# I think I had a nervous breakdown, went into ER on Sunday night, help please



## TheDude0306 (Mar 10, 2001)

I think living with IBS has finally did serious damage to my body.I have been severly depressed the last year or so. I have had IBS-C and IC (cronic irritation of the bladder) for the past 8 years of my life. I am now 26 years old.I don't have much of a life, because I always feel sick and constipated. Plus my bladder is always in pain, and I have to go to the bathroom often.Within the last year I stopped exercising, started drinking heavly and worst started smoking marijuana. On top of this, seriously abusing laxatives for the past 4 years of my life.I also was born with a heart murmer, but I had this completly checked out at the age of 18 and was told I was completely healthy, and that the murmer was nothing to worry about.Because I dont have much of a social-life, I keep busy with a lousy part-time job, and the rest of the time, I keep busy with my love for snakes.I keep and breed snakes, and have been doing it for 10 years. It's the only thing that keeps me wanting to live. Recently I lost my oldest and first snake, just as she was old enough to start breeding for me.For no reason, she died in front of me about 3 weeks ago. It was a terrible night. I raised her from a baby, when she died she was 13 feet and 85lbs.I know it sounds crazy, but she meant the world to me. Not having much to enjoy in life, she is what I loved more then anything in the world.To help ease the pain, I sank deeper into depression, The last 3 weeks I drank myself DRUNK atleast 3 times per week, and smoked marijuana heavyly during those days I drank.Within the last week, I have been having terrible chest pains. I thought it may be gas pains, because I always get them bad, so I stuck it out for 5 days.Finally on day 5, the pain in my chest was unbareable. I had parents drive me to ER on Sunday night.When I finally arrived at the hospitial, I could barely breathe, and my heart was pounding out of my chest.I had a tempature of 102. I was hooked up to a machine, The doctors told me my heart rate was 180 beats per minute. I thought I was going to die. I am not sure what the normal rate is supposed to be. They started an IV on me, and evetually brought my heart rate down to around 80.It was the worst night of my life, 4 hours later after a blood test and X-RAY I was sent home.Two days later I am typing this message. My heart although NOT pounding tonight, I am burning up, and a total wreck.I will prob be going back to the doctor ER tonight and I am terrified. My chest is burning and I feel very hot.I guess all these years of abusing laxatives finally did something to me. Maybe the 7 months of marijuana use did something, I hope not, I will never touch the #### again, I thought having IBS and IC of the bladder was bad, no I am having heart problems.This IBS-C is going to KILL me along with my bladder problem. It has mentally destroyed me. I was always so happy and healthy both mentally and physically when I was young, now I am a total wreck at the age of 26.Life sucks, then you die, how true it is.


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## BR (Apr 12, 2001)

Boy, Dude, I'm really sorry to hear you have been going through so much. I'm also very sorry about the loss of your snake. My animals are members of my family. Don't listen to anyone say she was just a snake. There is much more of an emotional committment there. I hope you find help for yourself. I can't say what's wrong with you, but I can tell you when I was depressed I was convinced I had all kinds of things and never even knew it was actually clinical depression. I hope you get some help soon because life will get better. Hang in there and know people are thinking of you and you're in my prayers.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Dude, First I want to extend sympathy for your loss of said snake. I know its rough to lose a friend like that. I'm so sorry you are feeling so AWFUL.It sure sounds like you got quite a bit of stress going on. But know that we ALL have felt very very low at times & you are NOT alone. We ALL have had times like you are having now & everyone deals with it differently. You seem to have a very good grip on what you Don't want to do anymore. & That my friend is good progress!!! You are on your way. Maybe talking thru with someone, new options & treatment management for the IBS as well as the IC would be helpful to you. Also perhaps getting some stress management techniques as well. You've done healthy living in the past & the IC & IBS have kinda thrown a wrench in the works haven't they? I'm sure coming here to the BB is something you will find to be a good springboard for some new options & choices to go over with your Doctors.Don't lose hope hon. We've all been there for sure. I have found educating myself about IBS has been the best thing I have done for myself. I kept coming here & reading & reading & then asking LOTS & LOTS of questions (people here have the patience of JOB trust me!). I made some new choices like upping my fiber & water, exercising regularly, eating real low fat & NOT Undereating. These were definite lifestyle changes, & difficult BUT I sure liked the results I got. & Because of those results, those changes got easier & easier. I also went for it & purchased Mike's hypnotherapy tapes!(These people here HAD to answer LOTS of my questions on that!!!!) The hypnotherapy has actually evaporated my pain! I'm talking I would be doubled over in pain, unable to stand erect for like days on end & I'm telling ya IT IS GONE, & I'm not even half way thru the tapes yet!So believe me there are LOTS of things one can do to manage IBS from my perspective! You are sounding ready for some changes, just go for it. Jump in here & ask your questions(then I'll feel better!







