Re: My Mystery.....

[Guest guest]

Hello and welcome! I''m not really qualified to comment on a lot of your symptoms but one thing stood out to me:I should add that I have frequent muscle pains and stiffness in the neck and

shoulder area, trouble falling asleep at night (I get energy at strange times)

and frequent waking at night. I also have a tendency to retain water.Some of this is consistent with PA - muscle pains and water retention - and it was my experience that the late-night energy was part of it too. However, the first thing I was screened for was a pheochromacytoma rather than PA - this is also a type of adrenal tumor, but the late-night energy is more consistent with that. Mine turned out to be an aldosteronoma and not a pheo.At the very minimum I'd recommend the following bloodwork:PotassiumAldosteroneReninPlasma free metanephrines/catecholaminesThose should reveal if further testing for either hyperaldo or a pheo is necessary. Hope that helps!Also, a friendly heads-up - you won't get much support for low-carb on this forum. But in my "experiment of one" during the 10 years it took for my tumor to be discovered and removed, low-carb was the only thing that kept my weight within a healthy range.-msmith1928Nulliparous female, 46, left laparoscopic adrenalectomy on 10/13/2011. >> Hi everyone!> > First of all, thank you for taking the time to read my post. > > Here is my story. > I am a 33 year old female, and was diagnosed with diabetes 1.5 years ago. Approximately 9 months before that diagnosis, I was hit very hard with an infection of Campylobacter (like Salmonella, only worse!). That infection was misdiagnosed (the lab lost the sample) and went untreated with the correct medicine for nearly two weeks. I ended up in the hospital and did not feel 'normal' again until after my diabetes diagnosis. I am telling you about this infection because I believe it may have had something to do with later health issues, in some way.> > Anyhow, after the attack of Campylobacter, I did not feel well again. I was tired and run down all the time. I was also drinking a lot of water (I thought it was due to poor ventilation in the work place causing my thirst). I was exercising a lot and on a reduced calorie diet at the time but could not lose any weight. I was also under extreme stress (due to my job) at this time, so much that I had developed a tic (my eyelid would not stop twitching!) that, unsurprisingly went away immediately when I quit my job!> > 9 months after the Campylobacter incident, I contracted what I thought was a urinary tract infection. I went to the doctor and was asked to provide a urine sample. They could tell from the smell of the urine that something was wrong (it was very sweet) and immediately took blood tests. My blood sugar was 432 mg/dl (24 mmol) fasting. I was rushed to a laboratory for further testing, which confirmed a diagnosis of diabetes.> > I was crushed. This was one week before a final exam that would determine the future of my life and career, so I was also very emotionally stressed. My family has a LONG history of diabetes (my mother and her father both have it, possibly other family members as well) and we are part native american (genetic tendency to develop diabetes). I had always known the risk was there, but I did not expect to get it so early. I don't know if the campylobacter infection contributed to this, but I have been told that it is a possibility, as camplyobacter can cause pancreatitis, which can kill some of the cells that produce insulin. In the end, it does not matter what caused the disease. I have it and I have to live with it! > > I immediately started researching how to eat and started on a low carbohydrate diet. Within 2 weeks I had brought my blood sugars down to normal levels (real normal levels, not the too-high levels that most diabetes doctors will accept!). I now have blood sugars that are indistinguishable from a 'normal' person. I have also lost 75 pounds. > > I would like to lose 25 pounds more, which would put me at a very healthy ideal weight. However my weight loss seems to have stalled. > > On top of this, last winter, during a routine blood pressure check, I was told that I had suddenly developed very high blood pressure. This was during an appointment with a nutritionist. She took my blood pressure twice, and I had an elevated systolic and diastolic. I was then sent to my regular doctor (a couple weeks later) who had a similar result. He suspected white coat syndrome (fear of doctors/clinical situations causing stress related high blood pressure). I was then scheduled to be fitted with a 24 hour monitor, so they could see what my blood pressure did outside of a clinical setting. > > When I came to be fitted for the 24 hour monitor, it would not work on me. They tried several machines, but in the end I was told that I was the one out of a thousand people whom the machine is unable to read. Something about my physiology made that impossible. It is nothing obvious...I am only 10 pounds overweight so that is not the issue! They said it was just a fluke and there was nothing they could do about it.> > I had to buy a wrist monitor and monitor my blood pressure myself. I consistently get elevated numbers, no matter what time of day it is or if I have been relaxing or meditating beforehand. By high numbers, I mean 175/118, 156/110, etc. > > I have had two normal Ekgs in the past 1.5 years, and my cardiac hormone is normal. I have, as I said earlier, perfect blood sugars and perfect cholesterol numbers. They claim that my thyroid is fine (I know that they only test TSH, though).> > I have an appointment with a cardiac specialist next tuesday. My doctor says that he cannot figure out why my blood pressure is like this, given my massive weight loss and my perfect blood sugar control. I am of course quite scared of the possibilities here but I don't think anything is wrong with my heart or arterial systems, as there have been so many tests taken already that show nothing (Ekgs, etc). > > I am suspecting adrenal issues because a friend of mine suggested it to me...she is a naturopath, and after hearing some of the symptoms I have, she thought it might be a cause of the blood pressure readings.> > I did a test on myself yesterday. I took blood pressure readings lying down, then stood and took one immediately. My blood pressure (especially systolic) falls dramatically (20 points on average) upon standing. It is still high of course, but there is a significant drop. I have read that this may indicate too much or too little aldosterone. I am guessing too much, considering my high blood pressure, if aldosterone is the cause. > > I should add that I have frequent muscle pains and stiffness in the neck and shoulder area, trouble falling asleep at night (I get energy at strange times) and frequent waking at night. I also have a tendency to retain water. > > I know that I can only be diagnosed by a professional, but can anyone tell me if I am a candidate for hyperaldosteronism? > > Thank you for your help and taking the time to read my story!>

[Guest guest]

A with HTN ARE candidates for PA. WHAT has your k been? How many times a night do u pee? How many milligrams or sodium and potassium do u eat a day would u estimate.May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertensionOn Jan 18, 2012, at 5:49, jurakvinde <stardustshadow@...> wrote:

Hi everyone!

