The ABC Homeopathy Forum
Anxiety and Panic (Gelsemium C 200) Page 2 of 3
This is very serious. It needs to be addressed soon. Suppression can lead to great harm.
It is important that the WHOLE case be looked at rather than just one or a small subset of symptoms.
HOW TO DESCRIBE YOUR COMPLAINTS (Physical Components)
In homoeopathy, prescription is based on precise details of various symptoms from which you suffer. To tell or write to a homoeopathic physician 'I have a headache ', ' an eruption ' or a cough would not be enough. If you inform him 'I have headache with sharp shooting pains in the left side of the head and temple, these pains always come on when the slightest cold air strikes the head. I feel better by pressing the head very hard. Then only you have given all the information required for making a good homoeopathic prescription. The success of the prescription depends; largely on how detailed your description of the symptoms is.
We require the following details about your symptoms.
LOCATION: Please give the exact location of sensation, pain or other symptom. Also describe where the pain or sensation or symptom spreads.
SENSATION: Express the type of sensation or the pain or other symptom that you get in your own words however simple or funny it may seem. You may have a sensation that a mouse is crawling or the heart was grasped by an iron hand or you may have a pain that is cutting, burning jerking, pressing. Express the sensation or pain as it feels to you. Try to explain the whole sensation in the exact way it is happening and not just the word. We need to understand the whole process of the sensation as it is happening to you.
WHAT MAKES YOU WORSE OR BETTER:
Many factors are likely to influence your complaint. Some factors may intensify it and some factors may relieve the trouble. A detailed list of the factors is given at the end. Please refer it while describing each of your troubles and indicate which factors make the complaint better or worse.
DISCHARGES: You may have a discharge from nose, ears, mouth, eyes, ulcers, fistula, eruptions on skin, private parts, etc. Please describe your discharge in detail including colour, consistency, appearance, odour etc.
1] Your Complaint:
(Use your own words as far as possible, but if you have recognized or diagnosed the condition, give this information also.) By answering as many of these questions as fully as possible, you are helping me to understand what your body and unconscious mind is conveying. This can help me find a remedy for you.)
What is your complaint?
When did the complaint begin?
Where is it located?
What sort of sensations (and emotions) do you associate with it?
When does it tend to occur (time/day)
Does anything make it better or worse?
How does it bother you? How is it coming in way of your day-to-day life?
How does it feel like to have this/these problem/s?
What is the effect of this/these problem/s on you?
Did any event happen which caused the complaint? Describe the emotion associated with it.
What are the other symptoms started with it, esp. mental and physical symptoms, which are not directly related to the main complaint.
What are your reactions with it?
PLEASE ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS FOR EACH SYMPTOM/COMPLAINT SEPARATELY. DO NOT INCLUDE ALL OF YOUR COMPLAINTS TOGETHER IN EACH QUESTION eg. all questions answered for Leg Pain, then same questions answered for Migraines, then same questions answered for Panic attacks etc.
♡ Evocationer last decade
(Please spend the most time on this section and give DETAILED answers - the homoeopathic remedy is very often decided on the basis of the mental and emotional state of the patient !)
1. What are the issues in your life that bother you the most. Not physical issues but mental or emotional ones. List each one separately and describe why each one bothers you so much.
2. What emotions are the most troublesome for you? What situations provoke these emotions. How do these emotions make you act? Do you feel any ill effects from expressing or not expressing these emotions.
3. What incidents in your life have had a deep impact on you? Describe each incident in detail and how they made you feel? What did you do in those situations? What effect have they had on your life?
4. What are you afraid of? Especially important are phobias, but it might be objects, situations or events that just produce a high level of anxiety. How do you manage your fears? How do you react when confronted with these fears? What would be the worst situation for you to be put in that would provoke these fears? You may need to talk about each fear/anxiety separately.
5. What hobbies do you have? Why do you like each of these activities?
6. Do you have any persistent thoughts, ideas or beliefs that are difficult to stop or cope with? What are they?
7. Do you have any unusual gestures or movements of the body? Do you feel any unusual sensation or pain throughout your body? What exactly does it feel like is happening in your body?
8. When you experience your fears, persistent thoughts, or difficult emotions, what kind of sensation or reactions do you get in your body?
9. When did you feel at your best in your life? What was that like for you? If you imagine the complete opposite of this feeling or moment, what would that be like?
