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Steadily Progressing Brain Symptoms after Virus/Infection

brain illness disease post-viral brain fog anhedonia heart cognitive decline nootropics

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#1 SeanQHX1

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Posted 29 April 2019 - 05:47 PM


Hi Everyone! This is quite a long read so I do apologise. I'm a 25 year old guy from Scotland and for almost 3 years, I've been experiencing constant, worsening cognitive problems, anhedonia, tiredness, heart rhythm issues and headaches amongst several other symptoms which are destroying my life. I have failed two college courses as a result, am currently unemployed and claim disability benefits. And I have now completely lost failth in the NHS as just about every doctor I've been seeing throught the years will basically trivialise my illness and brush it under the carpet. I worry that as this illness continues to worsen, I won't have any future ahead. I feel like my existence is slowly expiring and that I'll continue to plunge further into a state of total blankness and nothingness, unless I finally manage to diagnose and get treatment for this mystery illness.

 

Before I had this illness, I had almost no health issues, besides the fact I had Asperger's Syndrome and a some mild IBS symptoms. As a musician, I had a great life making my own music, playing in bands and partying whilst also studying sound engineering at college and looking to start my own audio business. But in June 2016 I was in the process of completing college and decided to go to Download Festival for the weekend, looking to finish the last of my coursework the following week. But the day when I came back to college, I had caught some sort of flu like bug, felt really tired and had this horrible feeling as if all the gears in my brain were jammed up and couldn't think. My mind was blank, I could no longer remember any of my previous sound production knowledge off the top of my head and could not type the remaining paragraphs my graded unit. As a result, I failed the course and all my previous work was for nothing, then soon had to apply for disability benefits (ESA).

 

The bug/virus I had cleared up within a week, but the tireness and cognitive impairments remained for several months. When I seen a doctor, he quickly named it "Post-Viral Fatigue", sent me for a few blood tests which came back fine and gave me some generic GP advice: "eat healthy","get more exercise" etc. As the months went on, the tiredness and cognitive impairments kept getting worse. And when I went back to my doctor, all I got was the same useless advice once again, then had my diagnosis changed to ME. I soon changed my GP and got refered to a clinic where they tested my blood sugar, thyroid, cortisol, liver and kidney function which all came back normal. Nothing further was done then and doctors would just refer to my illness as "chronic fatigue". As more months went on, my symptoms would continue to worsen and I would start developing terrible headaches and episodes of insomnia. After that I was getting even more symptoms including sudden STV attacks in my heart (just palpitations or anxiety attacks according to doctors) and noticed my emotions began flattening. This anhedonia clearly isn't depression related either and feels more like my brain's ability to process emotions is slowing down alongside my other cognitive functions. A clueless doctor however claimed I had anxiety and prescribed me some beta blockers (propanalol) which gave me even more scary heart symptoms (chest pain, heart twitches, PVCs and bigeminy) for weeks after taking one dose. These heart symptoms soon went away but the PVCs and bigeminy returned months later and have remained since. I also started getting unbearable pains in my head when lying down, making me often have to lie on my face and take co-codamols at night to sleep. I also noticed my field of vision deteriorating, although an eye test showed that I could still see out of my peripheral vision, just that my brain wasn't interpreting or perceiving it correctly. At one point, I suspected that this illness could be Lyme Disease due to the progressing nature of the symptoms but I had a test which also came back negative. I also had a CT scan of my brain which also came back negative. And I have also seen a neurologist who couldn't do anything to help me.

More recently, I've been getting much of the same symptoms, only worse. My emotions are now almost completely flat and my brain is becoming like a really old Windows PC that's super slow,  glitchy and barely unusable. And my vision is now so bad that the combined vision of my two eyes is the equivelent of one. My condition also seems to be progressing much faster now and I can feel my symptoms worsening and my mental functions declining as the weeks go on.

