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Questions posted in the
Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Question Title: Mixture of SymptomsForum: Neurology Forum
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I have been suffering from a confusing mixture of syptoms for over a year now. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 1991, but not quite sure if these syptoms are Fibromyalgia related or if something else is going on. For about a year, I have been having trouble holding my bladder--I don't even realize I need to go, then suddenly will feel the urge--I have had frequent accidents (around 4-5 a week). This started occuring following the birth of my daughter and has gradually increased. I have been suffering from severe pain in my hips and legs (mainly thigh area--I sometimes feel hot sensations in my thighs--like someone is running hot water through my veins. If I sit for more than 10 minutes at a time--especially with legs drawn up--I am limping when I stand up to walk. Occasionally it feels like my legs are asleep, but they are not--it just feels like I can't feel the ground solid underneith my feet. I have been having trouble with my memory--remembering what day it is, what I have gone to the store to get, where I have put things and putting things in the wrong place etc. I have been having alot of back pain as well--along with what I call "pressure headaches". They are mostly a dull constant headache, unless I bend over--then the pressure rushes to my head and is very intense. Following this rush of pressure--I feel like the circulation is being cut off at my neck and can feel my heart beat in my throat. I feel very tired all the time, but have trouble sleeping when I do sleep. In addition, I sometimes am very moody and my fingers shake, but I'm not sure if this is due to lack of rest or not. Also, for about the last 3 months or so--the skin has been peeling off the inside of my mouth. I haven't seen a doctor--except for my ob/gyn for the bladder problems--he gave me some exercises to try for a year and put me on levlen and gave me a prescription for Flexeril for the low back pain (I have a history of endometriosis). He gave no suggestions as to what to do for all the other problems. I have not had any previous medical problems other than the endometriosis and post partum congestive heart failure 18 months ago--no longer on medications for that. I have read info on Fibromyalgia and am just not sure if all of this is related to that or not, but would hate to dismiss it if something more serious is happening.--any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank You --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear CW: Urinary accidents are not a feature of fibromyalgia. This symptoms could, however, be explained by changes in the pelvic floor related to labor. Almost all of the other symptoms could be part of the syndrome of fibromyalgia, which I hope you know, is a commonly encountered benign combination of symptoms for which an underlying neurological or medical cause can not be identified. On the other hand, some of the symptoms that you have (urinary, back pain, leg pain, leg weakness, leg sensory changes) could potentially be caused by a very serious underlying neurological problem in the back, such as (for instance) compression of nerve roots or the spinal cord by a tumor in the spine. I think a neurological consultation is imperative. All your symptoms can not be dismissed as being due to fibromyalgia.
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