10. Do you feel like you are stuck in a pattern of behavior, especially when trying to deal with your problems? What is this pattern?
11. What difficulties or problems do you have in relationships? Talk about your family, your romantic relationships, your spouse or partner, your friends, and your work colleagues. You may need to talk about all of these separately.
12. List 5 positive things about yourself. Are there any situations where this positive attribute becomes negative (is a problem)?
13. List 5 negative things about yourself. Are there any situations where this negative attribute becomes positive (is useful)?
14. Do you have any reoccurring dreams? Describe them in detail, including any feelings that come while dreaming.
15. Did you have any reoccurring dreams as a child, or earlier in your life? Describe those in detail including any feelings that came with them.
16. What were you like as a child, your character, your personality, your fears, your dreams, your problems?
17. What kind of environment did you grow up in? What problems where there at home, with your family, with your parents, with your siblings, with school?
♡ Evocationer last decade
(Symptoms that dont fit anywhere else, but are things that tend to affect all of you as a person, but are not emotions or thoughts)
1. Sleep - what position do you tend to sleep in?
- what position can you not sleep in?
- do you do anything unusual in your sleep?
- any problems with going to sleep, staying asleep, or waking up?
2. Appetite - What foods do you crave/desire strongly?
- What foods do you hate eating (have an aversion to)?
- What foods have a negative effect on you or cause symptoms?
- What foods have a positive effect on you or seem to improve your health or symptoms in some way?
- What is the effect of hunger or fasting on you?
3. Thirst - What drinks do you crave/desire strongly?
- What drinks do you hate to take (are averse to)?
- When are you most thirsty?
- When are you least thirsty?
4. Stool - Do you have any problems with your bowels or passing stool?
- What is the shape, color, odor of the stool?
5. Urine - Do you have any trouble passing or retaining urine?
- What is the color, odor of the urine?
- Do you have any sediment or debris in the urine?
6. Sweat - How do you feel about the amount of perspiration you have?
- Where do you have the most sweat?
- What is the odor?
- What color does it stain clothing?
- Does anything in particular cause you to sweat abnormally?
7. Sexuality - Any problems with your sexual desire?
- Any problems with your sexual ability or function?
- Any history of sexually transmitted diseases?
8. Menses (Women)
- How many days is your cycle?
- How many days does the flow go for?
- What is the appearance of the flow?
- What is the odor of the flow?
- What kind of stain does the flow leave?
- Any discharge before, during or after?
- Any pain before, during or after the flow?
- What symptoms come before the flow?
- What symptoms come after the flow?
9. Environment How does the weather affect you?
- How does the temperature affect you?
- How does the season affect you?
- What physical activities affect you?
- Is there anything else in the environment you are sensitive to?
10. Anything else you feel is important that hasnt been covered by previous questions?
♡ Evocationer last decade
On 20 Aug to 27 Aug--
Was the dizziness something that you ever had in
the past?
It was exactly the same kind of dizziness caused by Xanax.
On 30 Aug to 10 Sept-how many days did it take for
anxiety to come to your normal levels-I think I remember
you saying it took 5 days.
It took 3 days actually. It was the same duration it takes after Xanax.
Please list your history of Xanax and SSRI's and anything
else you have taken- what it was and how long you
took it for.
Xanax:
I only use when I need quick relief. For example before important presentations and interviews. I hardly took 10 times (merely 0.25 mg) this year.
SSRI's:
The only SSRI i took were 3 years back for the whole month. It resulted in aggravation of the symptoms so after a month I left it.
Thank you so much Simone for the detailed explanation. As always what you say actually makes sense. I really can't remember any event which could have triggered this whole thing. I am handling anxiety on my own without any medicine almost all my life and probably I can manage whole my life without any medicine. I would not be able to enjoy my life the way i really want to and this thing has brought me here to you guys. If there is a treatment out there for the condition i got why not try it.I am sick of 'managing' or 'hiding' my condition.
So I thank you again for the help and word of advise. I hope things will get better soon and definitely will let you know.
Umair1986 last decade
1] Your Complaint:
What is your complaint?
I panic in certain situations recurrently. I also panic sometimes for no reason in a situation I never panicked before.
When did the complaint begin?
