Opinions wanted on symptoms

[ChristinaT]

I'm currently in a bit of delimna regarding symptoms I experience and I'm wondering has anyone else had these symptoms.

Firstly it started about 13 years ago. I gained weight (unexplainable) I was tired and my voice went very hoarse. My hair thinned out (and it's always been really thin.

Fast forward 5 years I then started getting really bad symptoms pre menstrually.

10 days prior to my menses my already bloated andomen would swell become enlarged so much it would look like ascites. I was very constipated, in fact it was ileus I was suffering with (as though my bowel was completely paralysed) the tops of my arms became massive, really thick and my outer thighs. My feet would swell. I would be freezing cold but I would experience phenomenon sweating. Very severe, night sweats, my particularly the back of me neck, my forehead and my back, my armpits. It's very extreme. I would have insatiable salt cravings and I was very thirsty. I would have to eat constantly. I had eyelash loss.My eyelids were droopy, I would have acute marked depression, anxiety, agitation, I was breathless, paranoid. I had extreme fatigue, I was bedridden and slept most of the day or night. I would wake up and feel as though my brain was being starved of oxygen. I had pains in my head. I had severe lower back pain, knee pain. These acute symptoms subsided once I had my bleed, however I still experienced the already unexplainable weight gain, and fatigue.

I have always been convinced Ive had an underactive thyroid even though blood work showed no abnormalities.

I ended up having a hysterectomy because I thought it was related to that. However this has happened since a few times. More recently it happened and it lasted for weeks. The hot weather made in unbearable. The latest flare or attack of whatever it is, caused me to have a white enlarged scalloped tongue and I had difficulty swallowing. I couldn't smell or taste anything properly and my neck was enlarged. My armpits also went dark in colour.

This is truly horrific when I experince this because I literally feel like it's going to kill me, I can feel my body just shutting down. I'm going to be investigated for Addison's disease next week, but I'm almost convinced this is a thyroid issue instead of aswell.

The latest flare seems to have started from taking a multivitamin. I checked what it contains and the only minerals it had in it that ive never taken before are Iodine, copper, selenium, zinc, maganese.

Has anyone else experienced acute flares or attacks of this severity in relation to their health issues?

[Mangodog]

I am not doctor but several of your symptoms are listed as being related to Addison's disease and I suggest making an appointment with your doctor to discuss this. Write down all your symptoms and take it with you as a reminder as it is easy to forget when they are many.

[Justiina]

Could it be hereditary angioedema (HAE) ? Causes swelling all over your body and can be triggered by menses, weather or whatever.

At least you could Google it. I'd say to look for patients suffering from it as the symptoms vary a lot from described in medical sites.

But it could be addison as well. Or mixture of many different conditions!

[ChristinaT in reply to Justiina]

Hey. Thanks for the suggestion/advice. Ive just had a look at what you mentioned. It's possible it could be a cause, my face becomes puffy and it's my abdomen which swells mainly. I guess it's worth considering, wouldn't have any idea how to go about getting this looked into but it's deffo worth me mentioning this . Thank you.