in a tight situation; doc couldn't find problem

Something bad has happened to me recently, and I'm afraid of being unable to get any relief. I'm also afraid of getting the wrong help. I've been living at home and unemployed for over 2 yrs (it's complicated), and the financial odds are all stacked against my dad (he is stressed). I need a job, but don't feel in any condition to apply.

Since last Thursday, the nerves in my head have been tensing up off and on. Then I woke up Monday morning with my face numb, heart racing, slight chills, violent shaking, and muscle spasms in my head. I experienced the same symptoms the following day. Since then, the nerves in my head have went back to feeling tense. The only things that calm me down is my Xanax (anxiety meds), and vitamin-B related intakes.

I went to see my doctor and he couldn't diagnose the symptoms I was having. He drew some blood tests (I am low on Vitamin D3), and he recommended that I see a psychiatrist instead.

In the meantime, my parents are threatening to take me to a mental hospital. They don't understand the mental problems I've been having, and my extreme sensitivity to noise is driving them mad. They also don't understand, that I am oblivious as to what is going on as well

Something worth mentioning, is that I do have a problem tooth on my lower left jaw. For 2 years I have needed a root canal done to remove a growing infection, but I fell off my dad's dental insurance before I could get any work done.

I feel trapped all over, and have no idea to do. Please talk to me, I plan on being up all night.

I would recommend getting in to see a dentist asap, as dental infections CAN cause dramatic effects. For some unknown reason, dentistry still isn't seen as a "necessary expense" in taking care of oneself here in the US yet. I've had a couple of in-laws (as well as my ex-hub) who ran into amazingly similar symptoms as what you explained occurring in your life right now.

Dental abscesses

I will definitely have it looked at, I am so glad you elaborated on the dental part!

The gums in the area I mentioned are a little warm, but I've never felt any significant pain there. The last time I got an xray on the infection, it grew in length by a few centimeters. Today, it's probably grown by about the same amount. Phew.. I almost feel a little relief in knowing what my problems might be due to. Thank you so much for your input.

Well, I'm certainly not a doctor or dentist, but I do have a lot of personal experience in knowing those who have suffered similar symptoms. My ex-hub never did go to the dentist to get his problem/s fixed (due to $ and priorities). This problem of his came and went ~ and he played it down whenever I told him to see a dentist.

Anyway...it's definitely worth ruling out physical illness of your physical symptoms, before moving onto possible emotional causes! A lot of us have a bad habit of skipping possible physical cause before jumping into our emotions. {Me too ~ I overlooked possible physical causes for my panic disorder years ago, and moved into psychological stuff. Years later, I discovered that the cause was physical - I had epilepsy and was having seizures, but mistook them for panic attacks!} So, I've learned from my huge mistake.

It is just so unfortunate that a physical problem such as a quiet infection can lead to such mental chaos! There are probably a handful of people on PC with dental work needing to be done, and they don't even know it. I can't feel any real pain in my gums, just a little heat. This infection must be the 'silent killer' type

Yes I'd say priority #1 should be going to the dentist, then after that is all healed up go to a psychiatrist and tell them what is going on. Like shezbut says it could be something more serious, or it could be something relatively simple like getting that root canal done. An acquaintance started having seizures from long-term xanax use after her doctor cut off her prescription she just kept buying them off the streets. She was certainly abusing them, dangerously mixing them with other sedative drugs like opiates and continuing to drink alcohol. I hope you get well soon Double, I can sympathize with your financial situation as well. Hope things get better for the both of us soon

I recently had some dental work done and it made me feel better, I no longer had to look at the stains on my teeth from when I used to be a smoker. It was a daily reminder in the mirror of my old habit. Gone now, the stains will never come back.

Had a problem tooth removed today. Two cysts were growing from the roots. The tooth was savable, but because it already had a root canal done on it, it was too expensive for my dad to do another and save it. So I had it pulled, and right now I'm in the recovery portion of things, trying to form a blood clot.

I'm feeling quite dizzy from the antibiotics and painkillers. The dentist put me on the heaviest antibiotics and my head is really feeling it.

The good news, is that the muscle tension I've been experiencing has definitely went away. I may still have some bacteria in that area for a little bit, so I may still experience some symptoms.

It is great that finally had the work done!

