What Kind of Doctor or Tests Do I Need?!?!

Oh....that all depends.

Off the top of my head those symptoms could be:

- High blood pressure
- Panic Attacks or PTSD
- A hormonal imbalance
- many many others (but I'm going to stop at those three)

If high blood pressure, we're probably talking an internist or GP, and most likely beta blockers, or other blood pressure med.

If Panic Attacks, we're talking a psychologist to work through them, and a psychiatrist to prescribe meds that will stop/calm an acute attack.

If a hormonal imbalance, we're talking an endocrinologist.

So what you REALLY need is a good general practitioner who can weed through the 20 or so possibilities (and it ranges from those three, to infections, to certain cancers, to a moderate allergic reaction, to severe migraines, to neural stuff, to, to, to...)

A good GP will run some tests to rule out x,y,z...while starting you off on some meds to calm the immediate effects & to see if they work. For example, BP pills won't work esp well on panic attacks OR a hormonal issue. Nor will "a" work very well for "b", etc. What even the 'wrong' med will do though is either stabilize you while the docs figure out what's up, or tell them that "nope, that's not what that is"

If you're not in pretty constant dialogue or comfortable calling your GP, if you're just given meds and essentially told to "shut up and go home", sakes almighty, get a new GP. Now tests can take several days to run...so the testing process can actually take weeks...and if it's just waiting on test results, patience. If you're feeling blown off or brushed off though, split.

My sister went to an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist when she was first diagnosed with Vertigo related headaches and he told her she just had chronic migraines. He helped her figure out what foods were her triggers and how to change her diet and even gave her a medicine that was fast acting at onset. I would call you insurance if you have a PPO and ask about getting help with your condition, it does sound a lot like my sister problems.

But otherwise you can always go to an different general practicioner and ask to be tested for migraines and/or get a second opinion on the issues.

Also, something to consider...are you on birth control? I have had to change what I used constantly because many of the higher hormone one's trigger severe headaches.

I'd recommend a really good Endocronologist. So much of what we suffer with is hormone (for men and women) and/or food related. I mentioned this moments ago to someone else complaining of something different but I think it would help you too. Keep a food journal. Write down everything that hits your lips! Drinks/foods/vitamins/supplements. You name it. This can really help you and your Dr. get to the root of your problem.
Keep us posted,
M.

OMG, it sounds like you are in a somewhat overwhelming suitation. At the young age of 31, four stepchildlren, and a stepgrandchild on the way wit h your own two year old. My goodness, no wonder you are experiencing what seems like panic attacks (headaches, heart palpataltions, etc). You know migraines come with nausia and blurred vision and being overwhelmed/anxiety ridden you can experience insomnia. Are you taking prescribed meds or are you medicating yourself? I advise you to see your family physician for a referral and indicating to him all of these symptoms which are not going to go away by themselves. You may need to talk this one out.

Life is too short and you are too young for what seems to be a tremendous amount of stressors in your life.

When you see your family physican, if he is a good doctor, he will order the appropriate test and make the right referrals.

If you don't receive help, you will not be any good to yourself or your children. Take time out to take care of yourself. It is not a selfish move, it is an IMPORTANT move.

Be blessed and well.

Hi Piper,

I KNOW exactly what you are talking about. I had suffered from MANY of the symptoms
you have described. I went from doctor to doctor. i gave gallons of blood. They
tested me for EVERYTHING. They could not figure me out. Well, I am here to say
that I figured it out myself. I am healthy and feeling completely symptom free.

I spent many an hour researching and googling and journaling my food choices.
I found a website that helped me. It is called www.msgmyth.com I found that
when I didn't eat all the additives and preservatives in the foods my pain went away.

Please check this out for yourself. I am a completely different person and my
doctors didn't help me at all. There answer is always a pill for everything . Good luck. It is a lot of work BUT WORTH IT!