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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
temporal lobe
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
temporal lobe
by Laurie, Feb 19, 2000 12:00AM
IN DEC. OF '98 I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BRAIN TUMOR (MENNINGIOMA). IT WAS LOCATED IN THE TEMPORAL LOBE. IT WAS REMOVED IN JAN. '99. I HAVE HAD A BAD REACTION TO EVERY MEDICATION THEY HAVE PUT ME ON EXCEPT FOR ATIVAN. I AM ULTRA SENSITIVE TO EVERYTHING AND HAVE TO BE ON PEDIATRIC DOSES. THE LONGEST I WAS ON A MEDICATION WAS ON MYSOLINE, ALTHOUGH I FELT AWFUL 99 PERCENT OF THE TIME. I GOT UP TO A WHOPPING 75MG A DAY(25MG. 3 X A DAY)FOR 8 MO. I WAS CONSTANLY HAVING SEVERE HEADACHES AND ANXIETY AND DECIDED I HAD ENOUGH SO I SLOWLY TOOK MYSELF OFF IN DEC. OF '99. A LITTLE BEFORE I STOPPED TAKING MYSOLINE I STARTED NOTICING THE OUTER 3 TOES ON MY LEFT FOOT WERE GOING NUMB. NOW I HAVE A SEVERE NEROPATHY PROBLEM IN BOTH FEET, ANKLES, CALVES, HANDS AND ARMS. I HAVE PAIN, TINGLING, ELECTRICAL CURRENT FEELING RUNNING THROUGH MY BODY AND A LOT OF WEAKNES. (A YEAR AGO I WAS HIKING STEEP HILLSIDES AT FULL SPEED. WORSE OF ALL, I FEEL LIKE I'M HAVING A CONSTANT PANIC ATTACK. I USUALLY WAKE UP WITH A VERY PANICY FEELING EITHER DURING THE NIGHT OR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. I DO BEST WHEN I AM VERY BUSY OR AT WORK, BUT IT TAKES VERY LITTLE TO THROW ME INTO A HUGE FEELING OF PANIC. (THE THOUGHT OF EVENTUALLY ENDING UP IN A WHEEL CHAIR WILL USUALLY DO IT) THE NEUROPATHY ONLY STARTED IN NOV. '99, 10 MONTHES AFTER THE SURGERY. MY MRI SHOWS SCAR TISSUE ON THE TEMPORAL LOBE (APPARENTLY WHERE THE TUMOR WAS RESTING) BESIDES ALL THAT I HAVE SEVERE PAIN AND NUMBNESS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY FACE. I CONSTANTLY FEEL LIKE I'M HAVING A PAINFUL MUSCLE SPASM ABOVE MY UPPER LIP I HAVE BEEN TO ABOUT 5 DR'S. AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO WITH ME BESIDES GIVING ME XANAX AND PSYCOLOGICAL COUNSELING. CAN YOU RECOMMEND HOW I CAN FIND A QUALIFIED DR. IN MY AREA FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM? DO YOU THINK MY PROBLEMS COULD BE CAUSED BY THE SCAR TISSUE ON MY TEMPORAL LOBE? I REALLY NEED HELP...I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING TO DIE. I APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME. LAURIE
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS MD-JM, Feb 21, 2000 12:00AM
Laurie,
It sounds like you are having a very difficult time. I strongly recommend that you stop treating yourself and work in conjunction with a team of physicians to maximize your ability to function. You should have follow up with the neurosurgeon who performed your surgery if not already done. Then it would be helpful for a neurologist and psychiatrist who can collaborate evaluate the situation. It is only after this is done that the problem can be clarified. It does sound like you are having anxiety related to this situation and clarification of your problem will be very helpful. Please follow through with your personal physician. Good luck.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD-JM
Keywords: Anxiety
It sounds like you are having a very difficult time. I strongly recommend that you stop treating yourself and work in conjunction with a team of physicians to maximize your ability to function. You should have follow up with the neurosurgeon who performed your surgery if not already done. Then it would be helpful for a neurologist and psychiatrist who can collaborate evaluate the situation. It is only after this is done that the problem can be clarified. It does sound like you are having anxiety related to this situation and clarification of your problem will be very helpful. Please follow through with your personal physician. Good luck.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD-JM
Keywords: Anxiety
