Wide Range of Symptoms

[mrdude1234]

Hi all, would like to see if anybody has a clue what is happening.

Background: 26 year old male, previously overweight for a period of 2 years, currently exercise regularly and eat a relatively clean diet.

-Sunday 17 May 2015:

I'm playing video games online and all of a sudden, my ear begins to ring. I didn't think much of it, as it caused me no bother and I had no problems sleeping.

-Monday 25 May 2015:

I wake up to go to work, generally not feeling amazing. I had a scratchy throat and in general felt a little off balance and strange. When it got to lunch time at work, I had some kind of an anxiety attack where I felt extremely dizzy and my heart rate shot up.

This "attack" has only occurred once.

My symptoms I'm experiencing since that date are:

-Very difficult to sleep. As soon as I close my eyes and begin to doze off, my heart beats very rapidly. Sometimes even when I'm asleep, the rapid heart rate will wake me. I can feel this heart beat all over my face/ears/head/stomach.

-Sensitivity to heat.

-Tinnitis and hyperacusis

-Lethargy and fatigue on most days.

-Prone to cold hands and feet.

-Occasional nausea.

-Lack of appetite and decreased libido.

-Occasional feeling of pressure/fullness in ear.

-Occasional tingling in hands and feet.

I have seen multiple general practitioners on multiple occasions, one suggested possible ear virus that will pass, another suggested possible vestibular neurosis. I have had an MRI which came through all clear. I have seen an ENT who looked at my MRI's and my ear, and also suggested that I may have an inner ear virus that will pass.

Any ideas on what could be going on? I am stumped for what to do.. I'm considering the possibilities of maybe Hyperthyroidism (my blood work did not indicate this though). Lyme disease? Inner ear issue? Any help would be appreciated.

[mrdude1234]

Hi Lassie,

I will say, some of my symptoms have definitely been anxiety, but a lot of these anxiety-related symptoms have subsided, but I still have some worrying symptoms.

Current symptoms:
-tingling/pressure at back of head
-permanent tinnitus in one ear
-constant subtle dizziness (sort of like a brain fog)
-pressure in head especially when sleeping, makes it VERY hard to sleep
-harder to concentrate
-one spot on spine tender to the touch
-occasional nausea
-more fatigued than I used to be
-decreased appetite

I have better days and worse days. I saw a Lyme literate doctor, who was suspicious of my symptoms and prescribed me with 6 weeks of antibiotics in case of Lyme. I will finish the course and see how I go.

I am trying desperately to see a neurologist/neurosurgeon asap to see what information I can gather. Are these symptoms correlated with things like maybe a pinched nerve or some kind of spinal fluid build up?

I've considered Lyme and Chiari, even an inner ear virus but I'm thinking my issue isn't ear related. I am seeing a vestibular physiotherapist to rule that out as a possibility.

Thanks all for your help I appreciate it.

[SassyLassie]

It sounds like classic anxiety to me. That being said, I agree, you need to see a neurologist to rule out other neurological disorders. Have they done  an EEG on you? This might be a helpful test.

Sometimes, TMJ disorder can cause this problem (Temporal mandibular joint)

[mrdude1234]

did your decompression surgery help?

I've had brain MRI, radiologist report just showed some fluid in sinus. The actual brain itself was apparently ok.

I guess now I need to see a neurosurgeon or a neurologist.

[DSH519]

I am having similar symptoms right now. I had Chiari decompression surgery 14 years ago, and the ent and neurosurgeon both want an MRI of the head and neck. The malformation has a history of bad symptom cycles. I may be ok for a month, and then stay in bed for a couple days. My vertigo was sudden onset, and I was unable to walk for 36 hours because I was so dizzy. The doctors seem to think that the tinnitus is a buildup of spinal fluid, and when the pressure gets too high in my head my inner ear dumps the fluid. I would ask for an MRI of the brain and cervical spine. The MRI is the only test good enough to see a malformation. Best of luck

[mrdude1234]

My BP is perfect, and has always been good. It seems to probably shoot up when I have my eyes closed. It's very peculiar. Doesn't matter if I'm lying down sitting or standing.

It's hard to tell if this is a Chiari malformation, Lyme, Vestibular Neuritis, a TMJ issue... etc. I really have no clue at this point.

[Sadrian]

Tinnitus that comes and goes can be from swelling around that area. What is your BP? High blood pressure can cause that whooshing sound. If your lymph nodes are swollen that can also sometimes cause periodic tinnitus.

As for the racing heart, does it hit suddenly? How fast is your pulse? I have SVT which happens sometimes when I'm laying down or I stand up too quickly. It is also aggravated by high BP.

[mrdude1234]

While i do believe theres an element of anxiety, I'm not so sure that it's my issue. I'm not normally an anxious or stressed person, and my life is generally quite stress free also. On occasion my ears feel quite full and get random bouts of dizziness so I can't imagine anxiety is causing that.

No other illnesses and no IBS problems that I know of. My hearing test at ENT came back perfect.

Tinnitus started as a permanent high pitch ringing in one ear, but other ear is making a whooshing type sound now.

[Normanred]

Did you have any other illness before all this? Is tinnitus constant or comes and goes? Is the tinnitus in your ears or more in your head? If your ears, then it could be from gaming if you had the volume too high with ear phones. Do you have any IBS problems?

[BluCrystal]

I'm not a doctor, but ALL of your symptoms sound like classic anxiety to me.  Make an appt to see your doctor about this.  And easy calming excersize: breathe in through your nose: one-one-t-h-o-u-s-a-n-d, and out your mouth the same.  Don't suck in alot of air, just enough to comfortably fill your lungs.  While  you are doing this, you can think of being somewhere wonderful and perfect.  Controlling your breathing will bring your heart-rate down, and eliminate the tingly extremities bc when your heart beats too fast from breathing too fast, your blood has no time to deliver oxygen to your hands and feet.  Try to do less stressful things, and more things you enjoy.  Keep us posted!