Disabling symptoms since distal bicep repair surgery. Any suggestions?

Posted by CoachT @stevetaylor721, Sep 5, 2021

Hello everyone, I have had some very debilitating symptoms for the past 6 weeks since undergoing a distal bicep repair surgery and desperately need your help. Prior to the surgery I was an active, pretty healthy 48 year old. The surgery was conducted under general anesthesia in which I was put on a ventilator. All indications are the surgery went well. I wasn’t worried about the surgery in the least, and had debated even getting it repaired as it didn’t hurt and wasn’t impacting my golf game. However, a day and a half after the surgery I got a very strange feeling that led to what I believed was a panic attack (I have no history of anxiety/panic so I wasn’t sure). Long story short after 5 hours of debilitating symptoms my wife drug me to the ER. Over the next week the symptoms never left and I had two more ER visits. For the first week and a half I never managed more than 2 hours of sleep a night due to the symptoms. For the past 6 weeks it has been a daily occurrence with only a short break in symptoms here and there. The best way to describe the symptoms is a rush of something akin to intense anxiety/panic that makes me feel sick and often leads to vomiting (especially early morning). However, my heart rate actually has plummeted into the low 50s over the past 6 weeks and never gets over about 62 even during the worst of the attacks. I bought an iWatch to monitor my heart rate and it is always low. I have lost 35 pounds in 6 weeks despite eating, and eating pretty normally the past week. I also get why I can beat describe as an altered state of consciousness, disorientation that comes and goes. I’ve tested negative for pheochromocytoma and even underwent a psychiatric evaluation which was completely normal. The psychiatrist even asked why someone would send me there as this was clearly a medical issue. Simply put, none of this is thought driven and I do not feel anxiety has anything to do with it. I’ve undergone extensive blood work which hasn’t shown cause, and the doctors are baffled. The endocrinologist I saw was sufficiently alarmed to refer me to Mayo, but my referral was rejected. At this point I can’t work, can barely function and am in a constant state of misery. Trazodone helps me get about 5 hours of sleep but I wake up at 4am and the symptoms start immediately. Any suggestions that I can take to my doctor would be so much appreciated!

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@sueinmn

Have you tried to get up when you awaken that early? Maybe to sit quietly in the dark and breathe deeply, or do something to distract yourself? Read, fold clothes, wash dishes...even video game if it works to distract you. That building feeling is likely anxiety - and if you can break the cycle it may calm down.

I have suffered horrible nausea at a times in my life - sometimes lasting for weeks or months. While eating is the LAST thing my body wants, I learned a trick about 40 years ago. As soon as that first niggling of what I refer to as pre-nausea begins, I very slowly eat an apple, skin and all. At times I may sip flat room temperature Coke (not diet) along with it. I have taught my husband to use this when his diabetes meds cause nausea, and I myself have been using it recently as I struggle with gall bladder issues.

Just trying to help find some coping strategies while you get to the cause.
Sue

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Sorry to bother you but my psychiatrist has me on Mirtazapine 90mg Valium 5mg Seraquel XR 100mg and Seraquel IR at night I struggle to get out of bed and have tremors in arms/hands and thick/light head every morning

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@yodren

Sorry to bother you but my psychiatrist has me on Mirtazapine 90mg Valium 5mg Seraquel XR 100mg and Seraquel IR at night I struggle to get out of bed and have tremors in arms/hands and thick/light head every morning

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Hello, I'm not quite sure if you have a question, but you might want to inquire here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/getting-off-of-seroquel where others are using these meds.
Sue

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I have had too many surgeries to share but the recovery from the anesthesia have been very different each time. I have even woken up during one surgery. Symptoms I have suffered have been very different to none at all. I said all of that to suggest you talk to the doctor/nurse who administered the anesthesia.

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I recently had a small stroke. It was deep in the white matter of my brain. I am now on aspirin for blood thinning and a blood pressure medication. I am pretty freaked out about this experience. I am 71 years old and live by myself. Has anyone else had this experience? Did you tell me about what it was and What you are doing now?

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Hi all, just wanted to post a quick update- unfortunately I am still experiencing the same symptoms and have been unable to return to work or live a functioning life for the past 10 weeks. I have had extensive testing done and been put on many additional meds over the past couple of weeks, but without any positive results (and with quite a few negative ones). My heart rate continues to be very low during the episodes, which are most of the day now, though have become somewhat less intense. I recently drove out of town to an integrated medicine clinic specializing in hormones to get extensive testing done for imbalances, which my local doctors wouldn’t order. I don’t know if it will show any results, but I am of course desperate to try anything at this point. I am also going to try acupuncture in a couple of weeks for the same reason. I will say that the local doctors are trying, but they just can’t pin it down. Anxiety treatments have provided no relief, nor has corticosteroid or antibiotic treatments. My doctors all pretty much agree that this isn’t anxiety given the symptoms, failure of treatments, low heart rate etc., but at this point all they can offer is a SSRI…. I head to Iowa city university hospital at the end of next week so I am really hoping the doctor I am seeing will have an idea as to what is going on…. That’s it for now and I will update once progress is made. I have to believe that the docs will figure this out because the alternative is not doable…. Thanks all!