 

To summarise, here's a list of all my current symptoms:

 

  • Cognitive decline (Mainly affecting processing speed, recall/word finding, imagination and creativity - Still declining)
  • Anhedonia (Declining emotional responses - NOT related to depression - Still declining)
  • Headaches (Constant, all over entire head and are only relieved by taking opioid painkillers)
  • Head pains when lying down (Unrelated to headaches)
  • Tiredness (Gets noticably worse in the evening - Still worsening)
  • Very Low Stamina (Get breathless easily after minimal exercise/activity - still worsening)
  • Lower Alcohol Tolerence (Get drunk much more easily - still worsening)
  • Insomnia (Often happens in week long episodes)
  • Vision Perception Issues ( Laggy vision, flickery/static vision and perceived tunnel vision - Still declining)
  • Heart PVCs and Bigeminy (When heartbeat reaches a certain speed during high stress, excitement or activity)
  • Heart Palpitations and SVT Attacks
  • Chest Pains (Happen at random or during an SVT episode)
  • Frequent Thirst and Dryness
  • Constant Ringing Ears
  • Bloated/Fatty Stomach and Hips (Worsening)
  • Muscle Twitches (Happen at random, all over body including heart)

Over the years I've been several diet regimes including keto, gluten free, low manganese and no carbs, all of which done nothing. I've also tried many suppliments and nootropics including B Vitamins, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Iron, CoQ10, Ubiquinol, Acetyl L-Carnitine, Korean and Siberian Ginseng, Ginko Biloba, Bacopa Morrieri, Turmeric, Lion's Mane Mushroom, Citicoline, L-Tyrosine, 5-HTP and MCT Oil (the C8 type) but once again, none of these had any effect on my symptoms. Lastly, I tried taking some freebase NSI-189 but took a bad reaction to it (those heart issues again) and had to stop it after a few days. Might still be worthwhile trying the phosphate instead, although I have my doubts trying any nootropic or suppliment these days.

 

I've also been researching literally hundreds of health conditions, including ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, MS, various brain diseases, encephalitis, biotoxin related illnesses, deficiencies, imbalances and so on but can't find any condition with symptoms that quite match mine. I've also been on a few other forums including Phoenix Rising for ME/CFS patients but so far, I seem to be the only person on the planet suffering from this mystery illness. Growth Hormone Deficiency however is quite high on my list of suspected problems and I'm looking to get this tested. The person who posted the thread on this forum "constant-heavy-drunkdruggedsedated-brain-with-dimmed-vision-and-anhedonia" is in a situation is quite similar to mine and is so far the closest to what I've been experiencing, although probably more severe. One big difference though is that I never had any major health issues or injuries before this illness and my condition appears to have been a sudden onset during some sort of cold/flu type bug. So I'm rather stumped with how a seemingly mild viral infection could suddenly give me brain damage overnight and lead to degenerative brain symptoms.

 

Is there anyone here who has any idea what could possibly be causing these symptoms, experienced issues like this and tried anything that had helped, many thanks!


Edited by SeanQHX1, 29 April 2019 - 05:51 PM.

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#2 Hip

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Posted 02 May 2019 - 03:42 AM

The blunted emotions and anhedonia along with a diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis suggests your virus may be the same one that I caught, which caused these same symptoms in me, as well as in other people who caught it. My virus is very likely a more virulent than usual strain of coxsackievirus B4. 

 

My website describing the various symptoms and illnesses my virus triggered is found here.

 

The virus I caught spread to over 30 friends and family, and caused similar symptoms in many of these, just a lot milder in most cases. The general ill effects this virus caused in these 30+ people is detailed in this post.

 

 

 

By the way, regarding your field of vision deteriorating: have you been checked for glaucoma, which slowly destroys peripheral vision? 3 out of 30+ people who caught my virus developed glaucoma, which is higher than the normal prevalence of this condition.

 

 

 

There are some antivirals you can try if your virus is coxsackievirus B, such as high dose selenium and oxymatrine, which are detailed on the treatments page of my website. 

 

The good news is that within around 2 years, some new antivirals will become available that should fight coxsackievirus B infections (see treatments page).

 

 


Edited by Hip, 02 May 2019 - 03:46 AM.

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#3 teacult

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Posted 02 May 2019 - 10:11 AM

Looks like chronic dehydration due to extreme fatigue.  Smoking, coffee alcohol shows these symptomes after 20 ies. However it can be thyroids or underlying infection or autoimmune. 

Only way to understand without clinical tests is to rest a 2-3 weeks in complete silence and peaceful environment , good diet , sound sleep etc ... and then going outside jog 2x5 mins and run faster and faster 3-5 times 50m checking your hearth rate. Keep it under 160.

