Have you had a serious physical problem that was misdiagnosed as simple "stress" or "anxiety"?

Question

Have you every had a serious internal organ problem, that the doctors couldn't diagnose for a long time, so claimed it was simply stress related, or "in your head"?

For example a liver or kidney problem that was misdiagnosed?

(for example...discovered an enlarged liver in an XRay finally...causing itching, but blood ok)

These answer are all excellent...keep the coming!

Answer 1

When I was a young teen I used to pass out once in a while. I was never a healthy child. One time, we went to the E.R. and they gave my mom a list of all the reasons a 16 year old may pass out. Then they sent me home. Turns out, I have kidney disease. I'm 34 now. I've had 3 kidney transplants and did a total of 6 years on dialysis.
My sister has M.S.. One of the first neurologists she saw told her it was just a "female thing". She just needed to "learn to relax." He even asked her if she had ever been sexually abused as a kid because "some women who were tend to have a bit of hypochondria".
I still remember the E.R. doc's name and the name of my sister's neurologist. It just stuck with me.

Answer 2

No, but liver and kidney problems probably wouldn't be mistaken for "bad nerves" b/c doctors can usually test for liver and kidney problems via blood samples and/or ultrasounds. Sounds like you think that the Drs are putting you off. But like i said, internal organ problems could usually be ruled out or "in" with blood test or some other diagnostic test. If you're worried go get a second opinion, so you don't worry so much.

Answer 3

For all of my friends, we greet each other with hugs. With me close friends, it is a hug and a kiss on the cheek. When I meet new adults it is usually a hand shake but when I meet adults who I have known for a while it is either a hug or an air kiss, which is what every one does in the area I live in.

Answer 4

1

Answer 5

starting last year, i started to have extreme "anxiety" and "stress" problems. eventually the issues evolved to the point where i started having drastic asthma attacks, panic attacks, and seizures. it turns out Huntington's disease runs in my family which, i thought, didn't matter. they put me on several types of anti-anxiety psychotic and other drugs to slow my brain down. i was in the hospital days later from a nasty seizure. after being in the hospital for weeks, they approved that i have extreme electrolyte disfunction and epilepsy.

Answer 6

At risk of giving TMI, I'll tell you that my misdiagnosis didn't turn out to be a serious or life threatning problem, but it was very uncomfortable for me and caused me alot of physical, mental, and emotional distress.
I guess I should start by saying that a year prior to the onset of my symptoms, (in June of 04) I had a female surgery performed (endometrial ablation) to slow down the flow of my out of control menstrual cycles. Since at the time, this was a rather new proceedure used for treatment of this problem, there weren't many studies done nor were there many people that had undergone the surgery to testify against it's hormonal effects.. Because there is no alteration of hormones or hormone producing organs (ie the ovaries) involved in the proceedure, it was believed that there were very few to zero homonal side effects before, during or after the proceedure was performed.. Recent studies (and patients testimonials) are beginning to prove otherwise.. Unfortunately, I was one of the unlucky ones.. Here's my story....
About a year ago (last summer) and a year following my surgery) I began having severe vaginal dryness and burning. I thought that maybe it had something to do with an allergic reaction to either my laundry or bath soaps and changed my products to clear/dye free versions of both.. When that didn't seem to help, I went to my Dr to see if she could figure out what the hell was going on down there. She ran several tests and cultures on me to see if I had an infection somewhere. When everything came back negative and normal, and even tho there were no physical lessions or redness, she decided to run a skin biopsey to test me for herpes.. It too came back negative but she placed me on a skin antibiotic anyways, just incase.. That didn't work and only made me ill.. (I had an allergic reaction to it, vomitted and passed out on fathers day last year. I was rushed to the same ER and seen there by the same ER Dr mentioned below). My family doc was just as stumped and nearly as frustrated as I was and told me then to seek the advice of my OB/GYN.. I did as she suggested and had to undergo all of the same tests a second time.. Meanwhile, while waiting for the test results my sex life was non exsistant, the only thing that brought relief was to sit in a cool bath. Wearing clothing (panties/shorts/pants) for any ammount of time became unbearable and most of my days were spent laying around the house covered in a thin sheet from the waist down.. On a few occassions when things got really bad (at times it felt like someone slathered tobassco sauce on my genitals) I recall going to the ER after hours in search of and with hope they could provide me with some kind of relief. The one ER Dr gave me premarin (sp?) cream and told me that it might help but it could actually make the problem worse. Then he insisted that I see a phychiatrist, ASAP as he assumed that this burning vaginal pain was all in my head.. Needless to say, the premarin didn't help and I learned that the more I used it, the more likely I would be to suffer it's side effects which included vaginal dryness, burning and thinning of the surrounding skin tissue.. God knew I didn't need that!!
When all of my tests came back negative a second time and when Doc had no more answers for me, I convinced myself that I would have to deal with this for the rest of my life. I began to wonder if I would ever enjoy sex with my husband again and I found myself jealous of anyone that had a normal/healthy sex life. Lucky for me, after the 3rd month of vaginal burning pain, discomfort and agony, it started to go away on it's own and one day when I woke up, it was virtually gone.. I've recently discovered that it comes and goes (in much milder forms.. it's bearable) about a week before my monthly period starts and it goes away a day or two after I've started. The Dr (my OB/GYN) tells me now that it has to be hormone related and that it probably all started as a result of having my ablation surgery.. There simply isn't any other explination, according to her... I would have to agree. Sure am glad Mr emergency room Dr, that I didn't take your sh*tty advice and seek mental help because I knew all along that I wasn't f*cking crazy..

Answer 7

thought i was having a heart attack once, turned out to be stress and anxiety from a death of a good friend

Answer 8

Yes obviously it could be misdiagnosed but mostly in heart disease.

Answer 9

I thought I was depressed because I wasn't very motivated. It turned out that I had anemia and was very tired.

Answer 10

yup. my liver overproduces both bile and cholesterol, and I had to be nearly dead and on anti-depressants before any doctor would believe it wasn't stress.