3 Weeks Ago Lab Test Results Were Fine - Now it looks like I'm dying
June 5, 2022 10:59 PM Subscribe
IKYNMD - but this has been the roller-coaster of my life and I could use any insight from the hive-mind to figure out the mechanism that is causing me to question my sanity and sense of reality, because I don't have a clue and apparently neither to the doctors.
All began a year or so ago, prior was not feeling fabulous but also not on the brink of death either. Abdominal pain and GI issues, constipation and flatulence mostly. Had a colonoscopy, they removed one polyp, results came back that it was benign and continued living. Changes in diet didn't make any difference, what did was the water. I'd been drinking water from a Brita pitcher, figured it couldn't hurt to experiment and see if there was any difference in how I was feeling (it was pretty bad) and amazingly when I switched to bottled water, the symptoms reduced by 90%. Throughout I continued to go in for blood tests - CBC, liver, kidney, ANA, and every single possible test that could explain why I was feeling so fatigued and so run-down - but everything just kept coming up - fine. Except PTH, calcium, D and creatinine.
Diagnoses:
Normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism
Left ventricular Hypertrophy
Raynaud's
NAFLD
Physical/Clinical manifestations
Cardiac Arrythmias for several years was told this was due to an extra AV node and to have an ablation
Bruising on both hands - constant for several months
Fatigue
Constipation - improved but chronic. Drinking more water, sleep, probiotics - have seen some benefits
Abnormal Fasting Blood Sugar - diabetes ruled out
This week things started to go south health-wise, more fatigue, dizziness and muscle weakness. I've become so desperate at this point, that all I do is try to heal myself. Been to so many doctors of every sort - nobody knows. On Wednesday I went to have a colon cleanse as I had been impacted for a while. After I had exited the clinic, I sat waiting for the bus when out of the blue a pain that I can only describe as being stabbed began in between my breast in the sternum that radiated to my back, taking my breath away. I carry an oxymeter with me at all times - checked my HR, that kept increasing to 123. I had this pain prior - ALL of the events transpired while I was in transit or on a bus - as if moving suddenly in a vehicle or over some type of bump in the road causes something to activate this event - it never happens at any other time. It is extremely painful and literally takes my breath away. In previous times I'd drink water and it some how abated. It feels like a sharp spasm in my chest. This time I was close enough to a hospital - went in - they just did very minor and rudimentary test - ECG - normal - blood was normal except for Icteric which showed + and troponin was negative. As stated, it's a very bad hospital, known by many to be *that* bad, but since it was close and this *attack* happened, it seemed like I should go. I did get Ringer's Chloride - and promptly left.
On Friday night, I started getting a bad headache, chills, elevated heart-rate, trouble breathing, what my thermometer read as *fever* - 38.3 Celsius and general malaise. Blood pressure kept fluctuating from high to normal. Heart rate also fluctuated. At some point I called 911 - arrived in ER where blood and urine were taken and here are the results.
Sodium 128 (135-145)
Potassium 3.5 ( 3.6-5)
Phosphorus 1.2 (2.3-4.7)
BUN 8 (9-20)
PH 7.54 (7.35-7.45)
Ionized CA 1.07 (1.12-1.32)
Monocytes 13.3 (2.5-12)
Lymphocytes 0.27 (1.2-3.4)
RBC - 3.53 (3.8-5.2)
HBG 11.4 (12-16)
Hematcrit 32.2 (36-46)
Sodium - whole blood 125 (135-145)
Potassium - whole blood 3.5 (3.6-5)
LDH (IFCC Method) 220 (125-220)
URINE
Sodium 40
I had not been excessively drinking water prior, nor consumed anything with a high sodium content.
Temp normal/RA saturation - normal - ECG normal
Chest x-ray - negative.
ER doctor concluded that it must be SIADH. Was released home with 2 phosphorus pills - no other treatment was given. Instructions were to repeat said labs and if abnormal to have a head CT to rule out CNS cause.
Would appreciate any insight on how labs can go from seemingly *normal* for years from one lab to being life-threatening *you have SIADH* in another, and if the spasm I outlined above could in any way be related to any of this and could hyperparathyroidism be connected to this?
I am confused and really scared.
