Hello again

[Natz36]

Hi

Please could someone give me advice but nothing that’s going to scare me like go hospital urgently 🙈 I have severe anxiety health issues and am doing my best not to get to bad and only go hospital when it’s urgent.

So I have been getting a metallic taste in my mouth , no pain , no fevers just the swelling in my foot and left eyelid which only happens when I’m off to bed so just night time .

I have been reading about kidney problems and my wee before was a little foamy not major but we have like one of those things that attaches to the toilet so I’m never sure if that is what happens sometimes.

I drink a lot of water so I’m unsure if I’m weeing a lot or just normal and I don’t get up much during the night to wee I also don’t have pain at all .

Could the taste be a vitamin deficiency?

I have had bloods today and will get results next week Tuesday ☺️☺️

Thanks you’re all so kind I know if I would of posted this anywhere else someone would of said go hospital but honestly I feel fine x

I will ring my doctor tomorrow and explain and ask can I do a wee sample also x

Thanks Natalie x

[Roarah]

Hi, a metabolic panel blood test can show if there is a possible kidney issues as will a urine sample so you are doing everything right. Maybe ask for vit. D and B's to be checked as well.

I too suffer anxiety, I have generalized anxiety disorder and until last year I just tried to ignore it. After suffering strokes last year I finally decided to seek professional help for my anxiety. It has changed my life and I now suffer from so many less symptoms. I will admit that I now blame my lupus and antiphospholip antibodies on my life long untreat heightened anxiety levels. Ironically enough, after a year of therapy for my GAD all my serum markers have gone from high positive to negative. I truly believe I worried my self ill and there is some recent science to support my beliefs. Constant states of fight or flight induced cortisol wrecks havoc on our autoimmune systems.

Even if I am wrong and anxiety did not cause my illnesses anxiety did kill my joy and lessen my life and now after treatment I feel reborn and super healthy to boot! Please consider asking your GP about treatments available to you inregards to your anxiety. There are many options available and it really is life altering to finally be free of my daily anxieties. Best of luck.

[Natz36 in reply to Roarah]

Hello and thanks for your reply.

I think mine started when I lost both my parents within six months between them both dying . I was also battling an eating disorder and that definitely caused some anxiety and body dysmorphia.

I no longer have issues with food although it never goes away I know myself I’ve battled it .

It’s probably just me overthinking everything and I’m also due on .

There’s so much more that causes my anxiety and I’ve had therapy three times and I honestly believe I’m not quite over the anxiety issue because I’m lonely and worried now If I have lupus or not due to my symptoms rash etc .

I’ll be okay I’m actually glad for once I have such a supportive doctor and also my bloods today we’re for vitamin not just b12.

Sending lots of love and hope you’re okay x

[Roarah in reply to Natz36]

I am so sorry about your losses. Trauma is known to precede lupus diagnosis frequently so I am so glad you are addressing your traumas and anxiety. A good GP is so important so I am happy you have a good relationship with yours. I hope you

I am lucky in that my insurance, I live in the states, covers my PTSD therapy weekly with no cap so I continue with weekly therapy even while I am feeling much better. I think it helps keep me from relapsing.

I hope you can find successful treatment to help your symptoms. Good luck!

[Natz36 in reply to Roarah]

Thanks I think quite a lot of people I speak to on this are from the states x I’m from Manchester uk and it’s so hard to find help especially when it’s NHS and not private 😢 it can be extremely difficult.

Yes this is my third doctor and I’m definitely sticking with her she even got me an X-ray done as I had trouble breathing which I’m also aware can be vitamin deficiency problem but could also be a Lupus sign .

I’m sure I’ll get there as soon as my rheumatologist appointment comes through I will be okay xxx

[Hisue in reply to Roarah]

Can you give any specifics on anxiety trtmnts? Tried CBT, meds- not much relief.

I also believe my RA was triggered by constant stress causing constancy of Fight- Flight chemical response.

[Roarah in reply to Hisue]

HI, my initial treatment revolved around my stroke caused PTSD and my therapist used EMDR. It is a newer treatment initiated in the late 80s early 90s. My treatment involved initially weekly 90 minute sessions. I now see my therapist weekly for 50 minute sessions but we really just usually chat now.

Here is a link about EMDR ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

After I was feeling emotionally stronger we moved to mindful CBT with ACT for pain management.

Inadidition to the weekly sessions, I researched natural ways to shrink the amygdala, which is over active in anxiety patients. Meditation is one proven successful way to achieve this. I meditate 15 minutes when I awake and fifteen minutes at night.

