Warm face, tinnitus, dizziness, tiredness, unwellness

[Justin9711]

Hi everybody. I was hoping somebody could give some tips about a condition that has slowly grown worse over the past two or so years since I started working full-time. I'll try to keep it short:

27 years old, male, Caucasian, South African, now living in the Netherlands, history of long-term glandular fever caused by Epstein Barr virus (about 10 years ago). Currently experiencing the following symptoms:
- warm, red face (cheeks) most of the time (especially at daytime - this is very uncomfortable and makes socialising difficult)
- slight dizziness, exacerbated by exercise (very moderate exercise like biking slowly is OK though, playing soccer/football is not)
- tinnitus (continuous ringing in the ears), exacerbated by more than moderate exercise. It is loud enough for me to "hear" it even if in a noisy environment.
- lack of energy
- not usually "feeling good" (as I was when I was healthier and fitter a few years ago)
- a feeling of tenseness (and sometimes pain) in the upper back/neck area
- my voice sometimes quit on me (gets softer), I speak only with more effort. This is especially notable in noisy surroundings where I have to raise my voice, my vocal chords (or something) actually start to hurt after a while. Otherwise I have a normal voice, not too high or low pitched. I have to mention that I regularly have a runny nose and a post-nasal drip, this is exacerbated by cold weather conditions I think. Currently no major allergies (just dogs, dust, etc. but not where I'm living right now).
- more than moderate exercise quickly makes me dizzier and feeling even worse (no expected "feel-good" symptoms here), then I also start shaking slightly and it's harder to keep control of my body (at the beginning (when I start with the exercise) it's normal though)
- very sensitive to alcohol (and also caffeine, but slightly less so), this contributes to the above symptoms
- not surprisingly, I get a little depressed sometimes, but I reckon this is normal.

Sometimes these symptoms can grow worse, usually when I'm more stressed, and then all of them at the same time. I think rising blood pressure levels contribute somehow.

Additional information:
- I have been tested for testosterone, it is slightly low according to my house doctor but nothing to worry about (I don't know the exact score, I can found this out)
- I have been tested for blood sugar, but it is normal - EVEN though I am sensitive to sugar (it makes me feel very tired). For the latter there is also no explanation.
- I have been tested for various endicronological conditions but none are positive. I don't know the exact results but I can found these out as well.
- My blood pressure is a little high sometimes. I manage to keep it in check by trying to eat healthy and trying to get some exercise in spite of the abovementioned symptoms.
- Cholesterol levels are fantastic :)
- I am a bit overweight. I don't have a scale but last time I checked I weigh something like 83 kg and I should be like 68 or something. I think I gained the most weight when I started doing my 9-5 desk job + less exercise.
- Sometimes, I have experienced these symptoms even before I started working, but on a smaller scale and less frequently. I have the feeling that it is slowly but surely getting worse.
- I haven't been to a specialist yet, but my doctor does not know what to recommend.
- The only medication I'm taking apart from multivitamins is Omeprazole (chronically) for treating a small tear in my diaphragm that produces ulcer-like symptoms and can only be fixed by losing weight (apparently).

Additional questions:
- I work with computers for most of the day, I don't know if there is a connection? I have noticed that a weekend away camping or something (doesn't happen very often, maybe once a year) actually makes me feel better and more refreshed when I come back. Yes I know I should do this more often anyway. Are there any studies relating to computers and health?
- Does it sound like some sort of chemical imbalance?
- Does it sound like some gland or something is working improperly?

I'm not sure if it has to do with me being overweight because most overweight people (worse than me) look normal (no red faces).

Any comments, tips extremely welcome.

Justin

[Guitarflorida]

Check out something called Orthobionomy.I had similar symptoms.Your'e on the right track, though.Also check out someone who can show you TAiChi...one on one. Make sure you're drinking lots of water and get a sleep study to make sure you don't have sleep apnea!!

