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Old 04-25-2016, 07:15 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Albert_The_Crocodile View Post
Good luck. Sucks being sick when you're so young and take your health as seriously as you obviously do.

Oh, and by the way - have you researched trigeminal neuralgia? Some of the symptoms you describe almost sound like they may fit. It doesn't sound like an exact match to me, but might be worth considering - even if only to rule it out.
Thank you. I do take my health seriously and the way the last year has gone is what scares me the most as it pretty much just dove off a cliff. I can't trust the way I will feel on any given day - like, most mornings I wake up and am OK, have energy, etc, but I know that come mid-day I am going to wish I hadn't gotten out of bed.

I hadn't researched it, but will do so now. From some high-level reading it does sound like my symptoms fit the second type.
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Old 04-25-2016, 10:38 AM
 
14,376 posts, read 18,284,734 times
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I think a lot of your situation coincides with stress symptoms, thus, no solid diagnosis if there is some underlying issue. I would fix the stress issue, see what happens and continue to seek the right kind of doctor for a full diagnosis. I'm very familiar with stress, and these are my suggestions, based partially on personal experience:

1) Take up running and yoga. I'm not sure the gym is actually the best use of your time. I am just not relaxed their, personally.

2) Standing desk is a great idea. Also, taking hourly breaks to stretch and drink some water (though this is hard, imo).

3) See a therapist or life coach and possibly look into medication. A low dose of Zoloft has reduced my anxiety to an amazing degree with basically no side effects. And talking about your plans, concerns and ambitions is helpful. A life coach really helps me these days, just because she helps me articulate my plans and modify them realistically. She also reminds me about ideas I want to explore and helps me refocus on my goals. It sounds hippy dippy, but it does help if you don't get hung up on that part of things.

4) Try an elimination diet. It sounds like certain foods may be contributing to your issues. I'd limit myself to very bland foods, see how you feel, and reintroduce stuff gradually.

5) Meditate. You'd be surprised how helpful this is when you are freaked out. (I use it to shut my brain down at night so that I can sleep.)

6) Maintain your perspective. Keep the toxic people at arm's length, and consider another career if your job is making you stressed. Also, consider what your minimum requirements are for happiness. I have way more than I need, and I realize that all I need for real happiness is my friends, a place that lets me keep my dogs and a reliable car. Beyond that, everything else is gravy. What in your life is "enough" and what is gravy?

My point is that your best bet for an accurate diagnosis is being able to tell the doctors that you are addressing your stress issues, so what beyond that could be causing this. It COULD just be stress, but I do think that it's just as possible you have another health problem. Make a good faith and consistent effort to deal with the stress issue so that is eliminated as a possibility and you can counter that possibility with evidence of a cohesive plan.

I have been so stressed that I developed back spasms, headaches and eye twitches. I've puked my guts out because of it too. An ex of mine basically threw his back out and could barely move because of stress.
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Old 04-25-2016, 02:08 PM
 
5,681 posts, read 5,085,668 times
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So, this is basically the pattern I've settled into (I just had a very typical day) and I think I may have narrowed the problem down to a few routine things, some work-related, since the weekend does provide a semblance of relief. Here goes.

I am generally OK until lunchtime. Then, after I eat (coincidence, perhaps), I start noticing the pressure swelling up. It's generally in the nose and eyes but does radiate to the back of the head as well. Then, if you pardon my saying, going to the bathroom actually helps relieve some of the more acute cramping (because I feel it not just in my face, but also in my stomach). But it doesn't go away. A stressful phone call adds pressure to the temples (optional since I don't get those on a daily basis). As all of this happens, the pressure builds in the back of the head and neck. The urge to fall asleep isn't too bad. So here I sit right now, with a sore neck and back of the head and some pressure in the nose. I am guessing that if I pop an Excedrin Tension right now, it will get better but I don't want to develop a habit of doing that. My uneducated guess about contributors:

- Neck issues due to sitting in one spot for a long time. I do move around (and stretch my neck often) but it doesn't help long-term. I put in a request for a standing desk today, will see how long it will take.
- Eye strain due to staring at two low-res screens all day long (it does get better with my home setup). This is going to be tough to fix, but I am going to at least try the gaming glasses.
- Something weird gut-related. I'd mentioned the pain-reducing pooping thing once before but never lent it enough credence until I googled it today. I kid you not, I started typing in "headache goes away" and the first thing Google came up with was "when pooping".

That's all I can think of unless it's something far more sinister. I called a bunch of "good" (based on them being part of Michigan's #1 neuro center) neurologists today and am on a waiting list for an appointment with three of them for April/early May. Otherwise I'm going to have to wait a month.