My morning meditation is a KK video that I read about in an Alzheimer's pamphlet shown to strengthen the cortex while shrinking the amygdala thereby slightly stalling cognitive decline in early diagnosed patients. My stroke damage effected my left frontal lobe cortex and my memory was weakened. I feel this kk video chant really helped my mental pathology.

I also stop often in my day to just focus on my breathing. I count to seven on my inhale through the nose and count to 11 on my nasal exhale. I try to breath this way regularly now. This resets my natural fight or flight.

I also find thirty minutes of brisk walking works wonders on my mental state and my ability to reprocess away from anxiety. I think it has a lot to do with rhythmic breathing and cross patterns(left/ right movement)

Diet has over all helped me too. I eat almonds, blue berries and broccoli daily which are in the brain supporting group. My sleep is very regulated now as well. I go to sleep at the same time and awake at the same time everyday. I use no screens an hour before sleep and defuse lavender oil before bed and it seems to calm me.

I do not know which of these things helped the most or if it was a combo of all but I have not felt butterflies in my stomach for almost a year sense starting this process and I honestly had butterflies everyday for my whole life before this.

Let me know if you want more links to studies about how meditation can change our brains. I can post some for you.

Good luck finding solutions that might help you.

[Hisue in reply to Roarah]

Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful & thorough accounting of your treatment & healing activities.

You have been through so much; I am so glad you are feeling better.

I went to two therapists who listed trauma/EMDR & they did not know how to do it properly- They did not follow the method & protocol of 8 specific sessions & steps. Disappointing.

Sounds like your therapist is excellent & very knowledgeable. How did you find such a good one? Did you also see a psychiatrist for prescription meds?

[Roarah in reply to Hisue]

I am in the state's near a very well know Ivy League medical school and hospital and my insurance gives me open choice of specialists.

My stroke neurologist recommended a behavior/ neuro psychiatrist who ran many cognitive tests and diagnostic questionnaires on me and gave me a diagnosis of PTSD with underlying general anxiety disorder and due to triple anticougant treatments at the time most successful prophylaxis anxiety meds and Ssri's presented too great of a bleeding risk so I was given just a script for 30 Xanax pills without refill to get me through the early days.

I was a basket case last Christmas. I took a few of the Xanax to keep calm but after I got a referral to my regular EMDR therapist I quickly began to feel I did not need meds after all.

I am only on dual bloodthinners now and if I ever relapse I will consider medication help if I become treatment resistant so I do see the psychiatrist yearly now to keep myself on her patient list and I get yearly cognitive tests to measure my progress or decline.

I will do any thing to avoid those overwhelming feelings of anxiety again. I spent too much of my life ruining today with worries about tomorrow. I hope to forever remember to live only in this moment.

[Hisue in reply to Roarah]

Thanks again for the additional info- you have accomplished so much.

That is a good idea to go to a university hospital & med school.

I am in the US, too. The treatment I have rec’d thru just local hospital affiliation (not a university hospital) has been incredibly poor for both trauma & RA. I am a mess!

[Roarah in reply to Hisue]

I am so sorry your care has been lacking. Poor access to health care in itself creates high anxiety I am very lucky to have always received excellent care and also doctors who like to treat the whole patient understanding that the mind and body connection is a bidirectional road.

I do not know if you have tried mindfulness guided hypnosis videos. I really like a few put out by progressive hypnosis ( a British woman) and mindful movement ( American voiced) . I found them on google and there are a few for healing that help my pain levels drop.

Also yoga I find very helpful too. If nothing else they might help lure you to sleep. It might be a tool to help while you wait for better specialist to help you.

[Hisue in reply to Roarah]

I was fortunate to be very healthy before being struck down with sudden onset, severe RA.

So, I had very little experience with our US healthcare system & had good relationships with elderly GP. I, too, can pick dr with my med insurance. Elderly GP died & new generation dr took bought his practice.

I find it amazing how many “ poorly trained professionals are in HC/private practice. There are psych therapists on every other street! Some do not even take insurance & want cash, chg, or check. Also, hospital with hospitalist dr & your own dr doesn’t come. Rheumy doesn’t even have covering dr.

I so appreciate your help.

[Roarah in reply to Hisue]

My hospital has a cancer center where there is wonderful mental health access especially with specialists with a focus on treating anxiety. It might be worth looking into your hospital's oncology or neurology departments. If you are in Connecticut I can message you my therapist's info as well.