I am having health issues that I can not find an answer too...please help?!
Question: My symptoms have been going on for nearly 6-8 months, but have gotten much worse since Nov. of 2007. My symptoms include:
numbness in all extremities
Pain in all extremities
Frontal headachs
I have started to twitch/shake slightly when I do not want too
All my limbs go numb on and off, including my fingers and toes.
I have gotten weak due to all the above.
-Those are the main issues I have had/experienceing.
I have had a Brain MRI, a MRI of my neck and lower back, I have had an EMG and all came out fine. I meet with a Neurologist this week, but I am afraid of what he might say....
Does anyone have any ideas as I have been living in pain for a long time now, and things are getting worse....
Answers: My symptoms have been going on for nearly 6-8 months, but have gotten much worse since Nov. of 2007. My symptoms include:
numbness in all extremities
Pain in all extremities
Frontal headachs
I have started to twitch/shake slightly when I do not want too
All my limbs go numb on and off, including my fingers and toes.
I have gotten weak due to all the above.
-Those are the main issues I have had/experienceing.
I have had a Brain MRI, a MRI of my neck and lower back, I have had an EMG and all came out fine. I meet with a Neurologist this week, but I am afraid of what he might say....
Does anyone have any ideas as I have been living in pain for a long time now, and things are getting worse....
Hi! Sorry to hear about all you're going through. Your situation sure is a perplexing one, to say the least. You say you've had all the MRI's, and all came back negative, so I would think if you had a brain abnormality of some kind such as a tumor, etc., it would have shown. And you say you're neck and back are fine, as was your EMG. So all of that does rule out alot of possibilities. You say you're going to see a neurologist, and that's a good thing. But there is also a possibility that it is not a neurological problem. If you see the neuro and he says you're fine, you should probably then see a rheumatologist. These doctors specialize in treating disorders like Lupus, (which I have), Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Lou Gherigs, Raynauds, Polymyositis, and a whole host of other diseases and disorders that affect the joints, muscles, nerves, and bones. You could have so many things that its nearly impossible for someone to say with any great certainty. And unfortunately, if you suffer from one of the above mentioned Autoimmune Disorders, it can take years sometimes to properly diagnose and treat because these disorders mimic eachother so much. But your primary doctor, or even the neurologist, should order blood tests to check your Sedimentation Rate (SED) and an Anti-NuclearAntibodies (ANA) , along with a Rheumatoid Factor (RF) test. Also make sure you are not diabetic, again with a blood test. These tests should reveal at least a bit of information. But if your doctors keep telling you "nothing is wrong" and you continue to have these symptoms, you MAKE then find out what it is. They are just trying to save money at the patient's expense, but do not let this happen. Your health is way too important. There is a reason you are having these symptoms and you must get to the bottom of it. And there is absolutely no reason you should live in pain. Again, respectfully demand that your pain be treated. If your primary doctor feels uncomfortable prescribing opioids like Vicodin or Morphine, then have him refer you to a pain specialist who will know exactly what to give you for your pain without being paranoid like some primary doctors.
I wish I could be of more help, but it would all be pure speculation on our part, and I don't want to undermine your condition, but I also don't want to worry you needlessly with other, more serious possibilities. So just relax. Everything will work out eventually. I wish you the best of luck and if you need to talk, feel free to email me.
Much Love,
Playmate
Put your affairs in order, nice knowing you.
Never end your search for a diagnosis and reason you feel this way, even if the next doctor tries to gloss over it and tells you you're fine. Keep finding dr's and specialists until one of them gives you a bona fide answer and the required treatment. Make it clear to each that you have gotten no satisfaction from prior physicians and tests and that some IS wrong and you NEED TO KNOW. You are a consumer of medicine and medical care. You have these rights!
I agree with Robert B, above. Keep searching for the cause and diagnosis of your condition. You may have fibromyalgia, or something else that it difficult to diagnosis and treat. You may wish to seek out supplemental or alternative healing methods such as acupuncture, Reike, or reflexology.
If your neurologist clears you, seek out a rheumatologist.
My dtr and I each had weird symptoms,like yours, that went on and off for quite a while. We saw mds in many specialties-at one point each of us were told we were depressed and needed a therapist.
We had the MRI's,cat scans,emg, etc.which showed nothing.
After a long while, we stumbled upon a rheumatologist who is a researcher. Each of us has a rheumatiod arthritis/lupus -like illness. He was able to dig, b/c he knows what tests to use- particularly bloods- to piece it all together.
Through some investigating,we discovered we had a family history of this.We are each on a treatment protocol and doing fine.
It can take time and persistance on your part to find the right kind of md. I kept a symptom journal with notes abt what helped and what didnt.Key to all of it is an md who knows what to look for and what to rule out.
You might also want to try a chiropractor. I had a pulled muscle that made my left side very painful from my neck down to my left thumb and would constantly go numb. It was very annoying and painful. I went to the chiropractor for about 11 sessions. Each time I went I felt a bit better until the day it went away! Life was grand after that.
I really have no clue. This is pretty interesting though. (sorry if thats offensive) Some type of neurolgia maybe? Fibromyalgia? (too big to spell) Or just a nerve that is getting pinched or the tissue around it is getting inflamed and putting pressure on it. If inflamed tissue is the case it could be hard to diagnose.
It could be fibromyalgia. It is often hard to get a diagnosis for this because there are doctors out there that do not believe it is a true condition. I do have it so I know A LOT about it.
Below are some websites you can go to and see if the symptoms listed are similar to what you are experiencing.
Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.
PS If you think this is what you have then a rheumatologist is your best bet.