All began a year or so ago, prior was not feeling fabulous but also not on the brink of death either. Abdominal pain and GI issues, constipation and flatulence mostly. Had a colonoscopy, they removed one polyp, results came back that it was benign and continued living. Changes in diet didn't make any difference, what did was the water. I'd been drinking water from a Brita pitcher, figured it couldn't hurt to experiment and see if there was any difference in how I was feeling (it was pretty bad) and amazingly when I switched to bottled water, the symptoms reduced by 90%. Throughout I continued to go in for blood tests - CBC, liver, kidney, ANA, and every single possible test that could explain why I was feeling so fatigued and so run-down - but everything just kept coming up - fine. Except PTH, calcium, D and creatinine.
Diagnoses:
Normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism
Left ventricular Hypertrophy
Raynaud's
NAFLD
Physical/Clinical manifestations
Cardiac Arrythmias for several years was told this was due to an extra AV node and to have an ablation
Bruising on both hands - constant for several months
Fatigue
Constipation - improved but chronic. Drinking more water, sleep, probiotics - have seen some benefits
Abnormal Fasting Blood Sugar - diabetes ruled out
This week things started to go south health-wise, more fatigue, dizziness and muscle weakness. I've become so desperate at this point, that all I do is try to heal myself. Been to so many doctors of every sort - nobody knows. On Wednesday I went to have a colon cleanse as I had been impacted for a while. After I had exited the clinic, I sat waiting for the bus when out of the blue a pain that I can only describe as being stabbed began in between my breast in the sternum that radiated to my back, taking my breath away. I carry an oxymeter with me at all times - checked my HR, that kept increasing to 123. I had this pain prior - ALL of the events transpired while I was in transit or on a bus - as if moving suddenly in a vehicle or over some type of bump in the road causes something to activate this event - it never happens at any other time. It is extremely painful and literally takes my breath away. In previous times I'd drink water and it some how abated. It feels like a sharp spasm in my chest. This time I was close enough to a hospital - went in - they just did very minor and rudimentary test - ECG - normal - blood was normal except for Icteric which showed + and troponin was negative. As stated, it's a very bad hospital, known by many to be *that* bad, but since it was close and this *attack* happened, it seemed like I should go. I did get Ringer's Chloride - and promptly left.
On Friday night, I started getting a bad headache, chills, elevated heart-rate, trouble breathing, what my thermometer read as *fever* - 38.3 Celsius and general malaise. Blood pressure kept fluctuating from high to normal. Heart rate also fluctuated. At some point I called 911 - arrived in ER where blood and urine were taken and here are the results.
Sodium 128 (135-145)
Potassium 3.5 ( 3.6-5)
Phosphorus 1.2 (2.3-4.7)
BUN 8 (9-20)
PH 7.54 (7.35-7.45)
Ionized CA 1.07 (1.12-1.32)
Monocytes 13.3 (2.5-12)
Lymphocytes 0.27 (1.2-3.4)
RBC - 3.53 (3.8-5.2)
HBG 11.4 (12-16)
Hematcrit 32.2 (36-46)
Sodium - whole blood 125 (135-145)
Potassium - whole blood 3.5 (3.6-5)
LDH (IFCC Method) 220 (125-220)
URINE
Sodium 40
I had not been excessively drinking water prior, nor consumed anything with a high sodium content.
Temp normal/RA saturation - normal - ECG normal
Chest x-ray - negative.
ER doctor concluded that it must be SIADH. Was released home with 2 phosphorus pills - no other treatment was given. Instructions were to repeat said labs and if abnormal to have a head CT to rule out CNS cause.
Would appreciate any insight on how labs can go from seemingly *normal* for years from one lab to being life-threatening *you have SIADH* in another, and if the spasm I outlined above could in any way be related to any of this and could hyperparathyroidism be connected to this?
I am confused and really scared.
Response by poster: Covid - negative - consistently - both PCR - serum
Thyroid panel just came back
TSH - 0.43 (0.35-5)
T3 1.73 (1.58-3.91)
T4 0.92 (0.7-1.48)
posted by watercarrier at 11:57 PM on June 5, 2022
Thyroid panel just came back
TSH - 0.43 (0.35-5)
T3 1.73 (1.58-3.91)
T4 0.92 (0.7-1.48)
posted by watercarrier at 11:57 PM on June 5, 2022
Are you taking any supplements, non traditional medicines or teas?
