Almost a year of mysterious symptoms... please help!

[lindsay0891]

I'm about to turn 22, and my problems started right after I turned 21. Started with some spells of fatigue and nausea, then in April I came down with some kind of viral infection... might have been coxsackie because I had a lot of chest/rib inflammation but I never figured out what it was. Recovered and felt pretty good for two weeks, then in the middle of May I started getting the dizzy/fatigued/nauseous spells telling me I was getting sick again, and then I got what I thought was a stomach virus but it never fully went away. For a while I was waking up every morning and vomiting like a pregnant woman, and I could barely eat anything. But I did have good days where I felt pretty good. The symptoms were really off and on. I was also constantly lightheaded/dizzy, and had some weird symptoms like hair loss and slight weakness in the left side of my body. I also had a lot of gas and bloating and would belch all the time. I had heart palpitations and anxiety, and headaches a few times a month. Finally, I started noticing that I had to eat at least every two hours or I would get really lightheaded, and because I was nauseous a lot I had to force myself to eat.
So that's how I felt from May to September with gradual improvement. In October, November, and December I felt better but hit a plateau. The main symptoms that lingered were the off and on lightheadedness, needing to eat frequently, on and off nausea, and gas pains. Then in January I started getting slightly worse... more stomach issues than I'd had in the last couple months, more lightheaded feelings, couldn't go as long without eating, etc. February has been horrible. Fatigue, nausea, feeling like my blood sugar is crashing even though it's normal, headaches, lightheaded, and more.

I have been tested for HIV, hepatitis C, had a CBC with differential, complete chemical profile, lyme disease test, gluten intolerance test, thyroid (was borderline hyperthyroid but had no antibodies), ANA antibodies, and more. Does anyone have any other ideas?

[Londres70]

Just because you had no antibodies does NOT mean you don't have a thyroid problem.  Antibodies may or may not be present.  

Well.....anyways, all the best figuring this out.  

[lindsay0891]

Thanks. I was negative for thyroid antibodies though so I don't think that's it. The symptoms I'm having now don't really seem thyroid related.

[Londres70]

Since your thyroid labs were questionable at one time it wouldn't hurt to have that further investigated by an Endo.  

[lindsay0891]

If anything I get too much sleep, haha. I sleep well into the afternoon.

[jemma116]

I think that you have answered some of the reasons why you feel weak and shaky - Lack of Sleep - and you are over exhausted.  I am no different in that respect.  I go to bed about 1 or 2am, can't sleep, come down, go on the computer or decorate my cakes (made two this week with octonaut figures made out of fondant for one, so ended up going to bed a 7am).  

I don't get enough sleep and a few hours later get the shakiness, dizzy and weak that I have to go back to bed to get some sleep or I will just drop.  I have also noticed that the more tired I am, the worse my arthritis is that I can barely walk.
I am suffering at the moment with swelling of my legs and have just finished a course of antibiotics for a water infection.

Saw my doc last night.  He has told me to stop taking one of my medications for my blood pressure as well as to stop taking the Ibuprofen as this can cause oedema.  I will be seeing him in a week's time for blood tests and get my blood pressure checked out.  He prescribed me with Ventolin for my asthma and is referring me for an ultra sound to check out my kidneys (I have had a stone many years ago surgically removed at the age of 39) because I have been getting pains in the kidney area as well as having a lot of sediment in the urine.  

I came down at about 3am this morning as my sinus (nose area) is so sore and the mucus is blood streaked - it's probably a virus.  I had a hot Lemsip and went back to bed.  I have only had about 4 hours sleep, so feel absolutely dreadful today.  We did go out for a short walk, but my legs and hips are now killing me.  I am going to force myself to the shops.  Hubby is staying with the 8 year old grandson (he doesn't want to come).  So I shall crawl back to bed when I come back home.

Try and get a good routine with your sleeping.  It is called sleep hygiene.  Don't drink any stimulant drinks like coffee, tea, cola and the like.  The caffeine will keep you awake (I can't sleep or relax at night after a drink of tea or coffee).  If I am thirsty at night I will stick to plain water.

It will take a good few weeks for you to get into a good routine.

All the best.
let me know how you get on.

[lindsay0891]

Thank you. I have been feeling not so good tonight (I stay up late, it's 3AM here)... about 3 hours after I took the antibiotics I got in the shower and my legs and arms were really weak. Then they got shaky and I felt really flushed and anxious. My face was red and hot. I hope it was just side effects.