I remember in the high school when I was 16 years old. But my parents say that I used to get blue when I was a kid. They took me to a heart specialist and he said that I will get ok with age. I don't remember any of this but my parents always associate my current condition to my childhood condition.
Where is it located?
I feel as if it triggers somewhere right under the rib cage (between belly and rib cage). It is not physical but energy which accumulates there. My abdomen region and chest contracts, my face turns red as if something is pulling everything towards one center.
What sort of sensations (and emotions) do you associate with it?
When does it tend to occur (time/day)
I didn't get the first part of the question sorry.
It can occur anytime. Specially when my mind is brought to 'life' again. For example in the morning when I wake up. I go through this panic every time.
Does anything make it better or worse?
I don't panic when I am sleeping. I don't panic when I am physically exhausted.
It occurs seldom when I am sleepy.
It gets worse when I am with someone and I am being judged.
I gets worse when I drink soft drink (Cola, sprite etc.) or coffee.
How does it bother you? How is it coming in way of your day-to-day life?
The panic attack results in strange face expression and I have to feel embarrassment sometimes in front of other people. I usually take it my mobile phone and start to look down just to avoid eye contact. Surprisingly, No one other than my family and some very close friends has noticed my condition.
It doesn't bother me at all in the daily life if I am alone and there is no one there to see me.
How does it feel like to have this/these problem/s?
I am not social. I hesitate to meet people. I avoid to keep an eye contact. This whole thing sucks. I want to go out, meet new people and hangout without any fear to chock but I just can't.
What is the effect of this/these problem/s on you?
I prefer to be alone at home. I think more about my condition and i think it is making it worse.
Did any event happen which caused the complaint?
I can't remember any such event.
What are the other symptoms started with it, esp. mental and physical symptoms, which are not directly related to the main complaint.
I am physically perfectly fit.
Umair1986 last decade
♡ Evocationer last decade
Umair1986 last decade
1. What are the issues in your life that bother you the most. Not physical issues but mental or emotional ones. List each one separately and describe why each one bothers you so much.
I think i am excessively humble. I usually absorb everything. I never get angry and if i do get angry i never let the other party know that. People usually appreciate my this approach towards things/people but i generally feel that sometimes it is counted as my weakness. Why i dont get angry? To avoid confrontation. I think it is just waste of time arguing with useless people over things which usually don't matter a lot.
2. What emotions are the most troublesome for you? What situations provoke these emotions. How do these emotions make you act? Do you feel any ill effects from expressing or not expressing these emotions.
I see people socializing. I want to do it too but i don't even take a step forward as i think i am not 'party boy'. I can't talk nonsense. I see people just for the sake of fun talking nonsense and I start to think that ' Am i wasting my time?' so i normally leave parties in the middle and sit home and do something more productive. I have best friends and i prefer to meet/skype with them. Summary: loneliness affects me. I am getting more and more anti-social.
3. What incidents in your life have had a deep impact on you? Describe each incident in detail and how they made you feel? What did you do in those situations? What effect have they had on your life?
I never have had any major incident in my life that could have changed my life.
4. What are you afraid of? Especially important are phobias, but it might be objects, situations or events that just produce a high level of anxiety. How do you manage your fears? How do you react when confronted with these fears? What would be the worst situation for you to be put in that would provoke these fears? You may need to talk about each fear/anxiety separately.
I have fear of unknown. The sense of anticipation kills me. I try to think about the future happenings and mostly I overdo it. For example, i am flying to another city. I try to make the whole scenario in my mind. How the security will check me? What if my luggage is overweight? What will i say? How will i say it? I think of all the details and mostly i am over prepared for events. But let me make it clear here, i overthink just because of my anxiety problem. I have constant fear that when for example the customs guy will ask me to open luggage i will panic and that will be embarrassing. When i am on meds and i am sure that i will not panic in any situation, i just forget everything and go with 'let it come' approach.
5. What hobbies do you have? Why do you like each of these activities?
I don't have any hobby. I am not consistent when it comes to doing one particular thing.
6. Do you have any persistent thoughts, ideas or beliefs that are difficult to stop or cope with? What are they?
Non i could think of.
Umair1986 last decade
I never felt any unusual sensation physically.
8. When you experience your fears, persistent thoughts, or difficult emotions, what kind of sensation or reactions do you get in your body?