Hydrate well. If you get down after this much resting and a 20 min effort you go to clinic and get checked for rare diseases both acquired and genetics. If you dont get sick (including cold) after this sports you are fine. Improve yourself.

 

 



#4 SeanQHX1

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Posted 02 May 2019 - 06:42 PM

@Hip  Thanks, I'll have a look into coxsackievirus B4. I wouldn't even count my "M.E." as a valid diagnosis though, the doctor had no clue about the condition and this was just a quick name change from "Post-Viral Fatigue". I have to say though, if anxiety, depression and mental state issues are main symptoms of this virus, then I'm not so sure I have it, I've never experienced these in my lifetime and still not with this illness. Yet again, my Asperger's may explain this. The cognitive symptoms and bowel issues are very similar though. I'll definitelly do some research on it.

@teacult  While the doctors have been emphasising on my condition being "post-viral", we don't even know it actually was a virus, I was never checked for anything and the doctor just assumed it was because I told him I had cold/flu symptoms during the onset. The fact you mention chronic dehydration as a possibility is interesting as I was drinking a lot of alcohol pretty much all day for 3 days at Download Festival. The following day I traveled back to Scotland hungover and tired, then went straight to a band audition (wouldn't have gotten the job otherwise) lasting untill midnight. The day after that is the day I got out of bed in the morning, went to college and this horrible thing happened to me. So perhaps this could have depleted something and this is some sort of chronic exhaustion as a result. Doing nothing but sleeping for 2-3 weeks then trying some exercise might be worth a try.



#5 Hip

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Posted 02 May 2019 - 07:57 PM

I wouldn't even count my "M.E." as a valid diagnosis though, the doctor had no clue about the condition and this was just a quick name change from "Post-Viral Fatigue". I

 
Post-viral fatigue often clears up after 6 months, or 1 or 2 years at the most. But when it does not, then that's when you realize you have ME/CFS. ME/CFS is like a post-viral fatigue that does not go away.
 
You might like to read the CDC Fukuda criteria for ME/CFS, or the more precise Canadian consensus criteria (full document here), or the nice and simple IOM criteria, and check whether your symptoms match those ME/CFS diagnostic criteria.

 

 

The symptoms my virus causes were different in different people. Only a few were hit with anxiety, and likewise depression. 


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#6 SeanQHX1

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Posted 03 May 2019 - 04:26 PM

 
Post-viral fatigue often clears up after 6 months, or 1 or 2 years at the most. But when it does not, then that's when you realize you have ME/CFS. ME/CFS is like a post-viral fatigue that does not go away.
 
You might like to read the CDC Fukuda criteria for ME/CFS, or the more precise Canadian consensus criteria (full document here), or the nice and simple IOM criteria, and check whether your symptoms match those ME/CFS diagnostic criteria.

 

 

The symptoms my virus causes were different in different people. Only a few were hit with anxiety, and likewise depression. 

 

It definitelly doesn't look like ME/CFS at all and the doctor who said it was thought Post-Viral Fatigue was just an alternative name for the illness. I've never had PEM (the definitive, hallmark symptom of course), I've not got any major physical complaints, no intolerences of any kind, my deteriorating brain functions arn't comparible to "brain fog", and while heart palpitations are a common complaint in ME, I've never head of anyone getting bigeminy and SVT attacks. ME symptoms are also often aggrivated and exacerbated by factors such as certain foods, nutrients, chemicals, exercise etc, whereas my symptoms are just constant, steadily worsening with time and are completely unaffected by anything I've tried so far. So I think it's safe to say that I don't have Post-Viral Fatigue or ME/CFS and can rule both of these out.

 

I forgot to answer your question on glaucoma in my last post so I will here. I recently had an optometrist check my eyes, both of which were perfectly fine. While I thought that my peripheral vision was deteriorating, it turned out that my eyes were in fact capable of seeing objects in the peripheral.  But for some reason, my vision seems very zoomed in and can only seem to focus directly in the middle area, while my peripheral seems kind of blurred out or unnoticable, giving me this false sense of tunnel vision. It's almost like my brain no longer has the energy and brainpower to process my periphral while I'm looking at what's in front of me or something along those lines.

 

I've got an illistration I made here which might describe this better:

 

Attached File  VisionField.png   1.03MB   0 downloads

 

 


Edited by SeanQHX1, 03 May 2019 - 04:28 PM.


