Worried about High Blood Pressure and Chronic Symptoms with No Diagnosis

[flochi]

I'm a 41 y/o female on 4 different medications for Hypertension.  Had 3 hospitalizations for chest pains, palpitations and high blood pressure and 1 for heat exhaustion with elevated blood pressure in last 6 months.  Trouble getting blood pressure down to a decent level without taking 4 blood pressure medications (Toprol 200mg, Cozaar 100mg, Norvasc 5mg, and Triam/HCTZ 5.25mg. My blood pressure stood at 196/120, now 145/90.  I am also on Potassium Chloride, Aspirin, Diazepam, Crestor and Nexeum.  My symptoms includes painful headaches, excessive sweating, palpitations, chest pains, anxiety/panic attacks like, dizziness, blurred vision, severe acid reflux/gas with painful and loud belching lasting for 2-3 hours everyday, frequent urination, right let pain, severe fatigue, muscle weakness, feeling faint/doomed, flushing, irritability, inability to make a rational decision/confusion, weight gain, trouble sleeping, feeling tired/loss of energy, and thinning hair. Some of these symptoms were occurring sporadically (about 3-4 times per week for about a year, but within the last 4-6 months, I get these symptoms daily they last about an hour and leaves my body exhausted after each episode.  I’ve been unable to work. On 4/6/07 during my last hospitalization, the results of my MRI and CT Scan were as follows:  CT Scan/CT Head “Partial empty stella is suspected”, CT Scan/CT Abdomen “Impression:  1.7 x 0.9 cm soft tissue module or lymph node in retroperitoneum of uncertain significance in this patient with a suspected pheochromocytoma.  A nuclear medicine/MIBG scan may be helpful as indicated.”  I am concerned about these results and want to stop feeling so sick and return to work.  Still getting symptoms daily, none of which have ever fit into ONE category a I’ve done some research on pheochromocytoma, Thyroid and Cushing Diseases.  My blood and urine test came back negative for pheo or thyroid. Awaiting MIBG Scan. Is there anything else I should be looking into or researching? I need HELP!  Any information would be much appreciated.

[alchris]

Sorry for all your health issues.  For the blood testing did you specifically go to an endocrinoligst.  If not find one and let them run a battery of blood work.  Usually endo doctors due much more detailed workup checking for autoimmune disease as well as thryoid and even cushing syndrome.  Which you can mention the cushing syndrome to a doctor and let them run the testing they need to.  Sometimes thats a big disease that is overlooked.  Have you had a brain MRI or just CT scan of brain.  Sorry forgot what you said in your post, but see if you can get your results read by another doctor or even another scan of the brain.  Something is definelty going on.  Including myself it is so sad and frustrating to see so many people left undiagnosed with todays techonoligy it just shouldnt be.  

[flochi]

Thanks for your response.  I did see an endocrinlogist but he found that all my blood came back normal.  My internist sheduled me for a thyroid sonogram because she feels something odd in my neck and she also scheduled the MIBG Nuclear Scan as the CT Scan suggested this be done.  I did not mention cushing syndrome and plan to when I see her in the next two weeks.  I have had both  MRI and CT Scans of the brain while I was in the hospital and they came back normal except for an "empty stella", don't know what that means but I am going to see a neurologist next Monday to discuss further. I also plan to ask her to recommend another endocrinologist because I wasn't satisfied with his findings.  I'm glad that you agree that something is definitely going on and I want to get to the root of it so that I can begin working on it before it gets more serious.  Thanks again for your suggestions.