First of all, thank you for taking the time to read my post.

Here is my story.

I am a 33 year old female, and was diagnosed with diabetes 1.5 years ago. Approximately 9 months before that diagnosis, I was hit very hard with an infection of Campylobacter (like Salmonella, only worse!). That infection was misdiagnosed (the lab lost the sample) and went untreated with the correct medicine for nearly two weeks. I ended up in the hospital and did not feel 'normal' again until after my diabetes diagnosis. I am telling you about this infection because I believe it may have had something to do with later health issues, in some way.

Anyhow, after the attack of Campylobacter, I did not feel well again. I was tired and run down all the time. I was also drinking a lot of water (I thought it was due to poor ventilation in the work place causing my thirst). I was exercising a lot and on a reduced calorie diet at the time but could not lose any weight. I was also under extreme stress (due to my job) at this time, so much that I had developed a tic (my eyelid would not stop twitching!) that, unsurprisingly went away immediately when I quit my job!

9 months after the Campylobacter incident, I contracted what I thought was a urinary tract infection. I went to the doctor and was asked to provide a urine sample. They could tell from the smell of the urine that something was wrong (it was very sweet) and immediately took blood tests. My blood sugar was 432 mg/dl (24 mmol) fasting. I was rushed to a laboratory for further testing, which confirmed a diagnosis of diabetes.

I was crushed. This was one week before a final exam that would determine the future of my life and career, so I was also very emotionally stressed. My family has a LONG history of diabetes (my mother and her father both have it, possibly other family members as well) and we are part native american (genetic tendency to develop diabetes). I had always known the risk was there, but I did not expect to get it so early. I don't know if the campylobacter infection contributed to this, but I have been told that it is a possibility, as camplyobacter can cause pancreatitis, which can kill some of the cells that produce insulin. In the end, it does not matter what caused the disease. I have it and I have to live with it!

I immediately started researching how to eat and started on a low carbohydrate diet. Within 2 weeks I had brought my blood sugars down to normal levels (real normal levels, not the too-high levels that most diabetes doctors will accept!). I now have blood sugars that are indistinguishable from a 'normal' person. I have also lost 75 pounds.

I would like to lose 25 pounds more, which would put me at a very healthy ideal weight. However my weight loss seems to have stalled.

On top of this, last winter, during a routine blood pressure check, I was told that I had suddenly developed very high blood pressure. This was during an appointment with a nutritionist. She took my blood pressure twice, and I had an elevated systolic and diastolic. I was then sent to my regular doctor (a couple weeks later) who had a similar result. He suspected white coat syndrome (fear of doctors/clinical situations causing stress related high blood pressure). I was then scheduled to be fitted with a 24 hour monitor, so they could see what my blood pressure did outside of a clinical setting.

When I came to be fitted for the 24 hour monitor, it would not work on me. They tried several machines, but in the end I was told that I was the one out of a thousand people whom the machine is unable to read. Something about my physiology made that impossible. It is nothing obvious...I am only 10 pounds overweight so that is not the issue! They said it was just a fluke and there was nothing they could do about it.

I had to buy a wrist monitor and monitor my blood pressure myself. I consistently get elevated numbers, no matter what time of day it is or if I have been relaxing or meditating beforehand. By high numbers, I mean 175/118, 156/110, etc.

I have had two normal Ekgs in the past 1.5 years, and my cardiac hormone is normal. I have, as I said earlier, perfect blood sugars and perfect cholesterol numbers. They claim that my thyroid is fine (I know that they only test TSH, though).

I have an appointment with a cardiac specialist next tuesday. My doctor says that he cannot figure out why my blood pressure is like this, given my massive weight loss and my perfect blood sugar control. I am of course quite scared of the possibilities here but I don't think anything is wrong with my heart or arterial systems, as there have been so many tests taken already that show nothing (Ekgs, etc).

I am suspecting adrenal issues because a friend of mine suggested it to me...she is a naturopath, and after hearing some of the symptoms I have, she thought it might be a cause of the blood pressure readings.

I did a test on myself yesterday. I took blood pressure readings lying down, then stood and took one immediately. My blood pressure (especially systolic) falls dramatically (20 points on average) upon standing. It is still high of course, but there is a significant drop. I have read that this may indicate too much or too little aldosterone. I am guessing too much, considering my high blood pressure, if aldosterone is the cause.

I should add that I have frequent muscle pains and stiffness in the neck and shoulder area, trouble falling asleep at night (I get energy at strange times) and frequent waking at night. I also have a tendency to retain water.

I know that I can only be diagnosed by a professional, but can anyone tell me if I am a candidate for hyperaldosteronism?

Thank you for your help and taking the time to read my story!