MS?? Lupus?

[JPeterson]

This is actually for my sister.  She is very active and eats healthy, exercises everyday and is at a healthy weight.  Around September she started getting dizzy spells, she would sit up or raise her arms and nearly pass out, doctors thought it was vertigo but then she started getting chest pains.  Her heart would beat too fast, resting is at times 185 blood pressure 140/101.  She can't even wash dishes without wanting to collapse.  She had a blood test, and they found an enzyme being produced by her liver which made them think she has an inflammed spine.  They threw out terms like lupus and ms but we both doubt that it is either.  This has been a frustrating ordeal for her.  Her health and quality of life is on the decline and no one seems to have an aswer.  Any ideas?

[jenn38018]

Well, I just posted a comment to you, and it doesn't look like it took.  Here goes again!

It occurred to me that I never addressed the issue of the inflammed spine on my initial posting.  I see that Chris did, and I am glad.  I was wondering, did she have symptoms related to that which caused them to come up with that idea, or were they going solely off of the blood test?  What prompted them to look at the liver anyway?  Were they doing a routine metabolic panel and found something abnormal, or did they specifically have a reason to test the liver enzymes?  Give your sister my best, and keep taking good care of her.  Chris is right.  She is extremely lucky to have such a devoted brother.  My brother doesn't even call me!  Take care and keep in touch.

Jenn

[Momzilla]

Hi~

I'm sorry she's having such an awful time of it!  How lucky she is to have someone looking out for her.

There's something called Orthostatic Intolerance Syndrome.  Look it up, and see if it seems like your sister.  It is quite prevalent, but misdiagnosed/under diagnosed as I understand it.  Let me know what you think.

Good luck!

Chris*

[jenn38018]

Does hypertension (high blood pressure) run in your family?  Is your sister on any medications that could cause her blood pressure to rise or give her vertigo?  Is she an anxious person?  Does she have any other symptoms besides the chest pains and dizziness?  I don't know many doctors that would suspect Lupus or MS just from finding an enzyme in her liver and the symtpoms you have listed.  There can be many abnormalities with the liver that don't lead to anything serious. I think many more tests would have to be done to even begin to suggest something like lupus or MS.  The symptoms you have listed seem to me to go along more with anxiety, high blood pressure, and heart disease.  How old is your sister?  Just because she is active and eats healthy does not mean that she is not susceptible to high blood pressure or heart disease.  Some people are just genetically predisposed to have those problems, even at a younger age.  Women need to especially be alert to any signs of heart disease because their symtpoms can be much more benign and easily looked over.  I think it would be smart to atleast see a doctor about having an ECG, treadmill stress test, and holtor monitor done on her.  If you are truly concerned about lupus, a lupus titer can be done on her blood.  Many healthy individuals can have a positive lupus titer, but it would be a place to start if hers did come back positive.  A rheumatologist would be the appropriate doctor to see for this.  I myself have been struggling with a diagnosis for eight years now.  I have been diagnosed with rhuematoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and am currently being tested for MS.  I have also been tested for lupus, schleroderma, sjogren's, etc.  No one knows what I really have.  I have a positive ANA (which suggests autiommune disease), positive lupus titer, highly elevated rheumatoid factor, positive for past Epstein-Barr virus (which is thought to trigger many autoimmune disease in genetically predisposed people), and elevated sed rate.   I still don't have a diagnosis.  The truth is that these diseases are very hard to diagnose, especially lupus and ms.  Most people wait years for a diagnosis, and your symptoms usually have to get pretty progressed before they can give you a 100% diagnosis.  It doesn't sound like your sister is anywhere near at that point yet (unless there are other things going on I don't know about).  I am not downplaying what she is going through.  I know she is probably scared and very bothered by these symtpoms.  They just don't sound to me autoimmune in nature.  I am not a doctor, however.  I have just been through the gammet, and have some experience with these diseases.  Many of my family members have autoimmune diseases.  I hope I have given you some helpful information.  Let me know what happens.

Jenn