Aa
Please help me!
Please help me. I've also posted this on the Ear, Nose, Throat forum.
I became ill in February this year. I had a cold which I got over, then a few weeks later I started feeling tired and then short of breath. My gp said it was a virus. I went back to work and improved each week. I knew I hadn't got rid of the illness completely though because when I did more I felt short of breath.
Then in May I tried to push things on and did more activities but suddenly became very short of breath. I saw my gp and was thinking it was anaemia which I've had before but the blood test only showed my iron stores were low but with unusually high haemoglobin. When I saw my gp for these blood test results I was again told it was a virus. This breathlessness continued for a month during which I felt very short of breath. I then started to feel tingly/trembly and shakey in my back muscles and. The shortness of breath subsided in June and my pulse started racing. I haven't been put on beta blockers because I use a preventer inhaler (Qvar). I've seen a cardiologist who did a 24 hour ecg tape and said I had sinus tachycardia on minimal exercise but was told my heart is perfectly healthy and that the cause is elsewhere. When lying down my pulse is about 85, but as soon as I stand up it jumps to 120. I've also had symtoms of extreme thirst, painful sinuses, severe headaches, vomiting (1-2 times per week), an unsettled/uncomfortable digestive system with lots of wind, diziness/vertigo at times, sniffly nose/slightly sore throat/slightly swollen glands at times.
From June to September I improved a bit, about 20% or so. I was due to start on Ivabridine for the tachycardia but have delayed it for now because of the effect antibiotics have had on all the symptoms (please read on). Blood tests in September showed that I have an infection, and because my sinuses hurt that has been deemed the cause. I'm now on my fifth course of antibiotics for sinusitis and have noticed a massive improvement in all my symptoms. By the end of each course of antibiotics every symptom is very very much better, my pulse returns to normal and all I'm left with is quite a lot of sinus pain (more painful sinuses than when I'm not on antibiotics, the feeling that I'm going to get a big cold and a slight tingly/trembly feeling in my back and head. I feel about 90% better but its like a general infection goes into my sinuses making my sinuses worse. When finishing each course of antibiotics all of the symptoms return after only 2-3 days. (Tachycardia, extreme thirst, painful sinuses, severe headaches, vomiting (1-2 times per week), an unsettled/uncomfortable digestive system with lots of wind, diziness/vertigo at times, sniffly nose/slightly sore throat/slightly swollen glands) I have taken two courses on Amoxicillin and I've just finished my third course of Doxycycline.
My doctor says an infection of this type would not cause tachicardia and its not related but I don't agree. Statistics alone tells you that it must be related. Five courses of antibiotics and the symptoms nearly go each time and then return after completing the course. It has to be related. Surely I have an infection?
I'm due to see an ENT surgeon tomorrow. Could this be chronic sinusitis? Could chronic sinusitis cause tachycardia? Is it something else and what treatment do I need?
Please help me! Thank you.
I became ill in February this year. I had a cold which I got over, then a few weeks later I started feeling tired and then short of breath. My gp said it was a virus. I went back to work and improved each week. I knew I hadn't got rid of the illness completely though because when I did more I felt short of breath.
Then in May I tried to push things on and did more activities but suddenly became very short of breath. I saw my gp and was thinking it was anaemia which I've had before but the blood test only showed my iron stores were low but with unusually high haemoglobin. When I saw my gp for these blood test results I was again told it was a virus. This breathlessness continued for a month during which I felt very short of breath. I then started to feel tingly/trembly and shakey in my back muscles and. The shortness of breath subsided in June and my pulse started racing. I haven't been put on beta blockers because I use a preventer inhaler (Qvar). I've seen a cardiologist who did a 24 hour ecg tape and said I had sinus tachycardia on minimal exercise but was told my heart is perfectly healthy and that the cause is elsewhere. When lying down my pulse is about 85, but as soon as I stand up it jumps to 120. I've also had symtoms of extreme thirst, painful sinuses, severe headaches, vomiting (1-2 times per week), an unsettled/uncomfortable digestive system with lots of wind, diziness/vertigo at times, sniffly nose/slightly sore throat/slightly swollen glands at times.
From June to September I improved a bit, about 20% or so. I was due to start on Ivabridine for the tachycardia but have delayed it for now because of the effect antibiotics have had on all the symptoms (please read on). Blood tests in September showed that I have an infection, and because my sinuses hurt that has been deemed the cause. I'm now on my fifth course of antibiotics for sinusitis and have noticed a massive improvement in all my symptoms. By the end of each course of antibiotics every symptom is very very much better, my pulse returns to normal and all I'm left with is quite a lot of sinus pain (more painful sinuses than when I'm not on antibiotics, the feeling that I'm going to get a big cold and a slight tingly/trembly feeling in my back and head. I feel about 90% better but its like a general infection goes into my sinuses making my sinuses worse. When finishing each course of antibiotics all of the symptoms return after only 2-3 days. (Tachycardia, extreme thirst, painful sinuses, severe headaches, vomiting (1-2 times per week), an unsettled/uncomfortable digestive system with lots of wind, diziness/vertigo at times, sniffly nose/slightly sore throat/slightly swollen glands) I have taken two courses on Amoxicillin and I've just finished my third course of Doxycycline.
My doctor says an infection of this type would not cause tachicardia and its not related but I don't agree. Statistics alone tells you that it must be related. Five courses of antibiotics and the symptoms nearly go each time and then return after completing the course. It has to be related. Surely I have an infection?
