very embarrassing and strange problems

[KTB24]

I'm a 26 year old female. About two years ago, I developed a very large cyst like pimple on my chin that became infected. I went to the dermatologist who told me it was due to an ingrown hair and the area cleared up after a shot. I noticed at that time I had recently sprouted a few chin hairs in one isolated location, but tossed it off to a minor cosmetic issue and just plucked them, figuring it wasn't a big deal and that other women must get them occasionally. However, as of lately,I have become overwhelmed with the problem of growing hairs in places where I did not before. Over the course of two years, I have come to realize this is more than just a cosmetic issue and it is really affecting my life and has me terribly worried. I became kind of immune to how much it was actually increasing from getting used to just dealing with it on a daily basis, but now I estimate that I might be plucking upwards of twenty a day. This doesn't seem normal. To make matters worse and I am also growing hair ALL over my body. There are two kinds of hair....the first kind is dark and coarse, like the ones on my chin. I have quite a few of these on my chest and around my nipples. Then there is more of a baby fine hair with dark pigment. I have noticed this all over my body and on my face ( where the sideburns are). I have even noticed hair follicles developing places where I didn't think anyone had hair...like on the insides of my arms, where my wrists are. I have suffered from an eating disorder for over a year. My BMI was around 17 ( I am 5'2, 5'3) and I lost over 20 pounds. I used to weigh 114 pre- eating disorder and have been around 93 pounds for the past year. I am just slightly underweight so I never lost my period, but was wondering if my ED could have affected my hormones which is why in addition to baby fine hair I also am growing dark coarse hair in the places I mentioned. I have been trying to recover from the ED on my own as of lately. I don't have health insurance and am very embarrassed to tell friends and family any of this.

The chest hair started growing about a month ago and I remove it with nair but I am so incredibly humiliated and embarrassed and downright scared about what is happening to me. I have also had chronic lower back pain in the right side of my body that started six months ago. It is made worse by sitting and ranges in intensity from dull to sharp, but the longer I sit, the worse it becomes. I don't know if it could possibly be related to whatever else is happening to me. I also have a yellowish tint to my skin which also varies in intensity, and my tongue has a yellow coating on it most of the time when I go to brush my teeth. I have also had a chronic feeling of pressure in my right ear for almost a year. It varies from feeling like pressure to feeling like pain. Upon the onset of this problem, I was told there was a build up of fluid on the tympanic membrane and was prescribed a nasal spray and antibiotics. I notice sometimes my legs shake when they are in certain positions sitting or standing, and my hands seem to have a slight tremor...they kind of "oscillate". I am downright scared with all of these symptoms, and too embarrassed to reach out to a healthcare provider for fear that I won't be able to afford whatever is wrong with me or that I might be dying.

My only other heath problem has been visual disturbances for which nothing was ever found. I noticed floaters at age 16 and flashes and streaks of colored light when looking at bright objects. Around age 21 I noticed certain patterns appeared to move, such as plaid (the lines wave) and I began to see halos around lights at night. All these symptoms were looked at by numerous opthamologists but no organic cause was ever found. I had 2 MRI's prior to the onset of the halos, but no medical testing was done on me for about 5 years in relation to these symptoms because no one could ever find anything wrong. I don't even know where to begin with visiting a doctor. I am so humiliated and ashamed of my symptoms, especially growing hair in the places mentioned. I'm worried I might have a brain tumor or something else catastrophic. Does anyone have any advice or input for me? I feel so alone.

[KTB24]

I am going to get my blood levels tested and have the hormone levels checked like u recommended. I have definitely had anxiety and depression since high school and was under chronic stress when the eye issues first arose so stress I'm sure is part of the culprit. I gave up five years ago trying to get a diagnosis so stopped going for testing, but now with the new symptoms I've been having I'm worried that maybe all of this is related. Thanks again :)

[KTB24]

Thank you for the info, I am looking into getting help for my eating disorder. I think it is more anxiety ridden than body image related so hopefully I can get it under control.

In terms of the vision problems, I see the halos every night around the lights and the flashes/floaters tend to come and go with stress. The shimmering I think is always there if I look for it but I have trained myself to ignore it. I was tested to rule out retinal disease when the flashes and floaters began at 16. The halos started at 21 and I was checked again, and then just told they were ocular migraines. They aren't really "episodes", I mostly see them everyday depending on how much sleep I have had, and what kind of bright light I am exposed to. I have no headache, so I'm not sure where I fit in on the diagnosis scale.

[KTB24]

thanks for the help I will look into what you have suggested :)

[isoflurane]

ktb24, sorry to hear you are having such a tough time.
you can certainly get hormone disturbance with an eating disorder. Your doctor can check your blood levels. Some gynaecological problems can give rise to many of your symptoms, have you seen one? It does NOT sound like you have cancer.
Eye disturbances without any cause are often due to chronic stress.
It would help you to talk to a professional about all this Good luck

[Red_Star]

Yellow skin, soft fine hair (langugo), and hirsutism (male pattern growth) are all symptoms noted with anorexia nervosa.  You have an increased risk for developing PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) with an eating disorder. PCOS is the most common cause of hirsutism.  

Treatments for eating disorders include weekly support groups, outpatient treatment with a therapist, psychiatrist and dietitian, partial hospitalization, and inpatient or residential treatment.

The ANAD (Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) helpline:
[phone]

Your eye symptoms sounds like ocular migraines.  The ocular migraine can occur either with or without a migraine headache.  The symptoms of ocular migraines can include flashes of light, visual hallucinations, zigzag patterns, wavy lines, rainbows, halos, blind spots, shimmering spots or stars, blurry vision, partial vision loss, dimming.  Diagnosis is usually done on the basis of a history of multiple episodes with complete recovery within an hour or two and no symptoms in between episodes.

[kildeesweet]

To ease your troubles about the hair issue.  You are at the age that every woman gets the hair problem.  Especially if they have Norweigian, German, Sweden, etc, decent.  We have learned to just pluck them or get them waxed.  It is a very common problem among us woman..  It is nothing to worry about.

Now, your other problems.  It sounds like you may have a pinched nerve in your back or the start of a bulged disc.  This is a more serious problem is yyou do not get attention from the proper doctor.  I don't know what type of insurance you have, but the right doctor to see is a neuromuscular specialist.  You need a MRI to find a bulged nerve first to see if more tests are needed.  But, that is what is sounds like.  It sounds like you may want to start with a MRI on your back.  I know my pinched nerves causes so many things with my visual problems.  When my pain is worse, I see the same things you are talking about.  When my pain level is low those things go away.  The same with the leg tremors and the hand motions.  I am on medication to help control those.  Good luck and I hope I have helped you.