Strange ailments - what are yours?

[AnotherAvatar]

That sounds rough, my sympathies, I hope whatever 'illegal' treatment you found is still working and that you're not having trouble obtaining it because of our retarded, consciousness controlling society.

I was a premature birth and I feel that because of that my lungs are particularly week, so much so that I can't even smoke cigarettes (though fuck that noise). Does not stop me from smoking other, more psychedelic substances, however, but sometimes it does make it rough. Still, I haven't had an asthma attack in years so I'm doing pretty good.

Edit: Not really that rare, what I have, however.

 

[joiny]

Disgraphya, my brain won't send the right signals to my hands and every time I try to write it comes out in scribbles. I slow down it becomes legible but it takes an obscene amount of time and causes severe pain in my wrist. Tis really odd but, especially in today world, fairly easy to work around.

EDIT:

Yo. Curious on what kind of things the escapists are suffering from.
Feel free to share your stories and scars, how bout I get this started?

I suffer from Cluster headaches, also known as ''Suicide headaches''.
It affects about 0.1% of the population, mainly men.
It's a very rare ailment that essentially causes horrible pain almost 24/7.
I first noticed my headaches when I was around 13 years old (20 now), and they evolved within a year to be permanent.
On a average month I have about two headache-free days (blissful days). I have gone to several doctors, all which found nothing wrong with me. I self-diagnosed myself after having tried some ''illegal substances'' which helped. I looked it up, and as it turns out, Cluster headaches have shown to be suseptible to.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_headache)

Share!

This actually sounds like something my Dad has.

Im sorry for him.

HMS (Hyper Mobility Syndrome) in my joints, I can bend my thumb backwards without touching it with the other hand and do other creepy stuff with my fingers too. (pic isnt me but that's what I can do)

isn't that just a hitchhiker thumb. The rest of the joints part idk but a thumb bending back that far is quite common(Like my entire family and some of my friends thumbs bend back that far).

I can bend all the top joints of my fingers, same thing? Works as a party trick atleast

 

[Srs bzns]

I'm currently seeing a doctor about some weird-ass problem I have with eating. I start gagging without feeling sick (ie to the stomach) after a couple of bites. It's not the food, it's not a lack of appetite, I just can't eat a lot - or sometimes anything at all.

Weirdest thing, it gets worse when I'm slightly nervous. Now, again, usually nervousness can make some people sick, but my stomach is fine. I don't get queasy, I feel like I'm already in the middle of throwing up.
One exception: Late nights. I can (and do) eat a whole fucking bag of chips in one go - probably it's the only time I'm ever, like, ... relaxed.

The good doctor will have a look down my throat (EGD) but won't bother going as far as the stomach. If there isn't anything to be found there... I'm kinda convinced it's psychosomatic or something. Come on, doc, just throw some anti-anxiety stuff my way already.

Cuz this sucks. And because it sucks, I get nervous every time I eat. "What if I can't eat a lot again!?". And promptly, because of it, I can't eat a lot.

Just think: Can't go out for dinner with friends, cuz what's the point. Forget romantic dinners. Even family visits suck. Until I told them (once I started seeing the doctor) they probably thought I'm just a bad eater, very picky or simply hated everything they ever prepared!

... and I can remember it happening as far back as 2003. Joy.

Sounds like it might be a criopharyngeal spasm. It is basically a gagging feeling in the throat (cause by an oesophagus valve spasming repetitively instead of flexing to push food down to the stomach) accompanied by loss of appetite if you over-react to it. Although, usually, eating stops the symptoms temporarily instead of causing them.

It is onset typically by stress, and the sensation usually gets worse throughout the day, typically at work/school. Herbal tea calms it down.

Hope I could help. You should probably see a throat or stomach specialist though.

 

[EAK1791]

I've never really thought about it before, but on occasion, I have insanely painful heartburn. Normally, it's to the point where I can only lay on the ground and focus on breathing. It always happens pretty soon after a meal, but no particular food/type of food seems to set it off.

 

[Shockolate]

I have Trichotillomania, as a result from my depression. Very rare, according to wikipedia ( I'm too lazy to look up real sources, get off my back)

I also have Vitiligo, though you can't tell anymore since I've become a shut in since my depression kicked it, and as a result, very pale.

