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I'm having multiple odd episodes that are keeping me undiagnosed. Help
Hello,
I posted before in another group in its entirety but I think it's too broad and there could be a multitude of theories and explanations. So I'm going to break my story down into my most bothersome episodic symptoms. To start, everything on the surface looks like panic disorder or anxiety. However, my different episodes seem to be helping each other keep me feeling frantic more days than not so on the surface it looks like anxiety. I've had lots of lab work testing including thyroid, Lyme, sleep apnea home test, brain MRI, spine MRI, abdominal ct scan, and way too many doctor visits with no answer, but they do agree on one thing. The symptoms are weird and seem to be more than just anxiety. There are little bits here and there but unfortunately not enough to go on.
Keep in mind these episodes aren't all going on at the same time but they're not giving me any recovery time and feel like i'm sinking further down the hole. It's like fighting 5 bullies one at a time and losing. Just as you feel like you can get up another bully hops in.
Episode 1: After waking up with head pressure, teeth chattering, shivering, lower back pain, and sweating. Oral temperature is ALWAYS between 93.8 F and 94.8 during these episodes. Also, every day is constant cold hands and feet that never happened until all of these episodes started.
Episode 2: Brain fog, head pressure that feels like you're being pushed down when standing (like when you've had one too many drinks), usually later in the day when that feeling wears off, I'll have adrenaline body tingling, uncontrollable thoughts of self-harm and head chatter. (Not dwelling on things or worried about things, it's just the mind doing what it does and I have no control.) Also, my eye will twitch like crazy before and during these.
Episode 3: When standing for a long period of time, like cooking or washing dishes, and sweating starts to happen my heart rate increases and get extremely dizzy and feels like I'm being physically pulled down.
Episode 4: An overly excited feeling, almost like needing to yell or run to get adrenaline out, Heart rate is low.
Episode 5. Sharp colon pain, yellow stools (frequently), stools that look sickly or unhealthy, and constipation more often than not. I had a colonoscopy recently and I was told everything looks good.
I've tried SSRI's and benzodiazepines and they don't stop these episodes from occurring. I've tried strict diets and those don't help.
If you have any thought about even one of these episodes please don't be shy to comment. Thank you so much for taking the time to read.
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@johnwes5819 Great thinking!
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1 Reaction@johnwes5819 John, I had non-alcoholic cirrhosis, also called NASH cirrhosis and caused by fatty liver that has not been diagnosed. Apparently, I had it for many years (10 was suggested by the hepatologist) before it presented itself. I had some other symptoms, like a low platelet count, shaky hands, and others that seemed unrelated to anything. Then I suddenly had an episode of confusion. The PCP I had at the time called me on the phone and told me she thought I had Alzheimer's! After that first one I had more, every few weeks or so. They thought these episodes were a neurological problem, thus the neurologist involvement. He literally scoffed at the idea of Alzheimer's.
It took almost a year and a half after the first episode of confusion before I was finally diagnosed. The confusion episodes are called hepatic encephalopathy (HE). By that time I had a new PCP but he too did not diagnose the problem despite multiple symptoms that I discovered afterward were all typical of cirrhosis. A few of these episodes put me in the hospital and that was when the neurologist suggested liver, so they did an ammonia test and sure enough, my ammonia level was high. When you have cirrhosis your liver is not processing things as it should. Normally it would filter out the ammonia but when it does not, it can travel to your brain and cause HE.
Please feel free to ask any other questions you might have.
JK
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3 ReactionsYour experience reminded me of the story of Susannah Cahalan in the movie "Brain on Fire". While the symptoms aren't the same, it took a doctor who looked for the rare "zebra" diagnosis to diagnose her with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. It literally saved her life. Prior to that diagnosis she was at one point told she was schizophrenic and put into a psych ward. I'm not saying her disease is causing your symptoms, but to point out that getting to a facility like Mayo that have all specialties under one roof and physicians who will work together and look outside the box for rare maladies could allow the puzzle pieces to be put together. Good luck and God bless. I hope you have a diagnosis soon.
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5 Reactionshas anyone done the cortisol and adrenal function testing? If those are normal - then you can find yourself qualifying for a different set of doctors - but I've for SURE get those done. there is a "stim test" that takes a baseline level of cortisol and then following an injection of something (they never told me what it was) they will take more blood tests to measure cortisol again. Check it out.
These symptoms are incredibly alarming! Are you in an area where alternative medicine is accepted? Alternative doctor? I have had very positive results with a good accuouncturist. Don’t go for fru fru aromas and music and incense. There is real scientific proof that it works if the accuouncturist knows what they’re doing. Also, get checked for Lymes disease.
Let me reiterate scout acupuncture, however. It works and it’s non invasive and non prohibitively priced. The worst that can happen is it doesn’t work, but you’re not adding anything to your body.
As you can, moderate exercise and fresh air - both of which can be accomplished by taking a walk everyday.
You have serious symptoms that should not be brushed off by any doctor.
I wish you luck and keep reaching out.
Yet the docs will never say “I don’t know”. And always charge you!
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2 Reactions@contentandwell I'm glad you finally found the problem but sincerely sorry to hear it took so long to figure out. I had requested an ammonia test done and it was not high. Most of my liver tests seem to be within range but I'm not always convinced by labs. The proof is in the pudding I say. If I have any more questions regarding the liver, I will definitely tag you. I appreciate you sharing your story with me. I wish you well.
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5 Reactions@that_girl A lot of people are undiagnosed and in the same boat. I did see the movie "Brain on Fire" and that definitely has got to be the worst. I definitely need a facility like Mayo in my corner. It's been an exhausting and devastating 2 years, to say the least.
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4 Reactions@frozsquash I did the saliva cortisol test a few weeks ago and where I provide a sample 4 days during the day. But never had a test done where I was injected with something. My saliva cortisol seems to be on the low normal side but within range of the test itself. I will look into the stim test. Seems interesting and never heard of it. Thank you.
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3 Reactions@secretwhitepop My current doctor is an ND and she seems like she means well. We've been doing lots of testing. I was checked for Lymes by MDL laboratories and they didn't find anything. My ND is not an acupuncturist. Thank you for your response and concern. I truly appreciate it. 🙂
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