I hope that you recover from this work and infection very soon ~ take care!

thank you for your support

That's good you went to the dentist and had the work done, make sure you follow the dentists instructions, if they told you to gargle make sure you do that, mouthwash, iodized salt water and all. Last time I had a tooth pulled I didn't take pain killers, I have a high tolerance for pain since I've been living in it for so long now.

maybe your doctor is a bit confused..just reading your post Im a bit confused....nerves dont "tense up" if you google the words how do nerves work you will see that nerves are like messengers. they give off electrical impulses that tell the brain what is going on in the body...

to get an idea of what Im talking about put your hand in a glass of cold water. the moment your hand touches that water the nerves in your hand pass along the message to the brain you have touched something cold.

so maybe your wording nerves tensing up is confusing to the doctor. maybe theres other words for what you are feeling.. do you feel a pain, what kind of pain does it feel like (stiff neck, burning, cold, twitching, ...). these are called symptom words.

another confusing thingI find in your post is having muscle spasms in your head..if you google muscles in the head you will see that there are no muscles in the head. theres muscles leading from your neck to thebase of the head, theres muscles in the face, and theres muscles behind the ears. but no muscles inside the head. so maybe you can find another way of explaining the muscle problem ...is it at your forhead or in your face (facial muscles) is it behind the ears (which would signal a hearing problem) is it at your neck which could show a stiff neck, neurological/spine problems.....

you can also ask your doctor for some diagnostic tests like a skeletal xray, MRI, MRA....which would show whether you have had a stroke, or other problems that blood work wont show.

Glad you had your tooth pulled. Sometimes, financially, an extract is a better solution, than a root canal, because not all root canals take, and require further care. Have known some people who've had root canals, that eventually led to an extract. Glad your tension is subsiding.

How come they tested for D3? I've had, lots of bloodwork, usually involved B12's, but what does that one test for?

When, I've not felt myself, my primary did send me, to neurology, before daring to dream of mentioning the psyche root. I'm surprised, since it seems you'd clearly mentioned pain in your head, and all the other symptoms. Then, let the neuro refer the psyche root, if all other tests come back negative, imo.

it tests for various levels of vitamin D is in the body. vitamin D comes from milk and other foods, the sun and daily vitamins. D3 mostly comes from the sun. too much vitamin D can cause muscle spasms, and other bodily functioning problems.

you ever hear the saying ....Im achy, tired but my muscles want to keep moving (spasms, jumping, twitching restless legs syndrome) I think I got too much sun? there is such a thing as getting too much sun and too much laying under a tanning bed lamp. some people are actually allergic to the sun and can get too much Vitamin D3 in their body. I have MS. one of the things I have to do for it is maintain a good vitamins D levels.too much makes my twitching/spasming worse.

When you tell something to a doctor and if they don't understand, they usually don't just let it pass, they ask what you mean so they understand what you are saying. And when you are there in person you can point and things if you need to.

At least my doctors have done this. Two-way communication, you know?

I live here in america. i have seen many different treatment providers for my many mental and physical health problems. its been my experience with treatment providers, that there are ...some ....doctors here that do not spend a lot of time with questioning and asking what I meant when they did not understand what I was saying. some have told me things like well I dont know what this could be, maybe it will just run its course. I have also had doctors tell me things like well its not happening right now so just call me if it happens again and schedule another appointment. I have also been told nothing....example...doctor muttering to self that doesnt match with the tests so Im just going to take a pass on this and then to me saying looks like everything on the tests shows nothing wrong so heres your validated parking slip if you need one and schedule another appointment if you have any more concerns.

I also know many people who have trouble with finding health care that fits their needs or the doctor doesnt fit in with them, take the time they need.

theres also many postings here on psych central about members who have had trouble with treatment providers taking the time they need with them, not taking the time to find out whats underneath the symptoms, and other bad situations with treatment providers not understanding and not taking the time to figure things out...

I see by your profile you are in Eu. doctors in your country may take the time to question, dig deeper and all but in my experience with all my health related issues thats not always the case here.

Thanks everyone for your responses. I'd love to respond to you all, but I recently discovered I am actually going through a migraine. Took a lot of researching online for me to discover this one ALL BY MYSELF. I've never had one before, and it feels like a *****!

I literally can't believe all the crap it has put me through. Because of this migraine, I feel that I have seen people's true sides, and it saddens me deeply. I lost a potentially savable tooth, stirred up peace in the family, and realized that getting help is not as easy as it seems.

My family and the people I spoke to for help (doctor, paramedics, police, receptionists, nurses/clinicians, and dentist), were totally unresponsive and careless to the symptoms I had expressed to them. I didn't expect every one of them to hit on the subject of a migraine, but surely somebody (especially the ones in the field of medical practice) could have nailed it. I thought I was being pretty descriptive too, perhaps not.