What is wrong with my husband? - Open to All Other Health Topics Message Board

ankbutler · 07-07-2006, 01:55 PM

My husband has been ill for the past 9 1/2 months. He began with shortness of breath, chest pain/pressure and dizziness. Those symptoms have gradually gotten worse and now he is experiencing fatigue and muscle weakness.
Dr.'s first checked his heart, EKG, ultra sound, stress test, holter moniter, even a heart cath. Everything is okay there. They have also checked his lungs and say he has asthma, but he has tried many different asthma medications(singulair, advair, pulmacort, asthmanex --just to name a few) and they have all made him feel worse. We are now waiting to see a rheumatologist. Over the past several months we have seen 8 different doctors and no one knows what is wrong with him.
A little over a year ago he was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia which we have mentioned to every doctor. All of them have said that it is not likely that this could cause his symptoms. I have read some things that would lead me to believe that the hernia could in fact be causing all of these.
Does anyone else have these symptoms? Could it be the hernia? What has worked for you?

_mystictiger_ · 07-07-2006, 02:34 PM

Hi there.

Hiatus Hernia is a Hernia higher up in the abdomonen, just under the chest wall. This can cause dizzyness, feeling of and being sick, headaches, sharp or dull chest pain and a lot of heartburn and chest discomfort. Your husband needs to be put on some medication for his Hernia if he isn't already on some.

Also low oxygen levels will cause the breathlessness and so will Asthma that isn't controlled. He should get some bloods done to check his oxygen levels and to rule out Anemia (Anemia can cause these symptoms too) and pester the doctors till they do something. Take care.

ozzybug · 07-07-2006, 02:56 PM

ank-
Keep the appointment with the rheumy, but, in the mean time, please consider making an appointment with a GI specialist as well. If you see a GI doctor, let him know about the hiatal (sp?) hernia diagnosis and the symptoms your husband is having. He may feel it warrants and upper GI study.

You are doing the right thing by doing research and not accepting the first opinion you get. This is your husband's health you are dealing with. My cousin had major GI problems as a pre-teen. None of the doctors could figure out what was wrong with her. I told her mom to please see a pediatric GI doctor because I felt like her symptoms matched Chrons to a "T". Well, she spoke with my cousin's primary and he said, "No, kids don't get Chrons. That kind of thing shows up in the early 20's or even later." Guess what- she finally went to a GI and surely enough, my cousin did/does have Chrons.

My point is, you keep searching until you find an answer. The more research you do, the better chances you have of understanding how to help the doctors to help you to help your husband. There is nothing wrong with an informed patient.

Please keep us posted. I do hope you find the answer soon, and I am also sending wishes and hopes that this will be something that will be taken care of swiftly so that your husband can stop feeling so bad.

Lezlee

LexiLex · 07-08-2006, 10:24 AM

Hi ankbutler,

I am sorry your husband has been so sick. Keep going to the doctor, asking questions and doing research until you find the answers. And then get a second opinion!

I just wanted to ask if your husband has been tested for Lyme Disease. I also got sick a year ago. I knew something was wrong and visited many doctors, had lots of tests and scans but no one could figure out what was going on. My sister-in-law told me that her ex-boss had my same symptoms and I finally got diagnosed with Lyme Disease about 2 and 1/2 weeks ago. It's crazy stuff. There are lots of horrible symptoms. But, it is a bacteria and with time and the right treatment, cureable. My doctor did a test for Lyme last summer, but it was negative. It could have been the timing, or it could have been that it was not a reliable test. If you do any research, you'll find out it is very hard to test for. My sister-in-law was the one who told me you need to send your bloodwork to a reputable Lyme Lab (IgeneX in Palo Alto, CA is one). Mine came back positive, but there are many people (you'll find them on the Lyme board) who get a clinical diagnosis without a positive test. The tests can be that bad!

Obviously I don't know your husband and I am not a doctor, but it's worth a least taking a look at.

Good luck,
Alexia

BioAdoptMom3 · 07-08-2006, 10:32 PM

I agree that the hernia could have something to do with many of these symptoms. Reflux, which is sometimes caused by this type of hernia, produces many of the same symptoms. I was also wondering if they had checked his thyorid? Those are all symptoms of an overactive thyroid. You could also be dealing with some type of vitamin or mineral deficiency. I had many of those same symptoms (dizziness, shortness of breath, muscle weakness, etc.) and on routine blood tests they found I had low potassium.

Nancy