When i have empty stomach i feel initially as if i have a vacuum developing inside me and then after that i feel as if i am about to vomit. I go through this sensation only when i am hungry. I have no idea if it has something to do with my anxiety. But this sensation fadeout when i am on medicine (xanax). After this sensation sometimes i get panic attack but not every single time.
My anxiety appears without any prior sensations but just seconds before the panic attack i feel awkward sensation in my body. It is not physical. I feel as if my mind is over processing. My mind triggers kind of energy that doesn't find any way to get out of my body but through panic attack. I can feel that my mind is culprit. I vomited twice after lunch when my stomach was full due to panic attack. The whole body specially the abdomen muscles contract and push everything outwards. My stomach i guess suddenly don't have enough room.
9. When did you feel at your best in your life? What was that like for you? If you imagine the complete opposite of this feeling or moment, what would that be like?
Your question makes me realize that i never felt best in my life. I got admission in the world's best university and i started to worry about joining procedures. I got the degree at the graduation ceremony. Before going to stage i was worried that i might panic on the stage at the prime moment. After taking the degree i was relieved that i didn't panic at that particular moment. Though i panicked afterwards but when no body seeing it ... i damn care 😊
I went for a job interview. I was worried that i would panic when they call me in. After i got the job i was happy that i didn't panic when it mattered.
I never felt best because i always know best is yet to come and i never felt really low as i know i gonna get through this.
I am just writing my heart out and i have no idea if words are really making sense. Please ask if i am not to the point answering.
10. Do you feel like you are stuck in a pattern of behavior, especially when trying to deal with your problems? What is this pattern?
Exactly, worrying about panic attack, having panic attack, post-panic time (which i love the most) and then again the same cycle.
Point to note:i dont always panic when i am thinking about having attack. Sometimes it just happens.
11. What difficulties or problems do you have in relationships? Talk about your family, your romantic relationships, your spouse or partner, your friends, and your work colleagues. You may need to talk about all of these separately.
No problem at all. Everything is just perfectly the way i want.
12. List 5 positive things about yourself. Are there any situations where this positive attribute becomes negative (is a problem)?
- as mentioned i am very calm person. It becomes negative when people start to take it my weakness.
- i don't get depressed easily.
- i plan everything to perfection. But sometimes i overdo it.
- i am innovative and don't hesitate to try things.
- i am intelligent.
13. List 5 negative things about yourself. Are there any situations where this negative attribute becomes positive (is useful)?
- i am jealous kind of a person. If someone is popular i won't admire him/her rather try to be like him. This is also kind of secret to my success.
- i am shy and very concerned about my repo and image.
- i am not flexible when it comes to certain believes.
14. Do you have any reoccurring dreams? Describe them in detail, including any feelings that come while dreaming.
No.
15. Did you have any reoccurring dreams as a child, or earlier in your life? Describe those in detail including any feelings that came with them.
No
16. What were you like as a child, your character, your personality, your fears, your dreams, your problems?
I had absolutely normal childhood. I don't actually remember a thing about my childhood because it was too normal. I was fearless.
By the way , i was very slim when i used to be in school and later in the university. Class fellows used to call me 'wooden stick'. I used to eat a lot but still. When i started job, i thought no body takes me seriously because i look too young for my age. I was 23 year old then. I started to do gym and bodybuilding. Now i have good physical shape. Another point to note is ' i dont lose or gain wait no matter how much i eat ' i weigh 70kg plus minus 2 kg. But this whole thing has nothing to do with my panic attack. As i panicked throughout my university life and even now.
17. What kind of environment did you grow up in? What problems where there at home, with your family, with your parents, with your siblings, with school?
I never have had any kind of problem with my family.
Umair1986 last decade
I never have had any major incident in my life that could have changed my life.
Are you saying that nothing has had an impact on you in your life? No event, no occurrence of any kind? That is interesting if true, but I want to make sure that is what you are saying. Nothing has ever really affected you in such a way that you felt an after-effect of some kind, emotional, mental or physical?
♡ Evocationer last decade
I don't have any hobby. I am not consistent when it comes to doing one particular thing.
Do you mean there is nothing you enjoy doing, things that you do to relax or create pleasure for yourself?
♡ Evocationer last decade
I panic in certain situations recurrently. I also panic sometimes for no reason in a situation I never panicked before.