 

[SilentFlames26]

I have a cut on the inside of my nose that constantly leaks blood, albeit at a very slow rate, also have terrible colour blindness. My optometrist said he had never seen someone so bad

 

[SilentFlames26]

HMS (Hyper Mobility Syndrome) in my joints, I can bend my thumb backwards without touching it with the other hand and do other creepy stuff with my fingers too. (pic isnt me but that's what I can do)

isn't that just a hitchhiker thumb. The rest of the joints part idk but a thumb bending back that far is quite common(Like my entire family and some of my friends thumbs bend back that far).

I can bend all the top joints of my fingers, same thing? Works as a party trick atleast

I can bend my thumb on my right hand at the middle joint that the thumb almost touches the knuckle and I can bend all my fingers way past 90 degrees

 

[Drenaje1]

My hands are essentially clammy and ice cold all the time. Poor circulation? Sometimes it stops and I can actually feel comfortable again, but it's generally a pain in the ass because touching myself to scratch an itch or hold my head up in class rewards me with the feeling of having my life sucked out through my terrible hands. Not to mention the trouble it stirs up for handshakes/high fives.

I have a curved spine. It hasn't really been giving me issues, besides bad posture.

My imagination runs especially rampant when I imagine some kind of fight. And by that I mean that I liked to use my hands to represent what I was imagining. I hardly do it anymore.

Finally, I was accused of being autistic in the...3rd grade, I think? Of course, I was not, and the accusation bit comes from a teacher's aide we had who thought that because I preferred my own company and didn't talk much, I must have a neurological disorder that would have been recognized years before I wound up in school. Blerg.

 

[Mazza35]

I sometime get muscular spasm in my lung, disabling my ability to breath. First time is happened (Year 4) I panicked...so that didn't help, nearly passed out after 2 mins of no breath.
It pretty much gives me crippling pain (Like, paralyzing pain) in my lungs when I try to breath.

Had blood tests, heart checks, breathing checks, x-rays. Then some bright spark said, 'Hey! It's muscular!' >.>

Not common anymore (I think me being forced the play the recorder did it...Curse you recorders!)
And when I do have, I know what it is so I am calm, and it goes away shortly.

Also have anemia

 

[Cazza]

I have hydrocephalus ("water in the brain"). I had a shunt placed into my head so it's drains correctly. It messed up my fine & gross motor. I also have learning disabilities and Iam sensitive to bright lights. Luckily I have had no problems with the shunt. The doctor told my parents I might have problems with it when I was 2. Im 19 no problems. Hydrocephalus affects approximately 1 in every 500 children.

 

[Aisaku]

Psoriasis. Scaly, dry flesh that flakes off your body and spreads at random. It's an autommune disease with no cure, you can only manage the symptoms. Feel free to look it up if you're not particularly fond of your lunch. Fortunately in my case, it isn't full blown, no arthritis or anything. Yet.

 

[Thaliur]

I'm currently seeing a doctor about some weird-ass problem I have with eating. I start gagging without feeling sick (ie to the stomach) after a couple of bites. It's not the food, it's not a lack of appetite, I just can't eat a lot - or sometimes anything at all.

This occasionally happens to me when I eat starch-rich food like rice, potatoes or even bread. I don't have to eat an excessive amount at once, just sometimes it seems to clog my esophagus, and I can't swallow at all anymore for a while. Sometimes drinking water helps. Maybe your case is similar? But since a visit to the doc is scheduled anyway, you'll find out soon enough.

I have a serious problem with heat sources. Hot days are OK, as far as I can tell, but if, for example, I sit near a radiator on a winter day, I pass out within a few minutes. Happens on the bus, too, occasionally.

 

[deathninja]

Parasomnia/night terrors/lucid nightmares. Oh, and waking nightmares/hallucinations too.

 

[SwimmingRock]

Don't know if this qualifies as strange, but my only food allergy is fresh pineapple. I can even eat canned pineapple, but not fresh. My skin breaks out in rashes and I get all itchy for several hours. Because the universe has a sense of humour, I ofcourse love fresh pineapple. Every now and then, it's worth the outbreak just to eat a whole fresh pineapple.

