My sister’s been seeing both a psychiatrist and a psychologist, and they’ve both ruled out panic attacks. Now she’s getting referred to a psychologist. I know what a panic attack feels like because I’ve dealt with them myself, and this isn't even close. Her heart doesn't race, and she isn't even scared. It starts with this intense heat in her feet, then her whole face turns blue, her hands turn bright red, and she gets hit with this massive dizziness. Then her arms and legs go completely numb—like, really numb. She can't even speak. Then, after about 45 minutes, everything just goes back to normal. Before all this started, my sister was such a happy, easygoing person. Now, because they can't figure out what's happening, she's constantly anxious, even though she was never an anxious person before. She looks like a skeleton now—pale, dark circles under her eyes... it's awful. This definitely isn't psychological. She’s doing slightly better these days. Her thyroid levels were fine, but now she’s testing for other things, like growth hormone, adrenaline, cortisol... something like that. Carl Campbell3, what kind of autoimmune disease do you have? You can just send me a DM if you don't want to talk about it here. There might be a connection to what my sister is going through... Thanks everyone for caring...
It’s not purely psychological. I’ve dealt with mental health issues before, and this isn't that. Her hands are swelling, her mouth, her legs... she can’t walk, she can’t even speak properly. And get this—they didn't even give her anything for the dizziness. Can you believe that? Honestly, at this rate, she might as well be royalty for all the special treatment she's getting. She's heading in for hormone tests now, not thyroid stuff, just something else, so we'll see what happens. Thanks.
Thanks, everyone. Things have been a little more manageable over the last few days. I’ve been making sure she gets out for walks to get some fresh air, but then the dizziness always comes back once evening rolls around, along with everything else. Why specifically when she sits down? That's what I can't wrap my head around. This pounding in my head just won't let up.
Saw the orthopedist today. Everything seems fine. Spine looks straight. He did mention some tension in the neck muscles, but he’s certain that wouldn't cause these specific symptoms. Then we hit up the ENT. Apparently, those narrow ear canals are a bit of an issue, but again, not enough to trigger what she's feeling. She couldn't even finish the vestibular testing—just blacked out mid-procedure. Could it be something immunological? That’s the one thing we haven't ruled out yet. Thanks
First off, thanks for all the replies. My sister was under a bit of stress, sure, but symptoms like these? I don't think so. Honestly, things are just getting worse. She’ll have a moment where she feels mentally better, then the physical stuff hits again, and of course, the fear kicks back in. But let's be clear: the psychological struggles started because of the physical issues, not the other way around. Just to give you an idea—how would you feel if you were spinning so hard every single day that you couldn't even get out of bed? Or if you had this intense pressure in your head that makes you pass out? She looks like death walking, and everywhere she goes, nobody can find anything wrong. Wouldn't you be terrified? Wouldn't you spiral into depression? I'm really doubting the mental aspect being the root cause when the physical symptoms clearly came first. Right now, she just can't function at all. She’s already been through the ringer with a neurologist. They did three separate EEGs last year, checked brain signals, ran blood tests, looked at her carotid arteries and neck... plus an MRI a year ago. I'm pretty sure they've covered all the bases. I'm at a loss. Could it be something immunological? She tried the liquid supplements, but nothing is helping. Thanks, everyone.
It’s been a solid year now of me dragging my sister from specialist to specialist, and honestly, we’re just spinning our wheels at this point because things are actually getting worse. It all started with this vertigo—sometimes in the morning, sometimes at night, sometimes during the day—just popping up every few months. Then it spiraled. Migraines hit, then depression, then anxiety, muscle aches, balance issues, and this constant pressure in her head and ears. For the last two weeks, it’s been daily dizziness and intense cranial pressure; if she moves too fast, she nearly passes out. She’s been through the ringer with testing. Neurologists, cardiologists, orthopedics, endocrinologists... we even checked in with a psychiatrist, but it isn't psychological. We’re stuck. Does anyone have any actual ideas on what we should look into next? Thanks.
Look, I don't know much about this specific condition—honestly, my knowledge is pretty thin there. But my grandmother dealt with muscular dystrophy, so I saw firsthand how much exercise and reading helped her. It kept her mind engaged, you know? Keeps the brain busy. It’s been more than ten days since we last talked, so I'm out of the loop, but I really hope those things are helping you. What kind of symptoms are you dealing with lately?
Definitely see a neurologist. They’ll likely want to run an EEG or maybe an MRI to see what's actually going on up there, and you should probably grab an appointment with an orthopedist or a physical therapist too. At the end of the day, if you've been dealing with heavy stress, all these symptoms could be psychological. So, if the medical tests come back clear, go talk to a psychologist or just try to find some headspace through meditation. Or working out. Something like that, >.👍
I’ve got three weeks to kill before I can actually sit down with my doctor to go over these results, so I’m just stuck wondering about one thing. What does "signal in the spinal cord" even mean? The report is in German and mentions Kain Patholog. I assume that means there's no pathology, but then it says there's a signal in the Myelon. From what I gather, it’s some kind of signal in the spinal cord. Does anyone actually know what that implies?😲 Thanks in advance.
Do they actually use contrast dye when they're doing an MRI on the mid-spine? I’ve got a nasty allergy to iodine, though I've heard they might not even use the same stuff for these scans, but just wanted to double-check for peace of mind.
I see everyone’s having a blast with this topic. I figured as much.😉 Honestly, if anyone else were talking about this, I’d probably find it hilarious too. 🤣 Look, I’ve got my own issues going on with my ears. Inflammation, stuff like that. My tympanometry results always come back negative—basically just retracted eardrums. Sometimes I hear this sound at night, though maybe that's just in my head. It gets way louder when I plug my ears. Then it sounds less like a hum and more like a drill, or like someone idling a car right next to you.😁 So, is that actually normal? Some people tell me they hear things too when they plug their ears, but who knows. Anyway, here’s some more material for your entertainment.😉
Is it actually normal to hear this low humming sound, almost like an engine is idling somewhere, when I plug my ears or try to fall asleep? It isn't loud, per se, but I’ve been noticing it more over the last few days. Maybe it’s just one of those things? When I block my ears, the sound gets way more intense—just constant, like a motor running in the background. I know it sounds like a silly thing to ask, but I'm genuinely curious.😉😁