[Justin9711]

Dear Santiago,

I posted this way back in 2009, but still got the email notification.

As for myself, I'm happy to say that things got better. I honestly don't know what it really was, but I'm pretty sure that my lifestyle had at least some influence. Some time ago I read an article which stated that our sitting lifestyle is slowly killing us. Simply put, all of us office workers are in the danger zone, even if you work out afterwards. I think a combination of a lazy lifestyle, together with stress, loneliness and also some medical problems all contributed to my situation.

First, I found out that a few days of holiday, four days of walking around and having fun, did more for my health than I ever could have dreamed of. I felt amazing, but it didn't last. So I realized that I really had to change my lifestyle. I'm not out of it yet, but for me the important part was becoming more social. If you're social, you also get more exercise! You get out of the house, get some fresh air perhaps, go dancing or whatever, or even stand around a barbecue fire. There are studies showing a positive correlation between socializing and good health. For some of us it's hard, but you gotta try, at the very least join a support group if you really have problems socializing (I'm sort of an introvert, but for me at least it's not that bad). Lay off the porn and video games for a while, get out and see the difference (I still play video games for fun but in a more controlled manner). Porn isn't necessarily bad per se (depends on your moral stance) but it's easy to get hooked and can contribute to the continuously sitting and not sleeping kind of lifestyle, and in my case, it can feel like it drains my energy somewhat.

Second, gotta watch your diet. I could still improve by a mile, but it helps already if you skip sugar, drink enough fluids, stop eating when you're full, switch to whole wheat, don't eat too much meat, try out interesting new foods, keep snacking to a minimum, etc.

In short, it may be true that there are some chemical imbalances and whatnot, but at least in my case it can be helped significantly by making an effort to live more positively.

In your case, there may be something else, although I do hope that you're in the same boat and just need to make a few adjustments here and there. Good luck!

Justin

[sibanez]

Hi Justin,

I am experiencing exactly the same symtptoms as you since a couple months ago. In addition, in my most recent blod tests the tryglicerids count is increasing sharply.

Doctors have not been able to give me an specific answer so far. Did you get any clues about the diagnosis?

Thank you very much.

Santiago

[Justin9711]

Dear PlateletGal,

Thank you very much for your reply. I will definitely join the CFS forum. The symptoms that you list sound more like what I experienced when I had glandular fever (caused by Epstein Barr) about ten years ago (that also lasted in some form for about two years) than what I experience today. However, I hope that I can find some useful information and maybe I can also help some people on the forum by describing my experiences on this. I will also contact my GP to determine what exactly has been tested for, and the exact results. I will also mention thryoid and CFS to him.

Thanks again,

Justin

[PlateletGal]

Please consider asking your physician to rule out thyroid problems, along with Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome.

A CFS diagnosis should be considered in patients who present with six months or more of unexplained fatigue accompanied by other characteristic symptoms. These symptoms include:

cognitive dysfunction, including impaired memory or concentration
postexertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours (exhaustion and increased symptoms) following physical or mental exercise
unrefreshing sleep
joint pain (without redness or swelling)
persistent muscle pain
headaches of a new type or severity
tender cervical or axillary lymph nodes
sore throat
Other Common Symptoms

In addition to the eight primary defining symptoms of CFS, a number of other symptoms have been reported by some CFS patients. The frequency of occurrence of these symptoms varies among patients. These symptoms include:

irritable bowel, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea or bloating
chills and night sweats
brain fog
chest pain
shortness of breath
chronic cough
visual disturbances (blurring, sensitivity to light, eye pain or dry eyes)
allergies or sensitivities to foods, alcohol, odors, chemicals, medications or noise
difficulty maintaining upright position (orthostatic instability, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, balance problems or fainting)
psychological problems (depression, irritability, mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks)
jaw pain
weight loss or gain

http://www.cdc.gov/CFS/cfssymptomsHCP.htm

~PlateletGal (Co-CL in the fibro/CFS forum --- hope you will join us)