Are you drinking enough water?

You know darn well this is not normal. Are you looking for someone to say it's okay or for someone to say go the heck in to the ER? Okay . . . "Go the heck to the ER."

You have a BP cuff, right? Can you take your BP after lying down for a couple minutes. Then stand up slowly. After about 30 - 40 seconds, take it again. Does the systolic go up or down or stay about the same? If it goes up 20 or more, you may be overhydrated. If it goes down 20 or more, you may be dehydrated. I say "may be" because it's not a perfect test of hydration. Serum and urine osmolality give a far better idea of what is going on.

This is sort of gross but here goes anyway. If your urine is highly concentrated, chances are you are dehydrated. If your urine is on the light end of yellow, then you may be overhydrated.

Have you ever had a chest CT with contrast (iodine)? I still worry about a pulmonary issue, a clot or an artery problem. None of what you are describing is normal. And you HAVE TO go in while it is going on. Otherwise doctors can't "see" what is going on. Do you understand that? I hate when you wait. Seriously do.

You know how I feel. I can't say strongly enough that I worry about your health picture in it's entirety. Is Accutane worth having a stroke or heart attack, especially when there are so many alternatives on the market? If these symptoms are from a drug or drugs or side effects or combo of drugs, then doctors need to reassess the efficacy of the drug. And the common sense of using it.

I know how hard it is to be 17 and have no one to turn to really. But in a situation like this, you need to turn to the ER or your doctors. I'm frustrated because I can't do a damn thing to help you. Get help.


Annie