u/defunkman

I just started 5mgs and I'm looking for support a bit because being the Health Anxiety nut that I am, I of course am worried and nervous. I feel Okay so far but I've heard side effects don't really kick in quickly for most. Can I get some Encouragement ? maybe some good stories about your experiences ? I am also a trans woman and I'm about to start HRT soon So a lot of change is on my already full Plate lol. Please help ? <3 ^_^

I'm Convinced I Have SIBO. of course, I've been to Multiple Gastros locally and none of them seem to care to listen and those that do insist "SIBO Doesn't exist" or "we don't have the testing for that". they instead insist that I do an Endoscopy to "see why I'm having acid reflux". I never mentioned acid whatsoever ! My symptoms are pretty bad. Dry Flushing on my face, neck, chest and sometime ears and I've also been dealing with panic attack-like tachycardia issues soon after meals as well. I've mentioned all of this to my main doc and multiple others only to get the same crappy treatment and told to get on pills for something THEY want me to take to treat the symptoms. No answers as to what I could have. Luckily, last year I did get the really bad stuff ruled out first (carcinoid Syndrome, Pheochromocytoma, thyroid issues and others). Are these symptoms anyone here is having too ? I Do have bloating and really foul smelling gas after eating foods especially those with carbs and plants or sugars. if I eat only carnivore foods, I seem to do a bit better.

EDIT : the Flushing comes and goes but for some odd reason it seems to happen in the evenings mostly.

the flushing is warm to the touch, radiates a lot of heat and is visibly red. I do also think I may be experiencing Histamine Issues as well as MCAS wasn't Quite ruled out either, just shrugged off after my 24 hr urine tests.

This is the Nightmare I'm currently suffering and wanted to know if others here experience the same. I was a pretty heavy alcoholic for over 17 years. I recently quit in October of 2024 and this quit lasted exactly 1 year and 5 months. on the sixth month, I decided to have a couple of drinks. I have 4 beers. I Got very drunk just off of those and the next day I felt like pure dog shit but nothing out of the ordinary. Now ? any time I drink whether it be 4 beers or 10, I wake up with my heart racing, my skin feeling abnormally hot but no sweating, i'm shaking, my adrenaline keeps flowing and I feel horrible. it hardly ever is the typical hangovers most people have (nausea, headache, fatigue) anymore. is this normal ? My heart is fine according to doctors and I have panic disorder but I'd assume all the drinking i've done over the years that my body would know how to handle it. but I guess not.

I've tried to describe this to doctors, friends, family and Nobody gets it, but it isn't a tingling, prickling, numb, hot, or cold sensation. it's a Literal, feathery tickle like somebody is inside my chest, behind my rib cage tickling me deep inside and I can't get it to go away ! it always spikes my heart rate and anxiety really bad on days where it is bad. Sometimes I think it's actually something to do with my spine or back and i'm just feeling the sensation in my chest but I don't know for certain. All I do know is it's annoying and even my doctor(s) give me weird looks when I've tried to explain it. Am I Alone ? this sensation doesn't come and go at certain periods of the day, it actually happens from sun up to sun down some days and other days it isn't there.

EDIT : it happens directly center in my sternum. (Left Nipple, Sternum, right nipple.) directly center but the shape of the sensation is Vertical, meaning I feel it as if it could be coming from anywhere from my chest down to my stomach regon. still, Unsure exactly and hard to pin point but feels heavily like my chest.

Okay. for some context. I'm 35M, but I'm very short. 5'2 and Not a macho Build. I'm already on the feminine side because of Growth Hormone Deficiency from Birth. I'm not Obese, but I'm chubby and I have a girl-like butt. Well, besides this, for the past 6 or so years I've been having lingering fantasies of sex with certain men and wondering what Being a girl would be like. I secretly bought a dildo from Amazon and have been using it quite frequently and because I'm pudgy, I have male breasts, so I play with them and pretend as well. I Don't feel like this is really Impacting me in a "Bad way", but I cannot let my family know how I feel, not because they're against lgbt or would disown me, but because I personally don't want them to know. period. I don't want surgery, I don't want to go out and start getting into relationships or exploring, but I wouldn't mind learning how to get an even more female shape without the danger/side effects of HRT or other drugs and surgery. I guess (according to a girl I have talked to who I do trust) this is called "femboy" ? I'm new to all of this so please forgive me.

Edit : other Info : I do shave and use Nair/hair removal products. also, I have had sexual encounters with older men when i was in early teeens/20's (Not a Minor) because it gave me a thrill that I couldn't get with a female partner.

I pre ordered it Finally, but Now the waiting Game. I hope Halloween Asylum is Legit though because I can't cancel. My cashapp does give the exact name of who I believe is the Owner and I did recieve an Email and receipt. Does anybody here have any experience with them ?

