I have had these episodes as well. If anyone gets diagnosed please inform us of what it is! A few days ago I had my worst episode to date.. It started with the itchy palms then vomiting , I blacked out fell face first into a mirror then backwards.. after I could finally sit up the diarrhea started and I couldn't walk because every time I did I almost fainted.. I had to have help to and from bathroom and then couldn't even make it out of the house to go to the dr. Random times, never the same food or circumstances ..has come with hives once and always get really hot and sweat during the episode.
Thank God for the Internet, I thought I was the only one that experienced this. This has been happening to me on and off for at least 10 years, but I noticed an increase in frequency lately. Seems to happen more often when I eat in a hurry. My typical symptoms include itchy palms and feet, sometimes other areas as well such as armpits, severe cramping, diarrhea, patchy skin color. I noticed that it sometimes helps to force yourself to vomit.
I had been reading about carcinoid tumors, and some of the symptoms match, so I recently went to the Doc, she seemed to downplay this as unlikely but said she would make a refferal to a Gastrointernologist if I wanted. It will take about 2 months until I can see the specialist. I'll post here if and when I get a diagnosis.
I had been reading about carcinoid tumors, and some of the symptoms match, so I recently went to the Doc, she seemed to downplay this as unlikely but said she would make a refferal to a Gastrointernologist if I wanted. It will take about 2 months until I can see the specialist. I'll post here if and when I get a diagnosis.
I have been reading about carcinoid tumors too..(a dr mentioned it to me) but I don't know if the symptoms for these come in "episodes" or are constant ... do you know?
They are wanting to do a MRI and EEG to see if it is a rare form of seizure..mine are clear "episodes" or "attacks" and not all the time.. although I almost always have diarrhea.. I believe if these show normal I will then be referred to a GI ..
They are wanting to do a MRI and EEG to see if it is a rare form of seizure..mine are clear "episodes" or "attacks" and not all the time.. although I almost always have diarrhea.. I believe if these show normal I will then be referred to a GI ..
I have had thse episodes for a few years now a couple of times a year and twice this year in July then yesterday morning. i had eaten porridge with no milk, honey and a nectarine. i had 2 brazil nuts then about 10 mins later i could feel it coming on. sore stomach itchy hands, feet, groin heat into face and head and just horrible. i do not think it is nuts as i regularly eat all sorts of nuts with no ill affect and it has not been a common theme.
Over the years i have narrowed it down to yellow food colouring but i dont know which number, so this time it is a mystery as i only had very natural food. i avoid yellow food and this has stopped it happening i think, but who knows it may all be coincidence. i went to my GP when i first had a couple and was told that it is something i am touching, i do not believe this. he said food tests would be too costly! as i have had 2 episodes quite close together i am going to go to my new GP.
good luck everyone, it is interesting to see your stories. i hate it and feel out of sorts for some time afterwards, i worry it will get a lot worse one day...i will update you if the GP has any new suggestions!
Over the years i have narrowed it down to yellow food colouring but i dont know which number, so this time it is a mystery as i only had very natural food. i avoid yellow food and this has stopped it happening i think, but who knows it may all be coincidence. i went to my GP when i first had a couple and was told that it is something i am touching, i do not believe this. he said food tests would be too costly! as i have had 2 episodes quite close together i am going to go to my new GP.
good luck everyone, it is interesting to see your stories. i hate it and feel out of sorts for some time afterwards, i worry it will get a lot worse one day...i will update you if the GP has any new suggestions!
Yes, from what I read, the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome can be episodic in nature, at least in the early stages. However, the most common symptom is flushing of the face and neck (occurs in over 90% of people with carcinoid tumors) and most on this board have not mentioned this as a symptom, which makes me think we are dealing with something else. The only place where my skin turns red is on my palms.
doug111 wrote:
I would agree with this assessment. I think that some of the symptoms described actually are associated with anxiety and other common ailments so it's hard to say it's something rarer like you said. Do you have any other ideas?
Guest wrote:
I have been reading about carcinoid tumors too..(a dr mentioned it to me) but I don't know if the symptoms for these come in "episodes" or are constant ... do you know?
They are wanting to do a MRI and EEG to see if it is a rare form of seizure..mine are clear "episodes" or "attacks" and not all the time.. although I almost always have diarrhea.. I believe if these show normal I will then be referred to a GI ..