#7 Hip

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Posted 03 May 2019 - 05:37 PM

It definitelly doesn't look like ME/CFS at all and the doctor who said it was thought Post-Viral Fatigue was just an alternative name for the illness. 

 

Yes, post-viral fatigue is another name for ME/CFS, but PVF also carries the connotation of a post-viral short-lived fatigue that clears up after 6 months or so.

 

 

I've never had PEM (the definitive, hallmark symptom of course), I've not got any major physical complaints, no intolerences of any kind, my deteriorating brain functions arn't comparible to "brain fog", 

 

PEM is compulsory in the stricter CCC definition of ME/CFS, but not the CDC Fukuda criteria. 

 

But remember that ME/CFS comes in different levels of severity: very severe, severe, moderate, mild. If you have mild ME/CFS, then PEM may not be very apparent.

 

But certainly if you do not have PEM, it does make a diagnosis of ME/CFS more questionable. So I think you are right to be looking for other explanations. 

 

 

You say your cognitive decline is not the same as brain fog. Just to be clear, brain fog is characterized by:

 

Poor short-term memory (for example, you may constantly forget what you were just about to do, or what you just did).

 
Poor working memory (so you cannot grasp or juggle more that a few facts or figures in your mind at one time, often making problem solving much more difficult, and making multitasking ie, paying attention to more than one thing at the same time very difficult).
 
Anomia, which is problems recalling words or names.
 
Slips of the tongue (semantic paraphasias), saying a different word to the one you intended often by unintentionally substituting a categorically-related item, or an item with similar qualities or characteristics, instead of the right item. For example, saying "axe" instead of "hammer" both are in the category of tools, and both have the qualities of being weighty metal implements that you strike with. It is if the brain aimed to use the right word, but missed ever so slightly.
 
Miscategorization of environmental stimuli (like answering the phone when the doorbell rings).
 
Lack of focus, so that it becomes difficult to remain focused on the task at hand (this is possibly related to the poor short-term memory and working memory).
 
Confusion, being very easily perplexed by situations.
 
Lack of awareness of the things going on around you.
 
 
 
By the way, your rapid heart rate: does this occur on standing up? If so, you might have POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), which is a condition found in ME/CFS.  
 
 

 

But for some reason, my vision seems very zoomed in and can only seem to focus directly in the middle area, while my peripheral seems kind of blurred out or unnoticable, giving me this false sense of tunnel vision. It's almost like my brain no longer has the energy and brainpower to process my periphral while I'm looking at what's in front of me or something along those lines.

 

Very strange, but perhaps this might be a useful clue to the condition you have. 
 
This list of causes of peripheral vision loss (tunnel vision) says that optic neuritis is one cause, and this can be due to viral infections.
 
 
 
 

Frequent Thirst and Dryness

 

Have you been checked for diabetes? 
 
 
 
 

Anhedonia (Declining emotional responses - NOT related to depression - Still declining)

 

Anhedonia is actually the loss of ability to derive pleasure from normally enjoyable activities. Blunted emotions is a different condition, although the two often appear together.
 
Blunted emotions are an ME/CFS symptom, whereas anhedonia is not a normal part of ME/CFS.
 
Some info on the difference between these two conditions here.
 
 
 

Tiredness (Gets noticably worse in the evening - Still worsening)
Very Low Stamina (Get breathless easily after minimal exercise/activity - still worsening)
Chest Pains (Happen at random or during an SVT episode)
Heart Palpitations
 

The above can be symptoms of chronic viral myocarditis (infection of the heart muscle). So that might be worth investigating.

 

 

 
 
Not that it is possible that you may have more than one medical condition, and if so, some of your symptoms may be due to one condition, and other symptoms due to another.

Edited by Hip, 03 May 2019 - 05:39 PM.

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#8 SeanQHX1

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Posted 04 May 2019 - 01:23 PM

I haven't even noticed any mild PEM of any sort either and it doesn't look like I get this at all. Also, although brain fog is a general, frequently used term for a variety of cognitive impairments, the name kind of suggests that your mind is in a fog which is temporary and can be lifted somehow. It's actually a good way to describe the cognitive issues ME/CFS patients as these happen temporarily, sometimes aggravated by certain foods, medications etc before returning to baseline levels. In my case, the cognitive issues I have are constant, steadily worsening and feels more like my actual baseline cognitive functions are slowly deteriorating, so I don't think the term brain fog really describes what I'm experiencing. 

