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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Muscle tremors/shakes, "electric shocks" before sleep, constant ear ringing, memory loss
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Muscle tremors/shakes, "electric shocks" before sleep, constant ear ringing, memory loss
by seekmedhelp, May 31, 2007 12:00AM
Physical info: 27 year old white male, 6'1, 160 pounds, non-smoking, non-drinking, with no previous serious health issues.
For about three months I've been having the following symptoms:
1. Tremoring/shaking muscles upon exertion. When resting they occasionally twitch, without being strong enough to actually my limbs. Walking down stairs has become uncomfortable as my thighs tremor when my muscles fully engage.
2. violent head shocks/zaps that have left me awake for 36 hours at a time. They occur the moment I am about to "cross over" into sleep. Sometimes sharp noises trigger them (wood, plastic cracking), but it only happens when I'm sleepy, accompanied by my vision going from black to bright gold.
3. Constant ringing in my right ear for about a month and a half. The tremors started occurring about one month before the ringing. About two days after the ringing started the head zaps began. They occur on average of 2-3 days a week. During the worst episodes I cannot sleep for 36 hours, and one time for 48. I only pass out from sheer exhaustion.
4. My short term memory and concentration have been slowly fading.
I have no insurance and no money. I am exhausted from sleeping only 2-3 hours a day for over two months. Is there any way I can get help from the government? I live in NJ, USA. A person can only endure so much.
Brian
For about three months I've been having the following symptoms:
1. Tremoring/shaking muscles upon exertion. When resting they occasionally twitch, without being strong enough to actually my limbs. Walking down stairs has become uncomfortable as my thighs tremor when my muscles fully engage.
2. violent head shocks/zaps that have left me awake for 36 hours at a time. They occur the moment I am about to "cross over" into sleep. Sometimes sharp noises trigger them (wood, plastic cracking), but it only happens when I'm sleepy, accompanied by my vision going from black to bright gold.
3. Constant ringing in my right ear for about a month and a half. The tremors started occurring about one month before the ringing. About two days after the ringing started the head zaps began. They occur on average of 2-3 days a week. During the worst episodes I cannot sleep for 36 hours, and one time for 48. I only pass out from sheer exhaustion.
4. My short term memory and concentration have been slowly fading.
I have no insurance and no money. I am exhausted from sleeping only 2-3 hours a day for over two months. Is there any way I can get help from the government? I live in NJ, USA. A person can only endure so much.
Brian
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-M.D.-SH, Jul 30, 2007 12:00AM
First of all, keep in mind that I am unable to diagnose you because I am unable to examine you, this forum is for educational purposes.
The financial department at the hospital should be able to help you apply for medicaid (if you qualify, I am not an expert in this area). The symptoms of ringing in your ears and violent head shocks associated with visual changes are of unclear etiology, but I would consider trigeminal neuralgia, seizure disorder and possible tumor as likely causes. Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition that causes shocks of pain down one side of the face and is often triggered by contact with skin of the face or sensation around the teeth. This is often treated with medications such as tegretol. Seizure disorders can also cause the symptoms that you describe (although the pain you describe would be less typical). Seizure disorders can also cause loss of memory and concentration, but this can also be caused by lack of sleep. The tremors that you describe might also by attributable lack of sleep, seizures or a neuromuscular condition. Tumors in the brain can cause pain, visual disturbances and seizures and although rare, this should be evaluated in your case. I woudl suggest an MRI of the brain with GAD contrast (to evaluate for tumors or other structural lesion), an EEG (brain wave test for seizures). You also need to see a neurologist to evaluate you for medications to treat your pain/shocks and to stop your sleep deprivation.
I hope this has been helpful.
The financial department at the hospital should be able to help you apply for medicaid (if you qualify, I am not an expert in this area). The symptoms of ringing in your ears and violent head shocks associated with visual changes are of unclear etiology, but I would consider trigeminal neuralgia, seizure disorder and possible tumor as likely causes. Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition that causes shocks of pain down one side of the face and is often triggered by contact with skin of the face or sensation around the teeth. This is often treated with medications such as tegretol. Seizure disorders can also cause the symptoms that you describe (although the pain you describe would be less typical). Seizure disorders can also cause loss of memory and concentration, but this can also be caused by lack of sleep. The tremors that you describe might also by attributable lack of sleep, seizures or a neuromuscular condition. Tumors in the brain can cause pain, visual disturbances and seizures and although rare, this should be evaluated in your case. I woudl suggest an MRI of the brain with GAD contrast (to evaluate for tumors or other structural lesion), an EEG (brain wave test for seizures). You also need to see a neurologist to evaluate you for medications to treat your pain/shocks and to stop your sleep deprivation.
I hope this has been helpful.
If you are uninsured then you probably need to go to a county hospital, there are some states that offer the working and non working population low cost insurance coverage but you need to go to a govt office to find out what is available in NJ. A few ph call is a good start, I would start with the medicare offices and go from there.
From the sounds of it, you definitely need a workup for your symptoms, it could be as simple as an electrolyte problem or it could be a more complicated muscle weakness issue. Either way, you deserve some answers.
Fiona
I overhead my young ER doctor talking to an older doctor, probably her supervise, and she said "it sounds like myoclonic jerks". But after my visit was over the discharge paper said "insomnia".
They prescribed 5 pills of Ambien 10mg. On the first night, when I came back from the hospital, it put me to sleep right away, and I woke up about 6 hours later.
Last night I felt like my awake brain was battle with my sleeping brain for dominance. There was no electric shock but my legs would jerk. This happened twice that I can remember before falling asleep. I woke up 7 hours later with a loud ringing in my ears. The ringing is loud during the morning and at night, but is only moderately loud to sometimes almost gone during the day.
They referred me to a neurologist. Whether he will accept "charity care" coverage I don't know. I'll call on my Monday and find out.
Due to these shocks when trying to fall asleep i've become afraid of sleep. Anytime my eyes are closed I cant help but fear a shock will hit me at any moment.
Noises also trigger these shocks/zaps. Especially sharp noises, like plastic or wood cracking. I've come to fear sharp sounds, since I now associate them will being zapped. I turn off every electrical device in my room, because monitor, computer, printer, speakers, as the plastic their made of tends to crack as the temperature in my room goes down at night.
Luckily ambien puts me to sleep without a shock, but my legs still jerk uncontrollably. My daytime muscle tremors are just as bad as they were when not getting any sleep. Also I have a strange buzzy/wired feeling when awake, especially when I focus on something, like looking at a monitor, or reading a book.
I know because I've been there and felt almost every symptonm you have described!