I'm due to see an ENT surgeon tomorrow. Could this be chronic sinusitis? Could chronic sinusitis cause tachycardia? Is it something else and what treatment do I need?
Please help me! Thank you.
My 'poor mans tilt table' all summer has had my pulse jumping from about 85 lying down to about 120 standing up. Its not so bad at the moment fortunately so hopefully it will stay that way.
Ok. I understand that blood test a bit more now so thank you. I've had low iron stores and anaemia in the past but as I said in my original post this time it was just the iron stores that were low.
I've made a double appointment with a different gp and my local doctors surgery. I'm going to go along with all the information you've put my way and ask to see another cardiologist. One of the doctors in the UK listed on the Dysautonomia Information Network is fairly local to me so I'll ask if I can see him.
I'll drop "evo" a message.
Thank you so so much for all your help. I feel like there might be a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel at last.
Ok. I understand that blood test a bit more now so thank you. I've had low iron stores and anaemia in the past but as I said in my original post this time it was just the iron stores that were low.
I've made a double appointment with a different gp and my local doctors surgery. I'm going to go along with all the information you've put my way and ask to see another cardiologist. One of the doctors in the UK listed on the Dysautonomia Information Network is fairly local to me so I'll ask if I can see him.
I'll drop "evo" a message.
Thank you so so much for all your help. I feel like there might be a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel at last.
A cardiologist or even more specifically an electrophysiologist, either one might conduct a tilt table test to come up with the diagnosis. There is also the "poor man's" tilt table. Try laying down for ten minutes and take your own pulse, stand up and after two to three minutes, take your pulse again. If the number is up 30 beats or more per minute standing compared to lying down, I'd pursue trying to get an official tilt table test.
CBC is a complete blood count., which includes red blood cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit. But getting a blood iron, T.I.B.C. and ferritin levels are separate and your full or complete blood count can be normal and it's till possible your iron level can be low and your ferritin (stored iron level) can also be low. TIBC is total iron binding capacity, and the higher that number is, the more your body is binding onto the iron intake you consume because it has need of it. You might look up "evo" on the dysautonomia forum, a friend of mine also from the UK.
CBC is a complete blood count., which includes red blood cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit. But getting a blood iron, T.I.B.C. and ferritin levels are separate and your full or complete blood count can be normal and it's till possible your iron level can be low and your ferritin (stored iron level) can also be low. TIBC is total iron binding capacity, and the higher that number is, the more your body is binding onto the iron intake you consume because it has need of it. You might look up "evo" on the dysautonomia forum, a friend of mine also from the UK.
I think I've worked out the CBC. Is it Complete Blood Count? I'm in the UK and we would call it FBC here, Full Blood Count.
I've had my ENT appointment and have been given the all clear from an ENT point of view. I had a CT scan of my sinuses and they show no sign of sinusitis. He suggested that the improvement in my condition while taking antibiotics may have been due to the inflamatory effect they have rather than the anti bacterial effect.
He suggested that there may be more than one cause of my symptoms. He felt that the tachycardia may be viral based while the headaches, vomiting and facial pain may be facial migraines caused by having a long term illness and has referred me to a neurologist. I do get classic migraine.
SurgiMenopause, I've checked out the dysautonomia forum here and looked the condition up on Wikipedia. There are many many similarities between the listed symptoms and my symptoms. The tachycardia when moving from lying to standing is exactly what I'm experiencing. The tingling/trembly back muscles is more pronounced around the chest area.
Would a neurologist be able to diagnose this condition?
Can you also tell what CBC is please?
Thank you to both of you who replied to my original post.
Thank you for your help.
I was diagnosed with gastric reflux and IBS in 2004 and take Lasoprazole daily to keep the symptoms in check. How might this be relevant?
In the past I've also had Erythema Nodosum, with ANA's resulting in severe inflamatory arthritis. My joints are ok now except for when I get a cold and they ache.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi
Welcome to the forum!
Well, since you are responding to antibiotics and your blood tests show there is infection then it is possible that you have chronic sinusitis.
It is also possible that you have an inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease with symptoms outside the GI tract.
Prolonged illness can also cause weakness and tachycardia. Some tachycardia is present even in case of infection. Hence once the infection subsides the pulse rate may return to normal.
What is important is that you find the cause for your sinusitis—such as nasal polyps, tumors, deviated nasal septum, allergies, cystic fibrosis, HIV, gastric reflux etc. Please discuss this with the ENT when you see him.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!
Welcome to the forum!
Well, since you are responding to antibiotics and your blood tests show there is infection then it is possible that you have chronic sinusitis.
It is also possible that you have an inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease with symptoms outside the GI tract.
Prolonged illness can also cause weakness and tachycardia. Some tachycardia is present even in case of infection. Hence once the infection subsides the pulse rate may return to normal.
What is important is that you find the cause for your sinusitis—such as nasal polyps, tumors, deviated nasal septum, allergies, cystic fibrosis, HIV, gastric reflux etc. Please discuss this with the ENT when you see him.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!
Check out our dysautonomia forum on here! Have they mentioned the possibility of conducting a tilt table test to see if you have postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (P.O.T.S.)? It is not uncommon to have extreme thirst if you have this condition.
You can have normal CBC and low iron and ferritin levels, and still have tachycardia aggravated, shortness of breath and tiredness. I have P.O.T.S. and all these symptoms were worse when my iron was low, even though my CBC was normal.
You can have normal CBC and low iron and ferritin levels, and still have tachycardia aggravated, shortness of breath and tiredness. I have P.O.T.S. and all these symptoms were worse when my iron was low, even though my CBC was normal.
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