 

I'll take a look into Optic Neuritis, although my vision issues seem more like my brain is having problems interpreting and perceiving my field of vision. My peripheral vision isn't actually going away, as I said my vision just feels very zoomed in and can only seem to focus on the middle of my vision, while I'm more or less oblivious to anything in view of my peripheral. It's kind my eyes can still see in these areas but my brain struggles to, kind of like a sort of mental tunnel vision, rather than physical. Similarly, when I focus on a particular object, everything else seems blurred out in a similar way to my peripheral vision always is.

 

Diabetes has been ruled out by doctors twice and doesn't look like I have it. The frequent thirst and dryness though seems to happen every few months in episodes lasting a few weeks, then goes back to normal which is strange. Perhaps my ADH levels are going out of balance or fluctuating for some reason.

 

I agree about Anhedonia and it seems that this is not what I'm experiencing and is in fact blunted emotions. When researching Anhedonia, all I could find was articles on Major Depressive Disorder which I obviously don't have, so looking more into blunted emotions might steer me better in the right direction here.

 

I've been asked about POTS before but looks like I don't have this at all. The only time I have any rapid heart rate is during these sudden SVT attacks where my heart quickly speeds up to about 160-180 BPM for about 5 or 10 minutes before slowing back down to normal speed. These will come on very abruptly and suddenly, most often when I'm in bed, on my computer or watching TV.



#9 Hip

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Posted 04 May 2019 - 02:39 PM

It's actually a good way to describe the cognitive issues ME/CFS patients as these happen temporarily, sometimes aggravated by certain foods, medications etc before returning to baseline levels. 

 

 

A few ME/CFS patients have their brain fog (which is more properly known as clouding of consciousness, or cognitive dysfunction) and other symptoms worsen with certain foods or medications, but it is not the general rule. Patients who are sensitive to food or meds may have developed allergies or a similar condition called mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) which makes them sensitive. 

 

Brain fog remains fairly constant unless you exert yourself either mentally or physically, and then your brain fog may get worse during the PEM period, which typically starts a day or two after the exertion took place, and then will last for a few days, sometime longer, before clearing up.

 

 

 

POTS you can easily self-diagnose at home, using the instructions detailed here. Basically, you lie down horizontal for 10 minutes and relax, then stand up straight, and if you heart rate increases by 30 points at any time over the next 5 or 10 minutes standing, then you have POTS. That's how doctors diagnose it.

 

 

 

You might find these lists of diseases which are commonly misdiagnosed as ME/CFS useful:

 

AAFP ME/CFS Differential Diagnosis,

Dr Myhill's ME/CFS Differential Diagnosis,

Diseases similar to ME/CFS 

ME Association differential diagnosis (from the ME Association Purple Book).

 

You certainly seem to have a medical mystery there. 

 

 

 

A few of your symptoms fit the so called Chinese "HIV-like" virus.


Edited by Hip, 04 May 2019 - 02:40 PM.

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#10 SeanQHX1

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Posted 07 May 2019 - 12:27 AM

Although what I'm experiencing technically is mental fog or clouding of consiousness, I still prefer not to use the term "brain fog" to describe my cognitive symptoms these days. To me, is feels more like the gears in my brain are jammed up and stuck, rather than feeling like my mind is in a fog and just can't think as clearly. I also don't like using this term with doctors as it makes them think my symptoms are much less severe than they actually are, and will often mistake brain problems that have ruined my existence for just "feeling a bit foggy today".
 

I tried the lying down/standing test a few times again but it definitelly looks like I don't have POTS. These heart issues I'm having are indeed puzzling and the illness itself sure is a mystery so far. And thanks for the links, I'll check them out as well.



#11 Hip

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Posted 07 May 2019 - 03:57 AM

I also don't like using this term with doctors as it makes them think my symptoms are much less severe than they actually are, and will often mistake brain problems that have ruined my existence for just "feeling a bit foggy today".

 

Yeah, in general doctors and the general public do not appreciate how life destroying ME/CFS and its various symptoms can be. In terms of quality of life, ME/CFS is one of the worse diseases you can get.

