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My diastolic # periodically goes over 100 while resting. My O2 rate drops to the 80s while walking. My EKG and sonograms, and Pulmonary function tests are all normal. I do have a positive ANA and Vestibular Migraine diagnosis. My cardiologist said, "I don't know why it's doing this. Perhaps you have some rare disease that we can't even help." That was the end of the appointment. Should I pursue this or let it go?
Replies to "My diastolic # periodically goes over 100 while resting. My O2 rate drops to the 80s..."
Please pursue at the Mayo Clinic. You will not get an answer like your current one there. Mayo will .oom everywhere for your problem. I am no doctor but it could be an autoimmune disease at which Mayo is in the forefront. Best to you and good luck!
Hello @evittan and welcome to Connect,
As @kanaazpereira has said, a second opinion is a very good idea right now.
High blood pressure as you have noted, is something you need to follow up on. If you do have a rare disease, as your cardiologist has suggested, even more of a reason to seek a second opinion at a multi-disciplined medical system like university medical school or a facility like Mayo Clinic.
Have you ever had a pulmonary stress test? This is where you walk on a treadmill (or pedal on an exercise bike) while wearing a mask over your face that registers your breathing as you walk on the treadmill. Your blood pressure and heart rate are also monitored. Here is a link to an article from the NIH regarding this procedure, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2734442/. Down on this page, there is also a picture of how the test is done.
A major heart center would be the best choice right now. If you live near one I would encourage to go there for a second opinion. Here is a U.S. News report on the major heart centers, perhaps you can find one near to you, https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/cardiology-and-heart-surgery
@evittan You mention vestibular migrane Right now I have to do ear exercises Have dizziness and balance problems same time sciatica pain my B.P. is high 160/96 Pain will be another factor in BP With all the Dr,s you have seen have you talked with your Ear Dr .?
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Hi, @evittan. I hope you can get a handle on your diastolic BP with the help of a doctor who cares. My experience includes some issues to consider as you look for a second opinion about your situation. My HMO set me up intelligently, sending me first to a nephrologist, (kidney specialist), and that turned out to be a wiser choice than trooping down the list of available cardiologists. In my case, the nephrologist partnered with an endocrinologist to examine whether hormones might be involved in my hypertension.
Of special interest to them was my adrenal glands which produce adrenalin and cortisol -- both of which inspire responses in a variety of organs and functions, for example, the heart, arteries, and brain. They focused on cysts on my adrenal glands which might be generating excess hormones that pressed my heart to respond as though I was in anxiety or fear. That turned out not to be the case. But they did come up with a rare condition in my kidneys -- the Lyttle Syndrome, a genetic problem that drains potassium from my blood and reclaims none of it, leaving me hypokalemic, with raised blood pressure. A few months later, my cardiologist diagnosed my atrial fibrillation which interferes with the function of my heart, causing another BP problem.
From this experience, you can guess why I am glad to have had a multi-physician medical team -- supported by my personal care provider (PCP) and consisting of nephrologist, endocrinologist, cardiologist, and pharmacologist (with incidental support from a neurologist with expertise in the brain's influence on hormones). Costs? Medicare took care of the main costs, and my HMO settled for $130 a month, plus a few hundred dollars a year for medications. Perhaps my adventures will give you some ideas for broadening your medical care and bring other experts to your treatment team.