Disease: Pheochromocytoma
Symptoms: Signs and symptoms of pheochromocytomas often include:  High blood pressure Headache Heavy sweating Rapid heartbeat Tremors Pallor Shortness of breath Panic attack-type symptoms  Less common signs or symptoms may include:  Anxiety or sense of doom Blurry vision Constipation Weight loss  Symptomatic spells The symptoms of pheochromocytoma may be constant, or they may occur, or get stronger, occasionally. These spells can happen because of activities or conditions, foods high in a substance that affects blood pressure (tyramine), and medications. Certain activities or conditions can make symptoms worse, such as: Certain activities or conditions  Physical hard work Anxiety or stress Changes in body position, such as going from sitting or lying down to standing Labor and delivery Surgery and a drug that causes you to be in a sleep-like state during surgery (anesthesia)  Foods high in tyramine, a substance that affects blood pressure, also can make symptoms worse. Tyramine is common in foods that are fermented, aged, pickled, cured, overripe or spoiled. These foods include: Foods high in tyramine,  Some cheeses Some beers and wines Chocolate Dried or smoked meats  Certain medications that can make symptoms worse include: Certain medications  Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate) and isocarboxazid (Marplan) Stimulants, such as amphetamines or cocaine   When to see a doctor Although high blood pressure is a primary sign of a pheochromocytoma, most people who have high blood pressure don't have an adrenal tumor. Talk to your health care provider if any of these factors apply to you:  Difficulty controlling high blood pressure with current treatment Spells of worsening high blood pressure A family history of pheochromocytoma A family history of a related genetic disorder: multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2 (MEN 2), von Hippel-Lindau disease, hereditary paraganglioma syndromes or neurofibromatosis 1