posted by bottlebrushtree at 12:02 AM on June 6, 2022
posted by bottlebrushtree at 12:02 AM on June 6, 2022
Response by poster: Yes, I take vitamins and supplements - mostly supportive
True Calm by Now
Gingko
Multi-Vitamin 2 per day - Life Extension
Vitamin D3 - K2
Magnesium Citrate
Digestive enzymes
Potassium/Iodine - Now
posted by watercarrier at 12:17 AM on June 6, 2022
True Calm by Now
Gingko
Multi-Vitamin 2 per day - Life Extension
Vitamin D3 - K2
Magnesium Citrate
Digestive enzymes
Potassium/Iodine - Now
posted by watercarrier at 12:17 AM on June 6, 2022
Best answer: What strikes me is how sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus are ALL below the normal values. I'm sure that is why the doctor thought of SIADH.
Whether SIADH or something else, it does some like many of your electrolytes are out of balance and, specifically, low, for some reason or another. Here is a generic page on electrolyte imbalance.
Reading that way down to the bottom, I'm impressed with how many of the symptoms match yours: nausea, lethargy, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and chest pain.
So perhaps that is at least part of what is going on. If so, it would be important to track down what is *causing* the electrolyte imbalance - whether SIADH or something else.
I would point out - there are a few basic ways your electrolytes can get out of balance. One would be overhydrating massively, or somehow taking in a bunch of fluid (the colon cleanse thing comes to mind as a way this could be done without drinking per se). This is hard to do but some people manage it. It is hard to do because your kidneys etc usually regulate your fluid levels closely, so if you drink more then you just eliminate more, while retaining the needed electrolytes (the job of your kidneys etc) thus maintaining the electrolyte balance your body needs.
Another way is you could take in a too-low amount of those elements. Maybe you are malnourished. But more likely, lets say you were doing a whole bunch of exercise, sweating a bunch, and drinking just plain water. So you are flushing out a bunch of those electrolytes via sweat (or perhaps eliminating them via diarrhea or something similar) and the replacing the fluid with plain water. So over time your electrolyte balance gets messed up. That is why people who run long distances, bicycle long distances, work out for hours on end, etc, like to use some kind of sports drink, which includes some of those electrolytes. You don't need to do this if you are just strolling through the park, or even running pretty hard for say 30 minutes. But if you are running, bicycling, lifting, whatever hard for say 2-3 hours, sweating a lot, replacing that fluid with plain water only - yeah, you can run into these issues. And if you are sweating a lot for any reason, or no reason at all presumably it could lead to the same thing.
Yet another way is if you are somehow not absorbing enough of the nutrients. So maybe something is going awry with your digestive system etc. Apparently for example, low calcium absorption can follow gastric bypass surgery.
Finally, as implied above, even if you are eating and drinking the right things within reason, and not hugely exercising or such, if your body's mechanisms for regulating the fluid and electrolyte balance are out of whack, that could cause these kinds of problems.
Also, I don't know what exact procedure your colon cleanse followed, but these are known to cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalance in some situations. A person can lose but also gain large amounts of water through the colon, so this could lead to either high or low electrolytes depending on the details. So the colon cleanse is potentially or possibly (?????) related to the episode that happened soon after it.
Finally, you might be having one problem but also (keep in mind) it could be 2, 3, or even 4 or more separate things that are all working simultaneously. Sometimes a handful of small things when added together can start to seem like a big thing.
Regardless, you need to get with (or find) a good primary care physician and follow up with them on this until you get too the root cause. The fact of having a bunch of low electrolyte labs at that hospital should give them something very specific to sink their teeth into and track down.
One simple thing you might try is drinking some oral rehydration type solution (or sport drink, though that is usually worse from a rehydration/re-electrolyzing standpoint) as part of your daily fluid intake. And are their supplements you can take to boost your phosphorus, calcium, etc? That would be a really great question for your doctor.
You could try some of this, though - partly as an experiment to see if it makes any difference in how you feel.
It's interesting, though, that you are taking a potassium supplement, yet your potassium is still low. And you're taking D3, but your calcium is still low. Perhaps you need to change your dosage of these things (and/or your diet) but perhaps there is some other cause of this problem that needs to be addressed. Again - questions for your doctor.
You said your creatinine is high - but HOW high? That is something I would want to follow up on. Serum creatinine levels relate to kidney function, and that could relate to electrolyte imbalance in a few ways. Regardless, why is creatinine high, is it always high or does it fluctuate between normal and just a bit high, or just what (creatinine does fluctuate a lot, so one reading a little above normal doesn't say much of anything).
