Unsure where to go next. - Open to All Other Health Topics Message Board

danaz · 05-30-2005, 03:29 PM

If anyone has any advice I would be very thankful.
I have been having problems since Jan. '04. It started one day at work I started to get dizzy, with slight chest pain and tingling in limbs, and nausea. At one point I started to blackout, they subsided and finally I could drive. I ended up in the ER and after blood and urine test, head CT, EKG, all negative they sent me home. I went to my Doctor, and over the next few months I was sent to a cardiologist, for echocardiogram, 2 stress tests. I aso had ultrasound of my catoids done. I had a sprial CT of my chest. Head MRI. Nothing. Sent to an ear specialst, complete check of my inner ear and nothing. Next stop a neurologist. Had an eeg and tested my arms for muscle reaction and only sure thing he came up with in my wrists was carpal tunnel. Since my head MRI and eeg were negative, he said it was still possible I had some small seizure's and recommended I try Lamictal and if it worked that was it. Well I got up to 50mgs and started feeling great. I would have 1 or 2 days a month with very minor and short spells, 30 minutes or less.
Feb '05, it all came back. just as strong. I went again to an ER and they noticed my BP waas high. 169/111. they checked blood sugar and normal. after about 3 hrs bp down to 135/100 and sent home. my Dr, put me on some medicine to help w/bp and it started to come down, the Neuro increased Lamictal to 100mgs 2x a day. Still same. I can get 2-3 days with little to no symptons. Then because I haven't been able to clear it up, he also added 2 weeks ago Trileptal. I am up to 150mgs 2x a day. I had 4 days last week with nothing. Then Friday while on a drive I had to pull over and let my wife drive after 1 hour to our son's home. I forgot my bp tool but know it was elevated several times over the weekend. Generally my head and ears feel real warm like a sun burn. when I got home Sunday it was back up to 159/100, finally dropped to 129/93. Here are my symptons.
My right arm will feel tired, like I played catch for about 6 hours.
Head is foggy. similar to that feeling of just waking up in the morning. oday it has been all day. I have been up 8hrs so far.
Occasional dizzy spells usually very brief.
Once in a while mild chest pain. Feels like it is in the muscle, or down the middle.
Forgetfulness. I can forget what I walked in a room to get.
Nausea. Some stomach burning and pain. many times on rightside at waistline.
I usually can not drive on a freeway when dark, due to all the lights, ok at slower pace on surface streets and 99% of time ok in daylight.
I must watch and get plenty of sleep and eat something every few hours or it brings on symptons.
If I sit too straight up, or have any pressure across my stomach it starts. When real bad I get weakness in my arms and legs.
Blood pressue spikes. Like I said I feel my ears and face get warm, cheeks and lips feel like I got too much sun.
I had my appendix out as a child, gall bladder removed in 92.
Due to insurance coverage change I went to one doctor and after looking at my records said panic attacks and asked if I saw a psychiatrist for this. Not that it is not possible, but he also said this BEFORE reviewing my records. I have returned to my old Dr. and he is the one that so far has put me on medicine for high bp.

Sorry for this being so long, but I am starting to get stressed not knowing where to turn. Some friends say go and get a total body scan. Some say go to Mayo Clinic and pay ($$$$$$) for a thorough work up. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I missed 2 and 1/2 months of work last year due to this and 3 days this time around.
Thanks

DX- · 05-31-2005, 09:17 PM

Danaz,

Your list of symptoms is as frustrating as others who have posted here. No clear cut answers, and it even sounds like your doctors are a bit frustrated that they can't find answers either. No wonder your blood pressure is so high!

The most important thing for you to remember here, is that YOU are responsible for finding your answers -- and while your doctors are your primary references, they are obviously baffled. Since they aren't the ones suffering, you're going to have to take this on yourself. Here is an idea for how to approach your research. This is info that has been shared on this board previously:

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Create a spreadsheet for yourself and begin looking for cross-references. Maybe you begin by listing all your symptoms down one side of the piece of paper. Then start with one possible diagnosis (diagnoses would go across the top of the paper) and go down through the list of symptoms using checks and Xs or plusses and minuses or anything else you like that line up with that diagnosis. Then try another possible diagnosis (or a variation on the first one) and do the same thing. Eventually you should be able to weed out the impossibilities which would narrow your list down, at least.

You can also research just the symptoms. And group them -- all the blood pressure problems together, all the gastro symptoms together, etc. Each symptom would suggest a variety of diagnoses -- and they should correlate with what your findings are with each diagnosis.

You'll also have to allow for some of your symptoms showing up because your head thinks they should be there. Some of them will be red herrings.

The other thing to do, if possible, is to get ahold of your test and/or medical records and cross reference your spreadsheet with the findings in the records. The test results can be especially helpful. You can pick up terminology and phraseology that will give you even more details to look up.

Once you've developed your spreadsheet(s) you can take it to your next doctor's appointment. Even if you can't find a correlation, the doctor may be able to -- or it may even open up a whole new avenue of thought.
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Good luck. Let us know how it goes...