EDIT : Where Do I get treatment ?

So far, My Doctors have all said they do NOT have testing currently for SIBO, Histamine Intolerance issues etc. I've been to 4 Allergists, 2 Gastroenterologists, and My main Doctor. I've have a lot of blood work ups done and still, not anything they can say or do (or so they tell me). I'm 100% positive this is SIBO due to my Symptoms which lead me to Histamine Intolerance, which then lead me to learning about Small Intestinal Bacteria and the Gut Microbiome. Here's my Symptoms :

Bloating

Constipation

Diarrhea

sharp lower gut pains shortly after meals that lead to Diarrhea

Always feeling on edge and Anxious along with nightly Panic attack-like Episodes

Heart racing suddenly, Mostly after meals, Palpitations and extra heart beats but My heart rythm is normal according to two different Holter monitor tests I've done

this all started due to me suddenly developing severe skin flushing of my face, ears, cheeks, chest and neck. the Flushing is always dry and Hot, releasing a lot of heat and making me very uncomfortable. Along side Congestion and some itchiness during meals or shortly after. the Flushing happens whenever I do something that releases Histamine or Adrenaline. Exercise, Anger, Anxiety, and certain foods.

I've already been cleared of Carcinoid syndrome and other cancers and I've also been cleared of Pheochromocytoma and Rosacea.

Whatever is going on with me, I hope for answers but I can't afford to see a specialist that doesn't accept my insurance and $200 for the breath test seems like something I can try but how will that test help my doctors help me ? My gastro told me she could give me xifaxan 550 BUT she isn't allowed to Until I take the breath test and some other test which again, they said they don't provide. So what do I do ? where do I go ? I've been stuck in this daily/nightly Hell for going on 3 years now and it's destroyed my life.

I'm curious about something in the "Private" aspect. More of a Question. Does anyone here ever suffer Symptoms from Sexual Arousel ? Masturbating or Sex ? for me it's very dependent on How bad I'm having flare ups but it seems at night if I do that, I tend to flush really bad across my neck, chest, upper back and ears. then it takes another 30 minutes or so to go away.

for Context, I have been suffering HIT symptoms for over 2 years and have been dealing with doctors, blood tests, 24 hour urines and the likes and have already posted all of that on an earlier post yesterday, but I wanted to bring this up as well to see if I'm alone on this or if others with HIT experience it as well.

I'm not exactly sure where to turn anymore. I go through OSF medical group and I thought they would be best since my state's main Medical care hasn't done anything for me either besides basic clinical care.

My story : I am 35M, I'm on the shorter side due to Growth hormone deficiency. I was presumably healthy for most of my life besides possibly inheriting Lynch syndrome from my father who recently passed from Colon cancer, and my mother who has Chiari malformation, POTS and Dysautonomia. I was a heavy drinker from the age of 17-34. As soon as I quit drinking October of 2024, I noticed my face and neck getting red occasionally along with heat but no sweating. It was weird but I assumed it was a symptom of some sort due to me quitting. I let it go until it began to get worse. It only happened in the evening hours, usually after 5pm and lasting on and off until midnight. I started getting worried after googling my symptoms because the number 1 diagnosis was always Carcinoid syndrome followed by things like Pheochromocytoma and Cushings. I got a referral to an endocrinologist and got the 24hr urine and blood tests to make sure I didn't have anything serious/cancer related. Fast forward to now. I was researching my symptoms again and stumbled onto something called "Histamine intolerance ". All of my symptoms fit and what really stood out from the rest was the evening flushing and panic attack like symptoms. I was excited. Finally, i may have found the answers ! Well, my doctor listens to me and she is very nice but said she would have to give a referral to allergy. Finally, I get in to see the allergist, and i thought it would go smoothly, but that wasn't the case, in fact it was quite the opposite. She wasn't very nice to begin with and seemed to just blow over everything i was telling her. I even brought photos on my phone of my episodes. She seemed to not even be concerned at all and when she asked me what i thought it coupd be, i mentioned i had researched HIT and she immediately said that it doesn't exist and that MCAS is the only diagnosis she can make based on my symptoms. But Im confused because MCAS, from what I've looked into, are REAL allergic reactions while HIT are pseudo? Meaning they aren't quite the same and the risks are different. So, After many doctors referrals, many blood tests and 24 hour Urine samples, I wound up with Gastro today and all they recommended was a an endoscopy and biopsy. I really tried hard to mention this again and I asked about everything I was told to ask about (Enzyme levels, SIBO, IBS, Parasites) and...Nope. im going insane over these symptoms. The flushing and constant burning every day, the heart racing and constant feeling of anxiety are really taking a huge toll on my life. I can't do Shit ! I don't know where to go from here and any helpful advice would be deeply appreciated.