The other thing I would want to follow up on is the parathyroid thing. Parathyroid is intimately related with calcium levels. If your parathyroid levels are high but calcium low (or even low normal) that should suggest to a doctor some things to follow up on. I hate to send people to doctor google (so read with MANY grains of salts and with the goal of educating yourself about things to ask your doctor about, rather than self-diagnosing), but here is a page about the parathyroid that has a lot of helpful info just to help you understand what it is all about.
That is a giant wall of text but the TL;DR is follow up with your primary care doctor and keep following up until you get some answers. If your PCP isn't doing much try some different PCPs until you get someone who will actually follow through.
posted by flug at 1:42 AM on June 6, 2022 [17 favorites]
Whether SIADH or something else, it does some like many of your electrolytes are out of balance and, specifically, low, for some reason or another. Here is a generic page on electrolyte imbalance.
Reading that way down to the bottom, I'm impressed with how many of the symptoms match yours: nausea, lethargy, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and chest pain.
So perhaps that is at least part of what is going on. If so, it would be important to track down what is *causing* the electrolyte imbalance - whether SIADH or something else.
I would point out - there are a few basic ways your electrolytes can get out of balance. One would be overhydrating massively, or somehow taking in a bunch of fluid (the colon cleanse thing comes to mind as a way this could be done without drinking per se). This is hard to do but some people manage it. It is hard to do because your kidneys etc usually regulate your fluid levels closely, so if you drink more then you just eliminate more, while retaining the needed electrolytes (the job of your kidneys etc) thus maintaining the electrolyte balance your body needs.
Another way is you could take in a too-low amount of those elements. Maybe you are malnourished. But more likely, lets say you were doing a whole bunch of exercise, sweating a bunch, and drinking just plain water. So you are flushing out a bunch of those electrolytes via sweat (or perhaps eliminating them via diarrhea or something similar) and the replacing the fluid with plain water. So over time your electrolyte balance gets messed up. That is why people who run long distances, bicycle long distances, work out for hours on end, etc, like to use some kind of sports drink, which includes some of those electrolytes. You don't need to do this if you are just strolling through the park, or even running pretty hard for say 30 minutes. But if you are running, bicycling, lifting, whatever hard for say 2-3 hours, sweating a lot, replacing that fluid with plain water only - yeah, you can run into these issues. And if you are sweating a lot for any reason, or no reason at all presumably it could lead to the same thing.
Yet another way is if you are somehow not absorbing enough of the nutrients. So maybe something is going awry with your digestive system etc. Apparently for example, low calcium absorption can follow gastric bypass surgery.
Finally, as implied above, even if you are eating and drinking the right things within reason, and not hugely exercising or such, if your body's mechanisms for regulating the fluid and electrolyte balance are out of whack, that could cause these kinds of problems.
Also, I don't know what exact procedure your colon cleanse followed, but these are known to cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalance in some situations. A person can lose but also gain large amounts of water through the colon, so this could lead to either high or low electrolytes depending on the details. So the colon cleanse is potentially or possibly (?????) related to the episode that happened soon after it.
Finally, you might be having one problem but also (keep in mind) it could be 2, 3, or even 4 or more separate things that are all working simultaneously. Sometimes a handful of small things when added together can start to seem like a big thing.
Regardless, you need to get with (or find) a good primary care physician and follow up with them on this until you get too the root cause. The fact of having a bunch of low electrolyte labs at that hospital should give them something very specific to sink their teeth into and track down.
One simple thing you might try is drinking some oral rehydration type solution (or sport drink, though that is usually worse from a rehydration/re-electrolyzing standpoint) as part of your daily fluid intake. And are their supplements you can take to boost your phosphorus, calcium, etc? That would be a really great question for your doctor.
You could try some of this, though - partly as an experiment to see if it makes any difference in how you feel.
It's interesting, though, that you are taking a potassium supplement, yet your potassium is still low. And you're taking D3, but your calcium is still low. Perhaps you need to change your dosage of these things (and/or your diet) but perhaps there is some other cause of this problem that needs to be addressed. Again - questions for your doctor.
You said your creatinine is high - but HOW high? That is something I would want to follow up on. Serum creatinine levels relate to kidney function, and that could relate to electrolyte imbalance in a few ways. Regardless, why is creatinine high, is it always high or does it fluctuate between normal and just a bit high, or just what (creatinine does fluctuate a lot, so one reading a little above normal doesn't say much of anything).
