Hi all im new here :D

[AzureDandelions]

Hi everyone!

I'm Azure from Toronto.

Of course my real name isn't Azure but it's my internet name for quite some time now.
Anyway... I am 26 years old, and I currently have lots of problems in my body right now and wishing someone could help me.

I have been diagnosed with Alpha Thalassemia minor, which means that my red blood cells are smaller than normal people and I am anemic.

Last year, when I was doing my placement work, when I was heading home, I suddenly felt anxiety and I had panic attack inside the public bus
thinking it was a heart attack. So I called 911 and they sent me to the hospital.

I have been to lots of doctors who have been telling me I only have anemia and nothing else. They also did stress test, ultrasound, xrays, all of the tests that you can do with your heart, they did it, but they said there's nothing wrong with my heart.

After that incident, I have been having chest pains on and off on the upper left side of my breast, which I can barely stand on the first few months, and my doctor prescribed me Ativan, thinking I have been having stress and panic attacks. So I took Ativan sometimes when I feel like I really need it only, and I do not want to be addicted to it, so I stopped taking it after some time because I cannot bear the side effects of that darn medicine. I threw it away because I didn't really like taking meds.

So I was looking for another alternative because I was desperate for a cure, then I found a holistic doctor and told me that I have BAD anemia, in which my doctors said "oh your hemoglobin levels are 116, you are only barely anemic, but you're fine" so I got really pissed off because they did not diagnose me with ANYTHING. That was in June 2011.

Now I switched my diet to raw vegan, which I am still having a hard time sometimes because I live with my whole family, and my whole family thinks I'm crazy for eating all those raw vegetables and fruits, and my mom still serves meat to my family, which sometimes I cannot control myself and eat those bad stuff.

I got my Vitamix yesterday, and I enjoy my green smoothies more than when I was still using Ninja Blender. I drink green smoothies on and off for about 4 months now, and so far I lost 30lbs (yay) but my true goal is that I do not want to feel this weird pain in my chest anymore. (I have been researching a LOT about my weird chest pain, and I have a conclusion that it is Costochondritis, and I also suggested this to my doctor multiple times and they just shrugged it off including emergency doctors) I also think I also have Fibromyalgia as well but my doctors also just shrugged it off I also have my lymph nodes in my neck swell sometimes. When the panic attack started, I started to become MUCH more sensitive in what I feel about my body. Is that normal?

Right now I have this weird pain in my underarms and I do not know if it is from swimming or something else. If I had a heart disease I would have it already right? IDK. Please help me guys. You're my only chance at this. But I am really really trying my best to do only raw vegan, and I must say, bit by bit, I am enjoying it more now unlike when I was starting.

Thanks for reading my long story and sorry about it being long. LOL.

[Juicin' in Houston]

Hello and Welcome AzureDandelions!

I'm in no position to give medical advice but if any doctor is shrugging off a concern of yours go to another doctor. Most likely they're quickly diagnosing your illness as the first thing that comes to mind. Also ER doctors work at a quicker pace and might not have the time to give you the attention you need.

I do believe that raw is the paradigm of healthy eating and just like me you'll find the support you are looking for here!

[Gianni]

Welcome, Azure.

You're on the right track choosing a raw vegan lifestyle. You might also want to try to do a juice fast for 7-14 days and see if it helps you.

[Juicin' in Houston]

Azure,

Watch the film "Food Matters". I thought about your post when I watched it.

[Frugal Raw]

Welcome!! I wish you the best of rawesome health!