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Is There Any Possibility Of Getting Pheochromocytoma While Suffering From Racing Heart, Palpitations And Panic Disorder?

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Posted on Fri, 27 Dec 2013
Question: Hi. Thank you for your time. Last saturday I took benadryl for allergied to my cat. Within 15 minutes I had a bp of 220/113. I took half 1mg of Ativan and it decreased over an hour to 178/100. I have had sensitivity to meds, all stimulants put me in ambulance, delodid, narcotics etc cause these "storms". I was diagnosed panic disorder ten years ago, and have had at least 500+ episodes. They wake me in my sleep with racing heart and palpitations gasping for air. I drank mountain dew not knowing that stimulants do this...my bp was sky high, I had shakes, faintibg, diaherrea, went in ambulance very sick. One time I had my heart rate jump to 250bpm after lying down to watch a movie. In the ambulance the gave me an iv medici ne to restart my heart. I have had extreme low potassium levels, blood transfusion where I had bad anemia. Something went wrong during the transfusion. I had a c section where my baby died 20 days later of heart condition. I have zero sex drive. I am perscribed ativan, and have to live on this or id be having episodes everyday. Is it possible I have a pheochromocytoma??? I do not belive it is panic it is waaaay to severe. I also get NAsTY migraines. Ive been in the er more times than I can count. Saturday was the highest my bp has ever been. But it elevates everytime this happens. Lately ive had constipation like I have never seen before. I would cry because its that bad. When my symptoms occur I have trouble swallowing food. The food sometimes gets stuck.
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Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (2 hours later)
Brief Answer: Please get investigated for pheochromocytoma Detailed Answer: Hi and thank you so much for this query. I am so sorry to hear about these debilitating symptoms. If you have not been investigated for this condition, I will suggest that it should be done. Your symptoms of episodic hypertension are very much suggestive of a condition like this. Panic attacks will make the only best diagnosis if this has been excluded. generally, when a client presents with symptoms like you have reported, he/she should get investigated for pathologies that can cause this like pheochromocytoma. It is only after no other cause is found that it would be termed panic attacks, anxiety disorder, etc. Testing for this condition is simple. A blood and urine test looking for increased levels of these hormones in the system would shed more light on this. if they are suggestive, then you will go on to do imaging studies to identify the location for possible surgical removal. Even if the results were not to confirm this suspicion, at least we would have had an answer t the question that is this a possible pheochromocytoma and set your mind at ease also. These values are too high and concerning to be totally explained by panic attacks. Please, an endocrinologist is the best physician to investigate this condition. Meet one and get the doubts cleared. I wish you well and the best of possible outcome with this investigation process. Thanks you so much for using our services and please do feel free to request for more information if need be. Thanks. Dr. Ditah, MD.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Chobufo Ditah

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 6323 Questions

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Is There Any Possibility Of Getting Pheochromocytoma While Suffering From Racing Heart, Palpitations And Panic Disorder?

Brief Answer: Please get investigated for pheochromocytoma Detailed Answer: Hi and thank you so much for this query. I am so sorry to hear about these debilitating symptoms. If you have not been investigated for this condition, I will suggest that it should be done. Your symptoms of episodic hypertension are very much suggestive of a condition like this. Panic attacks will make the only best diagnosis if this has been excluded. generally, when a client presents with symptoms like you have reported, he/she should get investigated for pathologies that can cause this like pheochromocytoma. It is only after no other cause is found that it would be termed panic attacks, anxiety disorder, etc. Testing for this condition is simple. A blood and urine test looking for increased levels of these hormones in the system would shed more light on this. if they are suggestive, then you will go on to do imaging studies to identify the location for possible surgical removal. Even if the results were not to confirm this suspicion, at least we would have had an answer t the question that is this a possible pheochromocytoma and set your mind at ease also. These values are too high and concerning to be totally explained by panic attacks. Please, an endocrinologist is the best physician to investigate this condition. Meet one and get the doubts cleared. I wish you well and the best of possible outcome with this investigation process. Thanks you so much for using our services and please do feel free to request for more information if need be. Thanks. Dr. Ditah, MD.