Racey/Speedy sensation for past year - HCV and/or treatment related?

[miked]

Being diagnosed with HCV, it's easy to convince yourself that every health event is somehow related.

For the past year I've had this racey/speedy sensation; like when I breathe in it feels mentholated.  I went through Interferon/Riba tx for 7-8 months and was stopped about a year and a half ago because of non-response.  The Inteferon created a racey feeling; perhaps it's related.

I've asked both my hepatologist and family doctor and they blew it off.  My sister in law complained of similar sensations which turned out to be internal bleeding (ulcer).

Have any of you experienced similar sensations?

[goldyn]

Have you checked out your blood pressure? and heart rate to see if you are having a faster beat than before tx? I noticed almost all the way though tx that speedy feelin, developed high blood pressure while on tx  i also had skipping heart beats towards the last 3 months i was also on procrit, after tx still felt speedy for about 2 month s been off tx for 4 months starting to calm down and not feeling that speedy feeling any more, but still taking ativan 1 mg a day for anxiety, and on blood pressure meds....

[chcnme]

hmmm....this has my curiosity up.    Have you had a recent chest x-ray?  If not, I'd ask for one just to make sure it's clear.  Any coughing?   Have you had a recent thyroid panel done  (treatment can wreck a thyroid, and a hyperthyroid can make you feel speedy for sure).   Anxiety can make you feel speedy, too.   If a thyroid panel and chest x-ray are OK, then hopefully it's just a "cool feeling"  (sorry - I know - bad timing for attempt at a joke :)   I wish I felt speedy!

[miked]

I run 15-20 miles per week and have really low blood pressure.


What's the comment about a chest x-ray and coughing?  

Thanks,

Mike

[chcnme]

Hey.  Wow, then you probably have a nice resting heart rate, too, huh?  If you run that much, that's great!  That's taking great strides to remain in really good shape.  Way to go!  

On the chest x-ray,  since you are having a strange "cool" or mentholated sensation when you inhale, that could mean something, i.e. pneumonia.  Someone with early stages of pneumonia won't always have a cough.  Granted, most times they do (or develop a real bad one) but many times they can walk around for weeks or even months and not know they have pneumonia until they are very sick with it.    If you DO have a cough, I would ask for a chest x-ray  (which is part of an annual physical exam and especially should be included if you have Hep C.)    

As far as this sensation being being related to interferon - well, yes - pneumonias can develop with interferon therapy, too.  As far as it being related to an ulcerative bleed of some sort  (like from esphogeal varicies),  I've never heard of someone complain of a cool sensation prior to a rupture but have heard them complain of a "that familiar gurgling sensation".  

If you keep having the sensations when your breathe in, I would suggest a chest x-ray to rule out a possible lung condition.  Get a PPD, too  (test for TB) which should be done on you since you have Hep C.   Or... just keep running and chalk it up to .... like you said "easy to think what's ailing us is related to our Hep), which I try to think most times it is not :)   But I did want to suggest a chest x-ray to you if you keep having the sensations.  

Cool runnings!  

Here's some info on pneumonia.  
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35692