Yes, from what I read, the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome can be episodic in nature, at least in the early stages. However, the most common symptom is flushing of the face and neck (occurs in over 90% of people with carcinoid tumors) and most on this board have not mentioned this as a symptom, which makes me think we are dealing with something else. The only place where my skin turns red is on my palms.
I would agree with this assessment. I think that some of the symptoms described actually are associated with anxiety and other common ailments so it's hard to say it's something rarer like you said. Do you have any other ideas?
I went to the doc today (GP) and asked for the 5-HIAA urine test to test for carcinoid tumors, so Sunday I have to collect all my urine in a bottle, and will bring it to the lab on Monday, I'll let everyone know what the results are.
One other possibility where the symptoms match is systemic mastocytosis, it's very rare, see the following:
***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed
One other possibility where the symptoms match is systemic mastocytosis, it's very rare, see the following:
***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed
I got my results back today, they were in the normal range. I'm not entirely convinced though, since I read the 5-hiaa test can miss 25% of carcinoids. Apparently there are some carcinoids that don't release serotonin and won't show up on the 5-hiaa test, rather they release more histimine -- google "atypical carcinoid syndrome" (with the quotations around the phrase).
The doctor recommended I see an allergist.
The doctor recommended I see an allergist.
Heya guys, I'm so glad I've read these posts... granted, without sounding too sceptical about it all, they are only a handful of posts, but most if not all have something of what I have, and yes it might help to know a little more about the person who's experiencing the symptons.
I'll try to be as brief as possible:
I'm in my early 30's, have a son of almost 2, and just before he was born I developed hives... almost everywhere possible was itchy at some point... and much much worse during the evenings/nights.
I took various allergy tablets once I'd finished breastfeeding... probably about 10 different kinds, as some weren't effective, other stronger versions had been released, the doc's wanted to test on the effectivness of others, and some made me nauseous or dizzy.
I haven't taken any pills for a few months now... there didn't seem a need. The hives seemed to have settled... for a while at least.
Now, however, they're back. When I go to work in the morning I'm sneezing, have a runny nose, almost like a full on Hayfever attack, without the itchy eyes, My hand itch like crazy, my feet too, and sweat sooo much, by the time I make it home I'm practically slipping around in my shoes (flats thankfully, heels would be too much).
I scratch my head so much, I guess as if I have nits(last time I had that I was about 8); my mum has checked my hair for nits and my husband checked for spots... (i've developed a few of those too, and I can't remember if I've ever had that in my life time), and the hives are back full force, on the tops of my legs, and near by shoulders and tops of arms, everywhere is bumpy, red, almost like heat rash, my face gets red marks, as if I've been slapped, as does my neck, and my feet itch so much, and with the sweat smell a bit bad too.
Why don't I take the allergy tablets again? I tried... and almost passed out. I took the usual 2 in the morning... almost knocked me out.
I took half of one another day... almost fell asleep at my computer. I'm currently scratching my head like crazy, my hands feel dry and slightly tender from the scratching and my feet too... my neck's all bumpy, and my latest thing is really really itchy lips... I have to bite them like crazy short of scratching my face off and my female areas are also starting to feel tender and itchy too! :-(
I'll Google the 2 names suggested above, any help, any ideas would be much appreciated.
I'll keep checking back for update,
Thanks,
Estela
I'll try to be as brief as possible:
I'm in my early 30's, have a son of almost 2, and just before he was born I developed hives... almost everywhere possible was itchy at some point... and much much worse during the evenings/nights.
I took various allergy tablets once I'd finished breastfeeding... probably about 10 different kinds, as some weren't effective, other stronger versions had been released, the doc's wanted to test on the effectivness of others, and some made me nauseous or dizzy.
I haven't taken any pills for a few months now... there didn't seem a need. The hives seemed to have settled... for a while at least.
Now, however, they're back. When I go to work in the morning I'm sneezing, have a runny nose, almost like a full on Hayfever attack, without the itchy eyes, My hand itch like crazy, my feet too, and sweat sooo much, by the time I make it home I'm practically slipping around in my shoes (flats thankfully, heels would be too much).
I scratch my head so much, I guess as if I have nits(last time I had that I was about 8); my mum has checked my hair for nits and my husband checked for spots... (i've developed a few of those too, and I can't remember if I've ever had that in my life time), and the hives are back full force, on the tops of my legs, and near by shoulders and tops of arms, everywhere is bumpy, red, almost like heat rash, my face gets red marks, as if I've been slapped, as does my neck, and my feet itch so much, and with the sweat smell a bit bad too.
