Many Symptoms, No Answers

[marmin46]

As many others seem to be, I am frustrated and worried by a group of symptoms that are undiagnosed yet really messing up my life. Here's the symptoms:  severe edema in feet/ankles/calves (sudden onset three weeks ago), constant (and loud!) ear ringing, blurry vision, dizziness, wheezing (high-pitched, whistling sounds) and headache. The edema becomes so bad it's hard to walk.  Possibly useful background facts:  I know I am pre-diabetic, with fairly severe osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. I have a history of migraines (fairly well controlled now) and am overweight. I do have a job where I sit most of the time, but I've had such jobs in the past and never had edema like I'm having now. I'm tired, but who isn't?  

[Red_Star]

I had severe insulin resistance from eating too much sugar and pre diabetes from hyperthyroidism. I reversed both conditions but I have permanent damage to my eyesight, nerves and kidneys.

When you mess with insulin/blood glucose you are losing magnesium through the urine. I know all about magnesium deficiency and worsened my  deficiency with high doses of vitamin D as well as surgery (any type of stress uses up magnesium).

Magnesium deficiency symptoms are numerous but from your list of symptoms includes wide spread pain (my my doctor thought I had fibromyalgia), ear ringing, migranes, blurry vision, wheezing, dizziness, fluid retention, fatigue (although fatigue and fluid retention are symptom of insulin resistance/pre diabetes as well) to name a few symptoms. Your kidneys might not be too healthy either.

Just to add, my mother currently has severe oedema in her ankles due to untreated hypothyroidism.

[almostsixty]

Drink more water and get moving. I know it's hard but you will start feeling better!

[jemma116]

You do need to make an appointment to see your doctor.

As you are pre-diabetic you should ask the doctor to check your blood using HBA1C blood test.  This shows the average sugar levels in your blood over a period of 9-12 weeks which is the time that the blood gets replaced.  Getting blurry vision can be a sign that your sugar levels are too high.

It is likely that you have a bacterial or viral infection that is causing the wheezing and congestion in your sinuses, ears and/or Eustachian tube that is pressing on the ear drum.  Although the dizziness may also be due to that, you should get your blood pressure checked as high blood pressure or too low blood pressure can cause dizziness  too.

As you have wide spread osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, I presume that you take some form of pain relief or anti-inflammatory drugs.
Ibuprofen which is an anti-inflammatory drug can cause oedema, and it may be that that is causing your problem in the legs.  I had a similar problem and had to stop taking the drug.

As you have a sitting job, take short breaks every hour or so to walk around to get the circulation going.  During a lunch break, perhaps you can use the rest room to sit and elevate your legs.  At home elevate your legs to drain the fluid away from your legs.

Do not be under the impression that because you have fluid build up in your legs that you should cut down on fluids.  This is not the case, and you still need to drink plenty of fluids, especially water.  Cutting down on salt and sugar intake will help, but you still need to get examined to find the cause.  If no cause is found, it is likely that you are experience a side effect from the anti-inflammatory drug.

For the wheezing, ear problem and headache, if this is due to congestion, you may benefit from doing steam inhalations.  To do a steam inhalation, pour a kettleful of boiling water (taking care not to get scalded) into a bowl.  Put some Vick, Olbas oil, or a few menthol drops.  Bend your head over the bow and cover your head and the bowl with a towel.  Inhale the steam through your nose and out through your mouth.  My doctor advised me to do this 4 times a day for a duration of 10 minutes each time.  But as you are at work you may find a morning steam inhalation and an evening inhalation session may be just as beneficial.

Your doctor may examine your heart and kidney, blood pressure and your sugar levels.  It may be that you will require to be put on medication for diabetes now (if your blood results fall within the diabetic range), blood pressure medication (depending on your readings over a period of a few weeks) and a diuretic.  

It is very common to feel tired with chronic pain from the osteoarthritis and the fibromyalgia and you do need to pace your day so that you do not over exert and over tire yourself to the point of exhaustion.  Easier said than done, I know, especially as you are working person.

Hope you get sorted out soon.
Best wishes.