Brief Answer:
Tight muscles may be causing problems.

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thank you for using Healthcare Magic. A food allergy or intolerance may cause nausea, but not likely the off balance feeling and tight muscles. I would also expect other gastrointestinal symptoms if it's a food sensitivity. Nausea may result from stress ulcers or similar stomach lesions (and certainly having a new baby can be stressful!)

The back and neck muscle tension could be causing the headaches, the nausea, and possibly the ringing in your ears. If it is severe, you might feel "off" in some ways or dizzy. I can't think of anything endocrine except maybe thyroid that might be causing your symptoms, which are somewhat nonspecific. Some women after pregnancy experience a thyroid inflammation that may temporarily affect thyroid levels. Be sure your lab work included a set of thyroid function tests. A funky migraine is a remote possibility.

I would want to know more about your tachycardia history. It is possible you may be having intermittent runs of tachycardia or another arrhythmia which can cause many of the symptoms you mention. To diagnose this, you will need to get a Holter or an event monitor. For the Holter you wear a small device that monitors your heartbeat for several days. You keep a diary of symptoms to see if they are occurring at the same time as an arrhythmia. An event monitor does not continually record. When you experience symptoms, you activate the device. This can be worn for a month if needed.

What did you take Elavil for? This is generally used for depression or nerve pain. If depression, that might be the cause of many symptoms. Depression can cause all sorts of physical problems, which in some people can be more prominent than the symptoms we typically think of as depression. There is a short questionnaire your doctor can give you which can help see if this is the problem.

An inner ear problem can affect balance, even causing severe vertigo and nausea. This could follow a cold or sinus infection, or occasionally occur spontaneously. Your neurologic exam in such a case would be normal. The possible episode of nystagmus could result from that. Certain maneuvers during the physical exam may induce nystagmus associated with vertigo. Ask your doctor about this.

Putting it all together, I am suspicious that your symptoms are related to stress and the neck and back muscle tension. Muscle tension itself is often caused by stress, and it can go on to create the other symptoms you describe. Also, people who have a history of migraines often develop concurrent muscle tension headaches. It is reassuring that all your studies so far have been normal. In my opinion, this is the most likely scenario, but I would first be sure to have the other conditions tested for and ruled out. It seems like you have had a good workup so far, and most serious conditions already ruled out.

Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.

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Brief Answer:
Still think it's stress-related

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the followup information. It appears you have had a thorough workup and seen the appropriate specialists. If you are concerned about seizures, I suggest you ask your neurologist. I presume he or she included it in his/her differential. Some of the other symptoms you just mentioned suggest a "funky migraine" and you should ask the neurologist about this. Presumably he or she has considered this possibility as well.

Stress, anxiety, and depression could cause all these symptoms, and additional worry about them aggravate it. The fact that your IBS is so bad is consistent with this. IBS typically is aggravated by stress and anxiety. And these are not uncommon postpartum difficulties. I can't think of anything else to add to the excellent workup your doctors have given you, except to suggest you discuss that possibility with them as well.

Hope this helps. Wishing you the best and a rapid resolution to your symptoms.

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