The Petra Zone

Hi everyone,

I am still reading fairly regularly, so no I have not forgotten about you guys. I'm bad at posting, sorry!

I do have a prayer request and would appreciate if you guys could all keep me in your prayers. Hopefully this doesn't bore you, so bare with me.

2 years ago I hit a deer, but was fine. A few months later I started getting headaches, or should I say 'a headache'. It would not go away. It was with me 24/7. It didn't matter if I took tension headache pills, advil slept, relaxed, whatever, it was there. Finally I went to a chiropractor and she said my xrays were consistent with whiplash. Bingo. Problem solved. Headache went away.

I had also been having heart palpitations to where I'd get lightheaded or feeling like I'm on air or something. I went to the doctor once my insurance kicked in and just had a full physical done. Everything came back good. They did do an EKG and had me wear a Holter monitor for 24 hrs. There were irregular and skipped heartbeats, so then they sent me to a cardiologist. I had to run for 10 min. on a treadmill and they took ultrasounds of my heart. I told them, while running, that I was feeling skipped beats and they monitored me. They say my heart is completely healthy, but I have high blood pressure. I'm in the 140's over 90's etc. when healthy is 120/80. So, they said my skipped beats are cause of my blood pressure, so my doctor put me on a 25 mg. dose of blood pressure meds. When I ran out I told my doctor that hadn't changed a thing. I notice my heart skips beats or flutters whenever it wants to. Doing dishes, showering, watching tv, walking, laughing. It doesn't matter what I'm doing. BUT, I do notice it does it moreso when I'm doing something that's making me be a bit sweaty, like work. I work at a dept. store doing planograms (when holidays change or new product comes in), and right now with Christmas I'm helping unload the truck and stock shelves. Anything that would get my heart pumping tends to make it skip beats. Walking up stairs, cleaning, bending over. Anything that seems to change the pressure. Lately I haven't been getting too lightheaded and I think it's cause I've learned to live with it, but I still tend to feel a little 'off'.

THEN, I started noticing I'd get this weird sensation that would flow through me, so to speak. I'd get real shaky internally and just feel all weird. Because I work overnight I thought maybe it's cause I'm not eating enough, what with sleeping all day. So, I tried eating more often and I'd still get the bad shakes (not external shaking) even after eating. I'd go out and about and feel lightheaded and almost flu-like or something. I would just feel out of it all the time. So, 6 mths. later I drug myself back to the doctor and had them redo all my blood tests. My Mom died from diabetes so it's a big thing for my family that I'm tested for that. Everything came back normal again. The doctor said if my symptoms keep up she wanted me to see a neurologist. I haven't had a chance to talk to her since. I've been feeling 'ok' lately. I haven't had that weird sensation for a few weeks now, but I still have the palpitations. My headache is back and it's caused me to take 2 nights off work cause I was so delirious with it. Sometimes I get lightheaded with it. I had intentions of going to see my doctor who only works Tuesdays and Thursdays, but by Tuesday I was feeling ok, with barely any headache. I've been seeing my Chiropractor and the headache is still there. I don't know what's going on. So, me being the worry wart I am, I looked up brain tumor symptoms and I don't have any of the symptoms, except the headache. I'm not slurring my speech, having difficulty walking, vomiting, vision problems, numbness. None of that. My doctor had tested me at my physical for brain tumors, short of a neurologist, and saw no cause for further testing. I was still having a headache then, before I saw a Chiropractor, so we didn't know it was because of whiplash.

So, with all that I say no I am not a hypochondriac, cause I do feel the head pain and I do feel heart palpitations. Whenever I do something like going up stairs I'm all out of breath and my heart is just racing.

I've read stories about people who's hearts skip beats and stuff and it causes their heart to just 'quit' and they drop dead. Or we all hear about these athletes or kids in amusement parks dropping dead from heart problems. Scary to think because my heart is 'fine' that I could be one of them? They say there's nothing wrong with my heart, although my doctor does see the skipped beats, so is it that they need to do more testing or are things really ok? When she is using a stethescope my beats are right where they should be every time.

Well, there you have it. I said this would be long, but this is all that's going on with me, so I figured if I gave you the whole scoop it'd help you know how to better pray for me. Thanks for being prayer warriors. I appreciate it.

It sounds like you've been through a lot lately, you'll be in my prayers. Be persistent with your doctor and tell her you want to find out what's going on. Sometimes doctors won't take the initiative unless the patient speaks up about what they want. The fact that it's causing you to miss work is cause for concern. High blood pressure can cause palpitations and it can take some adjusting and trying different medications to find out what works for you. You could have a valve problem too that doesn't show up on EKGs. Did they check your heart valves specifically? Don't be afraid to ask about more tests, and ask your doctor about mitral valve prolapse. It's usually pretty easily treated with medication.

Well, my doctor called last night to see how I'm doing. She told me to keep track of my blood pressure for a couple weeks and we'll take it from there. She again said it can cause the skipped beats, which feels like what's happening. Like I said, it skips whenever it wants to, but moreso when doing something that has pressure change (laughing, yawning, bending over) or if I'm getting a workout! It happens daily, but it doesn't happen EVERYTIME I laugh or yawn, etc.

