Really bizarre symptoms occuring *UPDATE* from ENT visit
Last year I was running from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what was wrong with me. Endocrinologist, cardiologist, ENT, acupuncture and finally a homeopath.
Symptoms were heart palpitations/PVCS
Pretty intense insomnia
A kind of head rush feeling in the front of my face, starts behind my nose and then sort of rushes through the rest of my head. Mostly when lying down.
An occasional feeling of anxiety in my upper chest/bronchial area.
The occasional sinus headache and fatigue, sneezing that goes with allergies.
I am horribly allergic to ragweed.
This all scared me to death last year. I though it was my heart but echo showed healthy heart. Went to endocrinologist and he wanted to do some invasive test for adrenal failure (I knew that wasn't it so never went back). ENT wanted to do some weird test where they put you in a pitch black room and maneuver your body around (thought that was a bit alarmist so didn't go back). Homeopath seemed to help with it with natural progesterone thinking it might be hormone related since I'm in my late 40s.
Then it all seemed to resolve around end of Oct, November for sure. Then I slept like a rock every night. Sleeping like I hadn't slept in years.
Flash forward to August of this year and it's all back again - exact symptoms! The heart palpitations aren't as bad, mild and sporadic unlike last year's constant and powerful heart palps. But the INSOMNIA! It's like my eyes won't relax in my head when I'm laying down. I'm tired but my eyes feel tense and I'm beginning to wonder if the pressure of my sinuses behind my eyes could be causing some kind of feeling that I'm interpreting as tension. Then that in turn does make me tense and then I can't sleep.
I have found one french study that found people who suffer from allergies are 36% more likely to suffer from some form of insomnia or sleep disorder.
Anyone out there have anything like this. I'm sure if I presented this to my doctor (even though this year is a carbon copy of last year so I suspect ragweed as the culprit) the doctor will most likely have me running around like a crazy person from doctor to doctor again with no answer.
Any experiences similar would be welcome. My gut is telling me it's my allergies and for some reason mine affect me neurologically like black mold does to some people, affecting them in other ways than the standard sneezing, stuffy, itchy eyes thing.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
Thanks for the reply JaneWhite1!
This year I've been doing Flonase in the morning and allegra and pseudafed when I have a sinus headache. It has helped more than Claritan but the sleeping issues are driving me nuts! It really feels like my eyes are tight or tense and won't relax to fall asleep. And then that stupid head rush that starts behind my nose and spreads throughout the whole front of my face.
I was thinking of trying Zyrtec. I've never really had to work this hard on my allergies. But we had a pretty rainy July so there is a bumper crop of ragweed and sage growing and blooming (we live int he country so it's everywhere). What do you suggest might work better?
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
Do try Zytec, it works well for many people. Most people find Claritin is useless or nearly useless.
Sudafed is good stuff, but it does have stimulant effects, so it might be contributing to your sleeping problems and rapid heartbeat. Just something to think about.
It might be time to consider allergy shots, if your symptoms are really messing up your life for more than a few weeks a year.
Also, take steps to minimize exposure! Windows closed, AC on, maybe an air filter in the bedroom. Shower before bed and change the bedsheets frequently.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
And you must take it daily - at least for two weeks before ragweed season starts all the way thru 2 weeks after. Just when you are having problems is not going to do it. Sorry. It seems you don't like taking meds but your only other choice is the shots and you'd still need to take the antihistamine while you are on them. I also recommend zyrtec - very cheap, too. $17 at Costco for 365 pills.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
Thanks all!
I will try the zyrtec. I don't want to get into shots. This does last more than a couple of weeks with me. The weeds are so intense living out in the country that it will last for at least a month, probably more till it freezes. But it usually starts to let up after we get into Sept - at least it did last year.
Now that I know what I'm dealing with, I think I will eventually begin to figure out some system to minimize the symptoms. They haven't been all that bad, just the sleep issues, which could be part me. I go to bed and anticipate that head rush thing and then it becomes a vicious circle. But eventually I adapt to that too.
I'm glad to hear that this sinus pressure weird head rush thing that I experience really isn't so weird to many of you. That was the one that had me the most confused.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
I'm beginning to think that's what I have too-RAGWEED. My highschooler said the kids at school are complaining alot about their symptoms.
I've always gotten something related to headaches this time of year, but this year is different, where it started out with dizziness. No running nose or eye problems- just dizziness. LIke vertigo. Kinda funny how you can go to one doctor and they run tests related to their specialty rather than doing a little sleuthing or ruling out the most obvious causes first. I'm around your age too and we live in northern Illinois. Where do you live?
