Hello everyone! I am his wife and I really appreciate all the advice you guys are giving and being very empathetic about my weird situation and wanted to post since I saw all you guys commenting on it and you have no idea how happy I was seeing your words of encouragement. I don’t know if this will be posted since it’s a throwaway but I’ll give it a shot.
I honestly have been feeling very anxious and to be quite brutally honest, have contemplated offing myself recently. When I came to Japan, I was reasonably healthy and have honestly never gone to the hospital as much as I have here. My anxiety has spiked due to so many conditions I’ve started getting after coming here.
I developed GERD, tinnitus, chronic UTIs, debilitating stomachaches, severe migraines, had covid and lost my smell and taste for a while, TMJ, reproductive problems, sinusitis and rhinitis, and now this terrible eye pain or this feeling of a throbbing bump or something in my eye that never stops and has plagued me for a month. I have started getting panic attacks as well and have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and possible PTSD.
At first I was trying to remain positive but each time a doctor says they don’t know, it just makes me lose hope and I spiral into a dark endless void of depression. All these things I mentioned, the doctors in Japan were not helpful all. I had to go back home to see the doctors there where I was diagnosed with GERD and TMJ because the doctors here (I went to about 6 of them) had no clue. Several doctors flat out said “I don’t know what’s wrong with you.” I would appreciate something like “It could be ___ or this _____. We are not sure but we’ll try to figure it out. Take this and come back in a week.” But a dead end answer is just like….It has been tough and my anxiety (currently taking antidepressants as well and have spoken to a psychiatrist) has skyrocketed and there have been days that I can’t imagine living anymore and have new diseases popping up in my life like mushrooms… like everyone seems fine except for me and I am not even that old (31)
We’ve been considering to move to another country maybe a change of scenery might help but it’s not that easy because our lives are here and we have pets.
I want to live, but I can’t deal with this unknown pain anymore and imagining my whole life having all these things and they just keep coming.
Hopefully tomorrow the ophthalmologist can finally allow us to get an MRI and give us clarity and we could see a neurologist too. Thank you everyone and I just want to thank you all again for everything.
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MRI is the answer. I got a cool effect when it turned on. A faint green wave flashed across my vision (I had my eyes closed.). Good luck.
As much as Japan is fun and all. It really looses its shine after awhile
Wish you best of luck. I hope you overcome all your health issues and lead a normal life.
I understand and I empathize. I also had a medical condition doctors couldn’t identify for a year or two. It was frustrating to say the least. I was in pain and I also felt hopeless at times.
You might want to look at seeing a psychiatrist or a psychologist if you’re considering suicide. Please keep safe. Your life matters, even when you’re feeling poorly.
Contact [TELL](https://telljp.com/) and they’ll help you.
I wish you the best and hope that the MRI yields results.
I know I’m gonna cop some hate, but it’s in all seriousness, and from a place of concern..but is it possible that it is psychosomatic, meaning you could be a hypochondriac and won’t stop until you have a new diagnosis to add to that list? How can so many things be happening to one person? No offence and I would never say it to your face, I don’t mean it negatively…but that is how your message read. It could be something to consider and could lead to a solution, and that is what we want for you. Of course I don’t truly know your situation and the pain that you are in. I wish you all the best. I feel like an arsehole for saying it, but the doctors keep saying that they can’t find anything. I thought it could lead to a solution. The mind is a powerful thing. (And I definitely know from personal experience and other stories that doctors can be wrong)
You are incredibly open spilling your guts about a million and a half engine lights coming on all at once on the life vehicle.
I would strongly, strongly advise some mental health treatment in addition to the psychiatrist and the anti-depressents. There’s no shame in it, there’s nothing wrong with it, but that’s alot of really strong diagnosis and issues to throw out to strangers willy nilly. I have no idea if it’s how you always are, I have no idea if it’s a bout of mania, and the most responsible thing I can do is to encourage mental health support that I’m not qualified to give. There’s no shame in it, there’s nothing wrong with it, and i’d say it’s a very neat thing to trust everyone to just tell them all these things you’re going through. Obvious there are some things or all of these things that could be genuinely happening to you. I don’t know. I can’t know. So by all means, get whatever tests you need to get, but consider qualified accredited psychological care as well.
I totally understand your frustrations with doctors- this happens to me too, as a foreigner and a woman. But it’s good you have persisted and I really hope you’ll get answers and treatment soon. I’m glad your husband has your back too!
