Aa
Running out of Possibilities
21 year old Male, 6 foot, 165lb. I have been experiencing a wide-range of unspecific and seemingly confusing (as my doctors tell me) symptoms for 7 months now. My symptoms include: Ear Ringing, Neck Pain, Joint/Muscle Pain/Tenderness, Abdominal Cramping/Nausea, Dizziness/Ataxia/Confusion, Palpitations, Shortness of Breath, Throat Tightness & Congestion, and Balance Problems -- (posted in no specific order of severity). These can occur simultaneously or all at once.. varying from the tolerable to the almost unbearable levels. These are the tests I have had so far:
- CBC Blood Panel ------(clean)
- 2 Thyroid Tests ------(clean)
- TSH Test -------------(clean)
- Basic Metabolic Panel (**elevated calcium)
- Brain MRI ------------(clean)
- 2 Chest X-Rays -------(clean)
- Parathyroid Test -----(clean)
- Heart Monitor --------(clean)
- Echocardiogram -------(clean)
- EKG ------------------(clean)
- Treadmill EKG --------(clean)
- Blood Oxygen Levels --(clean)
- Blood Pressure -------(125/70)
- STD's ----------------(clean)
As you can see the only slight abnormality was the blood **calcium.. which measured an 11 with a normal range being 8.4-10.2. I am running out of possible answers as more and more doctors seem to think I am fine. My Primary Doc wants to meet with me and talk about anxiety, but I don't know what I'll say -- I'm a very calm person most of the time.. im not stressed.. and these symptoms are SO severe sometimes I'm amazed Im not in a hospital. I eat healthy, too.
Any input on possible causes or directions to pursue are appreciated.
- CBC Blood Panel ------(clean)
- 2 Thyroid Tests ------(clean)
- TSH Test -------------(clean)
- Basic Metabolic Panel (**elevated calcium)
- Brain MRI ------------(clean)
- 2 Chest X-Rays -------(clean)
- Parathyroid Test -----(clean)
- Heart Monitor --------(clean)
- Echocardiogram -------(clean)
- EKG ------------------(clean)
- Treadmill EKG --------(clean)
- Blood Oxygen Levels --(clean)
- Blood Pressure -------(125/70)
- STD's ----------------(clean)
As you can see the only slight abnormality was the blood **calcium.. which measured an 11 with a normal range being 8.4-10.2. I am running out of possible answers as more and more doctors seem to think I am fine. My Primary Doc wants to meet with me and talk about anxiety, but I don't know what I'll say -- I'm a very calm person most of the time.. im not stressed.. and these symptoms are SO severe sometimes I'm amazed Im not in a hospital. I eat healthy, too.
Any input on possible causes or directions to pursue are appreciated.
Awadd - Go and look at Marshallprotocol.com
This antibiotic protocol has been treating fibro/cfs for the past year and been very successful indeed. Read the success stories.
You need to get your vitamin D levels checked (25D and 1,25D) which will give you a good idea if you have a Th-1 activated disease. The Marshallprotocol site explains in great detail.
If you have Th-1 (T-helper 1) activated disease, this is definitely your best bet.
Regards Gus.
This antibiotic protocol has been treating fibro/cfs for the past year and been very successful indeed. Read the success stories.
You need to get your vitamin D levels checked (25D and 1,25D) which will give you a good idea if you have a Th-1 activated disease. The Marshallprotocol site explains in great detail.
If you have Th-1 (T-helper 1) activated disease, this is definitely your best bet.
Regards Gus.
Sorry to hear about all you have been through. Several members of my family have a rare disease called Fabry Disease. Some of the symptoms are similar to what you described. You can read more about the disease at the Fabry Support and Information Group(FSIG). See if the other symptoms sound at all familar. If not than you can probably rule it out.
All the best to you,
Kathie
***@****
All the best to you,
Kathie
***@****
I hope he will order all of those tests I mentioned above, especially the cortisol, vitamin D (both tests, including the 1,25 hydroxy) and uric acid level. He/she should definitely order an ANA --- which checks to see if you have an autoimmune (non-specific) condition. Normally physicians will do this before they refer someone to a rheumatologist. In my case, I do have a very high ANA titer, but the rheumatologist couldn't diagnose me.. even with that. 5% of the population has a high ANA titer (as high as mine was: 1:640, but my Immunologist told me they are seeing more patients' with a long history of CFS who have high titers)
These are pretty much standard tets that they need to rule out CFS. I believe also the CFIDS Association of America has on their website, a list of conditions that physicians should rule out before they diagnose their patient with CFIDS. I know I did and checked everything before I was diagnosed, including food allergies. But don't let the name "CFS" fool you, CFS affects your immune, endocrine and nervous system.
