Questions posted in the Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Subject: Re: PLEASE HELP WITH ORTHOSTATIC HYPOTENSION
Forum: The Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum
Topic Area:
Posted by CCF Neuro MD *!* on December 30, 1997 at 00:20:12:
In Reply to: PLEASE HELP WITH ORTHOSTATIC HYPOTENSION posted by Christine on November 19, 1997 at 12:46:42:

: After a TWO MONTH hospital stay, I have been released with the diagnois
of severe orthostatic hypotension. At the time I was admitted to the
hospital I was very dehydrated and fainted after standing up for only seconds.
Currently my BP is approx. 90/70 sitting, 80/60 standing or lower.
I am currently on midodrine and florinef
which help my symptoms, but I am far from leading a normal life. My sense
of taste has also changed, anything sweet tastes terrible, and I only want to
eat very salty things. I have lost 20 pounds, and am at approx. 83% of my
body weight, and am very scared. My hands are also very painful, I am in
constant pain, just typing this message hurts.

My MRI was normal (as was just about every other test administered to me),
and I really do not have a diagnosis. I desperately need to know what I am
dealing with, if it will go away, will it get worse, and what kind of life
I can expect to lead. I am a 29 year old female, formerly very athletic, and
this experience is just killing me.

=
I have performed a thirty year search of the medical literature on the
medline database which references over 3,600 medical journals worldwide
using various combinations of your symptoms of orthostatic hypotension,
taste disturbance and pain.
There were no reports inthe literature which noted the simultaneous
occurance of these symptoms in any described disease.
There were some reports of orthostatic hypotension with either taste disturbance
or pain which might possibly be relevant since the spectrum of
symptoms varies from one person to another in any given disease.
I will provide a list of the conditions mentioned but this will
really only serve as a guide so that you can check whether these
possibilities have been ruled out
The most common disease mentioned was DIABETES, I presume this
has been thoroughly checked, rarer conditions included :
PRIMARY AMYLOIDOSIS - this may require a biopsy for definitive diagnosis
PRIMARY AUTONOMIC FAILURE
MERCURY POISONING - from amalgam fillings
These are the only possibilities that came to light from a very
extensive literature search, you may want to run the list past your
physician.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only.
Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options of your specific medical condition.

My physicians seem to be unable to help, any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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