The other thing I would want to follow up on is the parathyroid thing. Parathyroid is intimately related with calcium levels. If your parathyroid levels are high but calcium low (or even low normal) that should suggest to a doctor some things to follow up on. I hate to send people to doctor google (so read with MANY grains of salts and with the goal of educating yourself about things to ask your doctor about, rather than self-diagnosing), but here is a page about the parathyroid that has a lot of helpful info just to help you understand what it is all about.
That is a giant wall of text but the TL;DR is follow up with your primary care doctor and keep following up until you get some answers. If your PCP isn't doing much try some different PCPs until you get someone who will actually follow through.
posted by flug at 1:42 AM on June 6, 2022 [17 favorites]
IANAD but I did have hyperparathyroidism and I had some milder versions of symptoms you describe. Messed up calcium and PTH levels can cause a lot of weird problems , and if your parathyroid is not regulating it properly this could be much more variable depending on your diet and supplements.
I don't want to be more definitive than that as I'm not an expert, but as you've had hyperparathyroidism as a diagnosis it may be that by fixing that, it will at least shed light on other issues you may have, or potentially resolve them. Good news is its very fixable with a small operation in most cases.
posted by crocomancer at 2:50 AM on June 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
I don't want to be more definitive than that as I'm not an expert, but as you've had hyperparathyroidism as a diagnosis it may be that by fixing that, it will at least shed light on other issues you may have, or potentially resolve them. Good news is its very fixable with a small operation in most cases.
posted by crocomancer at 2:50 AM on June 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: @flug - Yes re colonic irrigation, it could very well be the cause. I managed also to contract some kind of bacterial infection since last week, now I feel even more terrible - but I really want to save my life. I am in Israel -have been to maybe 40 doctors (!) over the course of the years with all of my issues from the bone pain to kidney to liver to blood to neuro, ortho, rheum - every doctor under the sun, nobody ever helped, they all looked at blood/urine and even biopsy (for amyloidosis - because Light Kappa Chains were elevated - was told no Amy), to echos - was told my heart failure *wasn't that bad - just slightly ischemia (!) and my PTH, calcium, D, bone density - were a *wait and watch* issue - that literally has cost me my health in so many ways - turned down for surgery because of *normocalcemic* and I am in the Public Health System - and on and on. I feel like an absolute anomaly. Like the hardest, most complicated case known to mankind so I do research and try to figure it out - and spent 1,000's of dollars on supplements and stuff that could possibly help but nothing is because I can't figure out what is going on either. And now with the electrolye thing - it's just another rung in the ladder.
Creatinine runs -0.88 -1.14
If anyone knows a real life House MD who can take me on as a patient long-distance where I can just send them everything and they could figure it out - please memail. I can't go on like this anymore.
posted by watercarrier at 4:27 AM on June 6, 2022
Creatinine runs -0.88 -1.14
If anyone knows a real life House MD who can take me on as a patient long-distance where I can just send them everything and they could figure it out - please memail. I can't go on like this anymore.
posted by watercarrier at 4:27 AM on June 6, 2022
Best answer: I can't vouch for this doctor from personal experience, but Dr. Thomas Bolte is billed as "a real dr. house" - I think it was this article where I read about him. He does do consults where you send him all of your medical records etc. Not sure if he does them remotely, but here is his website.
At the time, I was trying to solve a medical mystery of my own...I eventually got a diagnosis without needing to go the "dr house" route. I hope one way or the other, you are able to get to the bottom of this. Like you, I spend a long time researching things, going from doctor to doctor, experimenting with stuff on my own...it's incredibly frustrating and scary. Good luck.
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:46 AM on June 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
At the time, I was trying to solve a medical mystery of my own...I eventually got a diagnosis without needing to go the "dr house" route. I hope one way or the other, you are able to get to the bottom of this. Like you, I spend a long time researching things, going from doctor to doctor, experimenting with stuff on my own...it's incredibly frustrating and scary. Good luck.
