Always feel bad but medical tests always normal

Hi I have this problem where I always feel unwell. Nausea, dizziness, headaches (especially at the back/top of the head), and I get this awful tiredness that makes me feel like I’ll fall over.

All this sounds bad, it IS bad but can’t be too life threatening as I have been to and fro the GP surgery and hospital for blood work, scans and tests, and despite how bad these symptoms present with me nothing ever shows up! Sometimes I feel like I’m going crazy and imagining it all but when it happens and the symptoms are at their worst I am reminded that it is all very real and as unpleasant as it sounds.

I am anxious and because of the autism I do suffer with sensitivity, and I am sure this doesn’t help matters. What I’m struggling with is that the GP couldn’t find anything and for that reason there is seemingly no help with these problems. So when it happens I have no good ways of alleviating the dreaded symptoms. It’s much a case of put up, shut up, wait for it to improve which it normally does after a couple of hours. A good nights sleep always helps, in the morning I feel a lot better, not perfect but I do feel better. I never feel completely refreshed after sleeping but I at least don’t have that nagging exhaustion that hangs on to me for dear life.

If anybody else here suffers from this, or some of what I have explained, please let me know how you cope with it. I am at a loss and have found this affects me every single day! Not every day is severe but every day is bad enough that I had to quit work – they were going to let me go anyway – and I can no longer be as physically active like I used to be. Not without it crippling me with the symptoms I mentioned.

If you’ve experienced this and have any tips please let me know.

Thank you!

  • As  said can't give medical advice

    My own experience I suffered many but not all what you described for years and it wasn't until my recent diagnosis that I realised these are largely symptoms of my anxiety which may explain why the GP tests always came up as a blank.  I'm halfway through my limited therapy sessions (via my insurance) but expect I'll either need to pay or check talking therapies to continue to understand the causes and coping strategies I can use.  What I didn't know then was I was actually having anxiety about the anxiety symptoms.

    So think you just need to go back to GP to narrow down on the cause, and in the meantime see if there's any local support groups or any therapy available which may help your anxiety.

  • Unfortunately there are absolutely loads of conditions that nausea or the feeling of nausea can be a symptom of.   Going to a GP (General Practitioner - therefore not a specialist) with nausea and hoping for an answer is always a little hopeful, at best. 

    Off the top of my head.  It can be connected to headaches, migraine, nerve problems, even some muscular issues, stomach problems, infections - I could go on (and that's before I check Google).  

    What a GP will do is to attempt to rule things out.  Hence the blood tests and scans.  It is good that they are coming back negative, of course - but it doesn't help you if you still have the issue. 

    I suffer with neuralgia of which there are a few different types.  Sometimes it makes me feel sick.  I suffer with anxiety & I also get migraines & they make me feel nauseous too.  I didn't know I had neuralgia until my GP referred me to a neurologist - who identified this by ruling out other things.  All the diagnostics you describe, and MRIs to go with it. 

    My GP went through a phase of telling me every ache & pain I had was muscular once, and there was some truth in that too.  I do believe that staying reasonably active helps - but that's common sense.  Good posture, exercise, decent diet.  Too many pillows is bad.  Usual things.  I guess we know all the good things, but don't always do them?  

    However, on this forum we can only give advice based on our own experiences.  We can't give medical opinion (for obvious reasons) and I hope you'll persist with the GP if you feel there is really something there that needs to be properly investigated.  Don't just take my ramblings for it.  

    I wish you well.  

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