 

 

Did you look into the myocarditis suggestion? When my virus spread to over 30 friends and family, it caused 4 heart attacks, and two of these were linked to viral myocarditis.



#12 SeanQHX1

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Posted 08 May 2019 - 12:27 PM

I did take a look into viral myocarditis but I'm not so sure or convinced either. My heart seems to function normally most of the time and there's no prolonged rapid heartbeats or arrhythmias. There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with my heart and have had this checked by doctors. But suddenly for no apparent reason (most often when I'm relaxed in bed, watching the TV or on the computer) I start sweating and my heart will abruptly begin speeding up to about 140-180 BPM for about 5 or 10 minutes. Doctors are trying to tell me they are panic/anxiety attacks but they clearly arn't, it looks more like supraventricular tachycardia and I'm trying to work out what could be causing these sudden attacks.

 

Recently I took a mild virus/infection which caused an SVT attack that lasted for almost 2 hours and I ended up in hospital. I had terrible chest pains too because of the strain on my heart. But once I was in the hospital, the doctors focused all their attention on this infection and nothing was mentioned about my SVT attack, only being told that "palpitations are common during an infection".

 

The bigeminy episodes I get are also really puzzling. They seem to be triggered by strong emotions (well, compaired to how I generally feel) such as fear, anxiety, excitement etc, although high physical activity can bring them on as well. During these episodes my heart rate abruptly drops in speed and pumps blood at a much lower rate, about 30-50 BPM when it should actually be doing so at 120-140 BPM which is worrying. Luckily these episodes are very brief and my heartbeat soon corrects itself. However more recently I've been getting episodes where the slow bigeminy and fast normal heart rate will alternate back and fourth which is worrying too.

 

There's some sort of malfunction somewhere and it seems that inappropriate signals are being sent to an otherwise healthy heart, causing these episodes perhaps.


Edited by SeanQHX1, 08 May 2019 - 12:28 PM.


#13 Hip

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Posted 08 May 2019 - 02:40 PM

Here is a list of things that can cause premature ventricular contractions (PVCs).

 

 

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP), which is a heart valve issue, is one possible cause. MVP is quite common in the general population, and MPV is linked to coxsackievirus B infection. One family member developed MVP after catching my Coxsackie B4 virus.

 

Myocarditis is another possible cause of PVC.

 

High blood pressure can cause PVC, so if you have not already, you might want to check pressure.

 

Low magnesium can cause PVC, so consider trying magnesium supplements to see if that improves symptoms. Magnesium is also one of the only supplements that studies indicate can help mitral valve prolapse symptoms.



#14 Hip

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Posted 08 May 2019 - 02:46 PM

But suddenly for no apparent reason (most often when I'm relaxed in bed, watching the TV or on the computer) I start sweating and my heart will abruptly begin speeding up to about 140-180 BPM for about 5 or 10 minutes. Doctors are trying to tell me they are panic/anxiety attacks but they clearly arn't, it looks more like supraventricular tachycardia and I'm trying to work out what could be causing these sudden attacks.

 

Panic attacks (the main symptom of panic disorder, which is one of several types of anxiety disorder) can cause tachycardia, as panic attacks will usually cause a sudden secretion of adrenaline, which triggers the rapid heart rate and sweating. Panic attacks usually last only 5 to 20 minutes, though occasionally can last up to an hour.

 

There does not have to be any external cause or event that triggers a panic attack; they can just randomly appear on their own. In some people panic attacks may occur just once or twice a month, while other people may experience them several times a week. 

 

However, panic attacks usually also involve mental symptoms of anxiety, tension, fear, trepidation, as well as physical symptoms such as sweating, and rapid breathing (which can feel like a shortness of breath).

 

So unless you are experiencing some of these other symptoms also, it does not sound like a panic attack.


Edited by Hip, 08 May 2019 - 02:51 PM.


#15 SeanQHX1

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Posted 08 May 2019 - 03:50 PM

Panic attacks (the main symptom of panic disorder, which is one of several types of anxiety disorder) can cause tachycardia, as panic attacks will usually cause a sudden secretion of adrenaline, which triggers the rapid heart rate and sweating. Panic attacks usually last only 5 to 20 minutes, though occasionally can last up to an hour.

