Question:
HI, IM A 31 Y/O FEMALE WITH NO MEDICAL PROBLEMS AND NO MEDS I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT WEIRD SYMPTOMS IVE BEEN HAVING. IT STARTED ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO WHEN I ALL OF THE SUDDEN STARTED GETTING CHEST PAIN DIZZY SPELLS SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND MY CLAVICLE AREA HURT LIKE IT WAS SWELLING FROM THE INSIDE ONLY ON THE LEFT SIDE THOUGH. I WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT LEAST 8 TIMES WITHIN A 3 MONTH PERIOD PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY AT THAT POINT AND ADMITTED ME TO CHECK FOR MS. THAT WAS NEGATIVE THE ONLY THING NOTED WAS EDEMA SURROUNDING THE MESENTRIC ROOT AT THE LEVEL OF THE CELIAC ARTERY AND SUPERIOR MESENTRIC ARTERY FROM A CT SCAN WHICH THEY SAID WAS NORMAL THEN I WAS REFERRED TO CARDIOLIGIST I HAD A STRESS THALIUM HE SAYS FINE THEN A RHUEMITOLIGIST SHE TESTED FOR LYME AND LUPUS AGAIN NEGATIVE I WAS AT A LOSS SO I DID REASEARCH AND FOUND INFO ON ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO SULFITES .NOW I KNOW I AM ALLERGIC TO SULFA I GET ITCHY ALL OVER WITH A RASH BUT HAVENT HAD THOSE SYMPTOMS THE ONLY MEDICATION I WAS ON WAS PREVACID SO ONE DAY I TOOK SOME BENYDRL AND MY CHEST AND ARM PAIN WENT AWAY I SAID OK MAYBE IT WAS THE MEDICINE THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN I TOOK BENADRL AND IT WENT AWAY AGAIN SO I STOPPED EATING FOR 3 DAYS HAD NO SYMPTOMS THEN I STARTED TO EAT AGAIN THE PAIN AND SYMPTOMS RETURNED SO I WENT TO HAVE A ALLERGIST TEST ME FOR GRAPES AND FOOD ALLERGIES ALL WERE NEGATIVE ONLY MOLD AFFECTED ME AND SHE SAID IVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE GETTING REACTIONS ON ONE SIDE OF THERE BODY INTERNAL SYMPTOMS DIDNT MAKE SENSE SO AT THIS POINT IVE LOST 23 LBS BECAUSE I DONT KNOW WHAT TO EAT ANYMORE ? THIS PROBLEM COMES ABOUT WITH FOOD AND MEDS ESPECIALLY CORTISONE sometimes even affecting my vision IS THERE ANY TEST I MAY HAVE MISSED OR YOU COULD RECOMMEND TO MAKE SURE NOTHING ELSE IS GOING ON I LIVE IN NEW YORK AND NO ONE REALLY KNOWS MUCH ABOUT MY REACTIONS OR PROBLEMS I ALSO HAD COLONOSCOPY AND ENDOSCOPY PLEASE HELP......


Answer:
The distribution of edema is an important guide to the cause. [1] Unilateral edema occasionally results from lesions in the centeral nervous system affecting vasomotor fibers on one side of the body; paralysis also reduces lymphatic and venous drainage on the affected site. [1]

The 30 feet of small intestine are anchored by a set of membranes called the mesenteries. All the planes of the mesenteries collect into a line running from the Illiocecal Valve in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen to the Duodeno-Jejunal junction in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen.

This line, called the roots of the mesenteries, is anchored to the back wall of the abdomen, crossing the lumbar spine on a diagonal line from upper left to lower right. Because of the diagonal attachment of their root, any tension in the mesenteries will rotate the lumbar spine. [2], [3], [5]. and [6]

The celiac artery is a short thick artery arising from the aorta just below the diaphragm and dividing almost immediately into the gastric, hepatic, and splenic arteries. see

The mesenteric artery is either of two arteries arising from the aorta and pas

The involvement of other sympathetic midline connections and plexi such as celiac (abdominal pain, peptic ulcer, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss), superior and inferior mesenteric plexi (diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and weight loss), and cardiac plexus (chest pain, abnormal heart beat, tachycardia, and heart attack), and carotid and vertebral plexi (severe vascular headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, attacks of falling spells, and syncopal attacks), should be identified as such and should be treated with the help of Clonodine Patch, Hytrin, or Dibenzyline as well as proper treatment applied to the source of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) [definitely avoiding ice, but encouraging exercise, moist heat, epsom salt and hot water, and newer antidepressants as the best analgesics of choice for RSD]. [3], [4], [5], and [6] A Gasteroenterologist or Neurologist can give you better advice and examination for other factors that effect these areas, e.g. tumors, lymph nodes, and drugs. Hope this answers your question!

REFERENCES
1. Braunwald, E. Edema: Distribution. 1977. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 8th ed. vols. 1. New York, NY. (Eds.) George W. Thorn, et al. McGraw-Hill Book Company. p. 181.

2. Burch M.S., J.P. Core Balance: Interdisciplinary Structural Integration. 2001.3. Wikipedia. Central Nervous System. 2006.

4. Cherian, M.D., N. Dizziness. 2006. 5. Sheth, S. Mestenteric Neoplasms: Patterns of Disease Spread at CT. 2006.
The Prison Hospital

Prisoner: Look here, doctor! You've already removed my spleen, tonsils, adenoids, and one of my kidneys. I only came to see if you could get me out of this place!

Doctor: I am, bit by bit.





Answer:
You asked if there were any tests left undone that might be helpful...

An MRA of your neck and an MRI of your brain may be worthwhile. It sounds to me as though you had a CT of the abdomen? If only that, a CT of your chest might be beneficial since you are having related symptoms.

The symptoms you describe don't sound to me like they are linked to a food or medication reaction. Until you have further work up, the best thing I could tell you is that, if you are a smoker, stop completely now.