Oh yeah, I'm definitely going to change my mattress and pillows. Any recommendations? I looked at the (stupidly expensive) Sleep To Live Pure Sleep mattresses and am happy to make that kind of investment if they work as advertised. Do they?
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Old 04-25-2016, 03:53 PM
 
Location: Southern California
29,267 posts, read 16,590,367 times
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Every mattress out there is the best in the mfg's mind...I love my Sleep # and sleep 8-10 good hours with my sleep remedy (not drugs). I'm over twice your age and that counts for something. Ever think of integrative MD or Naturopath. You've been given tons of info here. Personally I'm not a fan of the runners of the world...hard on the body for sure.
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Old 04-25-2016, 05:43 PM
 
5,455 posts, read 3,341,590 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by highlanderfil View Post
I'm extremely frustrated and so far have had no luck getting any help from either my internist or specialists, so I'm now appealing to the collective wisdom of C-D. I'll try to make it as brief as possible so as not to overwhelm. These issues may or may not be related, but in order to paint a holistic picture I'll list them all.

Vitals: 33-year-old male, decent physical shape (5 ft. 7, 150, almost-daily exercise, no smoking, virtually no drinking, no recreational drugs of any kind), office job.

0. I lived in L.A. for 14 years before moving to VA for school (for 2 years) and MI/PA for work (currently live in MI). During my first winter in the Midwest, I started having symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, so I've been taking Vitamin D almost daily now for three years and change. Have been under quite a bit of job- and family-related stress in the last year, so I'm sure it's not helping any of the points below.

00. About eight years ago I was diagnosed with TMJ. Have worn a mouth guard when sleeping on and off.

1. A year ago, while at the gym, I pulled my right shoulder while doing shrugs. The pain gradually went away but not entirely. I went to physical therapy and it didn't really help.

2. While in said physical therapy I had a bad migraine episode bad enough to require an ER visit. Loss of peripheral vision, tingling in limbs, aura, loss of coherence (which I was more than keenly aware of at the time and which, to a much milder degree still sometimes reoccurs), the works. Ambulance driver let slip something like: "Well, looks like the early onset of MS." CAT scan, MRI - all negative. Was given prescription for sumatriptan and advised to take it whenever symptoms start. Luckily those same symptoms have not reoccurred; I have taken it on occasion for bad headaches, but it doesn't do anything. Saw a neurologist, she said it's probably related to stress in my neck and shoulders.

3. Last fall I started having symptoms that were eventually diagnosed as reactive hypoglycemia: getting really sleepy with my temples feeling like they are in a vice grip, usually after lunch. Tried messing around with my diet, the worst of the symptoms gradually went away but not entirely. Did a 5-hour glucose test, didn't really show anything except the fact that my sugar levels fluctuated around 90 in a fashion opposite of normal (i.e. spiked late and then fell). Got a thyroid and insulin test - all normal. Meanwhile, I will often feel lightheaded in the afternoon, like one would with a low blood sugar level.

4. Started trying to take care of the shoulder, went to a chiro. After a bunch of sessions, I'm not really any better than when I've started in that I don't have constant pain, but putting even a little bit of effort on that shoulder results in soreness. Meanwhile, the crick in my neck on the same right hand side that has come and gone over the past few years flares up every so often (often after adjustments). MRIs and x-rays all negative.

5. Around this same time (the worst pretty much accumulated around this last winter), after years of occasional heartburn, started having symptoms of not just heartburn, but also excessive saliva, trouble swallowing, etc. Had an upper GI, was diagnosed with GERD and mild gastritis, given a prescription for Prilosec, which actually does seem to be helping (been taking it for a bit over a month now).

6. Finally, in the most recent development, I've been having, on an almost-daily basis, headaches of a different variety. Basically, they feel like cramps in my head (similar sensation to either strained facial muscles after laughing too hard, lactic acid buildup in shoulders when you run or, pardon the visual, being kicked in the balls, only if the sensation is in my head), which start around the temples and radiate to the nose and cheeks, then spreads to shoulders and neck. Gradually goes away, basically like another similar sensation - an ice cream headache - but does linger longer than that. Sometimes also accompanied by similar feelings in my stomach. I just came off one of the worst episodes ever, actually, which is prompting this post - can't take it anymore. My neurologist has basically said that this is all related to stress in my shoulders and neck and recommended physical therapy. I recommended that she... Well, let's not go there. Did a little bit of research and it sounds like it's possible that these are side effects from the Prilosec. Going to try to drop it for a week and see what happens.

Any of this ring a bell? I know I need to find a good internist and neurologist (so far zero luck), but I'm exhausted from all of this and just want to know I'm not alone and that this can have a resolution of some sort. Just went on vacation and the symptoms were largely reduced (though never went away completely - they generally take a back seat if I am active and I usually walk around a lot on vacations) but as soon as I came back home, boom, there they come again. Any time I sit at my computer at home or at work or drive, or am not very active, I may as well lie down and fall asleep.

you asked for help and now you are picking apart what people are telling you.
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Old 04-25-2016, 08:54 PM
 
14,376 posts, read 18,284,734 times
Reputation: 43042
Quote:
Originally Posted by highlanderfil View Post
So, this is basically the pattern I've settled into (I just had a very typical day) and I think I may have narrowed the problem down to a few routine things, some work-related, since the weekend does provide a semblance of relief. Here goes.