 

There does not have to be any external cause or event that triggers a panic attack; they can just randomly appear on their own. In some people panic attacks may occur just once or twice a month, while other people may experience them several times a week. 

 

However, panic attacks usually also involve mental symptoms of anxiety, tension, fear, trepidation, as well as physical symptoms such as sweating, and rapid breathing (which can feel like a shortness of breath).

 

So unless you are experiencing some of these other symptoms also, it does not sound like a panic attack.

 

Out of the four things mentioned here, low magnesium could be a possibility. It's definitelly not high blood pressure as my GP checks this regularly whenever I see him/her. And I imagine there would be signs with MVP such as unusual sounds like a murmur or abnormal heatbeats/arrhythmias outside of these SVT and bigeminy episodes I get. The last I tried taking magnesium was before I had these issues so it could be worth trying again.

 

Yep, these definitelly arn't panic attacks for sure, it looks more like episodes of supraventricular tachycardia. The only anxiety I get is the initial fear of my heart suddenly racing when I'm in a relaxed state, the attacks themselves arn't causing any anxiety or any other mental symptoms. But as I've gotten more used to these attacks happening on a regular basis and know they arn't going to kill me (I hope), I just sit down, stay calm and wait until the episode is over.



#16 Hip

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Posted 08 May 2019 - 04:02 PM

More speculatively: maybe your virus affected the hypothalamus, which plays a major role in emotional processing (which might explain the blunted emotions), and also plays a role in controlling heart rate.

 

However, I don't think that's a medical recognized condition, but just an idea that occurred to me.

 

 
 
One supplement which targets the hypothalamus is myrrh essential oil (it's sesquiterpene content oxygenates and stimulates the hypothalamus). Before I developed ME/CFS, I did some experiments with myrrh essential oil, applying around 10 drops (first diluted in a carrier oil, not neat) to the skin of my body (you can take internally also, but I found it interfered with digestion a bit). 
 
I observed a profound increase in the strength and depth of my emotions while taking myrrh. I would not say I was Asperger's, but I am certainly one of these more technically and scientifically inclined people whose ability with logic and reason is much stronger than the emotional part of my personality. But with myrrh, I suddenly found I had strong and robust emotions, which was really great.
 
Unfortunately since getting ME/CFS and developing blunted emotions, the myrrh no longer works for me. I guess my virus may have compromised my hypothalamus such that even myrrh can no longer rectify it. As you know, the whole HPA-axis is working under par in ME/CFS, so it is known the hypothalamus takes a hit in ME/CFS.
 


#17 SeanQHX1

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Posted 09 May 2019 - 12:57 AM

I was thinking myself that my illness could be hypothalamus or pituitary related, and that the virus caused some sort of damage or injury in this area. I have suspected for a while that my growth hormone and IGF-1 levels are low as a result. Many of the symptoms of GHD seem very familiar to me, such as my worsening cognitive problems, strength and stamina getting lower, heart rhythm issues, sleep issues, hot and cold sensitivity, dry skin (despite drinking lots of water), and especially the fat and bloating around my abdomen which almost makes me look pregnant.

 

Yep, I found that with my Asperger's, the logic and reason part of me was always much stronger, or at least the emotional part didn't interfere with my decision making and thought processes. But now the emotional part seems to be slipping away altogether, everything just seems dull, boring and lifeless now and I just feel as if the world is passing me by. I'll definitely give the myrrh oil a try and see if this helps at least with the emotional blunting.


Edited by SeanQHX1, 09 May 2019 - 12:58 AM.


#18 Hip

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Posted 09 May 2019 - 01:21 AM

I was thinking myself that my illness could be hypothalamus or pituitary related, and that the virus caused some sort of damage or injury in this area. I have suspected for a while that my growth hormone and IGF-1 levels are low as a result. Many of the symptoms of GHD seem very familiar to me

 

I also wondered about growth hormone deficiency in my own case, especially as my symptoms started after a viral brain infection, which possibly might have damaged the pituitary. This post lists adult human growth hormone deficiency symptoms.

 

Rather than getting tested for growth hormone, I ordered some injectable Jintropin HGH from what I hope is a reliable online source (hard to find, as there are many fake HGH sources online), and injected subcutaneously around 0.5 IU daily for around 10 days. I was rather hoping this would be the cause of my symptoms, because HGH deficiency is easily treatable with HGH injections. Alas I did not notice much benefit from the injections, indicating that I don't have a deficiency.



