Can someone help me?

[LisaMS]

I have been feeling ill for 6 months now. It started in June with constipation problems. In July I started experiencing rapid heart beat when I moved after sleeping. In July I also lost my appetite and ended up losing 13lbs. My appetite is back, but I still can't gain any weight back. I have body aches all over (especially legs and arms), headaches, weird tingling in my arms, low grade fever of 99.4 everynight (it is usually normal during day), heart skips a beat about 10 times a day,trouble going to sleep or staying asleep, and sometimes lightheaded or dizzy feelings. I have been to see several doctors, I have had numerous tests, and no one can come up with a diagnosis. One of the doctors said it is all anxiety, then the other doctor said it was not. Test that I have done are:

Cat Scan-- abdomen, pelvis, chest, head---all normal
CBC--normal
SPEP--normal
Full thyroid panel--- all normal
2 lyme titer tests--- both normal
blood culture-- negative
HIV test-- normal
EBV test-- normal
ESR-- normal
ANA--negative
C-reative protein-- normal
3 chest X-rays-- normal
EGD---mild esophagitis otherwise normal
echocardigram--normal
24hr holtor monitor showed 4 SVT episodes and 555 PACs
30 day event monitor showed sinus tachycardia and SVE with abberancy
stool sample- negative for parasites

Sorry for the long post, but I am hoping someone has had a previous experience and was able to get a diagnosis. I am supposed to start back to college in the spring and I am desperate for some answers. So far no doctor has been able to help me. The doctors that I have seen include family physician, 2 internal medicine doctors (one was associated with a teaching hospital), rhematologist, gastroenterologist, and a naturopathic doctor. They all have either said they don't know what is wrong or have referred me to someone else.

PLEASE CAN SOMEONE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!

[LisaMS]

I have not been tested for Leptospirosis, but I have had a blood culture done. Would that show this? I have had skin rashes off and on, but no conjunctival congestion or yellow discoloration. Another symptoms I forgot to mention was a burning feeling in my throat that comes and goes.

[Gaburrea]

Have you ever been tested for Leptospirosis?
You mentioned drinking from an opened soda that could be contaminated from urine of rats. (Leptospirosis could be spread through the urine of rats)

Although you have other symptoms that aren't usually associated with it, Leptospirosis is in the differential.

Have you noticed any skin rash or conjunctival congestion / yellow discoloration?
Any other symptom?

[LisaMS]

I am 30 years old. I have not had any previous medical problems. My mother had breast cancer but that is the only history of problems with my family. I am not depressed. The symptoms started in June. I had constipation problems all month long. In July I started having the rapid heart beat, and the heart skipping a beat, the low grade fever and body aches. I also began losing weight (total weight loss is 13 lbs). I haven't lost anymore weight but can't gain any back even though I have added two ensure plus drinks to my diet. Before all of this began I was attending college, but was out for summer. I just had braces removed and got a retainer. The only thing out of the ordinary was that I stopped at a gas station and purchased a soda. The safety lid was not on the soda and I had taken two drinks out of it before I noticed it. I mentioned this to the doctor, but they dismiss the idea of that having anything to do with my problems. I have had a abdomen and pelvis CT scan and an ultrasound of both.    

THANK YOU for taking the time to listen!!!

[Gaburrea]

Can you tell me a little bit more about you?
How old are you? What kind of medical problems you had before?
Medical problems in your family...
Any signs of depression?  How the symptoms started? Something happens before?..
Have you had an abdomen and pelvis CT Scan done?..

[LisaMS]

My comprehensive metabolic panel was normal. I have not had my PTH tested. I considered the hiatal hernia, but that was ruled out by the EGD and cat scan.  I don't drink any alcohol or caffeine. Thanks everyone for your post!!!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi

Thanks for the post!

Well, stress and anxiety can cause similar problems and there is no harm in doing deep breathing exercises, yoga and meditation. Heart skipping a beat and dizziness and lightheadedness could be due to low or high blood pressure. How is yours? Diabetes and GERD should also be ruled out as one of the causes of all symptoms put together.

Hiatal hernia in which the stomach herniates into the chest cavity one it is full produces similar symptoms. Raising your head end of the bed to 45 degrees should help. This should also help you to sleep. Do not sleep at least for one hour after meal. A glass of warm milk and warm water bath should relax you.

Pulmonary artery hypertension too has similar symptoms and so also many lung problems. An X-ray of chest and CT scan are mandatory to rule out both. Many a times EKG does not catch pulmonary hypertension and hence other tests may be needed. Pulmonary function tests too should be carried out.

Too much use of alcohol or caffeine to causes similar problems.

You can also consult a sleep specialist to rule out irregular or disturbed sleeping patterns.

Hope this helps. I think you should discuss this with your doctor and get yourself examined and investigated in these lines discussed. Do let me know if there is any thing else. Take care!

[KatEyes]

Ask your doctor if there is anything an endocrinologist might be able to do for you. And did you have a cardiology consult to review your arrythmias?  It may be that your symptoms are coming from more than one source and won't make sense in total. One set of symptoms you could address is the sleep problems - if your sleep isn't good, so much else can get out of whack. Has you doctor mentioned a sleep study?

[Gaburrea]

How is your Comprehensive Metabolic Panel?  (CMP) Any abnormality in it?
Do you know your Paratohormon level? (PTH)