Originally Posted by axseptants

Thanks for your response. I have had autonomic system dysfunction symptoms come and go over the past couple of decades. I went through periods in which I would experience racing heartbeat (several minutes/hours at a time) for no apparent reason. I went through a whole year (several years back) of low grade fevers and episodes of weird upper body flushing. I'd be sitting in a meeting and turn bright red for no apparent reason. Then I'd go in the bathroom and there would be this microscopic red spots on my face where the flushing had been. When I touched them, they would smear blood on my face. I guess the flushing was so severe it was causing capillaries to burst. I also have balance issues. I have lightheadedness episodes for months at a time that come and go. I will get this sensation you get when you've been on a boat and get off and still feel like you are on the boat. Kind of like this feeling that things are moving under me. Usually, this will last for several hours, then I'll get a headache. If I sleep it will be better. It is also affected, I think by certain meds. I also have general balance issues (I walk into corners all the time...cut corners by accident and walk into them). I have Raynaud's which has gotten worse in my hands and feet. I used to be hot all the time (when I was on hormones), now I am cold all the time. I cannot maintain normal weight. The first Rheumatologist who suspected Sjogren's said that I had mild livido reticularis. I didn't even realize it until he pointed it out, but I do have very mild web-like patterns on my legs. Some docs don't even acknowledge it because it is so faint. I have only mild postural BP changes. I have fainted only once and that was from a what I later found out was a severe bladder infection. But I get faint a lot of times if I stand up too fast or change position too fast. I have had all types of urinary issues secondary to interstitial cystitis (urgency, frequency, difficulty initiating flow, urine retention). I also fluctuate between constipation and loose stools. I've had sexual dysfunction (inability to orgasm), but I always attributed it to taking SSRIs because I know they can cause that. Now, with the vulvar skin pain issues, I can forget about sex altogether. I single and not seeing anyone so it doesn't matter, I guess. The gastro motility issues will come on for months at a time, then I'll take Reglan for a while (used to be Zelnorm til they blackboxed it) and they'll go away. The Sicca symptoms, neuropathy, and vulvar skin issues are constant/chronic. The other stuff seems to come and go.