What are these recurrent situations? You said there are certain ones - describe them in detail.
♡ Evocationer last decade
♡ Evocationer last decade
1. Sleep
- what position do you tend to sleep in?
I change position very frequently. Sometimes i sleep on my back and the the next day i sleep on my belly. For me it doesn't matter.
- what position can you not sleep in?
I find it hard to sleep when i am sitting upright. I can actually sleep when sitting with table infront but head should be on the table.
- do you do anything unusual in your sleep?
No. I find some saliva marks on the pillow when i take side during sleep.
- any problems with going to sleep, staying asleep, or waking up?
No
2. Appetite - What foods do you crave/desire strongly?
Fried food.
- What foods do you hate eating (have an aversion to)?
None
- What foods have a negative effect on you or cause symptoms?
Coffee, tea and coke aggravate anxiety. I don't drink any of those at all.
- What foods have a positive effect on you or seem to improve your health or symptoms in some way?
None
- What is the effect of hunger or fasting on you?
I get panic attacks and in addition the other condition i already explained earlier.
3. Thirst - What drinks do you crave/desire strongly?
Water
- What drinks do you hate to take (are averse to)?
Coffee, tea
- When are you most thirsty?
After some exhausting work
- When are you least thirsty?
Couldn't find an appropriate answer
4. Stool - Do you have any problems with your bowels or passing stool?
No. I pass stool every second day.
- What is the shape, color, odor of the stool?
Cylindrical, brownish yellow, can't describe odour
5. Urine - Do you have any trouble passing or retaining urine?
No problem
- What is the color, odor of the urine?
Colourless when i drink sufficient water. Deficiency of water makes it brownish yellow.
- Do you have any sediment or debris in the urine?
No
6. Sweat - How do you feel about the amount of perspiration you have?
Nothing extraordinary
- Where do you have the most sweat?
Underarms
- What is the odor?
Peculiar odour ...
- What color does it stain clothing?
Yellow
- Does anything in particular cause you to sweat abnormally?
No
7. Sexuality - Any problems with your sexual desire?
No
- Any problems with your sexual ability or function?
No
- Any history of sexually transmitted diseases?
No
8. Menses (Women)
- How many days is your cycle?
- How many days does the flow go for?
- What is the appearance of the flow?
- What is the odor of the flow?
- What kind of stain does the flow leave?
- Any discharge before, during or after?
- Any pain before, during or after the flow?
- What symptoms come before the flow?
- What symptoms come after the flow?
9. Environment How does the weather affect you?
It doesn't affect me at all.
- How does the temperature affect you?
No effect
- How does the season affect you?
No effect
- What physical activities affect you?
I feel more charged up. Physical activities divert my thinking and hence less panic attacks.
- Is there anything else in the environment you are sensitive to?
No
10. Anything else you feel is important that hasnt been covered by previous questions
My belly gets large (like in pregnancy)after eating too much.
Talking about anxiety doesn't result in anxiety. I didn't have a single panic attack while answering you now.
Talking about my situation makes me feel good.
Umair1986 last decade
♡ Evocationer last decade
The remedy I would like to start with is Baryta sulphurica. I will give you a brief picture of the remedy as it applies to your case.
'Baryta sulph has a similar kind of timidity to Baryt carb, which varies from occasional feelings of awkwardness in the presences of others, all the way to traumatic episodes of anxiety that totally disrupt their life. For many Baryta sulph individuals, timidity is a chosen, preferred style of life; for others it is an imposed life sentence without the possibility of parole.'
'They are absorbed in themselves and their own problems. They are constantly theorizing and analysing everything. They are largely introverts and they need a great deal of privacy and solitude.'
These individuals feel intimidated and awkward in certain situations with certain kinds of people. Their discomfort is strong enough to disturb their social lives and inhibit their functioning, making it difficult or impossible to say what they think or do what they would like to do.'
'This type of anxiety may take the form of blushing and feeling embarrassed ... they may attempt to fade into the woodwork because of an underlying terror of being in public (wallflowers).'
'They have timidity due to their lack of social skills or their lack of confidence in themselves. They do not have the social skills necessary for keeping the machinery of human relationships functioning smoothly. They don't know how to start a conversation, ask for a raise, speak up in class.'
'They are chronically shy. They experience extreme dread whenever called on to do something in front of people, and are rendered so helpless by their overwhelming anxiety that their only alternative is to flee and hide. They do not look you in the eye.'