Did you get checked for gout or have your kidney’s checked out?
Hi. I just read your post and the symptoms and experiences you described are almost identical to what I went through a few years ago (right down to the doctors being like “yep there’s clearly something wrong, but I don’t know what it is, so…”).
**I’m not saying that your problem is the same as mine, but just in case it helps you, I figured I’d describe what I went through. (Seriously, I’m not a doctor and I don’t know you, I can’t guarantee anything.)**
Long story short, I have “food protein-induced enteropathy” (NOT to be confused with food protein-induced enterocolitis, which is different – the doctors I saw kept getting them mixed up .-.) which is a kind of allergy in your gut. Basically, I had a severe allergic reaction to a whole bunch of different foods (literally DOZENS of different foods), but since the allergic reaction was happening inside my gut I had no idea it was happening. It caused damage to my gut, and my gut stopped absorbing nutrients from foods. This went on for years, until I became severely deficient in a bunch of critically important micronutrients, which caused me to develop countless symptoms (cardiac arrhythmia, vision loss, losing sensation in parts of my body, breathing problems, tinnitus, balance problems, migraines, etc.), DESIPTE THE FACT that I was eating a healthy and balanced diet (my body wasn’t absorbing the nutrients, so I was literally starving to death). I also lost a lot of weight. I won’t go into details, but it was very very bad and I was hospitalized multiple times and I almost died (not an exaggeration).
After being diagnosed by an allergist (finally!), I went on a strict elimination diet on his instructions (lots of quinoa, olives, citrus fruits, beef but no chicken, and a few other things) and my GERD and stomachaches went away THE NEXT DAY and I made a full recovery in a few months. My diet was planned by a dietitian who also prescribed me a bunch of supplements (B12, magnesium, etc.) which she said would speed up my recovery. I no longer have to take any medication/supplements except for B12 (I have to take B12 every day forever, because apparently its really hard to absorb and my stomach’s ability to absorb it may have been permanently damaged). In my case, I was allergic to dozens of foods so figuring out what was safe for me to eat was a major pain in the ass, but once I figured out which foods were safe it was more or less smooth sailing from there.
TLDR: See an allergist/immunologist ASAP. If they don’t know what “food protein-induced enteropathy” is, then keep looking for one who does. If they say you don’t have it, well, sorry, I have no ideas (I’m not a doctor lol).
Unfortunately, there is no test for food protein-induced enteropathy, but it can be diagnosed based on your symptoms and whether or not going on an elimination diet helps. I had every test imaginable (MRIs, CT scans, blood tests, etc.) and it was infuriating how they all kept coming back normal while I was getting sicker and sicker.
Also, the constant eye pain you described doesn’t sound to me like something that would be caused by food protein-induced enteropathy, so that might be something unrelated (or you might not have food protein-induced enteropathy at all, idk, like I said, I’m not a doctor).
Warning: Going on a strict elimination diet for more than a few weeks can be dangerous, because your body needs a variety of nutrients. See a dietitian before going on an elimination diet.
Apparently the most common culprit foods for people with food protein-induced enteropathy are eggs, wheat, and milk, (edit: and chicken & turkey) so you might want to consider cutting those out first if you want to try something while waiting to see the doctor.
Remember that if you need to go somewhere further, say on a day trip, and it gets the problem resolved, it’s worth it.
>I developed GERD, tinnitus, chronic UTIs, debilitating stomachaches, severe migraines, had covid and lost my smell and taste for a while, TMJ, reproductive problems, sinusitis and rhinitis, and now this terrible eye pain or this feeling of a throbbing bump or something in my eye that never stops and has plagued me for a month. I have started getting panic attacks as well and have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and possible PTSD.
fuckin hell youre a trooper
No advice, but all the best luck for you x
Have you been screened for candida? An infection of that shit can fuck you up in myriad ways. Here is an easy home test: https://reginanaturopathicdoctor.com/the-spit-test-for-candida/
If it isn’t that and you live in Kansai, the Nagata Ganka hospital (in Nara) is a world renowned ophthalmology clinic.
I posted on the previous thread.
OP, for me, I started developing a host of issues nearly a year ago after years of living in Japan. Constant lightheadedness, very occasional tinnitus, IBS, GERD, sensitivity to light and sound, tension headaches, neck and shoulder pain, so much upper body fatigue, TMJ pain.
