I’ve posted a couple of times and people on here have been so lovely so thought I’d post a quick update of where I’m at right now.
Yesterday morning I was taken into hospital with severe headaches and vomiting. I was taken again to MDU where doctors actually listened to me and admitted that I’m not anxious and there is something wrong with my balance!!! Yay!!!
Now the not so great part, my BP was taken on both arms this time - on my right (dominant side) it was 149/85 so quite high for a 37 year old who has always been fit and healthy but on my left it was 168/95 which they said is odd. They think I may have a ‘blockage’ somewhere and said I now need a brain MRI to rule out a potential brain tumour or a stroke. They don’t think it is MS but the MRI should rule this in or out.
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone especially Karen who initially mentioned a potential cardio problem. I will update if and when I get a diagnosis of ‘something.’
Absolutely Karen. Few people realise that BP invariably reads higher in the left arm [nearest the heart], although not by such a wide margin. Many years ago I was hospitalised with pre-eclampsia and the midwifery staff never took a right arm reading.
It is hellish that it takes an acute episode before doctors pay attention and believe their patients. I have been very fortunate with both my GP practice and Neurology team - and [almost] every one else who has treated me over the years. It makes me very angry to read and hear about the shabby way others are treated.
Hi Beth, I am glad to hear you are being listened to now but sorry that you had to be so unwell to get there. Hopefully your MRI appointment will come through very soon so you can get some answers. Take care and keep us posted. Sam xx
Thanks ladies…I’m obviously pretty scared as I have no clue as to what is wrong with me. However, the fact that there are now some physical issues being observed - Very High BP, vomiting etc - has led to me, (at last, after over 3 months of feeling rubbish with no let up) being taken seriously!
It’s a shame that when you have vague neuro symptoms (I’ve got balance issues, tingling all over my body, mild headaches, brain fog and a feeling of pressure in my head) - no one wants to know, then bang! as soon as it turns properly physical there’s an interest - the vomiting yesterday was what spurred my doctors into action! Thats all they seemed concerned with! I guess you have to be pro active too. I know there’s something wrong with me and I don’t want to have a wait and see attitude. It’s my body and my life and I’m sure these neuros/doctors etc wouldn’t be quite so laid back if it was an immediate family member that all these weird and wonderful symptoms were happening to!
Its a horrible thing, not feeling right and when you go to the doctors you expect them to be able to ‘fix’ you and when they can’t it can be so depressing. I’m just hoping I get some answers soon and in the meantime will try my best to remain positive and keep smiling!
Ah, it’s all been in my head according to the doctors and I’ve had a diagnosis of stress! I’ve never doubted the fact I’ve been stressed out but to be constantly written off as a hypochondriac has been hard work. I don’t want to be ill!!! I am waaayyyy too busy to have an illness, let alone make something up but when the doctors can’t find anything they seem to want to hand out anti depressants.(That’s been my experience!!!)
I shouldn’t be happy about them finding something wrong and it may turn out to be something nasty but realistically the chances of it being a tumour or anything that drastic are pretty low. I have my positive thinking head on right now!!! For me, this has all been a learning curve. I think people believe doctors are Gods and yes, they are highly intelligent people who go to medical school to learn about the human body. However, no-one knows your body as well as you do and you have to be pro active and shout a little louder to be heard sometimes!!
It has annoyed me that I’ve had to get to this point to be believed but hey ho at least I’m on the right track now!!!
Thanks everyone for your support. It means a lot and has really helped on difficult days!!! :0) x
Thanks everyone…Another thing that has materialised is that my B12 count is on the low side of normal at 289. I only found this out by asking what it was and was told that this is perfectly fine although I’ve read that B12 counts lower than 400 can cause problems!
I’m back off to my GP next week to see if he will give me a B12 injection or at least prescribe a high dosage of B12. After 4 months of dizziness, pins and needles, balance issues, headaches etc with zero remission, I can’t see that it’s going to hurt to try.
I also don’t want to tell doctors how to do their jobs but I guess this is my life and my body and I’m bored of feeling so rubbish 24/7!!! I’m sure many of us feel like this and the joy of being a medical mystery is bloody hard work sometimes!!
Lots of love to everyone who has posted on this thread,