I've also checked out the pollen levels.
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Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
Hi Gwen,
I'm in Colorado. I looked at the pollen counts and found another weed called a chenopod that apparently dumps tons of pollen into the air. So I looked up what a chenopod looks like on the internet and we have those growing all over out here too So the circulating pollens right now where I live are ragweed, chenopods and sage - all of which is growing all over our property. Even if I mowed every acre, it's still growing on adjacent properties. There is no way to escape it .
It's rained yesterday and today so I don't feel as "fizzy" in my head. I have an appt with an allergy relief specialist. They use something called a BAX laser. I only read a little about it, but the laser is programed to do skin sensitivity tests and once the allergen is detected, that allergen will mildly introduced into the body while cold fusion laser is run along neurological pathways to produce a calming response to the allergen. It's supposed to help release endorphins so the body will stop reacting negatively to the allergen.
Sounds like snake oil, but a lot of reviews look promising. It doesn't sound any weirder than acupuncture opening up the flow of chi so your body functions better.
I have a coupon for a discounted consultation and one treatment. If I notice a difference, I'll come back and report!
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
O.K. well as long as they aren't charging you $5000.00 per treatment and requiring you to go to some hotel in Mexico to get it!
We have ragweed, chenopod, and nettle here. I walk down the road every nite for exercise and get a good dose of pollen, as I see loads of ragweed on the way.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
I was going to an acupuncturist last year when all of this stuff was going on but thought it was something completely different (heart related). He wanted to set me up on a 12 month program to the tune of $7000! Um, no. I asked this place if it was going to be shocking like that and they told me no. They said people who have many allergy issues that affect more parts of their bodies, like skin and/or digestive issues they may need more treatments. Most people only need 3-6 treatments.
I'll see what it's all about. I might like the idea or after my visit I might think coo-coo. I won't know till I go LOL.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
Um, there's no such thing as a cold fusion laser.
Regular allergy shots work really well. Last year, I was having daily asthma symptoms so bad I was practically disabled by them. Now? I still notice my allergies, but it's at least 80% better. Next year it might be better still.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
I was reading a whole bunch of different articles about the laser. I thought one said cold fusion laser. And if it did, I'm getting info from all different sources. And you know how that goes, some you take with a grain of salt and others are more reliable.
Since it's so inexpensive for the first visit where they will be able to skin test me for allergens, I'm going to keep the appt and listen to what they have to say about it. If it works, great. If not, at least I'll know which pollen is the major culprit and go from there.
Like I said, I really don't see how this is more out there than acupuncture. I did it last year and I really felt no great difference after going every other day for 2 weeks and then once per week for 2 more. I know it works wonders for some people. But the whole idea of opening pathways by sticking pins at pressure points seems kind of out there to me as well. This laser treatment with the introduction of the allergen sounds out there too. But I'll give it a try.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
Let us know what kind of information you can glean from it if you go.
When you mentioned in your 1st post about allergies affecting the body neurologically, I can say that I am easily excitable and sometimes even get the feeling that my nerves are shot
when affected by allergens.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
I can't understand how they affect my brain so much. I am really having a hard time sleeping. It's as if something is stimulating my brain and it just won't tip over to sleep. Last night I took some benadryl before bed to help fall asleep and with my allergies. I fell asleep around 10:30 and woke up around 11:15 but felt as though I had been sleeping hours. I thought my clock was wrong because, even though I still felt tired and drugged, I felt as though I had been sleeping for hours.
Then I couldn't fall back to sleep. I did fall asleep for another hour then awake again. Then I fell asleep only to wake up around 2:15 and got up and sat on the couch with the cat for awhile trying to relax. Oh, my heart pounded a hundred miles a minute for a few minutes till I drank water and tried to relax with the cat on the couch. I think I dozed on and off till I had to get up at 6am. So probably 4-5 hrs of sleep.
This happened exactly the same way last year. The insomnia got pretty intense as September wore on. And I'm seeing it happening again. And even if I feel I can fall asleep, I might start getting that head rush/fizzing feeling in my face and forehead which sort of startles me awake. Then that goes on for awhile probably creating flight or fight hormones and then sleeping becomes impossible.
It's driving me crazy because I have no answer and feel like I won't ever get an answer because it is so weird and not common to allergies. But I almost feel like my allergies affect me like that toxic mold does to people, it really messes with my brain and neurological system creating a kind of keyed up feeling.
