I feel like I'm dying

Posted by srodriguez @srodriguez, Jan 26, 2012

i am a healthy (I thought) 43 year old female. 2 weeks ago I was at work. Stood up. Got this pulled muscle sensation in my back around my bra strap area. I then proceeded to have chest pain, shortness of breath, flushed, sensation of hot liquid seeping out into my chest, dizziness, and numb and tingly all over my body. I felt like I was gonna pass out or die. I was rushed to the ER. After several tests, and an overnight stay, they discharged me the next day with Synthroid (thyroid just a tad low) and Flexeril for my back pain. I still had the shortness of breath. But they assured me my heart and lungs were fine. Did not do any x-rays or anything for my back. The next day I was pretty much laid out at home due to the flexeril. The following day, I decided to go back to work. Got up, took a shower, then I started having all the same symptoms as before. I had my son take me to the ER again. They did several tests, said my heart and lungs were fine. The doctor diagnosed me with GERD, and sent me home with Prilosec. I took Prilosec for 4 days, then my PCP had me try Protonix, which by the way, both of these gave me horrible side effects (confusion, delirium-hallucinations) and were not helping my stomach pain and nausea. So, she started me on Zantac, which worked wonders the first couple of days, but seems to have worn off now too. Also, after numerous testing, doctor said my Vitamin D was low, was 11, and should be between 30-80. So I started taking Vitamin D3--400 units. 2 weeks later, I have been to the ER three times, had an endoscopy just yesterday (doctor said everything looked fine, but sending off stomach sample for biopsy). Still taking Zantac, and Vitamin D. Trying to eat more foods rich in Vitamin D and calcium. I continue to have nausea, stomach pains, body very weak, losing weight, diarrhea, dizziness, flushed and feel like passing out. I can't sleep, and feel very dehydrated. Every morning I feel like I'm dying with these symptoms. It feels as though it hurts from deep inside my muscles or bones, even my joints in my fingers and elbows hurt. Closer to noon, I feel a little better, try to eat a little something, then it starts all over around 9 or 10 in the evening, and keeping me up all night. I WAS TOTALLY FINE UNTIL 2 WEEKS AGO, THEN ALL THIS STARTED HAPPENING. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST GONNA SHRIVEL UP AND DIE.

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Hi. I know this post was originally made a few years back but i have just found it & i am so thankful (in a weird way) that there are other people that feel this way, i have been made to feel as though im making up my symptoms anytime i go to a doctor. Im 23 & have been having these exact symptoms for about 3 years now, although in the last 2 years they have got worse. Im at the stage now i can barely eat because of the pains and swelling i would get, i wake up every morning feeling as though im hungover (the best way i can explain it) my body doesnt feel like my own, i cant remember what its like to feel normal.

Every blood test my doctor does comes back clear & i really dont understand how because i cry with how i feel like my body is going to give up any minute. A few weeks back i was told my prolactin levels are too high & my male hormones levels (ive been asking about PCOS since i was 14/15 cause it runs in my family & i cant even get a referral to be checked for womens health issues) my stomach will swell out like a pregnant belly, the pain that brings makes me almost physically sick, i get really fast heart beating throughout the day - almost like bad nerves - which makes me to have dizziness, im constantly tired, nauseous, light headed, im that weak i tore my skin trying to open a bottle of juice.

Any help or advice on what to ask my doctors or where to go for a bit of help would be greatly appreciated. I feel like i cant enjoy my life.

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@shanam23 - Welcome to Mayo Connect! I understand how awful you must feel! Have you seen your PCP? Did this doctor order the tests? It sounds as if an Endocrinologist could be able to help you. Hormone Imbalance could cause a lot of the symptoms you are experiencing. If you need to get a referral ask your PCP. You don’t have answers yet and normal results on some blood tests does not make you feel better.

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Look into mast cell activation disease. I have it and have a lot of what you are describing. It’s not well know about so you will have to find a doctor that knows about it. Wikipedia actually has a good description of it. I see specialists in Boston for it. Email me if you have any questions: djrhondav@yahoo.com

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I had a lot of your same symptoms and it turned out to by an enlarged gallbladder which was first seen on an ultrasound. I felt as if I was dying as well because the pain was so overwhelming. I didn't have any stones or disease anywhere else. The pain has gone and so I am very cautious about what I eat which I have always been but now am even more so. I hope they find out what is going on with you.

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I can imagine how you feel? What a night mare!
I only wish I had the answers you need!

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Do you have pain in your left side? Ribs?

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I had pain that radiated to my right back for about 3 days but then it all passed. All my scans did show that I had an enlarged gallbladder though but labs were good and after the pain subsided I decided to do nothing for the time being

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Thank you everyone for the replies. I would sometimes take pains from my waist up to my heart, its hard to say where ill feel the stabbing kind of pain - it seems to mainly be nearer to my heart but can change

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@monkeytine

Please go to the ER and get tested for blood clots in the lungs. (pulmonary embolism) These are the EXACT symptoms I had last week and almost died because I was misdiagnosed due to otherwise being completely "healthy." But if you really are having these symptoms, do not wait another minute., Go and get a CT scan of your chest. Accept nothing less because x rays do not pick these up and blood tests can even fail to show enough symptoms. A head CT would not show this either. My blood test as I laid in the hospital was only slightly too high in only one category, and they said it would've been overlooked if that was the only test I had. CT scan with contrast is what you need to truly rule out PEs. And they are so much more common than we are lead to believe. I have a handful of friends who are now coming to me with their stories and we are all young and healthy, male and female. All symptoms sound exactly like what we all have experienced. I would shoot upright in the middle of the night for a couple weeks before treatment and felt intense panic and anxiety, unlike anything I've had before. I kept joking with my best friend that I thought I was dying. I had intense, deep fear that I truly was dying, but I still brushed it off at first. Breathing was ok too right up until a huge clot broke off and blocked my lower right lung. I now have permanent damage from it, but thankfully that happened or else I may have never gone back to the doc until it was too late. It happens to the best of us! Please get checked out again. Your gut is telling you something is still wrong and blood clots are some of the most missed issues in healthcare. If you have already been to the ER 4 times, this is proof that something is terribly wrong. I'm surprised they haven't already done a CT scan of your lungs! Of course it could be something else, but this needs to be ruled out asap.

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Thank you for this story. I am surprised the head of Pulmonology at one reknown Hospital in CA dismissed further investigations into the symptoms I was exlplaining to her.

It was worth it to get a second opinion as they asked further questions and even had a nurse follow up via phone after initial doctor visit asking if I’ve had swelling in my legs. Though I have not had swellling, I have had painful circulation in my arms, hands, fingers, legs, toes, as well as a punching sensation in veins of my chest. Will follow up with Doctor accordingly to ask for an ultrasound of my legs, arms, and heart. Sounds like another CT scan may be helpful but this time with contrast.

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You should Look for a funcțional doctor to send you for a GI Map test -a comprehensive stol test …you will Find out everything wrong in your gut. I was felling like you almost, and i discovered with the GI Map test that I had a parasite and a bacterial infection. Like you I ended up in the ER 3 times and they find nothing!
Please take care of yourself!

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