Multiple Symptoms

[Grossi0511]

Hello, I'm a 37 yr old female. I started out around January 2010 feeling pressure in my head and having a overall feeling of just not feeling like myself. At the time I associated it with stress. I just had a baby and tubal a year earlier, my brother passed away 4 months after I gave birth, I was in the middle of final exams and my mom had been hospitalized with strokes and congestive heart failure. Two weeks after I started feeling bad I decided to go to the doctor. My blood pressure was 200/100 and heart rate was 120. the nurse freaked out and retook it several times and then ran a EKG. The EKG was normal so the doctor had them do blood tests and then put me on a BP med then sent me home. A few weeks later went back to doctor and he said my thyroid and glucose tests were normal and he didn't see any reason for having that high of bp or heart rate but to continue on the meds. Over the next few weeks I would have periodic episodes of high bp and hr so I went to the ER and they did a EKG which was normal, chest x-ray which was normal, blood work and kept me over night then sent me home with a different bp med. I read upon a condition called Pheochromocytoma and when I went back to my doctor for a follow up I had him do a
24 hr urine and plasma test. A week later the results came back normal and so he changed my bp med to Bystolic 10 mg. It was like a miracle drug. My episodes became far and few in between but my bp was staying real low so I would have to skip a few days meds and take them every two to three days. This worked for awhile but around the time I changed primary doctors it started back but heart rate was more of an issue than the
blood pressure. The new doctor ran several EKG's all normal then decided to send me to a cardioligist. I went to see one of the top cardios around here and they did Blood work including D-dimer, EKG's, Holter monitor, Echo, and Stress test with Nuclear dye. While there I had a episode of high bp and fast hr and thought for sure they would have a answer. Well when I went for follow up they said all my tests were normal. He suggested
it could be hormonal. So I had my primary do a hormone test well what I expected it was normal. So I'm thinking this just doesn't happen for no reason. There's a problem somewhere. I went for a six month check up at cardio and they wanted to do a chest CT to check for calcium build up but thats been 6 months ago so if there was a problem with that I think I would know by now. Now when I get these episodes I get a intense hot flush and then I
freak out check my bp and of course its highish last episode was 166/96 and heart rate was 140. As soon as I take bp pill it starts to lower instantly (which is odd) and then I get a intense cold flush. All this takes place within 30 minutes then I'm fine. My bp still flucutaes widely. Sometimes low, then normal, then high as well as my heart rate. Also, since I been on Bystolic ( this could or couldn't be related) I've had a sensation of pins and needles all over, pains all over body (different spot on different day) mostly in shoulders, arms, back and sometimes muscle weakness that comes and goes. Sprodiac left arm pain that comes and goes. Once in awhile a chest pain that lasts maybe a minute or two. Muscle spasms. Does anyone have a clue as to what could be going on or what direction I should take?? Something has to give I want my life back. Thanks in advance!

[Grossi0511]

I forgot to mention something else. I been reading that having a tubal ligation can cause a host of problems. I'm not sure if there is a connection but exactly a year after my c section and tubal my problems started. I never lost any of my baby weight. I actually weigh 10 pounds more than I did at birth and I've never had weight issues. Since my tubal my cycle is extremely heavy, more so than it use to be and most of my bp spike episodes have been like a week before or after I start.

[Grossi0511]

Thanks for the response. I'm still not convinced it isn't a Pheo even thou results were normal. As far as Serotonin syndrome, that occurs when you take medications that cause high levels of the chemical serotonin to accumulate in your body which I have not. The only medicine I take is Bystolic and my problems started way before I was on any meds. When I started having problems it was just high bp and tachycardia. I had a overwhelming amount of stress at that time but I'm not really convinced that stress was the issue. I do have a strong family history of heart disease and diabetes but my glucose test was ok and cardio said all heart test were ok. Could there be a connection there and it just not show on tests yet?

[CCFHeartMD11]

Pheochromocytoma is a reasonable diagnosis to consider, and maybe should be evaluated again.

Another thing to consider is serotonin syndrome, which is caused by a buildup of serotonin metabolites and causes a lof of the symptoms you are describing, including the hot flashes.

[Grossi0511]

Thanks Red Star! I will read upon that. I'm willing to try anything to feel normal again.

[Red_Star]

Magnesium deficiency can be caused by intense stress.  Not easy to pick on blood tests as only 1% of magnesium is in the blood.  Magnesium deficiency lists your symptoms of fast heart rate, high blood pressure, pins and needles, muscle spasms, chest pain. Just trying out magnesium supplements may improve your symptoms. The most absorbable forms of magnesium are magnesium citrate, glycinate taurate, or aspartate.

A good article is by Dr Mark Hyman called: Magnesium: Meet the Most Powerful Relaxation Mineral Available.