'This fear is so great that it causes inhibition, and their chances for social success are diminished. It feels better and easier to avoid the anxiety of socialising than to go ahead and risk failure. The more they avoid these situations, the more they depend on family members for all their emotional support.'
'Because these social fears control the Baryta-sulph individual, they go to great lengths to avoid interacting with others. If they are in social situations they do whatever they can to avoid mingling with people. They avoid anxiety instead of confronting it, and they limit themselves in ways that will cause loneliness in their personal lives, which ultimately leads to depression.'
'Their social anxiety becomes so great it becomes social phobia. They have a persistent irrational fear and compelling desire to avoid situations in which they may be exposed to scrutiny by others. This fear of being scrutinized by others includes not only the evaluation of performance, but the fear that anxiety symptoms will become obvious. Obsessive thought patterns may arise - 'they can tell I am nervous, they can see me sweating etc' - which will often occur alongside the physical symptoms of anxiety.'
'These people have difficulty making eye contact, avoid obligations and decision making, and do not like to reveal themselves. They seldom want contact with others, and feel very uncomfortable if they are observed or judged. They want to interact with people but their fears keep them from doing so. They let anxiety control how they will spend their time. There is no time where they can relax, as there is tremendous activity of the mind. They are so fearful of anything social that they choose to stay home and be alone rather than attend a social function. They can swing between grandiosity and collapse (extremes of confidence).'
If you can obtain Baryta sulphurica 200c, preferably in liquid form, we can start with a single dose.
[message edited by Evocationer on Fri, 03 Oct 2014 04:55:34 BST]
♡ Evocationer last decade
I am observing my condition very closely and yesterday I realized that I panic more when I am going upstairs (ascending in general).
On 29th of Sep I was completely to my normal condition.
Please confirm if this is the right remedy.
(This post contains an image. To view the image, please log on.)
Umair1986 last decade
The description of Baryta-sulph I gave states several times that the patient does not feel better on their own - 'persistent fear' 'no time when they can relax' 'loneliness' 'depression'. They remain on their own to avoid the social discomfort, but this does not mean they are better on their own.
♡ Evocationer last decade
Umair1986 last decade
Take Zincum Met at 11:00 am
and Nat Mur at 4 : 00 pm.
Take for at least 15 days and see response. i hope u will improve much.
To make ur nervous system strong again after 15 days try these remedies.
Causticum 1 M one dose at 11:00 am for three days
Lechasis 200 at 4:00 pm for three days.
ayesha1968 last decade
It is against homoeopathic principles to prescribe two remedies at once (law of the single remedy). It is also against homoeopathic principles to prescribe so much medicine (law of the minimum dose). 15 doses of 200c is a serious overdose, add another 15 doses of a different remedy at the same time and you are playing Russian roulette with the patient.
He cannot be all 4 of those remedies - they all have very different pictures, with very different basic conflicts and issues.
You also cannot know what remedy he will need once a previous remedy has done its work. The whole picture should change and you would need to take the symptoms again before prescribing further medication.
Homoeopathy has rules which are put in place to safeguard the patient and create the most efficient path to cure. Breaking them puts patients at risk.
[message edited by Evocationer on Sun, 12 Oct 2014 21:53:42 BST]
♡ Evocationer last decade
[message edited by ayesha1968 on Mon, 13 Oct 2014 18:19:18 BST]
ayesha1968 last decade
I today received my order and mistakenly they have sent me 30 potency. Should I return it or this potency is also acceptable to see if remedy is right.
In case you advise to take this remedy, please let me know the dosage.
Thanks
[message edited by Umair1986 on Thu, 16 Oct 2014 18:09:46 BST]
(This post contains an image. To view the image, please log on.)
Umair1986 last decade
To post a reply, you must first LOG ON or Register
Important
Information given in this forum is given by way of exchange of views only, and those views are not necessarily those of ABC Homeopathy. It is not to be treated as a medical diagnosis or prescription, and should not be used as a substitute for a consultation with a qualified homeopath or physician. It is possible that advice given here may be dangerous, and you should make your own checks that it is safe. If symptoms persist, seek professional medical attention. Bear in mind that even minor symptoms can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition, and a timely diagnosis by your doctor could save your life.