Anxiety or something else?

[webblade]

Ok here goes. I have been having problems for the past 18 months which can sometimes be very strange. I have been attending hospital for 18 months now and still no dx. Each time my symptoms last for a few months and then stop for just a few weeks, only to return worse and with different symptoms. This is how it all started for me:
Approx 18 months ago I started to get dizzy and light-headed, I became very tired on a daily basis and I also got blurred and double vision. The blurred vision would come and go for minutes or hours but the dizziness just stayed. After 2 weeks I went to the Doc and he said my blood pressure was low and sent me to A&E. I was seen by a Doc and scheduled for a MRI and Chest X-ray and Thyroid test. Thyroid and Chest X-ray were clear but MRI showed a prominence on an artery on the back of my head. I was scheduled for another MRI and 24hr heart monitor and 24hr blood pressure monitor and stress test. My consultant also made an appointment to come back to him in 4 months as all tests should be done by then.

In the meantime my symptoms disappeared for about 6 weeks. Then the dizziness and tiredness came back out of the blue. No blurred or double vision this time but bad headaches instead and a strange tingling running down my left arm and top of my head would happen on a daily basis for just a few minutes. So I had my other tests done and went back to my consultant. Stress test and heart monitor were clear. Blood pressure was low but the consultant said he was not worried about it. MRI confirmed the main artery in the back of my brain was S shaped but it should be straight. He made an appointment for me to see a Neurosurgeon about it but my consultant said he didn't think much of it and it was not causing my symptoms. I was sent to ENT specialist which was clear. I had all bloods done including some special hormone blood test and all were clear. I'm now waiting to see the Neurosurgeon but since I was last with my consultant my symptoms disappeared for 3 weeks and have come back worse again. So this is what my symptoms are now. Dizziness and fatigue all the time for months now. Pains in my arms and legs especially my thighs. Vibration feelings in my legs mostly when I lie down. Still getting tingling but also in my face now. Short term memory loss all the time. Blurred vision mostly in my left eye comes and goes. Sore or stinging pins and needles throughout my body for just a few minutes especially when I get hot. Electric shock pains anywhere for just seconds at a time. Tremors in my arms when doing stuff and like internal tremor in my body occasionally. My left hand locked up twice over the past few weeks. I have loss of balance sometimes. My ears feel blocked. And the past two days I have a bad pain in the left side of my face and all my teeth pain too. My knee joints hurt all the time. I have a general weakness in my arms.

I'm sorry if this is too long but I just wanted to put everything in. I'm waiting to see a Neurosurgeon with no appointment yet and I haven't even got to describe these new symptoms to my consultant as I have no follow up appointments with him. I'm not scheduled to see a neurologist.

Do you think I have anxiety? Do I need to go back to my GP?  Please help me with some input as anything will help me even just a listening ear. Thanks!

[webblade]

Thanks guy's for your response. I think I may write down all my symptoms and have them ready for the neurosurgeon. I don't know how long I will be waiting so see him as I am still waiting for my appointment to arrive. Lets hope the list doesn't get much bigger in the meantime..LOL.
I really appreciate your kind words and I will make sure to keep you posted on any developments.
Regards, Karl.

[nursegirl6572]

Yes, a Neurologist would be the next logical step.

[r9c]

Hi i had light headed and dizziness for about 6 months now and have seen a cardiologist and most test came out fine but still i had this constant dizziness was wondering if i shuld see a neurologist for the dizziness thing,ur nt alone in this,hope u will feel much better soon

[nursegirl6572]

I was going to add...be sure to keep a good record of your symptoms in a journal or diary.  Iclude as much detail as possible including what you were doing BEFORE the onset of the symptoms, what you ate,drank, etc...and also include anything you do that makes the symptoms better or worse.

That will be very helpful to the doctors.

[nursegirl6572]

While anxiety can cause a multitude of symptoms,many that you described, I think it really sounds more like something physical is going on.  Just the combination of symptoms you complain about makes me point more towards that.  Reserve any judgement about anxiety until you've had a work-up by the Neurosurgeon.  He will be able to shed more light on this.  If you don't seem to get anywhere with him...I would ask for a referral to a Neurologist,who can perhaps do some more detailed diagnostic studies to try to see what's going on.  If you've already seen a Neurologist, I would get a second opinion. have you been seen by a Cardiologist?  Probably with the extensive cardiac work-up you had, I imagine that you have. If not, that is a route to explore as well. There are MANY
"-ologists", all with their own brand of medicine that could be helpful to you.

If anfter everything is done and you're still getting a clean bill of health,then it may be time to look at the anxiety angle.  I know its been frustrating for you...and even if anxiety isn't causing your symptoms, I'm sure you're experiencing some level of anxiety just having to endure the symptoms with no answers. That can be so frustrating.  Medicine isn't always cut and dry...therefore sometimes it takes a deeper look to find a problem.  That may indeed be the case for you here.

Best of luck...let us know what the surgeon says, okay?