Hi
I hoping that someone here can use their knowledge to help me out. I started feeling lightheaded and dizzy along with extreme fatigue last February. Went through the rounds of ENTs, PCPs, even PT for dizziness. In August my symptoms started to progress and they included a rise in my blood pressure from a normal of 128/77 sitting to 145/89 or so. I also started to feel overwhelmed or like I was under an abnormal amount of stress. There was no basis for this feeling as my everyday life was the same, no significant life changes or incidence. I have sleep apnea, I am overweight, and suffer from fatty liver and endometriosis. Around this same time I did not get my period for 5 months ( I am 50 years old but my Gynecologist ran tests and told me I was not in menopause). My dizziness has worsened and now along with it I have a host of symptoms. Foggy full head feeling, flushing, bloated feeling, trembling, hair thinning, pale color, low back pain. My most bothersome symptom is tingling feeling in hands and feet ( like a vibrating feeling) , and EXCESSIVE unrination. I am not drinking excessive amounts, but I urinate every 15 minutes. It's not a small amount either. I noticed that once I get up and begin to move around I have to urinate and it's urgent. I have this very strange need to move, like a restlessness, can't sit/ or stand still, it's very uncomfortable almost like a panic attack that's coming on...I am sensitive to loud noises, crowded rooms. I feel short winded when talking a lot.
I have had an MRI, holter monitor, event monitor, blood work which included thyroid testing which was normal (. No testing of free t3 or t4 though). My sodium level was normal but at the lowest of the range as was my potassium. My neuro tested my cortisol that day , 3:30 in the afternoon and it was 2. He now has ordered cortisol levels drawn at 8 am and 4 pm. Complicating the matter is I have a brother who was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease and hyperandrenergic dysautonomia. POTs disease. My youngest daughter who is 10 also has a dysautonomia diagnosis. She has an issue with temp regulation and has had 5 bone fractures in the last 6 months. My BP and pulse are normal when lying down, but upon standing my systolic number increases by 20 points, my bottom number increases by 20 points ( up to 159 over 95 standing from 130/77 lying down.). My pulse goes from 50 lying down to 90-95 standing.
The only place I feel normal is lying down. I'm from the Boston area and I am treated at Mass General Hospital. Trying to find the right doctor is pure agony.
I feel like I am going at 1000 mph all the time. It's very uncomfortable. When I read these boards it seems that would make me more towards the Cushings side. Is it possible to have low cortisol yet be Cushings and not Addison's?
Please any insight anyone has will be greatly appreciated !
Tracey