I had mentioned mitral valve prolapse at my last appointment, but she didn't seem too concerned about it at the time. I'll talk to her about that again and see what she thinks. My headache is still 'there' just nothing like it was last week those 2 days.

I know for a fact I could be in much worse shape than I am, so I'm totally thankful that things are coming back good at the doctor. I'd just like to know what's causing the skipped beats and headache. LOL!

With all this it seems like all I want to do is sleep sometimes. I think some of it might be depression cause of our living situation, but the city is going to be buying and we're all gonna get the boot. They want to put up condos. We'll get money to cover the costs of moving and such, so that'll help. But yeah, the place we live is temporary cause my husband originally was going to go in the military, but ended up staying. I think once we get all our stuff out of storage I'll probably be a little better.

Sorry this is so negative. Maybe I should do a post of all the good things God's done for us! God's been good to us as well, so no I'm not just being a bump on a log! LOL!

from your discription of the light headedness etc I would have thought diabetes.. ( I am diabetic) of course it might just be high blood pressure like my mom has of course I am not an expert..

Hi everyone,

Well, we finally found out what could be causing all the problems I've been having, so the following will let you know how to better pray for me if you would, please.

I had gone in for an MRI on Sat. because I kept having dizzy spells and a headache that would not go away. Now, mind you, it's been mainly a dull ache, but a constant headache nonetheless. My doctor called yesterday to let me know they found 6 abnormalities on my brain. It could be anything from scar tissue due to a brain infection I could have had as a child (huh?) to Multiple Sclerosis. At this point they are ruling out brain tumors, but we won't know more til further testing. Needless to say I'm scared out of my wits. I'm doing alright with the possibility I could have a disease. Right now I'm kind of in a denial state, but yet accepting it, so to speak. If it is something, there's not much I can do outside of possible surgeries, medication and lots of prayer, so what good does it do me to sit and worry...although that's what I do best.

I think part of what's keeping me somewhat sane with these results is remembering that there are those less fortunate than me. A baby born with cerebral palsy and in a wheelchair all his life, a soldier who got his legs blown off in Iraq, an accident that made someone a quadraplegic....

I have looked up the symptoms of MS and most of them don't even seem like the symptoms I've been having. Even brain tumor symptoms, I don't have most of them either. Other than the dizziness and headaches and sometimes feeling 'weird' and 'out of it' (disoriented, I guess they call it), I feel alright. I'm still going about my daily activities as normal as possible with a headache.

I'm feeling bad for my husband that he has to go through this as well, but he said we just have to play the hand we're dealt. I talked to him on my 5 a.m. break at work as he was getting up to go to work himself. He said he wanted to stay home and take care of me instead. Isn't he sweet? I told him I would be fine and to go to work. LOL! It bothers him to see me not feeling good. Could you maybe keep him in your prayers as well that he'd have the strength he would need in helping deal with this?

Anyway, that's my prayer request in a nutshell. I appreciate your prayers.

Thanks!

That is very scary, I will definitely pray for you. Keep us posted on what's going on.

You will be in our prayers. I would really consider a not only a second Doctor's opinion but also a specialist. It never hurts to get a different set of trained eyes looking at you.

Exe, they're having me come back in for more testing and to see an actual neurologist, so we'll take it from there.

I need to call them today and see about getting another appt. My doctor said she was going to do it, but I haven't heard from her since. *grumble*

Lots of people are praying and a few have said they don't think it's anything. Obviously it's something if there's abnormalities on the brain and what's causing this headache that is there 24/7? It's just so weird cause I don't have hardly any of the symptoms of MS.

We shall see I guess and keep praying!

Thanks everyone!

I'll be keeping you in my prayers.

Well, I went to see the neurologist and praise God, there's no MS!!! They said the scar tissue is old, meaning it could be from birth. They put me on a medicine to take away the headaches, but when I come off the drugged up feeling, the headache is still there. I had to go in to see my regular doctor to up the dosage on my blood pressure meds and she told me not to take the headache meds til we know if the BP meds are working or not. So, here I sit with this constant ache in my head. I'm tempted to go for a second opinion from another neurologist. Nothing has changed from a few months ago. I'm still having the headache, dizziness, ringing in my ears, etc.

It's like I have no ambition to get out of bed. The thought of going to work or shopping or something does not sound fun. But, I'm always up for getting together with people. This week we have people coming over today and Friday night. Sat. is a women's brunch at Craig's aunt and uncle's. They are our pastors and one Sat. a month the women get together. Next Friday is our Sweetheart Banquet at church and I'm looking forward to that, so yeah, I'm still wanting to live life.

I'm hoping we find something out soon, so I can return to normal. Ugh! I don't like this one bit. I can't afford to take any work off, cause I'm already treading on thin ice for taking time off when I was having a lot of dizzy spells and stuff. Anyway, that's kind of where I'm at right now.

Continued prayers are appreciated. Thanks!!