Aside from that, my spine/neck are curved/bent. I can't hold my neck upright. Due to my long hair, it's not really visible, but my neck bends almost horizontally. As a result, it looks like I don't really have a neck and my head comes almost directly out of my chest. The oddly large-looking back area just makes people think it's muscle.

 

[wintercoat]

Does gastroesophageal reflux disease count? Like heartburn, only it's not triggered, it's just all the time. Imagine your chest burning, feeling like someone stabbed you with a red hot knife right above the stomach. That's what it feels like for me every waking moment if I don't take my meds. And antacids don't work, I have to take a proton pump inhibitor(it inhibits acid production, instead of lowering acidity like antacids) or I only get minor relief. By minor, I mean I would have to take an antacid every hour to get rid of symptoms. Even if I just miss taking my pill by a few hours it starts up. I still get flare ups even when I take my meds, but it's not as bad.

 

[DanielBrown]

Self-diagnosed myself to Tietze syndrome a while ago. After carrying my new computer chair, six months ago or something, I got a sharp pain in my ribs. Have had it ever since. The first two months was really annoying. Could hardly breathe and was in constant pain. It's not that noticeable now, but if I take deep breaths or yawn it tends to hurt like crazy. Physical work can also make it hurt.

Worst part is that if it actually is TS I might be stuck with it for the rest of my life. Wish I had a job, so I could retire and live poorly off sick pension.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tietze_syndrome

 

[DemikidZA]

I bruise super easy, not sure whats its called

 

[pewpewz]

I self-diagnosed myself after having tried some ''illegal substances'' which helped. I looked it up, and as it turns out, Cluster headaches have shown to be suseptible to.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_headache)

Was that a Lovely Super Drug you self-diagnosed with OP? I've found certain illegal substances have helped with my anxiety and depression. Namely ones that involve lots of feelings of Ecstacy and entering magical lands.

 

[Craorach]

I have a severe allergic reaction to Chromates. Since these chemicals are far more wide spread than most people realise.. used in the cleaning and manufacturing process of everything from paper to leather to car engines.. I pretty much can never escape it.

Even when I'm not directly exposed to a potent source, I am essentially allergic to the modern world to a low degree, and constantly need to treat minor rashes all over my body.

Unbeknownst to me until after I'd left the area I grew up in, it was saturated with these chemicals as a result of the early mining industry that took up most of the county. Housing estates were built on waste tips, just like the one I grew up in.

I was essentially allergic to the ground and water in the place I lived for twenty four years.

 

[cerealnmuffin]

One of my eyes has an extremely weak muscle as to where I was going to go legally blind at age 10 if not for the two surgeries I had them. I still need glasses and if one eye is covered even with glasses, my vision goes to 20/1000 and I become violently ill.

My nose was broken when I was little so I have a deviated septum. This means I suffer chronic sinusitis (stuff nose) and my whole life I sound like I am sick. I can't sleep for more than a few hours in a row without waking up due to not being able to breath. So my entire life I have been sleep deprived despite allotting for 10 possible hours for sleep every night. So imagine how you feel with little sleep.... my exhaustion, irritability, and chronic depression all stem from not having one good night's sleep. I'm finally looking into getting surgery for it, because I'm teaching outside of the US so going to the doctor doesn't cost a fortune.

I also suffer horrible migraines whenever the air pressure shifts ie it goes from sunny to rainy quickly (again due to the nose)These migraines are so bad that I have a hard time seeing and they will not go away for over a day. Extra strength antihistamine migraine pills help. Normal headache medicine didn't. When all the stores were closed for a special Korean holiday, I spent the weekend curled up in a ball crying on the floor due to a headache that lasted 38 hours.

Add in the fact that I didn't talk till I was 6 (was being taught sign language which I wish I kept up) and I'm transgender (tried to end my life at age 7 by drowning, and again throughout my childhood even coming close with hanging) and my life is quite the challenge. Though both of those problems are fixed (I'm an English teacher who just got her book picked up by a literary agent and I transitioned to female some years ago and pass perfectly). In a year I will get my nose fixed and everything will be perfect =).