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Can anyone help with a diagnosis... The Dr.'s are stumped but know it's something...
I am going to give you a brief history since when reading these posts I notice that it helps out a lot more.. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
I am a 37 yo female that slipped & fell at work when I was approx. 18-19yo. I have had surgery for Right thoracic outlet syndrome and have had my gallbladder removed 7 years ago (no other surgeries). With the TOS surgery they removed the first rib at the neck and it relieved the pinched nerves, there have been no other problems that I can think of associated with that since the surgery.
I have had Vertigo for about 5 years, it will affect me 1-2 times a year at the most for 1-2 days at a time and then be gone again. Suddenly in Oct. 15th, 2009 the vertigo hit and hit so hard that I went to the hospital bc the antivert wouldn't even work. They hospitalized me for 2 days and it remained constant (especially when I turned to the right side when lying down) for approx. 6 months straight (every day). Then it began to subside and just show up randomly again.
A few months after that began I began to get lower back pain to the right side of my spine and very low (closer to my buttock I would say) but the pain goes from that spot on my back and radiates around to my right leg and down the leg to around the knee area and I am currently seeing a Pain Management Doctor & he ordered an MRI of my Lumbar Spine Noncontrast and the only thing that I can find that looks off is the impression which states: Normal bilateral facet arthropathy at the L5-S1 level is the only abnormality identified. WHAT IN THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN!! I have searched online and find nothing matching that.. At the time he put me on Methocarbomol and Lyrica and the first time they increased the dose we found out that I was having multiple bad reactions to it and was immediately taken off of it and put on Gabapentin ( I am finding that it's not working as well for the pain) but back to the problems...
The pain that radiates around to my right leg and knee sometimes causes my knee to give out from under me (at random of course) and while I am walking... I did 8 weeks of Physical Therapy and during that time I started noticing that when I would use my right arm I was beginning to have major pains in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand.
Since June of this year I have had around 6 MRI's done and I will give you the results of those in a minute. Everything affecting me is on the right side of my body which is scary but is leaving me with a ton of unanswered questions.
The shoulder pain is on the back area and if you put your hand on your shoulder with your palm on top and fingers on your back it would be right around the area where your fingers are touching and it is a dull burning/ stinging feeling also when sitting in the computer chair and lifting my arms enough to put them on the computer desk and using the mouse gets painful from lifting my arm and the MRI states:
Study: MR imaging of the right shoulder was performed at 3.0 tesla without IV contract.
Findings: The glenohumeral and acromioclavicular articulations are normal without fracture, dislocation or altered marrow signal. There is no joint effusion. A limited evaluation of the nondistended joint demonstrates no labral tear. There is some high signal in the posterior supraspinatus tendon with no rotator cuff tear.
Impression:Mild tendinosis of the posterior supraspinatus tendon.
MORE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION....
I am a 37 yo female that slipped & fell at work when I was approx. 18-19yo. I have had surgery for Right thoracic outlet syndrome and have had my gallbladder removed 7 years ago (no other surgeries). With the TOS surgery they removed the first rib at the neck and it relieved the pinched nerves, there have been no other problems that I can think of associated with that since the surgery.
I have had Vertigo for about 5 years, it will affect me 1-2 times a year at the most for 1-2 days at a time and then be gone again. Suddenly in Oct. 15th, 2009 the vertigo hit and hit so hard that I went to the hospital bc the antivert wouldn't even work. They hospitalized me for 2 days and it remained constant (especially when I turned to the right side when lying down) for approx. 6 months straight (every day). Then it began to subside and just show up randomly again.
A few months after that began I began to get lower back pain to the right side of my spine and very low (closer to my buttock I would say) but the pain goes from that spot on my back and radiates around to my right leg and down the leg to around the knee area and I am currently seeing a Pain Management Doctor & he ordered an MRI of my Lumbar Spine Noncontrast and the only thing that I can find that looks off is the impression which states: Normal bilateral facet arthropathy at the L5-S1 level is the only abnormality identified. WHAT IN THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN!! I have searched online and find nothing matching that.. At the time he put me on Methocarbomol and Lyrica and the first time they increased the dose we found out that I was having multiple bad reactions to it and was immediately taken off of it and put on Gabapentin ( I am finding that it's not working as well for the pain) but back to the problems...
The pain that radiates around to my right leg and knee sometimes causes my knee to give out from under me (at random of course) and while I am walking... I did 8 weeks of Physical Therapy and during that time I started noticing that when I would use my right arm I was beginning to have major pains in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand.
Since June of this year I have had around 6 MRI's done and I will give you the results of those in a minute. Everything affecting me is on the right side of my body which is scary but is leaving me with a ton of unanswered questions.
The shoulder pain is on the back area and if you put your hand on your shoulder with your palm on top and fingers on your back it would be right around the area where your fingers are touching and it is a dull burning/ stinging feeling also when sitting in the computer chair and lifting my arms enough to put them on the computer desk and using the mouse gets painful from lifting my arm and the MRI states:
Study: MR imaging of the right shoulder was performed at 3.0 tesla without IV contract.
