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What Causes Nausea And Headache?

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Posted on Sat, 11 Oct 2014
Question: I TAKE CLONZEPAM EVERY DAY FOR PANIC ATTACKS. I TAKE 1 MG IN MORNING AND 2 MG AT NIGHT. I HAVE BEEN TAKING THIS FOR YEARS. I WAS WONDERING IF THIS COULD CAUSE NASEUA AND HEADACHES? I HAVE HAD TWO BLOOD TESTS RECENTLY, THE FIRST ONE CAME BACK WITH LOW VITAMIN D, THEN I TOOK VITAMIN D IN A HIGH DOSE, HAD A SECOND BLOOD TEST, AND EVERYTHING WAS GREAT WITH MY BLOOD WORK EXCEPT MY CHLORESTROL WAS A BIT HIGH. I AM WORKING ON IT WITH A DIET RIGHT NOW, BUT HAVE TO GO BACK IN 3 MONTHS, IT IF DOES NOT WORK THEN I HAVE TO GO ON MEDS TO CONTROL IT. SO OTHER THAN VITAMIN D AND A MULTIVITAMIN, I ONLY TAKE THE CLONZEPAM. I AM WORRIED SOMETHING IS WRONG AS I AM NASEUA AND HAVE HEADACHES A LOT. I DID HAVE A PHYSICAL AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD. IF SOMETHING WERE WRONG WOULD IT SHOW ON A BLOOD TEST.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (19 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Needn't worry - unlikely to be anything serious.

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.

I understand that you are concerned about your recent symptoms of nausea and headache. Now, you have mentioned that all medical tests have turned out negative, except for an elevation in cholesterol, which cannot explain your symptoms. Moreover, a recent physical examination was also normal. In such a case, it is very unlikely that there is any serious medical problem causing your symptoms.

Having said that, it is important to realise that stress and anxiety itself can very often cause physical symptoms like headache, nausea, etc. Anxiety can present with not only psychological symptoms but also with physical or somatic symptoms.

Now, this does NOT mean that 'everything is in your head' and that you are simply imagining the symptoms. Not at all. It has been found that anxiety disorders are associated with certain neuro-chemical imbalance in the brain and this can cause the person's pain and sensory threshold to get lowered and he / she can become "more sensitive" to pain or other sensory stimuli. The underlying anxiety also causes a person to become more worried as to why his / her problems are undiagnosed despite having all tests, and then this worry / anxiety itself then starts worsening the symptoms more. Soon this becomes a vicious cycle, leaving the person with more symptoms and suffering.

So, my opinion is that you needn't worry too much about these symptoms. I would suggest that you try relaxation techniques like deep breathing, yoga, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation (JPMR), etc. which can be quite helpful in relieving your problems.

Wish you all the best.

- Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar MBBS., DPM., MRCPsych.(U.K.)
Consultant Psychiatrist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (52 minutes later)
My final question is if anything was seriously wrong, would something have come back wrong in the blood work?

will someone reply to my follow up question above?

How long until I get an answer to this question? I am new to this, so I am a bit confused. Thank You
doctor
Answered by Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (32 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Yes...

Detailed Answer:
Hello again,

If anything was seriously wrong, the blood tests would have picked it up.

Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar MBBS., DPM., MRCPsych.(U.K.)
Consultant Psychiatrist
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
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Answered by
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Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 2190 Questions

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What Causes Nausea And Headache?

Brief Answer: Needn't worry - unlikely to be anything serious. Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query. I understand that you are concerned about your recent symptoms of nausea and headache. Now, you have mentioned that all medical tests have turned out negative, except for an elevation in cholesterol, which cannot explain your symptoms. Moreover, a recent physical examination was also normal. In such a case, it is very unlikely that there is any serious medical problem causing your symptoms. Having said that, it is important to realise that stress and anxiety itself can very often cause physical symptoms like headache, nausea, etc. Anxiety can present with not only psychological symptoms but also with physical or somatic symptoms. Now, this does NOT mean that 'everything is in your head' and that you are simply imagining the symptoms. Not at all. It has been found that anxiety disorders are associated with certain neuro-chemical imbalance in the brain and this can cause the person's pain and sensory threshold to get lowered and he / she can become "more sensitive" to pain or other sensory stimuli. The underlying anxiety also causes a person to become more worried as to why his / her problems are undiagnosed despite having all tests, and then this worry / anxiety itself then starts worsening the symptoms more. Soon this becomes a vicious cycle, leaving the person with more symptoms and suffering. So, my opinion is that you needn't worry too much about these symptoms. I would suggest that you try relaxation techniques like deep breathing, yoga, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation (JPMR), etc. which can be quite helpful in relieving your problems. Wish you all the best. - Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar MBBS., DPM., MRCPsych.(U.K.) Consultant Psychiatrist