What are the symptoms of a pheochromocytoma?
The most prominent symptom of a pheochromocytoma is high blood pressure, which may be very severe. In about 50 percent of the people, the high blood pressure is persistent. In the rest, the high blood pressure and other symptoms come and go, sometimes triggered by pressure on the tumor, massage, medication (especially anesthesia and beta-blocking drugs), emotional trauma, and on rare occasions the simple act of urination. Other symptoms include any or all of the following: a fast and pounding heart rate, excessive sweating, light-headedness when standing, rapid breathing, flushing, cold and clammy skin, severe headaches, chest and stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances, tingling fingers, constipation, and an odd sense of impending doom. When these symptoms appear suddenly and forcefully, they can feel like a panic attack.