#19 sentics

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Posted 09 May 2019 - 07:44 AM

what about trying a cox-inhibitor like celecoxib? I'm looking into that one right now for treatment resistant depression with a possible inflammation background

 

edit: I mean obviously this is a bit of a shot in the dark, probably hip could tell you more about it.


Edited by sentics, 09 May 2019 - 08:22 AM.


#20 unbreakable

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Posted 10 July 2019 - 10:53 AM

Have you considered Valaciclovir?



#21 SeanQHX1

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Posted 09 September 2019 - 12:19 PM

what about trying a cox-inhibitor like celecoxib? I'm looking into that one right now for treatment resistant depression with a possible inflammation background

 

edit: I mean obviously this is a bit of a shot in the dark, probably hip could tell you more about it.

 

I'm not sure yet if a cox-inhibitor would be of any help. I definitelly need more tests done to try and pinpoint what the cause could be before I should try something like this. So far all I've had done is the standard NHS tests for Blood Sugar/Cortisol/Thyroid/Liver/Kidneys all done twice, a test for celiac disease, then a brain CT scan and Lyme Disease test which I requested. Just now I have no idea which tests I should try next and don't want to waste money on private doctors. I've spent enough money as it is on nootropics and suppliments all of which have had zero effect on my health.

 

That said though, I started taking melatonin (3mg) recently and it seems to help with my insomnia. This only helps in mild cases of insomnia though, when it gets too severe, the melatonin is no use and I just lay there wide awake all night with my head all buzzing and tingling. It still trying to figure out what would cause my brain to behave in this way. Whatever it illness is though, it needs to be corrected with some sort of treatment or it will only keep getting worse.

 

Have you considered Valaciclovir?

 

I haven't tried this yet and I'm not so sure it would help as I'm not convinced herpes virus is causing any of my symptoms I would at least be better getting tested for this first.


Edited by SeanQHX1, 09 September 2019 - 12:21 PM.


#22 nickthird

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Posted 12 September 2019 - 03:10 AM

How do you know what you had was a virus? so many stuff have flu like symptoms.

 

I'd do an HIV test.



#23 zorba990

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Posted 12 September 2019 - 03:27 AM

Signs point to dehydration, electrolyte deficiencies, magnesium deficiencies and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Do some mineral testing including mercury and heavy metal toxicity.
One might recommend proper hydration with electrolyte salts like this :
https://www.amazon.c...=gateway&sr=8-3
And a magnesium that works for you and or epsom salt baths otherwise IV magnesium may be indicated
Get viral load tests and use supplemental anti virals if needed.
Find and follow the Mitochondrial improvement programs Turnbuckle has graciously provided here : https://www.longecit...drial-dynamics/
Also check out the amygdala information provided here for emotional support: (acupuncture treatment for PTSD type symptoms through amygdala normalization) https://www.longecit...ic-fools/page-3

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#24 SeanQHX1

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Posted 07 October 2019 - 05:42 PM

Signs point to dehydration, electrolyte deficiencies, magnesium deficiencies and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Do some mineral testing including mercury and heavy metal toxicity.
One might recommend proper hydration with electrolyte salts like this :
https://www.amazon.c...=gateway&sr=8-3
And a magnesium that works for you and or epsom salt baths otherwise IV magnesium may be indicated
Get viral load tests and use supplemental anti virals if needed.
Find and follow the Mitochondrial improvement programs Turnbuckle has graciously provided here : https://www.longecit...drial-dynamics/
Also check out the amygdala information provided here for emotional support: (acupuncture treatment for PTSD type symptoms through amygdala normalization) https://www.longecit...ic-fools/page-3

 

It is possible that there could be some sort of electrolyte imballance somewhere with this illness, especially with the heart symptoms I've been experiencing (SVT attacks, PVCs, bigeminy etc) so I will look into this. I'm not to sure with the other things mentioned though, especially magnesium deficiency as magnesium suppliments had no effect on any of my symptoms at all. This is a strange illness I have to say the least. I will consider trying these salts though and see if they help, thanks and I'll check these links out too!

 

 







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