) Call your Docs run stuff by them & listen to what they have to say. Together with your Docs you can turn this around. Get all the help you need! Don't be shy Tell the Docs the thoughts going thru your head. Tell them what you have told us here! They gotta know the WHOLE story to really help us effectively. If they don't listen - FIRE THEM & find another. DO NOT GIVE UP! We are all here for ya. Please let us know how you are doing. Tonight I wish you peace. Make a picture in your head of your favorite place & "go there" for awhile with some nice tunes floating in your head. Take some deep breaths & feel good that there is a WHOLE community here with ya.







BQ


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## TheDude0306 (Mar 10, 2001)

I feel better tonight, thanks everone.Although blocked up, I took a Xanex tonight and It made me feel a lot better. Thank god I have a connection to get them for emergencies like tonight.Tommorow morning I have an appointment with my urologist, the who takes care of my IC. I heard that these doctors will prescribe anti-depresents to patients with IC. After all IC is a life-long thing, after 8 years of trying to mentally fight it I cant.After that I will be on my way to the heart doctor to have a complete exam.This IBS is such a shame. When you think about it, its so sad, that all I wish for is to go the bathroom everrday and enjoy my pet snakes.I will keep everone updated. BTW I will never touch marijuana again, I beleive that it did have something to due with what happened to me. Not in itself, but the combined use with drinking/major stress/depression all of that messed me up bad.Can anyone recommend a good anti-depresent? I want something that is going to work well, I dont want to beat-around the bush anymore, I need something that is going to work.My life has been on HOLD for 8 years already, I need to try to take control already.ThanxPS I dont like to keep saying that you should use drugs, but the I have to say Xanxex work wonders, I think i would have died without having them for the last few panic attacks I have had.I would do ANYHING to be 13 years old again, even if I ahd to go through school again. It used to be so nice to be normal.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Dude, I am glad you are feeling better! Wishing you good luck at your Dr. appts. IBS is a "Syndrome" meaning, in the vernacular, NOT just 1 thing







. So varied treatments & interventions may be required to manage it. And medication IS one of those tools. So if medication is what you & your Docs think is best right now, SO? That is fine. Everyone is different & everyone's management of symptoms WILL be different. Some of us use medication, with great success I might add, & others use different approaches that work for them. I picture you with sleeves rolled up, rubbing hands together & saying "Let's get to work on this already!"







So glad you found us & I hope you continue to feel better. Let us know how you are doing.







BQ


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Panic attacks can cause the heart rate to go up, and some people get palpations (me) and they can trigger a panic attack if you don't know what they are. I know it's just a heart palpatation so I can usually get it under control in under a minute by doing certain breathing techniques, but when one panics it ups the heart rate which makes the palpatations worse, which make one panic.... and it can be a vicious cycle.It may not be a bad idea to get checked out by your regular doctor. The heavy drinking and drug use generally aren't good for the heart, and neither is the depression.Normal heart rate centers around 80. Alot of what is normal for you depends on your physical condition. People who do alot of aerobic activity can have lower heart rates. If you want to you can check your heart rate sometime when you've been at rest for awhile and see what you are at, so that gives you a sense. Heart palpations which speed the heart rate up alot tend to happen to some people as they get older, and may or may not mean anything, but this should be checked out to see what if anything is going on and what if anything you need to do about it. At minimum I think some lifestyle changes may be in order that will help both your body and your mind. Drinking, and drug use and lack of excercise do not do either the body or the mind any good.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html [This message has been edited by kmottus (edited 05-09-2001).]


