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Neurology  (Expert Forum)
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What is wrong?
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MedHelp Member's Question

What is wrong?

by Jgirl, Jul 15, 2003 12:00AM
For the past approx two years I have had symptoms and problems that I don't seem to be able to get an answer for.  First, I get extreme dizziness on and off all day long sometimes it stays all day the extreme part started about a year ago but I have had dizziness on and off for about 7 years now.  Sometimes it happens when after my neck where my head meets becomes real  stiff and other times it happens when I move my head and other times it happens when I move my eyes to scan the room or a page in a  book and other times it just happens.  I sometimes get general weakness and a feeling of lightheadeness (feeling of going to pass out). Numbness in patches (legs, back, face, arms, hands etc.) comes and goes and muscle twitches (that are not painful)come and go.  They all come and go within a day they usually don't last all day long except the dizziness.  When my head gets really stiff it will cause me a headache that makes it hurt to even move my head and occ. blurred vision.  I have had an mri with and without contrast, they found a small focal point of possible gliosis or ischemic vessel change but that was it and they also did an mri of the spine which they found a presumable cyst that was pushing my cord off slightly to the left with some narrowing of the spine T4 & T5 area.  My doctor has ran blood tests as well and I have a sed rate of 39 but everything else in the blood work was normal.  He was trying to rule out MS, RA, etc and he said he did.  Occassionally I get chest pain that runs down my left arm.  I have also seen a cardio for rule out. I am 32 years old! Help
Doctor's Answer

by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS, Jul 15, 2003 12:00AM
It is impossible for me to render an accurate clinical diagnosis over the internet. Your stroy and symptoms are very complex, but here are a few thoughts. Formal evaluation of your vestibular function may be of help. This may help isolate which region of the balance center is not working properly. It is possible that all of the symptoms you are describing could be related to cervicogenic migraine or complicated migraine. Both of these headache disorders can cause varying neurologic symptoms. The fact that your MRI was negative for lesions consistent with MS is good. Another possibility is a mitochondrial disorder (abnormality of the bodies ability to generate energy).



The best  adivse I can give at this time is for you see a neurologist at an academic center. If you are in the area we have excellent neurologists who could evaluate you and if needed perform the special vestibular testing.
Member Comments (18)

by dizEmman, Jul 16, 2003 12:00AM
It's good to know that I'm not alone.

I usually just lurk through these forums, but your condition is so similar to mine that I had to respond (and register to do so.)

I have the same exact symptoms, and they have been constant for a few months now - been through more tests than a lab rat, but on paper I'm ready to run a marathon: Nothing "wrong".  So today I took the psyche route for the first time and am giving Zoloft a try.  Even if that only helps a little, I'll be happy...



"Keep in touch"

I noticed in a lot of these threads there are some good posts, but no followups (at least not easily found) of what happened a year later. It would be nice if there was a "whatever happened to" section. For example I saw some posts (I think it may have been on another forum) from 2000 that matched my symptoms... Did that person recover so well that he/she can't be bothered with following up - or did his/her condition deteriorate to the point where they can hardly type. ?



DizE

by Jgirl, Jul 17, 2003 12:00AM
DizE,



I sure will, I'll let you know what I find out, maybe it will help you also in some way!

by jmva, Jul 20, 2003 12:00AM
To: jgirl
I have similar symptoms.  Mine started 5 years ago and I noticed it most in the grocery store and at the mall.  In March my balance seemed off and I am now not comfortable going to most stores.  Driving feels strange too.  My condition seems to start with my eyes and I feel visually overwhelmed when in a large store with flourescent lights.  Is there a diagnosis called sensory overload??  I am waiting for EEG results and my neurologist told me that if nothing shows up on the EEG we will do a remote EEG in which I will "wear" the electrodes to the mall and grocery store and brain wave information will be recorded on a disk!!  I think this is amazing technology and I hope I will find some answers...My life has been severely altered (I will be 42 on Wed.) and this doctor looked me in the eye and said, "I want to help you to improve the quality of your life."  I really think he meant it!!

by dizEmman, Jul 21, 2003 12:00AM


Some more info:  

I'm 32 also and this started around November '02. It was on and off but then it (the dizziness/lightheadedness) became chronic (unbearable) around March.  I can't drive anymore (I can, but it's like a DUI/DWI feeling which I'm not comfortable with and I really don't feel like getting pulled over.)  I also have very low blood pressure (90/60 or less) but no one ever thinks that's a big problem.



I'm hoping to find someone that has gone through this and has found the cure (or something close to it).



I'm currently on Zoloft (just started it a few days ago and waiting for a miracle to happen) but I doubt it's "only" psychological. It seems too easy of an answer to write-off low blood pressure, for example, as psychological.



It seems like doctors are afraid to get sued and unless they see a huge lump growing out of your skull, they do not want to "troubleshoot the problem". Notice how much more info (good, and bad unfortunately) is available online when someone can hide behind a computer terminal without the fear of liability.



dizE

by jmva, Jul 27, 2003 12:00AM
To: jgirl
I have been experiencing a feeling of swaying side to side or sometimes forward and backward.  My head has been very sore and I am even having a hard time sitting here typing this.  My head feels very tight on the right side and the back of my neck is stiff.  My EEG was normal and I don't know what to do next.  My PCP (actually the nurse practitioner) suggested yoga!!  I am unable to drive or go anywhere and I could use a suggestion from anybody out there - this is very debilitating.

by MLH, Jul 31, 2003 12:00AM
I started having similar symptoms in Feb. 2003.  I have seen

a ENT and a Neurologist.  All testing came back normal.

I could not drive, go shopping, or go to any public places.

My neurologist prescribed Lorazepam and it has made such a

big difference.  I also take Pannaz for my allergies/sinusitis.

I am now able to drive, go to the grocery store and other

public places.  I am not back to my normal self yet.  One Dr.

told me the best thing to do was to go outside and walk

on the sidewalk.  I try to walk everyday.  I also read

somewhere that if you rotate your head from side to side

while walking it will help 'retrain' your brain to process

information.

I feel like I have had to relearn everything.  I never

have found out what my condition is actually called or if

I'll ever be fully recovered.  

I notice that I feel worse when it is hot/humid or when I

am tired.  

I don't know if any of this info is helpful to anyone but

thought it might be.

by jmva, Aug 01, 2003 12:00AM
To: MLH
Hi...Did your condition include muscle tension in your head and neck areas?  Also, how did you feel when you were shopping?  For me I don't feel panic, just visually overwhelmed and then my neck and head muscles start tightening up.  I had a work-up at a Vestibular Balance Center and am doing the Cawthorne-Cooksey exercises - I'm not sure if they are helping but the Dr. said it could take a few months.  I also just went to the dentist and I am apparently clenching so I now have a mouth guard which has relieved some of the jaw tension.  I don't know if my feeling of "swaying" will be relieved due to the muscles loosening up or not.  I am seeing my ENT Dr. today to ask about the possibility of muscles being so tight near the vestibular nerve that can lead to my unusual balance problem.

by MLH, Aug 01, 2003 12:00AM
To: jmva
I don't recall having muscle tension.  I did feel like there

was fluid or something in my right ear.  Although the