headaches, dizziness, nausea, numbness

[juli1004]

Hi My name is Juli... I just turned 24 years old. the dizziness started 2 years ago. I was never to had all the test done by the doctor because i didn't have health insurance back then. it was very hard. I have a slight of disability so i recently got a free health insurance. since then, i have been seeing a primary doctor frequently. I was told by my doctor that i might have anxiety or depression so she refer me to a therapist which i go every once a week. I recently started get headaches also. it gets worse usually every night. my dizziness starts usually after i finish eating. whenever i go to the doctor and when they check my blood pressure it's always been high so my doctor prescribe me a high blood pressure medication and causing me side effects so i do not take it anymore. my doctor also tried me taking a zantac and claritin but the symptoms got worse and my doctor told me to stop taking it. all the test i done so far it's normal. Finally, my doctor decided that i should get a CT head scan done and go to see a neurology but the neurology appointment won't be done until next month. i had the CT head scan done and my doctor told me that there's some sign of sinus in my CT scan. my doctor told me she wants to do another blood work which was thyroid and hormones i think. I recently got the worse symptoms that i never had. I started to have back pain, body aches all over. i had nausea, very bad dizziness and headaches. what more test could my primary doctor can do for me? my doctor is exausted trying to find what is wrong but still nothing. i'm desperated to know the answer. I am getting worse every day. i'm only taking a tyenol for my pain but nothing change. I will be talking to the doctor soon when she call me back. please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[John Kenyon, CNA]

Hi Juli-

It does sound like you probably have a deep sinus blockage with infection that's not draining properly. It may not be this, but everything else fits this picture. The dizziness might respond to meclazine (brand name Dramamine Non-Drowsy Forumula). It would be worth a try and wouldn't hurt anything. Also, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like ibuprofin -- Advil, or naproxyn -- Aleve) would probably be more effective at managing the headaches. Hopefully the blood work you have done will include a simple complete blood count (CBC) to help determine if there is an infection going on.

The neurology appointment makes sense, and may actually help even if the problem is sinus related. I hope that will help determine what's going on. In the meantime try the above mentioned over-the-counter medicines to help manage the symptoms better. Good luck to you and please keep us updated.

[juli1004]

the meclizine you mention I have tried that but it never work for me and the ibuprofen really helped my headache but i had a stomach pain even though i ate with food. the doctor told me to stop taking it. the neurology doctor possibly think that the headache is due to migraine headache so he prescribe me a elavil and imetrex but the imetrex doesn't cover by my health insurance so the pharamacy put on hold so that they can contact my doctor. so far, elavil isn't working yet but i'll have to wait and see. i'm going to the primary doctor today for a follow up.

[John Kenyon, CNA]

Elavil may help some, but Imatrex would be more effective for sure. Hopefully you can get it worked out so that your insurance will cover it.

Stay in touch and keep us updated. Best of luck to you.

[juli1004]

I went to see my primary doctor and I started to have a backache so my doctor check it out and I did a x-ray I still have to wait for the result. i didn't have a bad pain in my back when i saw my doctor but when i had to go somewhere with my family i suddenly have a really sharp back middle pain. my headache was okay. back of my head was still hurting but my back is so painful and my knees I can't really walk well.
what's your suggestion?? I will be calling my doctor and see what the result shows.
even though i had backache when i had the flu i had a lower back pain but this time it's in the middle and upper back.


do you have any suggestion that i should mention it to my doctor??

[John Kenyon, CNA]

My only suggestion at this distance and with limited information would be that you explain to your doctor, in detail, the symptoms you've had involving both headache and back pain. Try and be as specific as possible. These symptoms may be completely coincidental, or they could be the herald of some unspecified neurological problem. If the doctor is aware of the changing nature of the symptoms along the single pathway between the head and lower spine, this may help him to recognize or at least rule out any potentially serious central nervous system problems. There seem to be no generalized symptoms, so this may all be moot, but it is best to rule out as many things as possible.

Please follow up with us after you've seen the doctor again. Good luck to you.

[juli1004]

My headache is gone but now i'm having a a lot of pain in my upper back and middle back pain. i never got injured on my back before. I had back pain last time with the flu but this time it's different. I'm having more pain that i never felt it before.
this is completely new to me.
I haven't had headaches for several days now since i took the imetrex.


is it possible to have a back pain even if i wasn't injured??
my legs gets numb too.
I could hardly sit down because it hurts so bad.


help?????????????
I'm still waiting for the doctor to call me.

[John Kenyon, CNA]

Glad the headache is gone now, but sorry about the back pain. It is entirely possible to have muscle inflammation in your back without having experienced any physical trauma. Just as flu will cause some pretty awful backaches, tension and other things (including other viral infections) can cause this. The leg numbness does suggest possible sciatica, which could somehow be related to the back pain, but the doctor really needs to get in touch with you. If you don't hear from him soon, it might be wise to put in another call. You don't need to be dealing with all this pain for no good reason.

Please let us know what the doctor says.

[juli1004]

I got a call saying that i have a urnary tract infection. could that be related to my backache?? i haven't talk to my doctor yet. she's not there until friday so i have to call her back. I'm still waiting for the xray result that i did last friday....