I will surely keep posting my progress. My primary doc just sent me a message confirming that he put the order in for a CBC, a Liver Function Test, and a Hep C test. If nothing shows on them, I am going to meet with him and tell him everything in detail (this is a new doctor for me I have never met him in person). Hopefully, then, he will either order more testing or refer me to a rheumatologist or something similar to get more specific info. on my possible ailments.
What you described above is exactly what happens to me and other people who have been diagnosed with CFS. It took me years to get a diagnosis and I was as frustrated as you probably are right now. I also hated (still hate to be honest) the CFS diagnosis.. it was difficult for me to accept. They don't know what causes CFS and/or have a treatment. In addition, I look healthy so it is difficult for other people to understand how I'm feeling.
Thanks for the support, again. Just on a personal note, the most frustrating thing to me is that I have no idea how or WHY it started, I just know when. Also, my father is a doctor, he works in Emergency medicine. The fact that I have a doctor right there when I need him seems like a luxury but, in all honesty, it's discouraging. I tell him what's going on and he really doesn't think one thing could cause it. His reasoning is, "the possibly dangerous diseases that could cause this wouldn't do so in such a pattern as you describe." He is vexed by the fact that one momment I can be 100% fine, and 5 minutes later I can feel like I can't breathe, nausea, dizziness, throat tightness, all to the extent that I want to go to the hosptial. He claims that if it were a chronic disease, symptoms do not come and go within minutes, or usually even hours.. and yet mine can come on for 10 minutes, and completely leave as quickly as they came. That is why it is so odd and frustrating. It seems that, he says, if i had something like an autoimmune disease, things may come in phases but NOT phases of 5-20 minutes. I do try and assure him of how dehabilitating it really is, but I am met with uncertainty by almost everyone. I just want to know for sure this isn't something serious that I will regret setting asside later on, seeing as how so many doctors say that it is always best to catch things early -- but so many don't take you seriously unless you're bleeding out the ears! Anyway, I won't stop looking!
Your levels are fine- normal like you said. Not sure what to say except keep plugging away. I'll try to research some more. It could just be a virus, which take months to go away sometimes. Anyhow, do not be afraid of an anxiety fix, sometimes it can help you distinguish the biggest symptoms. I know no matter what i did i felt lousy, and knowing i was undiagnosed was causing anxiety and at times an increase in symtpoms. I took lexapro for 30 days only and I have to say- the dr. was right it did help a bit. I am no longer on it now. I have it if needed - but haven't the need for it now. It may be helpful for you until you find your answer.
Good Luck- don't stop searching for an answer-even if you must go to several different doctors!
Good Luck- don't stop searching for an answer-even if you must go to several different doctors!
If you or your father are interested... you can google "orthostatic intolerance" + "Dr. David Bell" --- there is a lot of information as to why CFS patients experience dizziness. It is also common for people with CFS to have low blood pressure. Dr. David Bell and Dr. Paul Cheney are two of the world's leading CFS researchers/physicians. There is also the CFIDS Association of America... they have a website. I joined as a member because I know how important it is for them to have more political power in Washington.
If you get diagnosed with CFS, remember you can recover from this. Some people do and others don't for some reason. Also remember that once you get a diagnosis, it is important to have continuous health care coverage from then on.
Best of luck with your search... KEEP SEARCHING and please continue to post and let us know how you are doing and if they finally give you a diagnosis, especially if it is CFS. This is a hard diagnosis to deal with sometimes because we look healthy. What is also hard is trying to get a physician who understands this syndrome and knows how to treat it. I am lucky to have found a great Endocrinologist who has been keeping up with the research and knew about the Marshall Protocol.
Yeah I have the same problem: I look very healthy and fit so people have a hard time believing anything could possibly be wrong. But I really do feel unwell. I was just at the mall shopping and the whole time I felt as though I was going to fall over -- felt very off-balance and dizzy/tired.
I thought I'd share that my Albumin level just came back elevated. WIth the addition of my elevated calcium, is that indicative of anything you know of?
well, perhaps a little thirsty, but not THAT thirsty. anyway, it wasn't WAY up there in elevation -- it was 5.4 out of a normal "high" level of 5.2
well, perhaps a little thirsty, but not THAT thirsty. anyway, it wasn't WAY up there in elevation -- it was 5.4 out of a normal "high" level of 5.2
well, perhaps a little thirsty, but not THAT thirsty. anyway, it wasn't WAY up there in elevation -- it was 5.4 out of a normal "high" level of 5.2
Will do. I am hoping my physician will cooperate, especially considering I begin school again soon (college student) and my availability for testing becomes less and less convenient.