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@eczarniecki

I recently had a small stroke. It was deep in the white matter of my brain. I am now on aspirin for blood thinning and a blood pressure medication. I am pretty freaked out about this experience. I am 71 years old and live by myself. Has anyone else had this experience? Did you tell me about what it was and What you are doing now?

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I've had tia,s strokes that go away and one that didn't. I take horse chestnut for strengthen ING veins it works advised by a vascular surgeon. Aspirin caused bruising don't worry. I'm 72 so I understand. Do u have a life monitoring device ice? Take it easy. Take care

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@lynneat

I've had tia,s strokes that go away and one that didn't. I take horse chestnut for strengthen ING veins it works advised by a vascular surgeon. Aspirin caused bruising don't worry. I'm 72 so I understand. Do u have a life monitoring device ice? Take it easy. Take care

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Thank you for the reply. Until this surgery I was in pretty good health and was a happy, active person. It’s been a really rough period and the physical symptoms that resemble panic/anxiety are the worst. I’ve also noticed that my balance has gotten worse over the past week and I have constant ringing in ears, pulsatilla tinnitus in left ear in the mornings and spells of vertigo. So those are fairly recent additions to the laundry list of symptoms. I am hoping and praying that Iowa City hospitals can figure this out and get at least effective treatments for the worst of the symptoms so I can get my life back. I’ll keep you all posted and appreciate the thoughts! I hope you feel better soon and regain your health as well

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Good afternoon all. I’m not sure who, if anyone, is still following this thread but I figured I’d provide another update in case anyone out there with similar symptoms is looking for answers and wondering what progress I’ve made…. My symptoms are still very much the same and every morning feels like a life or death situation and absolute torture to get through. The afternoons are a bit better but I typically feel very nauseated and shaky, with a very “nervous” feeling that endures until the evening/night. Nights get better and normally by the time I go to bed I feel pretty decent and think maybe I am finally over whatever this is. Then morning comes and by 3AM it all starts again. As far as what has been discovered- unfortunately not much. I did get into Iowa City hospitals and had a couple of great doctors who believe my issues are neurological. I am scheduled for a continuous EEG in a few weeks to look for epilepsy as they think my “episodes” are in fact seizures. As much as that scares me to think about, I welcome a diagnosis at this point and will deal with whatever they discover- I just pray that SOMETHING is discovered…. Labs have also shown that I have very low B12, for which I am now taking injections. No improvement yet but it is early. Other than that, I continue to put one foot in front of the other and just fight like hell to make it through each minute of each day. Well, I shouldn’t say “fight” as I have pretty much lost hope at this point. More like just “exist” each day! I truly hope all is well with you all, and those of you who are suffering are finding relief. I probably won’t post again unless there is a breakthrough I can share that may help you kind folks. Take care and God bless!

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@stevetaylor721

Good afternoon all. I’m not sure who, if anyone, is still following this thread but I figured I’d provide another update in case anyone out there with similar symptoms is looking for answers and wondering what progress I’ve made…. My symptoms are still very much the same and every morning feels like a life or death situation and absolute torture to get through. The afternoons are a bit better but I typically feel very nauseated and shaky, with a very “nervous” feeling that endures until the evening/night. Nights get better and normally by the time I go to bed I feel pretty decent and think maybe I am finally over whatever this is. Then morning comes and by 3AM it all starts again. As far as what has been discovered- unfortunately not much. I did get into Iowa City hospitals and had a couple of great doctors who believe my issues are neurological. I am scheduled for a continuous EEG in a few weeks to look for epilepsy as they think my “episodes” are in fact seizures. As much as that scares me to think about, I welcome a diagnosis at this point and will deal with whatever they discover- I just pray that SOMETHING is discovered…. Labs have also shown that I have very low B12, for which I am now taking injections. No improvement yet but it is early. Other than that, I continue to put one foot in front of the other and just fight like hell to make it through each minute of each day. Well, I shouldn’t say “fight” as I have pretty much lost hope at this point. More like just “exist” each day! I truly hope all is well with you all, and those of you who are suffering are finding relief. I probably won’t post again unless there is a breakthrough I can share that may help you kind folks. Take care and God bless!

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Thank you for the update @stevetaylor721. I'm praying that they find some answers for you and a treatment that provides some relief. Looking forward to your next update.

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@johnbishop

Thank you for the update @stevetaylor721. I'm praying that they find some answers for you and a treatment that provides some relief. Looking forward to your next update.

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Thank you Sir

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