[John Kenyon, CNA]

It absolutely could! That could explain a lot, actually. Wow. Thanks for this update, and please follow up with us once you've been seen, as well.

[juli1004]

I speak with my doctor finally and the x-ray I did she told me that there's nothing wrong. She's running out of options, but she wants me to come in. I hope to see her on the dec. 30th. she has a full schedule so i have to double book it and i still have to wait for the clinic to call me. In the meantime, my doctor told me to put hot pack on my back it did help but once i stop, It came back. I'm also started my period this friday so it's even worser.
Do you have any suggestion that i should ask my doctor when i go see her in a week??
or could it be related to my urinary tract infection??
or could it be something else??
I am taking the antibotics for the infection...
My doctor is concern what she should do.

[rharha]

BLACKOUTS.
I HAVE HAD MANY SPELLS SINCE AUG,2008. SOMETIMES THERE THE SAME SOMETIMES NOT. I JUST BLACK OUT FOR A FEW SEC THEN WHEN I COME AROUND MY HEAD FEEL STRANGE. MY HEART RACES THEN I PASS-OUT AGAIN. WHEN I COME AROUND I START TO SHAKE AND SWEAT. I FEEL SICK TO MY TUMMY. THE LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE TINNGLES AND SO DOSE MY LIPS. I ALSO HAVE EXTREAMLY COLD HANDS AND FEET. THE LATEST SPELL I HAD TO CALL THE EMTS. THEY FOUND ME ON THE FLOOR. MY SUGAR LEVEL WAS 43. WENT TO THE HOSPITAL. I TOLD THEM I THOUGHT IT WAS LACK OF SLEEP. FOR MONTHS NOW I CANT SLEEP NO MATTER WHAT MEDS THEY GIVE ME, IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAIN DOSE NOT WANT TO REST. THEY DID ALOT OF TESTS ON ME. CANT FIND ANY THING REALLY WRONG. I HAVE DEVELOPED HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND LOW BLOOD SUGAR THIS YEAR. AT NIGHT TIME MY HEART RACES AND I HAVE A DULL PAIN IN MY UPPER RIBCAGE. SOMETIMES I GET SHARP PAINS ON BOTH SIDES OF MY NECK AND IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD. IN THE MORNING I WAKE UP SICK TO MY TUMMY AND I DO THRW UP. MY DOCTOR IS SENDING ME TO NORTHWESTERN UN HOSPITAL TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY. ALL I KNOW IS THAT IM SO TIRED OF THIS. I WENT FROM BEING REALLY HEALTHY ONE DAY TO SICK THE NEXT.. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS BEFOR. THEY PUT ME ON ATAVIN TO HELP. IT DOSE TO A POINT. IT HELPS ME TO RELAX AND LET THE SPELLS HAPPEN. MY BRAIN FEEL STRANGE ALL THE TIME. OFF LIKE. NUMB..... I CANT EXPLAIN IT ANY BETTER. MY GUESTION IS IS IT MY BRAIN OR DO YOU THINK SOMETHING ELESE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. RHARHA.

[juli1004]

I have been getting dizzy lately. could it be because i'm taking the medication??

I'm taking elavil at bedtime. i take imitrex when my headache starts. I take macrodantin for my urniary tract infection.

I still have a backache. i'm still waiting for my doctor to overbook the appointment.

[rharha]

BLACKOUTS. I WROTE A FEW DAYS AGIO ABOUT MY PROBLEM. MY NAME IS RHARHA. I JUST GOT MY MRI TESTS BACK. I HAVE A BRAIN TUMOR AT THE BASE OF MY BRAIN. SO, I AM OFF TO NORTHWESTERN UN IN CHICAGO ILL SOONER. I WAS TOLD I HAVE TO HAVE SUGERY. YOU don't HAVE TO GET BACK TO ME BUT FOR THOSE OUT THERE WHO ARE HAVING A PROBLEM LIKE ME, PLEASE GET AN MRI WITH DYE CONTRAST RIGHT AWAY. I HAVE FOUGHT DOCTORS FOR 4 MONTHS NOW ABOUT NEEDING AN MRI AND ALL THEY SAID WAS TO TAKE ADIVAN WICH IS FOR ANXITY TO HELP ME RELAX! SO THOSE THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT KEEP HAVING PROBLEMS KEEP GOING TO DIFFERENT DOCTORS TILL YOU GET AN ANSWER.

[juli1004]

i went to see a doctor this week and she told me that my kidney and the xray that i did was all normal. she wants me to go to physical therapy.
since, imirex is not helping with my headache my doctor told me to call the neurology to make a appointment. my doctor increased the elavil medication because i wasn't sleeping well and she told me that i should sleep well. I was taking 10 mg and now i'm taking 50 mg. it makes me sleepy all day even though i take it at bedtime.
she told me that i will feel more dizzy because of side effects.
I've been seeing therapist. my doctor wants me to see phycharist.
i'm desperate why i'm getting sick all the time. why is it so hard to find the answer.