Dealing with a bunch of symptoms: hair loss, stomach pain, constipation, headaches, sweating, and sw

Hey everyone. For almost a year now, my health has been a total wreck. I went to see my primary care doctor, and she basically told me nothing is wrong and that I look fine. Blood work, urine tests, OBGYN visits, thyroid, blood pressure, blood sugar—everything came back perfect. She says there’s no point in doing more serious testing because I’m "healthy."
To make a long story short: I'm 24, work in food service, smoke, and eat pretty normally—neither healthy nor junk. I get some exercise and haven't dealt with major stress.
But over the last nine months, things have gone downhill fast. It's reached a point where I can barely function. My mental health is trashed, and physical stuff is piling up too. First, my hair started falling out like crazy. Then came the constant constipation and bloating. It lasts for days, and even when it settles, the abdominal cramps and pains won't stop. I'm sweating buckets constantly, even when it isn't hot. I get five-day headaches that just cycle on and off. My joints swell up, my spine hurts like hell, and my veins are acting up. My periods are irregular and way lighter than they used to be. The headaches give me nausea, I get dizzy, and I can't focus on anything. I’m starting to forget things, and I can't even laugh at stuff anymore... I've become depressed and emotionally unstable. I'm terrified of everything; I'm scared to even walk to the intersection on the road I've driven for five years. I don't want to talk to anyone or go anywhere besides work. I just sit in my room crying. I have these rage fits almost every day where I lose all control over what I say or do. I'm desperate. I end up smashing things unconsciously, then I break down crying while cleaning up the mess. I only realize what kind of crap I've done after the fact.
Who do I even talk to when I tell them, "Everything hurts—my heart, my soul, my body. Everything is broken."
I know it sounds insane, but I have an issue with absolutely everything.
Every time I Google my symptoms, it tells me I have cancer. I'm not even scared of a diagnosis; I'm scared of this madness caused by the pain. And it's clearly getting worse. The only upside is living alone, but I can't hide how bad this is at work. It feels pathetic to be whining about this much pain at 24.
Who can I turn to?

If you ask me, we're looking at stress plus the early stages of depression here. It might not cover every single symptom on your list, but for most of them? Yeah, that's usually the culprit.
Stress can absolutely wreck your health and trigger all sorts of random symptoms—some people get hit harder than others, obviously.
Look, once you've cleared those "basic" tests and everything comes back normal, that’s a win, I guess. But personally, I’d probably ask my doctor if they think seeing a therapist might be a good move. Honestly, it might be easier to just vent to someone who actually listens when your mental state is clearly taking a hit. Good luck. 🙂

Honestly, seeing a therapist or a psychiatrist is a solid move—definitely worth looking into—but since you're dealing with all those mysterious physical aches and pains without a clear cause, I’d say it wouldn't hurt to check out a reliable chiropractor too. Maybe even look into some osteopathy or a deep tissue massage, like those specialized medical massages you can find in big cities... it might really help get things moving again

Your gut is basically your second brain. It remembers everything.
If your gut is messed up, you’ll feel it everywhere—your hair starts thinning, your muscles ache because you basically feel poisoned from the inside out, and yeah, you can even spiral into depression.
The real question is, what came first? Was it the depression and stress, or was it all triggered by gut issues?

In my opinion, go see a psychologist first, then figure out what's going on with your digestion, your muscles, and all that other stuff...

I mean, has there been some massive stressor in your life lately? Like losing someone close to you, a death in the family, or maybe getting into a bad car accident?

It’d be ideal if I could just see a functional medicine specialist, but unfortunately, they’re still pretty hard to find around here (unless I’m totally missing something)..
To me, this looks like some kind of toxicity issue, maybe heavy metals.
Also, you should check if you're spending too much time in a damp spot where you might be dealing with mold exposure.