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:46 AM on June 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
There's a site called CrowdMed where you create an account, list your symptoms, and upload all your medical records & test results. Then "medical detectives" try to come up with a diagnosis. You set a reward that you offer to the person who correctly diagnoses your illness. I heard about the site through a podcast about a photographer who developed weird neurological symptoms. She used CrowdMed to figure out what was wrong with her.
posted by alex1965 at 4:56 AM on June 6, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by alex1965 at 4:56 AM on June 6, 2022 [9 favorites]
I'm not a doctor and dong have much about the entirety of your story but the bus attack sounds like pluracy to me. I used to have "attacks" or whatever they're called and my god its terrible. Exactly as you described. Being stabbed right under the chest/heart front to back. Took my breath away and couldn't take more than tiny shallow breaths. 90% of the time it went away after a few minutes. Once or twice I needed a doc or er and it was triggered by some other infection.
posted by chasles at 5:02 AM on June 6, 2022
posted by chasles at 5:02 AM on June 6, 2022
Sigh. Don't. Not dong.
posted by chasles at 5:44 AM on June 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by chasles at 5:44 AM on June 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
I don't have any ideas about your issues but there are many hospitals in the US that do consultancy/second opinion type work with other hospitals that may be helpful. These would be places like Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital, etc. Perhaps you can get one of your doctors to work with them.
posted by maxg94 at 6:18 AM on June 6, 2022
posted by maxg94 at 6:18 AM on June 6, 2022
Have you seen an endocrinologist? I know you have seen many specialists, but if this is a hormone issue that is the specialist you may want to check in with next.
posted by slateyness at 7:20 AM on June 6, 2022
posted by slateyness at 7:20 AM on June 6, 2022
I am not a doctor, but SIADH is not routinely life-threatening. I know it is extremely hard when you are not feeling well, but perceiving a crisis when it's not necessarily there will only make you feel worse. E.g., if you're sitting at home freaking out and testing and retesting your BP and heart rate, you absolutely will get some out-of-range numbers. (Ask me how I know.)
If I were you, considering how overburdened you feel, while continuing to see doctors, I would cut out all the woo stuff. No supplements (I don't know how they are regulated in Israel, but in the U.S. you're basically giving yourself random who-knows-what), no "cleanses." Give your body a break. Electrolyte solution, however, seems like a good (and cheap) thing to try on your own to help with the apparent SIADH-like symptoms.
posted by praemunire at 7:27 AM on June 6, 2022 [17 favorites]
If I were you, considering how overburdened you feel, while continuing to see doctors, I would cut out all the woo stuff. No supplements (I don't know how they are regulated in Israel, but in the U.S. you're basically giving yourself random who-knows-what), no "cleanses." Give your body a break. Electrolyte solution, however, seems like a good (and cheap) thing to try on your own to help with the apparent SIADH-like symptoms.
posted by praemunire at 7:27 AM on June 6, 2022 [17 favorites]
Could the stabbing pain be precordial catch syndrome?
posted by osmond_nash at 7:27 AM on June 6, 2022
posted by osmond_nash at 7:27 AM on June 6, 2022
Response by poster: @osmond_nash - there is no mention of it radiating to the back or sometime migrating (had that happen 2x - travels circular - could be related to an artery).
posted by watercarrier at 10:52 AM on June 6, 2022
posted by watercarrier at 10:52 AM on June 6, 2022
Response by poster: @praemunire - the woo stuff is just to keep going, as I'm not digesting well or assimilating much. The SIADH dx was approximated due to the high level of sodium in the urine - 2x the normal amount. Criteria for dx is >20 mEq/L.
posted by watercarrier at 10:55 AM on June 6, 2022
posted by watercarrier at 10:55 AM on June 6, 2022
Response by poster: @slateyness - yes several, none who were very knowledgeable or helpful in the matter of hyperarathryoidism - at all.
posted by watercarrier at 10:57 AM on June 6, 2022
posted by watercarrier at 10:57 AM on June 6, 2022
Response by poster: @ chasles - by the descriptions of it - and the etiology - it doesn't fit. I'm thinking arterial, some form of esophogeal spasm perhaps or pancreatic related as the location fits as well. But the pain is so acute it's a crime against the world. It's also migratory - as in going straight to the back and sometimes moving around like trapped wind but in the hardest way.
posted by watercarrier at 11:01 AM on June 6, 2022
posted by watercarrier at 11:01 AM on June 6, 2022
Response by poster: @ maxg94 I did an intake via email with specialists and was accepted for surgery by them based on my labs and imaging I sent. It all boils down to money - for lack of funds didn't proceed.
posted by watercarrier at 11:02 AM on June 6, 2022
posted by watercarrier at 11:02 AM on June 6, 2022
Have you been tested for parasites?