Why don't I take the allergy tablets again? I tried... and almost passed out. I took the usual 2 in the morning... almost knocked me out.
I took half of one another day... almost fell asleep at my computer. I'm currently scratching my head like crazy, my hands feel dry and slightly tender from the scratching and my feet too... my neck's all bumpy, and my latest thing is really really itchy lips... I have to bite them like crazy short of scratching my face off and my female areas are also starting to feel tender and itchy too! :-(
I'll Google the 2 names suggested above, any help, any ideas would be much appreciated.
I'll keep checking back for update,
Thanks,
Estela
yes, me too.. Well all of my results came back normal.. so I guess I am going to do allergy testing now, Then go to GI Doc
just curious, what tests did you have done?
FINALLY diagnosed!
At first they thought it might be a rare form of seizure so I had an MRI and an EEG. All normal. I decided to have allergy testing done and when I went in the doc asks me what is going on, I tell him.. and he says " well I know what it is, you don't need to do the allergy testing.. unless you just want to" So he tells me.. and of course.. this isn't going to be the same for everyone I'm sure.. this is just MY diagnosis. He says it is Cholinergic Urticaria .. which if you google it you will see heat hives..BUT I had the itchy palms, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, fainting.. and this is what it is. So here is a website that tells more about it unlike the other websites which say it is chronic heat rash or something which i think it can be...but apparently can also be caused by something else..like another medical problem. He said for example people with IBS can have this problem as a result of chronic infamation. Anyway you should go to a DR (an allergist is probably the best idea) to be sure and also to find out what your medical issue could be if you have the same thing..he says it can be hard to find and " a hunt" which is obviously true as all of us have been "hunting" an answer for a long time as well. Here is the link.. don't miss the part under PHYSICAL where it has all the symptoms like many ppl on here have been describing.
Good luck!
At first they thought it might be a rare form of seizure so I had an MRI and an EEG. All normal. I decided to have allergy testing done and when I went in the doc asks me what is going on, I tell him.. and he says " well I know what it is, you don't need to do the allergy testing.. unless you just want to" So he tells me.. and of course.. this isn't going to be the same for everyone I'm sure.. this is just MY diagnosis. He says it is Cholinergic Urticaria .. which if you google it you will see heat hives..BUT I had the itchy palms, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, fainting.. and this is what it is. So here is a website that tells more about it unlike the other websites which say it is chronic heat rash or something which i think it can be...but apparently can also be caused by something else..like another medical problem. He said for example people with IBS can have this problem as a result of chronic infamation. Anyway you should go to a DR (an allergist is probably the best idea) to be sure and also to find out what your medical issue could be if you have the same thing..he says it can be hard to find and " a hunt" which is obviously true as all of us have been "hunting" an answer for a long time as well. Here is the link.. don't miss the part under PHYSICAL where it has all the symptoms like many ppl on here have been describing.
Good luck!
I tend to agree with what your doctor has figured there though. Have you gone to an allergist yet? I would like to hear how it goes for you. Thanks!
This has happened for the second time in a month..I wake up in the middle of the night..My hand and feet itching,and no matter how much i scratch it doesn'nt help.. Than i start to sweat profusely,,Next i have to use the bathroom and start to feel nauseaus.. I throw up and have go the bathroom..Also my stomach has sharp pains... The ony thing that helped was sitting in a cold tub of water The one thing i had both times was raw carrots....I see all the diffferent posts and answers but no one seems t o be able to pin point it..What to do?
I went to the GI doc the week before Thanksgiving, he prescribed LOTS of tests -- they took 6 vials of blood, I also had a CT scan and was given numerous vials to collect stool samples as well as diarrhea sample in the event of another attack. I dropped off stool samples this morning and I was able to obtain results for the blood and CT scan.
In short, everything came back within normal ranges including chromogranin A and blood serotonin, which with the 5-hiaa urine test I had done previously, should rule out a carcinoid tumor. Nothing unusual showed up on the CT scan. I have an appointment with the doc again on 12/31 to go over the results, if I learn anything, i'll make sure to post here.
In short, everything came back within normal ranges including chromogranin A and blood serotonin, which with the 5-hiaa urine test I had done previously, should rule out a carcinoid tumor. Nothing unusual showed up on the CT scan. I have an appointment with the doc again on 12/31 to go over the results, if I learn anything, i'll make sure to post here.