Nancy Chase3 said:Hey everyone. For almost a year now, my health has been a total wreck. I went to see my primary care doctor, and she basically told me nothing is wrong and that I look fine. Blood work, urine tests, OBGYN visits, thyroid, blood pressure, blood sugar—everything came back perfect. She says there’s no point in doing more serious testing because I’m "healthy."
To make a long story short: I'm 24, work in food service, smoke, and eat pretty normally—neither healthy nor junk. I get some exercise and haven't dealt with major stress.
But over the last nine months, things have gone downhill fast. It's reached a point where I can barely function. My mental health is trashed, and physical stuff is piling up too. First, my hair started falling out like crazy. Then came the constant constipation and bloating. It lasts for days, and even when it settles, the abdominal cramps and pains won't stop. I'm sweating buckets constantly, even when it isn't hot. I get five-day headaches that just cycle on and off. My joints swell up, my spine hurts like hell, and my veins are acting up. My periods are irregular and way lighter than they used to be. The headaches give me nausea, I get dizzy, and I can't focus on anything. I’m starting to forget things, and I can't even laugh at stuff anymore... I've become depressed and emotionally unstable. I'm terrified of everything; I'm scared to even walk to the intersection on the road I've driven for five years. I don't want to talk to anyone or go anywhere besides work. I just sit in my room crying. I have these rage fits almost every day where I lose all control over what I say or do. I'm desperate. I end up smashing things unconsciously, then I break down crying while cleaning up the mess. I only realize what kind of crap I've done after the fact.
Who do I even talk to when I tell them, "Everything hurts—my heart, my soul, my body. Everything is broken."
I know it sounds insane, but I have an issue with absolutely everything.
Every time I Google my symptoms, it tells me I have cancer. I'm not even scared of a diagnosis; I'm scared of this madness caused by the pain. And it's clearly getting worse. The only upside is living alone, but I can't hide how bad this is at work. It feels pathetic to be whining about this much pain at 24.
Who can I turn to?

You need someone who actually takes searching for a cause seriously, unlike your current doctor. Those are the absolute worst—when they just slap a diagnosis on you based on your age, how you look, and a couple of basic blood tests.
It really comes down to how much you're willing to spend, given the situation with your doctor. You’ll probably have to go private, since I doubt you're getting referrals for any deep-dive testing through her.
Reading through your symptoms, my first thought is a hormonal imbalance, especially with the changes in your cycle and the hair loss. Have you done a full hormone panel yet? Like progesterone, estrogen, FSH, LH, estradiol, all that stuff?
And what about your thyroid? Did you check your antibodies? Just looking at T3, T4, and TSH isn't enough...
Those mental health symptoms could definitely be linked to hormonal shifts, along with those hot flashes you mentioned.

Where exactly are you feeling the cramps and abdominal pain? Is there a connection to when you eat? Can you link them to a specific time of day, certain foods, or anything else?

You mentioned working in food service—what does that entail exactly? Are you exposed to anything specific at work?
Also, don't ignore that spinal pain. You really need some imaging or tests to figure out where that's coming from.
You don't sound crazy. You just sound exhausted by everything you're going through, which is totally valid.

If I were you, I'd start with a specialist endocrinologist and simultaneously try to track down the root of the abdominal and back pain.

Melissa Sanchez8 said:You need someone who actually takes searching for a cause seriously, unlike your current doctor. Those are the absolute worst—when they just slap a diagnosis on you based on your age, how you look, and a couple of basic blood tests.
It really comes down to how much you're willing to spend, given the situation with your doctor. You’ll probably have to go private, since I doubt you're getting referrals for any deep-dive testing through her.
Reading through your symptoms, my first thought is a hormonal imbalance, especially with the changes in your cycle and the hair loss. Have you done a full hormone panel yet? Like progesterone, estrogen, FSH, LH, estradiol, all that stuff?
And what about your thyroid? Did you check your antibodies? Just looking at T3, T4, and TSH isn't enough...
Those mental health symptoms could definitely be linked to hormonal shifts, along with those hot flashes you mentioned.

Where exactly are you feeling the cramps and abdominal pain? Is there a connection to when you eat? Can you link them to a specific time of day, certain foods, or anything else?

You mentioned working in food service—what does that entail exactly? Are you exposed to anything specific at work?
Also, don't ignore that spinal pain. You really need some imaging or tests to figure out where that's coming from.
You don't sound crazy. You just sound exhausted by everything you're going through, which is totally valid.