Been to many doctors across multiple specialties. I did my time at each of them, and came out barely any better for it. Funnily enough, the only thing that ever helped was acupuncture, and not enough to relieve everything. Placebo shmezo, it worked for me and I was at least able to get back to (fully remote) work again.
Unfortunately, doctors tend to stick to their specialty and not think holistically. Yes, this includes GPs. When it comes to issues affecting the entire body, you have to be your own advocate, you have to do the research, you have to actively ask to rule out a series of potential problems in order to inch closer to a potential diagnosis. And most likely what you’ll find is by this point, any mental health issue you have may be just one part out of several issues.
In my case, I discovered what started it all was most likely a panic attack due to a lot of stress. I have always had a nervous stomach, so having that panic attack sent my body into overdrive. Then I was anxious over it, which kept it there. Did my time in therapy and rested, but turns out my body was still stressed because I had undiagnosed sleep apnea. Started treating that, but the stress of the couple of months and constant muscle tension meant now I couldn’t get out of the pain cycle. Now I’m doing physical therapy to deal with that.
You should not expect some miracle diagnosis to fit all your symptoms into. The more likely answer is there are several issues, and it’ll take a lot of time and testing to figure out and try to resolve some of them. Stomach medicine will stop the symptoms of the IBS and GERD, possibly allergy medicine for the sinusitis/rhinitis if they’re because of hay fever. A visit to a good dentist can reveal if your TMJ is entirely muscular or an issue with the joints, and there are mouth exercises you can do to reduce the pain and improve mobility. These are all issues that can be dealt with “for now” and in relatively quick time while you explore the entire history of how you got into the state you are in now.
So many people tend to place total body failure like this on the mind and say it’s your fault. The big university hospital I went to, very well reputed here, was the same. Funnily enough, the psychiatrists I visited and the therapists I saw heavily disagreed. I was anxious because if my situation, but not because of a disorder or any hormones. They get a lot of people like that because so many people refuse to believe that one medical condition can lead to another, and another, until you have multiple issues you need to deal with. Or they think very highly of medical research and the system, not realizing that in actuality, 80% of the time, any medication we take, any treatments we do only staves off symptoms and doesn’t cure anything. We’ve grown to use the word “cure” willy nilly, but the medical field still has such a long way to go. Doesn’t mean doctors shouldn’t be trusted, but there’s a reason why they are constantly PRACTICING and not the next Jesus.
I write all of this not to make you feel down, but to hopefully make you realize that though it’s a long and painful journey, and anxiety ridden because how do people expect you not to be scared when faced with an unknown enemy, as long as you continue to take steps methodically, you will eventually find some leads to set you on a better path. We are invisible, but there are actually so many like us. Even if people keep saying it’s all in your head, treating you like they did the POTS and CFS and even all the long COVID sufferers, who just needed time and attention and research to finally get people to realize they weren’t hypochondriacs or anxiety ridden, within your budget and physical and mental capabilities, I hope you’ll keep working your way to figuring out what’s wrong with you.
For TMJ, a good dentist can make you a HARD mouthpiece that will help your teeth slip and not lock up, which will definitely help your TMJ. It’s a godsend!
You sound like someone early in benzo withdrawals. Are you taking any?
Migraines are nasty had them since I can remember, but I’m thankfully starting to grow out of them. They can cause eye problems as I learned recently (I’ve started to develop a blind spot). It sounds like a stretch that it could cause symptoms like yours though
I am afraid I missed the previous post.
Others have questioned if these issues could be psychosomatic or hypochondriatic.
I am curious if you had any of these symptoms before coming to Japan.
Myself, I had an adjustment period of about two years where my hayfever subsided and then returned at the beginning. Since my sixth year or so here I have had frequent (although brief) colds, which was not an issue before I arrived, and some other issues that are probably attributable to aging and/or injuries (dandruff, herniated disk, etc), but I am often suspected of being a bit of a hypochondriac mostly because I have a hard time relating my symptoms to others (no one believes me, ever, except doctors).
First off: if you have a medical concern, this is lot the United States , you won’t have to take “cold, flue and indigestion payment plans” to see a doctor. Just go. If you’re new, the language barrier can be anxiety inducing,but don’t let it literally kill you.
