# Anybody see Oprah show this week?



## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Wed.'s Oprah show was especially good - about perimenopause (again), with Dr. C. Northrop. I was "glad" to learn that O has some similar heart symptoms to me - except I believe mine are likely worse. Rapid heartrate, palpitations, heart feeling like it's going to jump out, etc. O had gone to several doctors last year, and no one attributed her symptoms to perimenopause/hormones - except for her guest, Dr. Northrop. (By the way, her tests were all "normal" or not significantly abnormal.)Anybody else here have such problems? I had to "revisit" my heart yesterday, myself, because of a recent flareup of problems, starting during a hospital procedure. I had a partial physical and an EKG. Nothing significant, except a slight murmur (as before). But my pulse was even higher than normal - so much so that the snitty nurse half scolded me (which I am SICK of). For me, the doctor is comfortable in saying that my sudden spikes in "nervousness" have to do with my dysautonomia. By the way, this dysautonomia drives me crazy at times; it is not a fun thing to have. But I *swear* that the dysautonomia and heart problems are at least greatly aggravated by my fluctuating hormones.







I mentioned that to the doc three times, till he finally answered: "We just don't know." Like O's doctors (and I'm sure she has the best). Sigh. What do you all think?


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## K9Mom (Sep 20, 1999)

Hi Jan,I was *so* glad to see that Oprah was shining some light on this issue....especially the fact that she went to *5* doctors trying to find out what the cause of her palps were and NONE of them helped her. (I'm really down on doctors right now due to too many expensive appointments where I got misinformation or worse...not taken seriously!!) But honestly...if OPRAH cannot get good medical care in this country than do we, the no-name people, even stand a chance? Did you hear her say that ALL of the doctors told her it was stress?







I thought it was a great show!


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## Jeanne D (Nov 14, 2001)

Hi,I am 41 years old, and a couple of years ago I was having a lot , and I mean a lot of palps everyday. It got so bad it really scared me. Anyway I went to the dr, and he sent me to see the cardiologist. I had an EKG, a 24 hr holter moniter, and an echocardiogram. Nothing abnormal showed up , and he couldn't give me any explanation. I suspect, and I have suspected it to be related to perimenopause. This past July I mentioned it to my ob/gyn and she ordered blood work to check my hormones. They came back normal ,and did not show evidence of perimenopause, or menopause. The dr. however said that you can still be entering into perimenopause, without it showing up in your blood. Either way I suspect hormones play a huge role in these symptoms. Good luck.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Jeanne - I trust you're not having more of those horrid palps now? Or at least not all the time? I only have palps every rare now and then, like immediately upon waking (heavens knows what's going on while I'm sleeping!), but a while back (when under stress) I'd had more of them.K9Mom - I was thinking of posting to you, actually! You'd posted that big, long list of thyroid-problem symptoms. We've discussed this before, but some of my symptoms sound so much like hyperthyroidism (but I've never tested positive). Yesterday, I had another panel done (plus test for anemia). I'd asked about when it was time for another thyroid test, and then doc decided that that was in fact a good test to give me now - since my dysautonomia/tachyardia (sp) has gotten even worse than before.


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## Jeanne D (Nov 14, 2001)

HipJan,I don't get palps very often , just once in awhile, and when I do, I just let it pass, without panicking like I used to.


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## K9Mom (Sep 20, 1999)

Hi HipJan,Yes, that list was one that about 200 thyroid patients came up with...as the medical literature only mentions a few of the major ones and there are *so* many more!I'm pretty disillusioned by doctors right now and I'm afraid that I exude negativity regarding this subject!The TSH thyroid test is a good test for diagnosing a thyroid problem....HOWEVER, it is possible to test in the (very wide) normal range on the TSH and still have high or low T3 and/or T4 levels. For this reason, I HIGHLY recommend getting a copy of your lab report and looking for yourself where your blood tested. The lab reference/normal range should be listed right on the report and they are very easy to read.Thyroid hormones are powerful and influence all major body systems, thus making for an odd mix of symptoms as you witnessed on the list. Oftentimes the thyroid is overlooked as a possible cause because when a patient presents with tachycardia or heart palps the doc most likely will do a cardiac workup...and if it's thyroid, find nothing! It's the same with a patient that presents with the gastro symptoms...logical choice is to do the GI tests, and if it's thyroid...find nothing!With thyroid disease striking women disporportionately more than men, it's my belief that a thyroid screen should be included in every woman's annual physical or gyn appointment.If you have any questions, please, please email me. I am more than happy to answer or find an answer for any thyroid questions you or anyone else may have. I'm very fortunate to have somewhat of an expert posting on the Mediboard thyroid site. She is a wonderfully knowledgeable medical technologist and has published a book on Graves disease. Her second book is about autoimmune diseases and is going to the publisher next month I believe.Again, I'm here if you need me!