If I were you, I'd start with a specialist endocrinologist and simultaneously try to track down the root of the abdominal and back pain.

Just to add to that—get a neurologist. And don't let those doctors who say "you're young and healthy" dismiss you. They always pull the "you're too young for serious illness" card. Also, see a gynecologist for the sexual hormones.

I’ve been dealing with chronic physical pain for about a year and a half now, so believe me when I say I know exactly how soul-crushing this can be. I’ve spent countless hours sitting in doctors' offices and seeing all sorts of specialists, but honestly, nothing they offered really moved the needle. When you're stuck in that kind of cycle for this long, it stops being just an inconvenience and turns into pure agony. It’s reached a point where my threshold has shifted; if something hurts for even two months, I start feeling the weight of it, but once you've been fighting through daily pain for over a year, you truly realize
how much of a nightmare life can actually become.

I wasn't even under much stress when this all kicked off, and mental fog wasn't even my first symptom. It started in my gut. I’m dealing with constant constipation—that annoying feeling where you desperately need to go, but it's just gas. Total blockage. Then everything else started aching, and honestly, my skin turned a nasty shade of yellow. The pain was so draining that I finally just snapped. It feels like something is rotting me from the inside out. My headaches are brutal too; five Advil wouldn't even touch them. Sometimes I can barely breathe. For two days straight, my chest felt so tight I thought I was actually suffocating. As for food, fruit, veggies, meat—pretty much everything is an issue. Weirdly enough, I feel best when I barely eat anything at all. Sounds crazy, but it's true.
I've been reading up on heavy metal poisoning, so I'm wondering if anyone here has dealt with that?

Signs you might be dealing with intestinal parasites:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intestinal-parasites-symptoms

Nancy Chase3 said:I wasn't even under much stress when this all kicked off, and mental fog wasn't even my first symptom. It started in my gut. I’m dealing with constant constipation—that annoying feeling where you desperately need to go, but it's just gas. Total blockage. Then everything else started aching, and honestly, my skin turned a nasty shade of yellow. The pain was so draining that I finally just snapped. It feels like something is rotting me from the inside out. My headaches are brutal too; five Advil wouldn't even touch them. Sometimes I can barely breathe. For two days straight, my chest felt so tight I thought I was actually suffocating. As for food, fruit, veggies, meat—pretty much everything is an issue. Weirdly enough, I feel best when I barely eat anything at all. Sounds crazy, but it's true.
I've been reading up on heavy metal poisoning, so I'm wondering if anyone here has dealt with that?

So, I have fibromyalgia.
It all started about ten years ago after some surgery where they messed up a nerve in my leg.
On top of that, I deal with migraines, endometriosis... the whole works.
Then, three years ago, my gut issues started acting up. Especially after eating bread or dairy.

Gas, bloating, digestion is just completely broken, muscle pain, zero energy, hair falling out, heart racing... it's a nightmare.
I went for food intolerance testing. Changing my diet helped a bit, but I still wasn't doing great. Then other stuff started hitting me—constant low-grade fever, more pain. You wake up in the morning and by noon, you're so exhausted you can barely function.

I finally got an official diagnosis this year, and honestly, it makes everything make sense. Everything is logical now.
Before that, doctors were just brushing me off, telling me nothing was wrong or that I was too young for these issues. The only reason I kept pushing was because I run my own business; I couldn't afford to be on sick leave, so they kept sending me around for more tests just to get me out of their hair.

Have you checked your Vitamin D levels yet?

It reminds me of when I was struggling because my levels were bottoming out and I had no idea. I saw a specialist, ended up hospitalized, and my whole life just fell apart... I felt like I was becoming partially disabled until a rheumatologist finally thought to check it.

I have some autoimmune issues in my history. It’s not entirely clear-cut, but between Vitamin D therapy and rehab, I feel like a new person.

This could be the core issue behind your "eating healthy vs. eating junk" cycle. You might just be eating poorly.

There are many potential causes, and they’re likely being amplified by psychosomatic factors. First, try improving every possible aspect of your lifestyle, especially your diet. Cut out refined products, start taking probiotics, and definitely get your nutrition checked alongside testing for parasites.

Then there are sex hormones; an imbalance there can lead to various symptoms, including what you're experiencing.

