TGIF!

TGIF! I don't have to go to work or to any doctor's appointment for two whole days! Woo Hoo!

I had an appointment with my Endocrinologist today and was hoping to get the results of the 24 hour urine test and Chromogranin A tests. The 24 hour urine test came back as normal and we are still waiting on the CGA test to come back. These test measure certain hormones and proteins that are secreted by paragangliomas/pheochromocytomas. Normally head and neck PGLs don't secrete hormones. However I have been having weird "symptoms" that have been unexplained since August 2005. They include tremors/myoclonic jerks on the left side that started on my jugular artery but now include my shoulder and transient tremors elsewhere. An overwhelming sense of anxiety sometimes accompanied by wild swings in blood pressure. Chest pain which I swear feels like myoclonic jerks in my chest. Muscle spasms on the left side of my neck that feel like charlie horses that you get in your legs. The feeling I've been plugged in and my whole body is lit up like a Christmas tree. Chronic insomnia whenever these symptoms present. A general feeling of doom. Besides the tremors/jerking that always seems to be with me these symptoms are sporadic and occur every few months for a week up to a month (or more) and are actually very debilitating. Stress makes them worse. I also have diarrhea when I exercise and unexplained UTI's that aren't really uti's but tests always show blood in my urine. I'm not sure if those are related but I'll throw them in for good measure.

The symptoms could be explained by the secretion on hormones from the tumors. They could also be explained by several other conditions. At this point I just want some answers. I had hoped for a diagnosis but it looks like I'll have to wait again. I have an appointment on Monday at Cedars Sanai with someone that is supposed to be an expert in these types of tumors and I have a lot of questions for him.