It all started with brain shivers and dizziness. Took off from work for 2 weeks. Desperate for help.
Posted , 4 users are following.
It all started in April 21st, I have been experiencing sudden mild dizziness that only lasted for 3-5 seconds. Happened when I'm outside and looking down on my phone. Easily resolved when I sit down and look up. Just a mention, there is also tightness over top head/occipital, bitemporal area. Didn't take meds, just rest and continue with daily life. It went away. I went to the Polyclinic. Doctor did a head thrust test on me, no nystagmus (like an involuntary eye movement?) but reported slight vertigo. He also referred me to ENT specialist, appt is at a later date (August 7th).
Moving on to July 8th, I felt extreme fatigue even after sleeping and eating well. But proceeded with my daily life. I was eating dinner and watching a funny show on my phone (shows I'm in a stress-free condition) when I had a sudden extreme vertigo attack. I could see the room spinning for 7-10 seconds, double vision and my hearing got muffled. Extreme strong pressure from all over my head and a drilling sensation from my left and right temples. I then had cold sweats and tension headache (no throbbing I think) which lasted for more than 24 hours even after taking Naproxen Sodium or Anarex. I had weakness in my arms too. That is only the start.
Went to the nearest GP. She said it was JUST a tension headache but did mention that a tension headache lasting more than 24 hours is a bit odd. Expected to go away in a few days. Prescribed naproxen sodium but it didn't help. My condition got worse so on July 13th, so I went to a polyclinic. The waiting time was pretty long, I had the attacks again and was wheeled by the nurses. The doctor told me he couldn't help me, prescribed me with prochlorperazine for the vertigo and dizziness.
I went to the Singapore General Hospital A&E on July 22nd because the symptoms just aggravate. My lymph nodes at my hairline were swollen. He dismissed all of my symptoms, denied any urgent investigation and told me to wait for my appointment with specialist. He told me it's an infection which will resolve in a few days on it's own and that I am just dehydrated (lol at this).
As of now here are the symptoms (in a somewhat chronological order):
- Involuntary brain shiver/zaps only for a week
- A strong pressure at the back of my head
- Dizziness/vertigo gets worse in time (I feel like I'm constantly spinning, the spinning gets stronger into a vertigo attack when I try to do work or think. I also notice my head tend to lean towards the right side)
- Throbbing feeling in head 24/7, starts right when I wake up
- Difficulty concentration & a constant brain fog
- Stiff neck and pain behind ear near hairline/lymph node
Other things worth mentioning:
- My ears feel plugged like it's blocked sometimes. It will pop on its own and I hear crackling sounds in my ear when my jaw is wide open. There is also an odd pressure inside my ears.
- My vertigo will get worse when I put my head on the floor *see attached photo*
- A couple of weeks before my dizziness experience (before 21st april), I had a sudden severe diarrhoea where I went to the toilet 6 times in an hour. Severe pain at my left lower abdomen.
-------------
I'm 22 years old. Working as a fashion design educator and make clothes for clients. Stress level is alright. I had history of GERD which made me very sick for 8 months in 2017. I also have an ovarian cyst and very painful periods, waiting to be diagnosed.
Please let me know if you have similar symptoms or a diagnosis for these symptoms. Currently on a no-pay leave. Might go to a private hospital if it gets unbearable but they can cost a bomb in Singapore. But I'm really desperate.
0 likes, 13 replies
Guest Leena507A
Posted
Did you vomit anytime during these symptoms?
I started dizzy and little pain on upper neck a year back and dizzy is on off from then. recently ENT doc asked me to go for an MRI. i dont feel anything odd if i take vertin16mg tabs.
Leena507A Guest
Posted
I've yet to go for brain MRI. My GP said the specialist should be sending me to MRI, CT scans & nasal endoscopy to see if there is any inner ear infection or things related.