Once you've eliminated those possibilities, check for bacterial issues. Did you happen to be bitten by a tick at any point in your life? It could be Lyme disease.

Vitamins matter too. Get some sunlight and fresh air immediately—Vitamin D is crucial for both physical energy and mental health.

Try to exercise and stay as active as you possibly can.

Have you tried fasting? Since you mentioned feeling better when you eat less, maybe try a 24-hour water fast.

I know you probably feel terrible right now, and this advice might seem overwhelming at first glance given your current state, but all you can really do is fight and try to get your life back to normal...

Also, talk to someone. Joining a support group or trying cognitive behavioral therapy might help. This could be a depressive episode, or perhaps something triggered by a physical cause.

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Nancy Chase3 said:I wasn't even under much stress when this all kicked off, and mental fog wasn't even my first symptom. It started in my gut. I’m dealing with constant constipation—that annoying feeling where you desperately need to go, but it's just gas. Total blockage. Then everything else started aching, and honestly, my skin turned a nasty shade of yellow. The pain was so draining that I finally just snapped. It feels like something is rotting me from the inside out. My headaches are brutal too; five Advil wouldn't even touch them. Sometimes I can barely breathe. For two days straight, my chest felt so tight I thought I was actually suffocating. As for food, fruit, veggies, meat—pretty much everything is an issue. Weirdly enough, I feel best when I barely eat anything at all. Sounds crazy, but it's true.
I've been reading up on heavy metal poisoning, so I'm wondering if anyone here has dealt with that?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gerd/symptoms-causes/syc-20366300
Take a look at these GERD symptoms—especially since you mentioned that chest tightness and feeling winded...

It sounds like you might be dealing with some mental health challenges. Have you had a chance to sit down and talk through these specific symptoms with your psychiatrist? It’s possible they could be stemming from a psychosomatic cause—where things manifest physically due to psychological stress.

Nancy Chase3 said:Hey everyone. For almost a year now, my health has been a total wreck. I went to see my primary care doctor, and she basically told me nothing is wrong and that I look fine. Blood work, urine tests, OBGYN visits, thyroid, blood pressure, blood sugar—everything came back perfect. She says there’s no point in doing more serious testing because I’m "healthy."
To make a long story short: I'm 24, work in food service, smoke, and eat pretty normally—neither healthy nor junk. I get some exercise and haven't dealt with major stress.
But over the last nine months, things have gone downhill fast. It's reached a point where I can barely function. My mental health is trashed, and physical stuff is piling up too. First, my hair started falling out like crazy. Then came the constant constipation and bloating. It lasts for days, and even when it settles, the abdominal cramps and pains won't stop. I'm sweating buckets constantly, even when it isn't hot. I get five-day headaches that just cycle on and off. My joints swell up, my spine hurts like hell, and my veins are acting up. My periods are irregular and way lighter than they used to be. The headaches give me nausea, I get dizzy, and I can't focus on anything. I’m starting to forget things, and I can't even laugh at stuff anymore... I've become depressed and emotionally unstable. I'm terrified of everything; I'm scared to even walk to the intersection on the road I've driven for five years. I don't want to talk to anyone or go anywhere besides work. I just sit in my room crying. I have these rage fits almost every day where I lose all control over what I say or do. I'm desperate. I end up smashing things unconsciously, then I break down crying while cleaning up the mess. I only realize what kind of crap I've done after the fact.
Who do I even talk to when I tell them, "Everything hurts—my heart, my soul, my body. Everything is broken."
I know it sounds insane, but I have an issue with absolutely everything.
Every time I Google my symptoms, it tells me I have cancer. I'm not even scared of a diagnosis; I'm scared of this madness caused by the pain. And it's clearly getting worse. The only upside is living alone, but I can't hide how bad this is at work. It feels pathetic to be whining about this much pain at 24.
Who can I turn to?

I'll send you a private message now.

I’d say hit up a psychiatrist first. Not a psychologist. Why? Because a psychiatrist can actually write you a referral for, you know, specific specialists if those other symptoms need looking at. They're the ones who can figure out if this is all just mental stuff or something else entirely. That's my two cents...