I am generally OK until lunchtime. Then, after I eat (coincidence, perhaps), I start noticing the pressure swelling up. It's generally in the nose and eyes but does radiate to the back of the head as well. Then, if you pardon my saying, going to the bathroom actually helps relieve some of the more acute cramping (because I feel it not just in my face, but also in my stomach). But it doesn't go away. A stressful phone call adds pressure to the temples (optional since I don't get those on a daily basis). As all of this happens, the pressure builds in the back of the head and neck. The urge to fall asleep isn't too bad. So here I sit right now, with a sore neck and back of the head and some pressure in the nose. I am guessing that if I pop an Excedrin Tension right now, it will get better but I don't want to develop a habit of doing that. My uneducated guess about contributors:

- Neck issues due to sitting in one spot for a long time. I do move around (and stretch my neck often) but it doesn't help long-term. I put in a request for a standing desk today, will see how long it will take.
- Eye strain due to staring at two low-res screens all day long (it does get better with my home setup). This is going to be tough to fix, but I am going to at least try the gaming glasses.
- Something weird gut-related. I'd mentioned the pain-reducing pooping thing once before but never lent it enough credence until I googled it today. I kid you not, I started typing in "headache goes away" and the first thing Google came up with was "when pooping".

That's all I can think of unless it's something far more sinister. I called a bunch of "good" (based on them being part of Michigan's #1 neuro center) neurologists today and am on a waiting list for an appointment with three of them for April/early May. Otherwise I'm going to have to wait a month.

Oh yeah, I'm definitely going to change my mattress and pillows. Any recommendations? I looked at the (stupidly expensive) Sleep To Live Pure Sleep mattresses and am happy to make that kind of investment if they work as advertised. Do they?
In the meantime, go to Target and get one of their memory foam mattress toppers. That made all the difference in my bed.
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Old 04-26-2016, 06:08 AM
 
5,681 posts, read 5,085,668 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kitty61 View Post
you asked for help and now you are picking apart what people are telling you.
The simple fact that I asked for help doesn't mean I'm completely naive and will take anyone's advice for face value. When things don't make sense, they don't make sense. That said, there have been very few things like that, so for you to say I'm "picking apart" anything is a little bit of a stretch. I understand you feel slighted because I pointed out to you that your particular piece of advice wasn't particularly helpful (much like the "just have some red wine!" (which actually causes migraines) advice from that other guy) but that doesn't mean I haven't taken away major items from others' comments to either modify my own behavior or discuss with my M.D..

Last edited by highlanderfil; 04-26-2016 at 06:20 AM..
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Old 04-26-2016, 06:11 AM
 
5,681 posts, read 5,085,668 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JrzDefector View Post
In the meantime, go to Target and get one of their memory foam mattress toppers. That made all the difference in my bed.
My entire mattress is made of memory foam and I've had an extra topper for it, as well (as a matter of fact it's hanging out folded in the closet for that one day we have extra guests over and can put it over the rug, heh) - doesn't work for me, unfortunately. It looks like in order for me to get a decent night's sleep I need a softer-than-average mattress and so far the last four I've tried haven't fit the bill; three of them were memory foam mattress-in-a-box types from various online startups (Casper, Helix - which was supposed to have been customized to their highest level of softness, and Noomi). Picking out a new mattress is going to be quite the process, I'm afraid. At least my wife has similar needs and preferences, so we won't need a split-level.
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Old 04-28-2016, 07:32 AM
 
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Basically, the symptoms are the same every day now. Sometime around lunchtime (whether coinciding with eating or not, I don't know) the pressure and cramping centers on the bridge of nose around the eyes and basically sticks around until I either take an Excedrin, exercise (which actually can make it worse) or rest (if I don't move, I can't feel it). In the morning I typically wake up with a vestigial reminder, then it's OK for a few hours, then the cycle starts again. It doesn't appear that this is at all caffeine-or Prilosec-related (I hadn't had any of either one this week until today). My energy level has been a bit up, either due to a sheer show of will (I force myself to do stuff now rather than bum out when I get like this), grape seed extract (I take 60 mg three times a day) or the placebo effect from the latter. Maybe it's the air in the office, I don't know. Either way, I have a neurologist appointment on the 19th of May at which point in time I'm going to insist they stick me in a machine and don't stop until they've inspected every fiber in my head. Also requested an appointment with the otolaryngologist who, last time I was in his office, stuck a probe up my nose and didn't find a thing. Going to try the Flonase a bit more regularly, as well (I did use it daily on my vacation and stopped upon returning, don't ask me why), so will see if it helps.
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Old 04-28-2016, 11:02 AM
 
Location: Middle of the valley
48,356 posts, read 34,485,139 times
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The only thing I can think of is the vagus nerve? It runs from your stomach, by your heart, and into your head.

I don't know much about it except for mine is partially damaged.

When I get a full stomach, my nose starts running and I get stuffed up. I also have mild gastroparesis from that, it takes my stomach twice as much time to empty.


Could yours be a more aggressive problem?
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