Terrible pressure headaches, and floaters in left eye.

by Lindsay
(Michigan, USA)

I am a 24-year-old female in relatively good health. I am currently taking .025 mg of Synthroid for Hashimoto's hypothyroidism. I also just finished a course of Vicodin, for getting a wisdom tooth extracted.

About six months ago I began to feel a lot of pressure around my chest. I thought I was short of breath, because it seems so difficult to breathe in and out at times. I also have trouble swallowing at times; I feel like there is a ball of mucus in my throat constantly that I can't get rid of. I have a family history of hypothyroidism, but not too much else beyond that.

Also, I seem to have been plugged up for about 6 months. No runny nose, but it's completely stuffed up and never clears out. I've tried over the counter sprays, which clear it up for maybe a day, but it always eventually comes back.

I've never had eye floaters before - though I am extremely near-sighted and wear glasses - but have, within the same time period of 6 months, gotten one in my left eye. Over the past few months, a few other tiny black floaters have developed as well. They don't hurt me, but are extremely annoying.

To this date, I have had a complete lung function test (came back normal), many EKGs (all normal), a 2D echo of my heart (was normal), and thyroid tests. I do have a few tiny nodules in my thyroid gland, but they looked non-cancerous and my doctor said they should not be affecting my breathing. He also said if I continued to have trouble after trying a course of anti-inflammatories, we would consider removing my thyroid as a whole. I had an upper endoscopy done last week to check for reflux or other issues, and it came back normal upon visual inspection. The doctor took biopsies, just in case, and I haven't gotten those results back yet.

However, ever since the endoscopy, I have developed a terrible headache. It's a feeling more of pressure than pain, although the pain is there. It's at and above both of my temples. It never lets up, goes on at the same intensity morning through night, and hurts a little to lie on both sides of my head, even on a pillow. That, combined with the breathing issues (I still feel chest pressure when I breathe), and the eye floaters has completely petrified me into the thought that I could have a brain tumor. My ears hurt sometimes too, and my doctor said my sinuses seemed okay on visual inspection, and that my ears looked fine. I have a four-year-old daughter, no family history of brain issues, but....I don't typically have headaches often. And when all of the other issues started 6 months ago, I've been worried. I've basically been feeling horrible and tired, lying around the house, and miserable. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Help For Multiple Symptoms

Your symptoms are clearly troubling you a lot, although the extensive tests you have had are very reassuring. Clearly your breathing tests and heart tests would suggest little wrong physically. I wonder if you are suffering from fibromyalgia or maybe a stress related illness as your symptoms are multifactorial and not specific to any one illness. Your symptoms are not suggestive of a brain tumor to be honest, but one thing that appears significant from your question is “of the other issues started 6 months ago, I've been worried. I've basically been feeling horrible and tired, lying around the house and miserable”. This would suggest a stress related illness or maybe depression. You might like to discuss this possibility with your doctor who will be able to help you with this.




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