I vomited probably twice when the throbbing headache gets worse to the point I will gag every time I move. Otherwise, I feel extremely nauseous when having vertigo attacks. Also, I'm pretty good at controlling the urge to vomit as I had a long history with it due to gastrointestinal issues.
I read that vertin helped to decrease vertigo but it won't completely cure/stop it.
When are you going for MRI? Do update me the results too!
margaret22116 Leena507A
Posted
Make sure there is nothing else going on in your bloods check b12 and all the basics. A neurologist was no good to me and I was diagnosed after an appointment with a rheumatologist who referred me on to an immumologist.
Guest margaret22116
Posted
margaret22116 Guest
Posted
Yes sorry. They are infkammatory markers in the blood which can reflect a whole host of things from infection to underlying disorders like auto immune conditions. They are often strangely normal for myself and others with auto immune conditions but sometimes are raised giving an indication that something is out of whack. They are not a diagnosis of anything specific but point to something being awry in your system.
My illness was diagnosed on symptoms, disease history and these blood test results. Also by ruling out everything else known to man and having a fairly long anti biotic treatment which did nothing. Think they were trying to see if I had Lymes disease but I didn't.
margaret22116 Guest
Posted
Leena507A margaret22116
Posted
I've not yet done a full blood test because the doctors I've seen don't take my pain seriously. They told me it's just a mere infection. But I always have a gut feeling it could be related to auto immune disorder. Since young, I fall sick very easily 3-4 times a month usually with fever, flu, strep throat, sinus infection or tonsillitis. I also started having chest pains which my gastro think was caused by GERD. But later on, another GP think it's costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage in the rib cage).
I'll ask to get full blood tests down. May I know what's the final diagnosis suggested by your immunologist?
Leena507A
Posted
Not sure if it's worth mentioning but I haven't had fever in the longest time, for years. Usually after a flu, throat infection, I'll get a fever and recover completely from it. Ever since I was diagnosed with GERD, I just can't get a fever each time I get flu/tonsilitis/sinus infection, but I will feel extremely sick with heated body and cold sweats.
margaret22116 Leena507A
Posted
Yes costochondritis soundd like a cause doesn't it. I have had this too after suggestions if GERD causing it. You know yourself, know your own body. Like you I eas frequently unwel. Your disease history is important. So I have Behcet's (without much ulceration which probably delayed diagnosis). But don't ve sidetracked by that. Lots if auto immune disorders have similar overlapping symptoms but without ulceration. For example Lupus and Sjogren's. I even have the Lupus rash on face and neck but don't, to my knowledge, have Lupus. So much can go wrong with the immune system. Symptoms often very similar. Bit of a tangle to unravel. Needs a good doctor with experience.
margaret22116
Posted
margaret22116 Leena507A
Posted
My body temperature was all over the place with heat intolerance. Very hot weather often caused me to flare.
margaret22116 Leena507A
Posted
My body temperature was all over the place with heat intolerance. Very hot weather often caused me to flare.
Leena507A margaret22116
Posted
Thank you so much for taking your time and replying to me. For the first time, I feel like someone actually understands my symptoms and believe they're not made up. It means so much to me, thank you Margaret! I hope you're dealing well with the inflammation. Sending lots of love.
I've read about Lupus and some symptoms actually matched but yes as you said, the symptoms for auto immune disorders can overlap a lot. I had this odd rash too at my left abdomen area but resolved quickly. Actually, ever since the bad diarrhoea, I'm back with digestive issues. Feels like there is a wound inside my intestine, I'm suspected diverticulitis. I probably need to schedule a colonoscopy!
I've never had dry sore nose which bleeds inside. Never had nosebleeds at all actually. But back when I was 15, I had a very bad sinus infection which went up to my head (that's what the doctor said I think). So I had a throbbing headache and needed to vomit everyday to get relief.
Everything seems to be linked to inflammation, happening one after another. I'll definitely demand to be referred to an immunologist. Fingers crossed!