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Thanks, K9Mom, for you info. and offering to help any of us here. I'd specifically asked about a full panel, and the doc said, "Oh, yes." I feel pretty good about this particular doctor (maybe I shouldn't?!) and think, hope, he'll read the tests properly. I don't really think it's thyroid probs for me (as I've been tested so much before) - I think it's some hormonal surges making the dysautonomia and thus also the heart problems worse - but it is curious that I have had so many symptoms similar to Graves symptoms. I understand your frustration with doctors. Overall, I've experienced a fair amount of frustration, too, even with supposedly good doctors. To an extent, I blame the problems on the "conventional medicine" mindset, apparently geared more towards dealing with full-blown, understood disease than with mysterious chronic illness or preventive medicine. And a certain chauvinistic mindset (after all, medicine used to be such a male-dominated field) seems to still exist in some ways - with few doctors (even the women ones) feeling comfortable about making conjectures to do with, ooohh, those scary women's hormones.


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## K9Mom (Sep 20, 1999)

Janet, I had to LOL at the "scary women's hormones"







So true!! I believe that some of the symptoms I'm experiencing are perimenopause related. I did go have a FSH and LH done and that did not show anything...but I'm wondering if it is supposed to show anything with perimenopause? My Gyno blew me off about it since I'm still having, as Oprah said, "regular as rain" periods. I don't wish thyroid disease on you, but I do hope that your doc can nail down what is going on with you so that you can begin to treat whatever it may be so you can feel better.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Thanks, K9Mom. I'll hear soon. But if nothing is found in the blood tests, we'll assume it's just more of the dysautonomia. (And *I* will assume that it got aggravated by hormonal surges; I did have gyno. abnormalities too in the same time frame.)Dysautonomia can only be treated, apparently, by beta blockers (maybe - don't have the full scoop) or by months of expensive biofeedback. I'll be checking into those lovely options later.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

K9Mom - My tests came back negative, by the way. However, my rapid heartrate seems to be getting much worse, and I have a feeling I'll be put on meds soon (I'm beginning to want them!).


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## allinknots (Jun 29, 1999)

What is Dysautonomia????? I was told once that i had that but this new Dr has never mentioned it and when i told them about it They hadnt heard much about it, this was years ago. I was then diagnosed with Panic Disorder and Mitro valve prolapse


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## K9Mom (Sep 20, 1999)

HipJan, I took beta blockers for a year and a half. I felt immediate relief for the tachycardia and was very grateful for that. It also helped with anxiety/panic associated with public speaking. That being said, they also made me tired. Important to not suddenly stop these kinds of meds...so get the full "skinny" on them if/when you get a script for them. Good luck...at least the b blockers should give you some symptom relief.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Thanks again, K9Mom! I'll be leaving a message for the doc, probably tomorrow morning, so we'll see what he decides. He was contemplating beta blockers 1-1/2 years ago, and now the time seems to be right. Yup, the energizer bunny here (me) is afraid of suddenly turning into a zombie, but I don't know what choice I have. I know Oprah's opting for dietary/lifestyle changes instead, but I've already gone that route and seem to need something more. Questions: Did your beta blockers negatively affect your GI problems (or make them better)? Why did you stop them? Were you put on meds for thyroid at that time instead?allinknots, I'm still learning about dysautonomia myself. It has to do with a malfunctioning (in my case, seemingly overactive), overly sensitive autonomic nervous system. Often people with dysautonomia also have panic/anxiety disorders and/or MVP or vice versa. I think I am prone to mild panic/anxiety, and I have a little heart murmur but not MVP (so far, that is). My brother and sister have mild MVP, and my sister is also prone to depression and panic (I think). My internist diagnosed me with dysautonomia (after 3 visits), possibly because that used to be one of his specialities - testing people for it - but I'm not sure that the average doc would quickly come up with such a diagnosis. Are you being successfully treated with meds, if you don't mind my asking?


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