Need a diagnosis! Please read

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hi,

I am a 26 yo. white male and have been dealing with chronic fatigue for 5 months now. I have landed a new apartment and my dream job in graduate school but may have to drop out considering the severity of my symptoms. I desperately need a diagnosis or treatment for my condition.

I have been extremely healthy and symptom free almost my whole life and have had almost no medical issues (other than mild erectile dysfunction and incontinence that occurred when I was 24). Then about 5 months ago I suddenly nearly collapsed in the middle of work, just a couple of days after handling a toxic chemical called hydrazine in a lab I was working in. I definitely didn't touch or ingest it (maybe inhaled it though?). There is no test for poisoning by this chemical, other than elevated liver enzymes which I didn't have. Symptoms included dizziness, feeling faint like I was going to pass out, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. 

Since then I have been hospitalized many times with the worst symptoms being difficulty breathing (shallow breathing especially when sleeping), chronic fatigue (can barely leave my room most days), and brain fog (often forget what I'm doing), but other symptoms include stinging in head, numbness in hands, and abdominal cramping.

I've seen many doctors and have had many tests done including mri of brain, ct and xrays of chest, eeg, ekg, lyme test, 24 hour urine, ultrasound, etc. So far the only things that show anything are case of orthostatic tachychardia (mild but worse when fatigue is worse, at one point toward initial incident recorded 60 bpm lying down then 148 bpm upon standing), high serotonin and cortisol levels in urine (although not insanely high), heterozygous for H63D mutation in hemochromatosis gene (shouldn't cause iron overload in most people) when getting 23andme gene testing done. Had an at home sleep study done and average SpO2 was 94, which is a little low? I feel like it might be lower some nights than others. 

I've had terrible reactions to medications and some supplements. Dexamethasone was the worst reaction and the only thing that pulled me out of the attack after a week and a half was a supplement called alpha ketoglutaric acid. I can't even drink a beer without feeling sick for days. Vyvanse has helped me the most but it just masks the symptoms and I worry it perpetuates my fatigue. 

Many doctors have said I have depression and anxiety, which I feel like I don't have. I have had a tough life but I don't feel sad or anxious, other than worried about my health. I have tried talk therapy for several weeks as well as Zoloft for 2 days and Vistaril for 2 days (Vistaril did nothing and Zoloft had too severe side effects to continue). I feel like the underlying issue isn't depression even though all the doctors keep saying it. I feel like it's a cop out answer because they don't know, although I understand my symptoms are vague.

The only other thing I can say is my dad had similar symptoms and was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome when he was 26 as well. However I learned that his symptoms developed after taking isoniazid for a year for TB prevention, which I learned creates hydrazine metabolites in the body. A neurotoxicologist doesn't think that I have hydrazine poisoning because if it affected the brain it should have effected other organs as well, but maybe hydrazine was a trigger? 

Because of the mild orthostatic tachycardia and this feeling I get in my head like if I turn my head upside down it feels like the blood rushes to my head super slowly but powerfully like sludge, I think these are related to POTS with a norepinephrine connection (although my urine levels were normal for this neurotransmitter). 

Any idea what I have or tests that can be done or doctors I should see?? I am super desperate for an answer and don't know what to do, I feel like my life is going down the drain because of this. I'm also worried about trying other anxiety depression medications since so many medications have made me so sick. My concern is that if I don't have anxiety and I have some other fatigue syndrome and covering up symptoms with something like wellbutrin could cause severe damage to my body. I hate asking for help but I really need it right now.

Thank you.

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3 Replies

  • Posted

    Oh my you have been through a lot of tests .. the reality is that cfs I started generally only diagnosed after all other tests come back negative.. it might be worth asking to be referred to a m.e/cfs specialist clinic in your local hospital ..these specialists can diagnose you using the nice guidelines and they can help you to still have a good life with cfs. It requires you accepting there is no quick fix your body has to recover and heal and this takes time no drugs no magic herbal cures just your body repairing ..and you adjusting the way you do things to allow your body to heal ..that’s the tough part pacing .. but a ocuppational therapist from the cfs dept would help you to still do your job you love but to adjust how you do things to conserve energy .. so sitting down to do a lecture instead of standing .. shopping online instead of going round the supermarket .. so I found u can get referred it would really help ..

    i hope you get a diagnosis as it seems from what you’ve posted you are exerting a lot of nervous energy and physical energy trying to get to the bottom of your illness... don’t forget your body can heal itself given time and the right environment .. chin up 

  • Posted

    Scott—I’m so sorry you’re having all these symptoms. Beware of any doctors telling you you’re anxious and depressed if you don’t feel that way.  This often happens to people with ME/CFS. Doctors are not knowledgeable about the illness, so they think it must be in our heads. You might want to stay away from anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds, in case you have ME/CFS. People with this illness tend to be very intolerant of those meds. It’s a bit hard to know what’s going on, from your post. I suppose you could be having some reaction to chemical exposure,. Another possibility is that the chemical exposure triggered ME/CFS. Some of the symptoms do sound like this illness, but something else could be going on as well. The red flag for ME/CFS is post-exertional malaise.  In other words, when you do an activity, do you get fatigued way beyond what a normal person would?  Go to the “solve ME/CFS initiative” website and see if the symptoms resonate with you.  POTS is a common symptom, by the way.  If you live in the U.S., I can give you the names of some doctors who specialize in ME/CFS and would be able to diagnose you if you have this illness.  
  • Posted

    You sound exactly like I did when I got this 27yrs ago. 1990 in California it was very big and mysterious. Alot of people with Epstein barr. Have you been tested for all those viruses, im sure? Cmv, hhv6? Anyway, i still wrack my brain 27 years later trying to think what it could've been. I was under tremendous stress at work. Traveled europe, pushed my way thru as I went over with a stomach bug or something so i wasnt allowing my body to rest. Breathed in freon the year before after i punctured my freezer , deicing with a knife. Ugh. Dumb. Anyway, another factor is genes. My mother had a weaked immune system having colitis , Parkinson's and goiter. My sister has fibromyalgia and my cousin has CFS. So i bet there are alot of factors. Good luck. Ive had to slow down in life. Would do some favorite things in very small doses on a good day. Im still trying new and different things. Epsom baths help me alot. May be the magnesium. Take lots of supplements probiotic. Im just now trying antivirals. May try transfactor plas/myc.

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