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## TheDude0306 (Mar 10, 2001)

Thank you everone for your support.I went to my Urlogist today after not seeing him for almost 3 years. He was surprised to see me.I explained everthing to him, and he understands what I have been going through for the past three years. He also was the one who did the cystoscopy on my 8 years ago to find out for SURE IF I HAD IC, and of course I did.I told him about EVERTHING my alochol abuse for the past 3 years and marijuana abuse for the past year.I also told him how bad my IBS was, (my cronic constipation.After 8 years of suffering from both I told him I was on the verge of suicide. I explained to him that I have alaways been happy when I was in my teen years, and how I was always normal,But the last 8 years of being sick and having some very upetting things happen in my life, that I couldnt take it anymore.I almost broke down and cried, trying to explain to him that I am on the verge of killing myself over this.When I explained the horrible iccident were I ended up in the hospitial with a heart rate of 180 beats per min, her finally gave in.He prescribed a anti-depressent drug called elavil. One 50mg tablet once a night beofore bed time.I sure hope it works.I have an appointment with a cartlogiest (spelt wrong dont care) this coming Monday for a complete exam. I hope all is well.I hope the small dose of elavil once a night will help me out.I will keep you updated.


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## BR (Apr 12, 2001)

Dear Dude,I'm glad you're getting help and that you know you will always find support here. I'm wondering if you've tried Mike's tapes. I'm only on day 6 but I think they are helping me feel calmer already.I don't really know if this is helpful or not, but the longer I deal with IBS (15 years and counting







) I learn more and more how to cope and I really do love life (didn't always feel this way in the early days). I don't get to live it as much as I'd like but on this board there are lots of suggestions of things to try (like calcium, Mike's tapes) so I'm still holding out hope that I will get even more of a handle on it. Take care and keep us posted. BR


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Dude, WHOO HOO!! Good for you for coming clean about EVERYTHING with the Doc! You are on your way now!!! Keep it up w/the cardiologist on Monday. Do the same thing there & see what they have to say. Keep ALL your docs "current" on things you might want to try to cope with both the IC, IBS & Depression you seem to be experiencing. I'm hoping you have a great weekend & feel lots better soon. Let us know how you are doing. Congrats!!! BQ


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Dude, let us know how your doing?------------------Moderator of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Anxiety and Hypnotherapy forumI work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com


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## NancyCat (Jul 16, 1999)

Dude-I'm sorry for all the stresses that you have had recently. In my experience pot can sometimes make you very paranoid and alcohol can potentiate the effect so no wonder you were feeling so terrible. As you know IBS is a chronic ailment which depending on how bad it is for you can be very depressing and distressing. Many days I just get so frustrated. Add in a bladder problem and the resulting stress and anxiety must be overwhelming. Further I am sincerely sorry for the loss of your snake, in my experience losing a pet is like loosing a member of the family, the grief is really intense and most people just dont "get it". You certainly have every right to be depressed. Glad that you got together with your DR and that you are getting some help, I took elavil in my youth (I'm 48), it made me feel very happy and helped me sleep better from what I remember. Also I have read that antidepressants are effective in helping some people with IBS though I dont know a whole lot about them. I wish you the best for the future.







------------------Nancy


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## TheDude0306 (Mar 10, 2001)

Nancy, do you remember how many mg's you took of the elavil? How long it took before you started feeling any effects?Tonight is my first night taking it.Thanx.


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## NancyCat (Jul 16, 1999)

Dude-I think I took 25mg once a day at bedtime, but I'm not toally sure as it was a while ago. I do remember feeling really good after I took it (calm, etc)especially in the beginning. I didnt take it for very long (a few months I think). Hope this helps







------------------Nancy


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Dude, I was rushing out the door the last time I posted and I don't want it to come off I was insensitive about your pet snake. I am very sorry to hear of your loss. I have been there many times and it is never easy. I love animals big time. I watch a show the other night about a man with hundreds of snakes an a king cobra he was kissing on the head. I find them fasinating. He actually looked for a wife who had the same interest in snakes he did.I know you can never replace your friend but I hope in time a new friend will help to make the passing easier. Some of my dogs and other pets were especially my pals, but I have loved them all and they all have a place in my heart.I hope things have eased up a bit for you and your on the mend.------------------Moderator of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Anxiety and Hypnotherapy forumI work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com


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## Guest (May 13, 2001)

HI Dude,Hang in there. Looking through your posts, you've had a rough time. But also notice that those moments of despair pass, one moment is an end and a new begining. Give us hope and strength to carry on.Keep us upated of your progress.Best RegardsMike


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## Guest (May 18, 2001)

Hi Dude. I hope you are still doing better. Like the other posts mentioned, it was great that you have been honest with your doctors about the impact on your life of IBS so they can help you. Losing a pet doesn't help either. I lost a dog I had for 11 years to megaesophagus in February. I miss him every day. Good Luck to you. I will keep you in my prayers.


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