Feeling down and don't know what to do

[daveyboixx]

Hi, I havent posted for a while but I do come on here from time to time.

As the title says I'm feeling a bit lost and low with the situation I'm in and don't know what to do as it's really affecting my life, from my marriage to work to general well being.

I'm a 29 year old male and since January last year, which is when I first posted I haven't been feeling very well. This was 2 months after we had our first baby so at the same time my life had a big change in itself.

I've noticed loads of bodily sensations and change but the main symptoms I've experienced are -

RUQ pain front and back, right shoulder pain, itching (which comes on really intense but can stop quckly) eye floaters, loss of appetite, general fatigue. This is worsened by the fact that I haven't been given a cause for these symptoms so my mood is often low because of this.

I've had numerous blood tests, an US, fibroscan, abdominal CT, endoscopy and colongoscopy.

All of these clear apart from mild gastritis. Apart from ALT and GGT my bloods have always been normal. GGT was 116 and ALT 75 at the start. Since stopping alcohol my GGT is normal and ALT around 50.

I've been told there's nothing wrong with my liver and that I'm suffering from health anxiety, so ive respected the doctors advice and am currently 6 sessions into therapy. I know it's early days but I'm really not feeling the therapy and it's made worse by the fact I can't let go of the concern of there being something wrong they've missed! You know your own body the best right!?

I have given up with seeing my doctor as now I'm under the "anxiety" label.

I suppose I'm just after some support and potentially peoples experiences of similar.

Thanks in advance

[Jojochr]

Omg! That is exactly where I was 10 years ago. I had every test, saw all sorts of specialists. I only started to feel better when I actually listened to the gp. I was put on a low dose of antidepressants. They started working after a month or so and I remember crying because it was like a light bulb moment when they started working. I stayed on them 7 months then doc weaned me off them. At the time it started I had a great job, no worrys I did not believe it could be my mental health, it had to be an illness/disease. I have been up and down since but can recognise it now. You are not alone in this, hopefully the therapy will help you. You could also try self help, such as meditation and making sure you make time to do something you enjoy. I also like the resources on action for happiness charity and the big white wall charity. Although that changed its name you can still find it with a Google search.

[daveyboixx in reply to Jojochr]

Thanks for you're reply! I'm happy you hear you found a way out. This has made me hopeful that the therapy will help. I still can't really believe I'm actually in this situation as I've always been a healthy positive person before this all started.

Were you suffering physical symptoms at the time?

I have considered anti depressants to improve my mood, as the lower and more tired I feel, I seem to notice the symptoms more.

[Jojochr in reply to daveyboixx]

I had a lot of physical symptoms, headache, flu like, vision problem, pain and vibrations in muscles, tiredness. I was absolutely sure I was severely ill. I have to hand it to my gp who sent me for lots if tests and eventually persuaded me to take medication. I am usually against taking meds but it definitely helped me. I hope you can start to feel better soon

[Jojochr]

Omg! That is exactly where I was 10 years ago. I had every test, saw all sorts of specialists. I only started to feel better when I actually listened to the gp. I was put on a low dose of antidepressants. They started working after a month or so and I remember crying because it was like a light bulb moment when they started working. I stayed on them 7 months then doc weaned me off them. At the time it started I had a great job, no worrys I did not believe it could be my mental health, it had to be an illness/disease. I have been up and down since but can recognise it now. You are not alone in this, hopefully the therapy will help you. You could also try self help, such as meditation and making sure you make time to do something you enjoy. I also like the resources on action for happiness charity and the big white wall charity. Although that changed its name you can still find it with a Google search.

[Spoons20]

I have also been labeled as suffering from anxiety and depression by my doctor , which yes I do suffer from both but at the moment they are made worse by the fact that I know my body and just know something isn’t right but feel there not listening to me, I’ve drank on and off for the last 15 year, recently gave up 9 week ago and was so hoping to feel better but nope I can’t shift this feeling something is wrong, I have occasional right upper abdominal discomfort but my real pain is in my back and right shoulder this has been going on a year but they are saying it’s muscular, it’s relentless tho even when resting it’s there, I’m constantly on google which I know is not good but I can’t seem to help it. My LFTs were raised more so my bilirubin but are coming down and my ultrasound was clear but I’ve heard all these can show normal and not be which is freaking me out more

Good luck with your journey I’m trying to be more positive hope you can be too

[daveyboixx in reply to Spoons20]

Seems like we're in a similar situation. I hope you find the answers you're after. I know what you're going though 🙂

[Spoons20 in reply to daveyboixx]

Thank you and same to you it’s tough going isn’t it and sometimes I’m not sure what’s worse the physical or mental side

It’s so good that all your tests have came back normal though, surely out of all of those something would of shown up in one of them so that’s a good positive 🙂

Can I ask what your back pain is like please? I’m trying to find others experiences of pain felt in the back/shoulder but dont seem to come across many

My family don’t understand the pain I’m describing

[Jojochr in reply to Spoons20]

Hi Hayleigh, I have upper back pain caused by years of a physical job. I was constantly in pain. I went to a practitioner of Body Stress Release. After 2 session my pain was and remain 90% gone. That was 10 years ago. I still sometimes go for session if I get a back pain that persists. Might be worth a try

[Poppyred300]

My daughter-in-law suffered like this and it took ages fir them to diagnose gall stones. One of the symptoms that prevails with this problem is pain at the bottom of the shoulder blade.

[daveyboixx in reply to Poppyred300]

Pleased to here you daughter in law finally found an answer. You'd have thought if if that was potential in my case it would have showed up on my US or abdominal CT?!

[Alibaba80]

I would push for more investigations as I have a lot of symptoms like you ( but worse) all my liver scans are normal but eventually when I pushed for a biopsy it showed Nodular Regenerative Hyperplasia which is basically microscopic nodules throughout the liver...

[Fibro2021 in reply to Alibaba80]

To detect NRH, a special histological staining of liver tissue samples for reticulin fibers (collagen type 3) is required. Have your liver samples been stained for reticulin fibers? I heard that very few pathological laboratories follow this rule.

Reticulin staining for histological signs of NRH