Please tell me if I may have a heart or vascular problem

[hmo322]

Hello, I was wondering if you could review my symptoms and tell me whether I might have a heart/vascular problem, and if not, which direction might I go in? I am 28, white male, 5'10" 230 lbs, regular cardio exercise 3x per week/30 mins.

My symptoms:  For 3-4 years now, I have had what began as a mild pressure headache (when laying down only) and swolen nasal turbinates (can't breath through nose). This persisted until about April of this year, and everything became much worse. I developed a particularly intense, constant, unchanging headache with features of frontal tension and on top of the head it feels like there is a heavy weight sitting on me.  I also have attacks of severe vertigo-like spells (room spins violently when laying down, and improves when sitting up or standing) This comes and go mysteriously for 1-4 days at a time.  On top on this, I feel confusion all the time, especially when visualizing moving objects, my eyes hurt and everything blurs out and I can't focus.

The heart:  sometimes my heart beats intensly (forcefully) several times and the SAME pressure in my head pulsates INTENSLY concurrent to my heartbeat. Taking a deep breath will help stop this (also have been short of breath at rest, but not during exercise). I have had MRI/brain. MRA brain/neck. ABG, and PFT, chest xray, all negative.

Symptoms get worse when standing for long periods of time, I measured my BP at a grocery store and it was 172/115 when I first sat down, but then dropped off to 145/85 after 5 mins. At docs office,its been 140/80 but usually lower.

Thanks for your help

[Cleveland Clinic]

hmo,

A lot of bothersome symptoms indeed.

You symptoms do not particularly sound related to the heart or vascuar system. Its impossible to telll fo course without looking you over myself.

Your symptoms sound somewhat vertiginous. From what you describe I would want to look at your inner ear and sinuses.  Overall, I would sit for a thorough history and physical with your general practitioner or internist.

Also, although you are exercising 3 days a week, you are still overweight and should focus on getting into a good weight loss and fitness program. (have to say it as it will help you in the long run!)

good luck

[hmo322]

My heart will palpitate intensly, and the same pressure feeling in my head escalates dramatically and pulsates along with each heartbeat.....also, sometimes when this happens my hearing will fade out and I'll hear the "bruit bruit bruit" sound from within my ears.    Otherwise, the headache is a nauseating, dull, constant pressure in my forehead and top of my head (like a weight on my head)  it is 24/7,  and again the confusion is constant too...Almost like I'm in a dream like state.

I have allready seen a neurologist, two actually, a GP, and an ENT, with all the aforementioned tests being negative.

Thanks again

[madgeOwens]

If a "doctor" answers your post you will see his or her credentials listed....so far I do not see a response from a MD...please know that these are people posting the same as you and I and do NOT have medical degree.....unless otherwise stated.  Some people think they are, but they are not a physician. Beware and BE WELL!

[kitcurious]

Yes, I am adding to the list of absolutely unqualified opinions but, since it's already begun....
You might want to ask for 24 hr montioring to see what your true BP is. Some people go up a little at the doctor's office and I am not sure I would trust a reading from an automatic machine at a store. I say this because once I was in the pharmacy area of a local store and a lady brought over a slip of paper and handed it to me, it was a log, and led me to her reading on the machine, indicating that she wanted me to write it down for her. She gestured because did not speak English and I didn't speak her language. Her reading was astronomical and though I wrote it down for her, I doubted its accuracy. My ENT doctor's office has an automatic one, but they take mine manually because my heart rate runs fast ( often around 120 resting) and they said their machine is sensitive and can be thrown off by that.

I should not be writing you yet, and , will make the admittedly hypocritical statement that none of us should have before the doctor replied.

Will attempt to refrain from premature comment in the future, but yours was the first entry that was anything like my own.

I have benign diagnoses of redundant mitral valve and IST, so I just live with it. Some days the dizziness (that's not what it is, but it's the only word I've got for it) is a little better than others, but it's never gone. Maybe gradually it will just resolve on its own. I don't think physicians have time to put much into problems that are annoying but not life threatening

I hope you get a satisfactory answer for your symptoms or they resolve for you.

[madgeOwens]

The physicians response is right underneath your post now, see his initials.  Good luck, and please do have a thorough exam.

[hmo322]

PS,  my resting heartrate averages in the 80's but it fluctuates between 60 and the 90's

[LukeL]

You should be checked for inner ear condtions like Meniere's Disease as this can cause vertigo, which in turn can lead to headaches. That can cause stress and cause heart palpitations.

But you are young and need to lose some weight, if you smoke you should stop that as well. You are young and if there is any damage to your cardiovascualr system you have plenty of time to change your ways and reverse or hault any damage. But with multiple negative tests the odds are pretty low.

Of course I am not a doctor and you should take his advice first and only use mine as opinion.

[hmo322]

Hello thanks for answering,  the key to my headache is that its not so much a headache more that a nauseous pressure feeling that is constant  i'm not totally convinced my 'headache' if you will is being caused by a local problem in my head or by something distant just causing me to feel "weird"  by the way Menier's was ruled out by an ENG test where they squirt water in your ears and record your eye movements, and yes I do have nystagmus when I'm dizzy.   Thanks again.

[madgeOwens]

Are you taking any medications in this period where you experience those symptoms? Just a thought.

[Momto3]

SOOOO soooo happy you are feeling better again : )

Happy Holidays!!

Connie

[madgeOwens]

Thanks and Merry Chrisitmas to you too. My husbands treatments are over so the stress level is backing off, now for the holidays hahaha.........Im hanging in there, but when I read the same stories over and over in here it makes me so darn mad that the medical field don't try and look into this further.
Oh well..Im trying to figure out an mp3 I got for my grandson, God help me hahahahah

[JP333]

Have you considered that your symptoms may be the result of a sternocleidomastoid problem?  I have had many of these same symptoms you described and, after many months of anxiety about them, discovered that they may be related to the sternocleidomastoid muscle, which can cause all sorts of symptoms, including autonomic symptoms such as dizziness/vertigo.  Here are some links I found that talk about it:

http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/09/08/15.html

http://www.round-earth.com/SCM.html

Good luck!