I really hate this. I would so rather deal with sinus headaches or daytime fatigue if I could lay down in bed, clear headed and sleep. If this follows the pattern of last year like it has been for now, I won't have relief till the end of Oct or beginning November. Unless the allergy relief center helps. If not, I will go to another allergy specialist and see if they can help me. I've GOT to be able to sleep! Last year was brutal, just brutal not being able to sleep. And once it was gone, it was gone and I slept like a rock. That sure was a nice 9 months while it lasted.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
Took my daughter to pulmonologist today (for asthma). They usually tell me what viruses, allergens, etc. are going on currently. So I asked how the fall pollens were
affecting everyone this season so far. They said because of the prominance of the mold that started in summer and is still in full swing that they can't see the effect of the pollens.
Went out for my walk last nite and faced the enemy. I spotted the ragweed, chenopods,and nettle (stinging nettle here), and I turned to the stinging nettle and said,
"So what are you gonna do?-kill me?!!!! I know who you are now, nobody is dying from allergies! Ha Ha" And went on my way. It was a lovely brisk walk, the weather has cooled some, envigorating.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
I logically know allergies can't kill me either. But whatever is happening to me last night and today has me unnerved.
I went to my boys' field day today. I didn't want to stay long because I knew the weeds are starting to peak right now. But I did end up staying for about 2hrs and the wind was blowing - so blowing pollen all around me.
I left because I started to feel kind of loopy in my head. I got home, made lunch, started working on a little craft project I need for the boys' school and felt horribly out of breath. Then my heart started racing AGAIN, like last night. I got out our blood pressure machine and my blood pressure was low - upper 90s over upper 60s with a pulse of 100 and sometimes 100+ (I kept rechecking it). That lasted over an hour straight. I finally got it slowed down. Then I went to school to pick up my older son, sat in the car with the window open and a nice cool breeze blowing in and it started again!! It didn't last as long but it increased.
It was last year, tomorrow, I went to the ER with tachycardia and heart palps. And medical tests ensued from there with nothing abnormal found. It's a carbon copy of last year, so I have to believe it's allergies. Or it could be the allergy meds this year as I'm not having the heart palps all that often or severe - very sporadic. Just the racing heart rate.
I hope I find some relief with this allergy place or another if this doesn't work. I CANNOT live like this till it freezes and these damned pollens are put to rest for the winter. I don't know how or why my allergies got so severe. I've always had seasonal allergies but never, ever to this degree. It bums me out because fall is such a beautiful season here in Colorado
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
I really do think you are right about it being allergies.
Please try a few things for me.
Take a non-drowsy antihistamine such as Zyrtec every day. It may even be safe to take Zyrtec twice a day, if necessary.
Keep all your windows closed on your house. Keep any outdoor clothing out of the bedroom. Shower and rinse your sinuses before bed. Keep the windows closed on the car, and minimize time outside on those windy days.
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
It's just so frustrating that I have to become a shut in because of these bedeviling allergies!
I think my racing heart is dehydration. I have been pushing water for the past hour and a half and it's finally settled down. I haven't been very good about keeping up with my water intake while taking antihistamines.
I am going to try the zyrtec. I don't think the Allegra is helping. Maybe it is a little but not enough.
I just hate taking drugs. I'm very drug sensitive and my body rebels by doing other weird things in response to other chemicals and things going into it.
If this allergy center doesn't work next week, I think I am going to look into shots. I think my allergies are past being an annoyance but actually affecting my day to day life. If I can't sleep, then the allergy symptoms will only be worse. I need my head clear, I need my sinuses to not be changing pressure in my face when I'm lying down causing odd sensations that interrupt my sleep - and if allergy shots end up being the best solution, I'm ready. After these past couple of weeks, I'm ready
Re: Really bizarre symptoms occuring at the exact time they did last year
Irisrose, Just want to thank you for your postings. I can't believe I've lived almost 50 yrs. in this body and never consciously recognized I had fall season allergies. You were the voice to what I was experiencing and yeah, when you're not recognizing a symptom as something you've experience before, it is kinda scary. If that makes sense.
After facing my enemy (the stinging nettle) the other nite, I went into a full-fledged sinus and ear congestion thing and rough throat on Thurs., stayed inside on Friday and it's calming a little bit. That- I recognize as allergies, the dizzy thing-not.
Maybe I'll have to lay off the walking for awhile, but the exercise is so good and helped my sleep. A ray of hope came in today when I drove past the field with the nettle -- the county guy was mowing it all down! Just had to laugh.
take care, keep us posted. ~Gwen
So the circulating pollens right now where I live are ragweed, chenopods and sage - all of which is growing all over our property. Even if I mowed every acre, it's still growing on adjacent properties. There is no way to escape it .