That being said, feeling like you’re cut off from healthcare can sometimes makes you feel as if every little bump, boil, cough, sniff, and sneeze is suddenly a sign Of doom. Don’t worry, we still get sick abroad. If you do have concerns, visit a doctor. Use Google translate and the speech to text part. Don’t let feeling isolated kill you.
I won’t even bother trying to guess what you could or could not have, all I can tell you is that there is a reason Japanese people have the longest average lifespan in the world. Go to a doctor, and don’t worry about the bill. If won’t even be a fraction of a fractures cost in the US.
I’ve dealt with a lot of health anxiety/gerd/ibs since coming to Japan. I too do not like the way that doctors treat their patients here. I feel like every doctor looks at me like a nuisance and not like a human being needing to be heard. I’ve been feeling a lot better the last half year and I boil it down to a couple of things.
1. Changing my self talk. Now I talk to myself in the third person to reassure myself when I’m anxious or stressed. Helps me disassociate from the emotions and treat myself with compassion.
2. Having people around me that I can share with. Especially other people from my home country who I can connect with.
3. Exercising. Haven’t been doing it recently but for half a year I ran 3 miles 3 times a week. Helped me feel alive and in control. And it got my mind off of things.
4. Taking magnesium. I started taking magnesium glycinate nightly and it seems to have helped calm my nerves.
I think those things in that order helped me a lot recently. My advice is to be for yourself the compassionate listener that you desperately need and aren’t getting from the medical system here. I (knock on wood) haven’t had many problems with the aforementioned issues since I started doing those things. Also I finally got both of my kids into preschool so that was a load of stress off my back.
Hang in there, some times medical crisis some times come in sets, I got a very nasty throat infection that was not covid, then actually covid, then a motorbike accident, and finally an eye virus within the span of 3-4 months (the first 3 ones actually within 1 month). I had not had any medical problem as big as any of these individually before for 5+ years, and these all came back to back and were all severe enough to disrupt my work for at least 3-5 days/each.
Did not see the original thread, so this may have already been suggested, but if the MRI results are non-definitive diagnostically, or the mass turns out to be an artifact of previous imaging, you may want to investigate whether you might have cluster headaches. The impulse you mentioned above – considering self-harm – is often associated with cluster headaches.
Hope you figure things out! I follow a YouTuber who was having all kinds of health issues to the point where she didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning ever. Doctors couldn’t find anything wrong and was saying it’s all in her head. Turns out the mono she had a longgggg time ago reappeared in her system and had started causing tons of issues. Hope you can figure out what’s going on
I have most of these things and while they are not fully treatable they definitely get irritated by stress and anxiety. I finally live a good life because I schedule one to two deep massages a month. I consider it an ongoing medical cost and it has been life changing. I will also change it up to go to a spa or similar sometimes. It gives the time alone and space to mentally work through things and helps take out the anxiety. This truly has kept me healthy for two full years. Even moving. I was plagued by problems until I realized I wouldn’t get sick for a week or two after a massage. To start the cycle I went every two days or so for a week or two then started doing 2 weeks then once a month. I get away with once a month now but I might have to increase that as lately I’ve been having more anxiety.
Something accessible worth looking into. No matter what will help with tmj anxiety and eye pain.
Your symptoms seem related – stomach problems might cause nose and sinus issues. The migraines and eye pain might be because of a sinus inflammation. Have you tested for Helicobacter pylori? A lot of doctors here are not helpful at all. Good luck and try not loosing hope. Do not dismiss what your body is telling you. If you do not feel well, then there is a problem. Psychological problems like depression and anxiety are very often related to chronic inflammation. Continue your search for doctors, I wish you find help soon.
Hey. So sorry to hear you’re suffering.
I was also very healthy until maybe 2 years ago and have had many of what you described. No eye pain but terrible floaters and vision issues, headaches, chest pain, digestive issues, lymph nodes that never went down, GERD, anxiety, brain fog and many unexplained aches and pains. The list goes on.
Mine was after catching covid. It really fucked me up and caused a lot of phatom pain doctors couldn’t give me any answers for. After 3 months it mostly went away. I really hope the same for you. Don’t give up!!💪
It appears psychosomatic. I have had similar mentality before and pain. I worked myself up into a frenzy and would feel real pain. It took awhile but I have calmed myself out of that state. Hypochondria can really only be treated within yourself and talking yourself down. First step is acknowledging and that is hard because it was kind of embarrassing