so. It has something to do with the gelatinous stuff inside of the eye breaking down. Mine just happened to do it a little sooner than the average person. I'm only 33. He did tell me to come in immediately IF I started having blind spots in my vision. Otherwise, the floaters are compeletly normal.

About the potassium and magnesium issue. If you had that problem too during pregnancy, I bet you may have low levels again. My doc said that its unusual for a person to have low levels if they eat a normal diet. Well that doesnt pertain to me because I eat more than the normal diet. I guess some people have a tendancy to have lower levels at certain times. I took my pernatal vitamin all during pregnancy. That did not keep my levels high enough. I had to take a seperate potassium pill and a magnesium/calcium pill. And I ate 2 bananas a day for a few days. It made all the difference in the world. My symptoms went away. Several weeks or months later when it would happen again, and I would start on the supplement and bananas again. Now one of those times my blood work came back compeletely normal, but I was having major heart pounding etc. My doc said that the pot. and mag. levels were great, so that wouldnt be causing my symptoms. Thats when he sent me to the cardiologist for all of the tests. Even though he said my levels were normal, I still took the supplements again, and within a week, my symptoms started to go away. I think my body just needs to have slightly higher levels of pot. and mag. But anyway, its worth looking into, especially since you had issues with it during pregnancy. If nothing else, eat a couple of bananas a day for several days. And take a magnesium/calcium supplement. It wouldnt hurt to get a referral to a cardiologist too if that would give you some peace of mind.