Nerve damage/injury causing arrythmia? Anyone?

[princesslin]

Hey first of all just want to say that I'm new to the site, so "Hi".  Anyway, I have a question (which I'm posting in the neck/spine are also just in case I've got the wrong forum) which relates to nerve damage causing symptoms related to the sympathetic nervous system.  

A few years ago I developed some very odd symptoms after giving birth to my first child, I have been a human pin cushion since, seen many specialists and they still not have found the answer to what is wrong with me.  However, since having my second child 2 years ago I got worse in that I began experiencing a lot of pain in my muscles and ligaments, I developed severe fatigue and now struggle to get up a flight of stairs without muscles being in pain and my heart racing (before I had children I used to be very fit and healthy, I did dance, running, all sorts).

What I noticed when my symptoms began was that I had headaches (cluster headaches), scalp sensitivity, vision problems, unequal pupils, pins and needles in my arms and legs, I would wake up with heavy pins and needles in my neck and arms if I had been laying on my back but didn't get it if I laid on my side, my legs would get horrible cold tingley rushing sensations, I now get pins and needles from the waist down often, it comes and goes from time to time, some days I'm laid up with muscle fatigue and tiredness and I have had to up my dose of beta blocker (atenolol) from 50mg a day to 75mg a day because I felt like they just haven't worked right over the past year or so.  

I have seen many Drs, one cardiologist told me he thought it was anxiety as I noticed that if I ever did get anxious it would be a heightened response than normal resulting in SVT and palpitations.  I have had a constant sinus tachy arrythmia with high blood pressure since the symptoms started too.

After years of pestering Dr's they realised it was not a mental thing as my mobility was getting worse and I am due to have a nerve conduction study and see a cardiologist again.  (I'm in the UK).  I've had this for 6 years now and am desperate for a cure.

When it did start I also noticed twitching of the muscle at the back of my neck, I have constant pain in my neck and shoulders and when my neck and shoulders are touched the muscles hurt, my neck has been like a tight rope since birth of my first child (I gave birth in squatting position and I did crack my coccyx having him also, he was a large baby and the labour was quick).  One Dr asked when examining me if I'd had an accident because my neck felt to him like I had whiplash - I never have had whiplash.

Is it at all possible that damage to my neck/spine through maybe giving birth might have caused nerve damage?  I believe there is some problem with my vagal nerve because I have a tonne of stomach problems as the same time as the over active sympathetic nervous system.  I also struggle to perspire now and over heat in hot weather, I really cannot tolerate heat.  

My Dr believes that I may have MS and that is why he has referred me to a neurologist, I think the next avenue will be an MRI.

Anyone else with problems affecting their nervous system/arrythmias due to MS or spine/nerve injury?

[mokrauk]

Hi, I fully sympathise with you and with your difficulties to find a solution. How are you feeling now, what has happened since you have post your note?  Medicine and medical treatment are unfortunately still lagging far behind the science and most doctors are focused on what they know rather then thyin out of their box and look at issues analytically. I am not a physician, but rather a medical scientist and stumbled upon your post by accident - I was working on slides about parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, and realised that my mother's (now 74) arrhythmia, which was dealt by the current medicine by removing symptoms with a pacemaker!, is likely a result of nerve and spine problems. So my advice would be to see and orthopedic and neurologist and preferably somebody with interest and academic background in both. It seems to me you have knowledge to look in some scientific papers and elucidate this person this way in some UK medical school/university. Feel free to write to me if you like,
All the best,  
    

[MichelleP_3811]

I can't really say for certain what is wrong with you but have you been to an orthopedic doctor to get your neck and upper back looked at?  I actually pulled the muscles in my back out of line a number of years back and it caused all sorts of muscle weakness, numbness and tingling and even dizziness all over my body.  I actually went for an MRI to rule out MS and had my neck and lower back xrayed and all came back fine.  I had a lower back injury that they didn't deem as possibly causing my issues.  But I knew it was an issue with my back because when I moved certain ways I would get the numbness.  In any event, after much running back and forth to the doctor I got referred to a physical therapist who immediately saw the issue as one of the muscles being out of place and after a lot of rehab I got the issue corrected.  Obviously your case might be different but since you are feeling so much of an issue with your neck I would definitely get that fully investigated.  Take care and feel better soon.