IF YOUR THYROID LEVELS WERE NORMAL HOW DID THEY FIND IT. i AM CURIOUS BECAUSE EVERYTIME I TELL PEOPLE MY SYMPTOMS THEY THINK THYROID BUT MY LEVELS ARE ALWAYS NORMAL. WHAT WERE YOUR SYMPTOMS?
I was diagnosed as having a mutli nodular goiter on my thyroid but considering my levels have been great for 3 yrs the dr. didn't mess with it, however i finally went to an endocrinologist, as I had already seen my regular dr. who did exstensive blood work, I already saw a neurologist, infectious disease dr. and a lyme literate dr. too. The endo disagreed with my thinking it was in fact my thyroid but I pushed for another ultrasound which resulted in a biopsy, which resulted in the thyroid removal. I knew I was sick I knew something was wrong, The hardest thing for me was my memory,I went from multi tasking my multi-tasks to walking out of the grocery store and totally forgetting where I was and what I was even doing there! So as I say keep advocating for your health, and if the dr. offers something to help calm you, try it, it isn't forever! I am now better and i no longer need the lexapro because the dpression and anxiety are gone! So keep advocating for yourself and don't stop until you find an answer! Good Luck.
Yes, I have had two Thyroid Tests, a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test, and a Parathyroid test -- all of which were within the normal posted ranges. I don't have a copy of them but here are the numbers I have available:
PTH, intact: 37 -- (Low = 15, High = 65) in PG/ML
TSH (reflexive): 2.0 -- (Low = .5, High = 5.5) in MU/L
I don't have the #'s for the other 2 thyroid tests, but I was told they were normal and did see the sheets at one point.
PTH, intact: 37 -- (Low = 15, High = 65) in PG/ML
TSH (reflexive): 2.0 -- (Low = .5, High = 5.5) in MU/L
I don't have the #'s for the other 2 thyroid tests, but I was told they were normal and did see the sheets at one point.
All of the tests I mentioned earlier need to be run before they can officially diagnose you with CFS. Fortunately, I've had some fantastic physicians' (with one exception.. the woman I mentioned earlier). If your physician won't cooperate with you to find out what is going on, then I would suggest finding another physician who does. I would first check around and make sure they can diagnose and treat CFS patients'.
If your doctor isn't willing, then find one who is. It's your body, your health, you're paying for everything, you have to be persistant! I'm also on the MP (that Plateletgal was describing), its been almost 6 months and I know its working for me too. (Oh, I have FMS/CFS) It really does sound like CFS is a possibility, do try to check out the links Plateletgal gave you, its worth the time and research! Take care and keep us posted.
I would consider my symptoms much more along the lines of fatigue and lethargy rather than pain. I'll try to get all these tests done... it does seem, tho, that after I ask for so many tests the doc tends to get almost annoid as if I am trying to diagnose myself. Hopefully he'll be willing.
To be honest with you, I've never seen anyone with an elevated albumin level before. However, I have seen people with low albumin levels. It does make sense though that both your calcium and albumin are elevated because I believe they bind to each other.
Anyway, I googled it and found that an elevated albumin level is rare and can be due to:
dehydration, congestive heart failure, poor protein utilization, glucocorticoid excess (can result from taking medications with cortisone effect, the adrenal gland overproducing cortisol, or a tumor that produces extra cortisol like compounds & recovery from hepatitis.
Were you dehydrated when you had your blood drawn ?
You said your thyroid levels were normal, do you have a copy of them with the lab ranges of normal to post here? I had very similar symptoms and it turned out to be my thyroid, I am 2 weeks post thyroid removal and am feeling almost normal now. My thyroid levels were completely normal as well as all my other labs. After 4 months of feeling lousy I did try an anti deppressant to help calm me and it did work slightly, enough to know that my problems weren't anxiety or depression. Keep digging for your answer even if you have to see several new doctors. You are your best health advocate! Keep searching for the answer. I'm glad I did, I now feel my age instead of a senior citizen!
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Undiagnosed Symptoms Community
Discharge often isn't normal, and could mean an infection or an STD.
In this unique and fascinating report from Missouri Medicine, world-renowned expert Dr. Raymond Moody examines what really happens when we almost die.
Think a loved one may be experiencing hearing loss? Here are five warning signs to watch for.
When it comes to your health, timing is everything
We’ve got a crash course on metabolism basics.
Learn what you can do to avoid ski injury and other common winter sports injury.
