Maybe the Internet people can figure out what's going on here.

Symptoms

Normally I feel fine (aside from being somewhat constipated), but when I'm having an attack the following occur:

• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Numbness (esp. in hands and face, sometimes in feet)
• Anxiety attacks
• Dry mouth, feeling dehydrated
• Lack of water retention/frequent urination
• Feeling faint (and actually fainting a couple times)
• Loss of appetite

Attacks seem to occur most often after exertion or eating/drinking certain things (I haven't narrowed down which things yet).

Lab tests

WBC: 8.5 (high normal)
RBC: 4.8 (low normal)
HGB: 13.0 (low normal)
HCT: 36.9 (low normal)
MCV: 77 (low)
MCH: 27.1 (low normal)
MCHC: 35.2 (normal)
PLT: 181 (normal)

GLU: 112 (slightly elevated)
UN: 13.7 (normal)
CRTNN: 0.81 (normal)
NA: 138.8 (normal)
K: 3.7 (low normal)
CL: 102 (normal)
CRP: 1.09 (rather high but not considered extremely elevated)
TP: 6.1 (low)
TB: 0.3 (low)
LDH: 136 (normal)
AST: 22 (normal)
ALT: 27 (normal)
AMY: 40 (low normal)
CK: 84 (normal)

This is from my Japan ER visit last night. I don't have actual lab numbers for the American visits.

Contributing factors

The slightly elevated GLU is likely because this measurement was taken a couple hours after I'd had a sweet mixed alcoholic drink.

The high CRP is a sign of inflammation. I have persistent inflammation in both wrists due to chronic RSI issues.

What it isn't

Diabetes

It has a lot of the superficial symptoms of diabetes, but none of the labwork supports it. My doctor has categorically stated that there is no way it could be diabetes, as has a friend of mine who is medically-inclined as well.

Anxiety disorder

There seem to be too many physical symptoms for this to be the case. It's possible that my recent anxiety attacks have been caused by whatever the underlying cause is, or that generalized anxiety attacks are causing whatever this is to trigger.

Medicine intolerance/sensitivity

The only medication I'm taking now is a prescription stool softener, and I only started that well after these problems started. Before the problems started I was taking spironolactone, which was certainly contributing to the dehydration, but probably not the root cause of it.

What it could be

Food sensitivity

This one does seem like a distinct possibility, especially since it sometimes comes on after eating. A wheat or gluten intolerance would seem the most likely. I really hope this isn't the case because holy cow do I love me some pizza. I'll try avoiding gluten foods today and see if that helps.

Some sort of autoimmune disorder

"It's never lupus." Except for when it is. But it seems unlikely.

Raynaud's Phenomenon

I guess that's more of a symptom complex caused by vasoconstriction (which could also be caused by an autoimmune disorder) but a lot of things fit. Numbness in the extremities brought on by cold, exertion, or cigarette smoke (and caffeine doesn't seem to help any, either), and during attacks my hands to seem to get a bit more pale although I could just be getting pale everywhere and I just don't know it. I do have a family history of this (from my mom), and she said it started at around my age (and has only gotten worse over time). Obviously this isn't a disease on its own but it's not exactly a symptom, either.