neurological or respiratory problem?

[john100]

symptoms mimic chronic CO poisoning, but sensor never detects level above 10 ppm

1. constant deep, dull, boring headache with frontal muscle tension and muscle stiffness/weakness felt (if I raise my eyebrows and hold it for 5 seconds the muscles stay intensly contracted, marked feeling of pressure in skull when I activate cranial muscles on the top and forehead.)
HEAVY HEADED FEELING, a weight on the head, brain is being pulled down into neck

2. shortness of breath which is actually WORSE when resting, and improves with activity or exercise....feeling that throat is swelling shut and air is being restricted, feeling of choking,  AIR HUNGER (cant get a refreshing breath deep enough), lungs dont feel "elastic" enough

3.  constantly dry and blocked nose, with a feeling of pressure or swelling deep behind the nose.   swolen turbinates very persistant, nasal lining was bloodred when this started

4.   Vertigo

CT BRAIN, MRI, MRA, MRV, EXTENISIVE BLOOD TESTS (including ANA, LYME, LUPUS, TSH), RADIONUCLEOTIDE BONE SCAN, CHEST XRAY, PULMONARY FUNCTIONS, ARTERIAL BLOODGAS, ECHOCARDIOGRAM, EKG, EEG, ENG...

ALL TESTS NEGATIVE!

I should mention that I used to get frequent syncope but it completely stopped at the same time when I started feeling this way.  I also get frequent acid reflux.

should i get a spinal tap or other additional testing?    i've been very sick with this for well over 10 months now.    I am 5'10, 240 lbs, and 28 yrs old,

If I was YOUR patient what would you suggest?
Please, please help!thanks!

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

You have obviously had a lot of testing already that should ruleout many serious medical conditions

Headache and vertigo can be caused by pulmonary disease, for instance if there is chronic carbon dioxide retention from not being able to exhale enough carbon dioxide - this should have been apparent on you blood gas though.

If you also have symptoms of daytime fatigue or sleepiness, you may have obstructuve sleep apnea. I see that you are overweight, and this is a realtively common condition. A polysomnogram or sleep study would be able to diagnose this, and there is effective treatment, including losing weight.

If you have not seen a neurologist for chronic headache management you should as the issue after diagnosis is effective treatment of your headaches and followup. I cannot substitute for a formal medical opinion though. Losing weight is highly reccommended though, and will almost surely relieve the symptoms.

Good luck

[john100]

PS,   I also had negative allergy testing,   and, I also occasionally "swallow wrong" food or drink that causes me to gag, this goes right along with my shortness of breath at rest (but improves with normal or intense cardiovascular exercise).   I would just really like to know if this is neurological, psychological (doubt it), or respiratory, or other problem and which direction I should take..I have allready seen a headache specialist, an ent/dizziness specialist, and my GP at a university with no answers.

[john100]

I also forgot to mention, sinus CT was very clear

[john100]

PS, doc, I also forgot to mention a very important symptom....nearly constant nausea, and some days I wake up with a different kind of headache (worse) which is accompanied by nausea.     This "different kind" of headache only recently started happening and is more of what I would describe as a classic headache feel...but it is 90% of the time accompanied by vomiting and extreme nausea,  the rest of the time, the moderate nausea is interchangeable with the shortness of breath

thank you kindly for you help

John