Disconcerting symptoms - transient

[keshazel1]

47 year-old female

Symptoms - dizziness, nausea, severe neck pain, burning all over body, shaking.

medications: actos, glipizide, insulin, nexium, simvistatin, seroquel, lamictil, prozac.
cannot correlate with any particular food intake or other variables.
occurs periodically; symptoms are transient. almost fainted on occasion

[keshazel1]

"aggravated by straining, coughing or a change in position" - no, this does not apply - but it is now only on right side, while burning was in just left arm with pain in arm too

"relieved on standing" - also does not apply

also sudden onset of dry mouth; symptoms occurring more often now. neck pain becoming more frequent. was on right side only this time and down into rib area on back side of body. do have a very long history of chronic anemia. some of these symptoms have woken me up from sleep at different times in the night.

now, how do i get a test within 60 minutes without being admitted to a hospital? if i need to be in a hospital, how do i convince a doctor to admit me vs. brushing me off.

i do already have a neurologist for sleep apnea.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Thanks for writing to the forum!
Since you have diabetes, these could also be signs of hypoglycemia. You need a 24 hour glucose monitoring to diagnose this. Severe anemia too can precipitate such symptoms.
Your symptoms could also be due to benign intracranial hypertension’ (BIH). This happens due to impaired CSF absorption. A generalized throbbing headache worst felt in the morning and last thing at night. This headache is generally relieved on standing (consistent with raised intracranial pressure). It is aggravated by straining, coughing or a change in position. Maybe your neck pain is like this?
You need a prompt evaluation by a neurologist. Hypothyroidism, hypoparathyroidism, adrenal insufficiency are a few things I would recommend you get investigated for. These can precipitate BIH. A spinal tap is a must both to diagnose the condition and to treat it.
The other thing I would be concerned about in your case is transient ischemic attack wherein the blood supply to brain is temporarily cut off. The episodes last for a maximum of 24 hours and then resolve or a new symptom starts. To diagnose this you need a prompt evaluation (within 60 minutes) to identify the cause and determine appropriate therapy. CAT Scans or MRI done later or when you are fine will not reveal anything.
Certain types of epilepsies and seizures too can cause similar symptoms. Again a prompt evaluation is required within an hour of the symptom.
Hope this helps. Do discuss this with your doctor and get yourself examined.  Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!