Also, I am someone with ultra complex health that’s truly mystifying to doctors. It’s extremely easy to fall over into feeling like I’m dying. Like Right Now. My health has improved immeasurably by getting on a very heavy duty anti-anxiety medication. A lot of my constipation and pain went away because my muscles weren’t so clenched from panic. Anxiety isn’t the root of my problems but it was certainly without question making them much worse.
Have you seen a neurologist? GI + gas + constipation is a way I know I’m having an abdominal migraine.
But truly, from one person who spends an inordinate amount of their time panicked about their health to another: get some mental health support while you are going through this.
And get tested for parasites.
posted by Bottlecap at 11:37 AM on June 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
Also, I am someone with ultra complex health that’s truly mystifying to doctors. It’s extremely easy to fall over into feeling like I’m dying. Like Right Now. My health has improved immeasurably by getting on a very heavy duty anti-anxiety medication. A lot of my constipation and pain went away because my muscles weren’t so clenched from panic. Anxiety isn’t the root of my problems but it was certainly without question making them much worse.
Have you seen a neurologist? GI + gas + constipation is a way I know I’m having an abdominal migraine.
But truly, from one person who spends an inordinate amount of their time panicked about their health to another: get some mental health support while you are going through this.
And get tested for parasites.
posted by Bottlecap at 11:37 AM on June 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: @Bottlecap tested numerous times for parasites. The result was blasto. Seen many neuro docs, they weren't able to help. Finding mental help that can help proving hard - there is one modality that is interesting but cannot afford the meetings. CRM - Comprehensive Resource Model. So that's that.
posted by watercarrier at 12:19 PM on June 6, 2022
posted by watercarrier at 12:19 PM on June 6, 2022
I'm not your doctor, but Addison's disease came to mind.
posted by thereader at 2:05 PM on June 6, 2022
posted by thereader at 2:05 PM on June 6, 2022
Gallbladder? FYI gallbladder/gallstones symptoms may be different than what is expected!
posted by halehale at 6:25 PM on June 6, 2022
posted by halehale at 6:25 PM on June 6, 2022
Not a doctor. This study estimates that ~23,000 emergency department visits per year in the US are related to supplements - including the benign-seeming ones you list like vitamin D, calcium.
I didn't read it closely so not sure the findings are generalisable to you, ymmv, etc.
posted by lulu68 at 10:24 PM on June 6, 2022
I didn't read it closely so not sure the findings are generalisable to you, ymmv, etc.
posted by lulu68 at 10:24 PM on June 6, 2022
I think that to definitively isolate your symptoms and any underlying disease, you *must* let your body have a break from "cleanses" like colonics and "aids" like supplements. The urge to do something to help yourself is completely understandable, but it can also be adding to and/or masking what's really going on.
Fluctuations in values from your tests could easily arise from the colon cleansing.
Supplements are infamously unregulated, and contamination (intentional or not) is rife in that industry, as a few responders have already mentioned. The most likely additive is, in fact, some kind of stimulant that makes you feel more alive when you take the pill. Stimulants can easily trigger cardiac symptoms. And dysregulated ionic balance from colon cleansing can too. Colon cleansing can actually cause heart failure.
Spend a month just eating a plain, healthy, balanced diet -- not to much of any one thing -- drinking enough but not too much, sleeping enough, getting some activity. Let your body be itself. Then, with a clean slate to present to a doc, check in on symptoms and bloodwork.
posted by Dashy at 8:41 AM on June 7, 2022 [3 favorites]
Fluctuations in values from your tests could easily arise from the colon cleansing.
Supplements are infamously unregulated, and contamination (intentional or not) is rife in that industry, as a few responders have already mentioned. The most likely additive is, in fact, some kind of stimulant that makes you feel more alive when you take the pill. Stimulants can easily trigger cardiac symptoms. And dysregulated ionic balance from colon cleansing can too. Colon cleansing can actually cause heart failure.
Spend a month just eating a plain, healthy, balanced diet -- not to much of any one thing -- drinking enough but not too much, sleeping enough, getting some activity. Let your body be itself. Then, with a clean slate to present to a doc, check in on symptoms and bloodwork.
posted by Dashy at 8:41 AM on June 7, 2022 [3 favorites]
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posted by ssg at 11:30 PM on June 5, 2022