Findings: The glenohumeral and acromioclavicular articulations are normal without fracture, dislocation or altered marrow signal. There is no joint effusion. A limited evaluation of the nondistended joint demonstrates no labral tear. There is some high signal in the posterior supraspinatus tendon with no rotator cuff tear.
Impression:Mild tendinosis of the posterior supraspinatus tendon.
MORE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION....
@ Squirtatious- I don't remember if they've done a Cervical MRI or not... It sounds familiar but I don't remember... I wouldn't even know where to start and if they did one a year ago what are the chances that things could have gone downhill in the last year with all of these symptoms popping up?? I am just running from doctor to doctor and exhausted from doing so... Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it. Liz
@ Jellylegs- I have put my symptoms in the in the google toolbar and that is the only thing that makes sense but the doctors are saying no bc of no family history and the spams in my right hand and fingers... I just had another bad reaction to the medication they are giving me on Saturday and was in the hospital bc the right side of my body was jerking around like I was having a stroke (BUT I WASN'T)... It was a reaction to the Gabapentin and I can't take Lyrica either... Not sure where to go from here but this is getting tiring... The Physical Therapist now wants me to see an Occupational Therapist as well... Not sure where to go from here but I remember a Dr. mentioning that MS could be a possibility and then said it was all fine but what MRI's with contrast need to be done to rule it out?? I am desperate and in pain a lot of the time... Thanks for responding and I am glad to hear about your sister doing well from the medication. :) Liz
@ Jellylegs- I have put my symptoms in the in the google toolbar and that is the only thing that makes sense but the doctors are saying no bc of no family history and the spams in my right hand and fingers... I just had another bad reaction to the medication they are giving me on Saturday and was in the hospital bc the right side of my body was jerking around like I was having a stroke (BUT I WASN'T)... It was a reaction to the Gabapentin and I can't take Lyrica either... Not sure where to go from here but this is getting tiring... The Physical Therapist now wants me to see an Occupational Therapist as well... Not sure where to go from here but I remember a Dr. mentioning that MS could be a possibility and then said it was all fine but what MRI's with contrast need to be done to rule it out?? I am desperate and in pain a lot of the time... Thanks for responding and I am glad to hear about your sister doing well from the medication. :) Liz
Dont want to scare you, but MS needs to be ruled out properly by doing MRI's with contrast and lumbar puncture. The vertigo episodes you describe are what my sister expierienced before she was diagnosed with MS years ago, but she is fine now and symptom free for years after being on Rebiff.
I'm surprised through all this that you HAVN'T had a cervical mri. I would set that in motion to get one as soon as possible as well!!! I hope you can find some answers!! Take care
Now for the wrist, hand and fingers...I have also done MRI's of the wrist without contrast and hand w/ and w/o contrast... My entire arm has become extremely weak in the past few months where I can no longer lift my arm up and if I am going to put my hair in a pony tail I have to bend down to bring my hair to the hand bc I can no longer lift my arm to put it up. I am unable to carry more than maybe a loaf of bread in my right arm/ hand bc it feels like it weighs at least 20lbs. and it is only a loaf of bread. I am no longer able to even open a bottle of soda or even pull open a container of yogurt any more. It is a combination of painful and my strength is just not there any more.
My right hand and fingers have become very complex trying to figure out what is going on there but my hand is very weak and that isn't the tough part but my fingers have started curling under and having spasms over 75 times a day but now add to that my entire hand in now contorting into different positions and this all happens with and without pain and I cannot control it when it happens.If it spasms I can rub it out by rubbing up and down the underside of my arm (but that does not always work lately) and the pain that I have been getting when this happens is between the wrist and elbow on the top part of the arm and is more like a burning feeling from the muscles spasming so much. When I am on the computer my fingers will double click the mouse and I have to correct whatever I double clicked by accident... I also noticed that my hand is losing feeling at times and at other times it is going numb... The hand/ finger problem is worsening on a daily basis and the Dr.'s are stumped by this.
I have seen the Neurologist and now he is sending me to a (Neurology) movement disorder specialist (no available appt. until December), ordered physical therapy (again) and ordered an MRI of my brain (still waiting for it to be scheduled).
The wrist is not as bad but it feels as though I am hitting bones all the time and it just hurts in general. I was using the mouse about a week ago and was going somewhere and when I turned my hand to look at my wrist/ palm area I noticed a bruise (that I never even felt pain from) on the bone where the hand/ wrist connect in the middle of the hand/ wrist but just to the side closest to the thumb but almost dead middle. The bone on the wrist on the side closest to the pinkie finger is also a big problem for pain for me.
Here is what the MRI states: THIS IS FOR BOTH THE HAND AND WRIST COMBINED...
Procedure: MR of the right hand with and without IV contrast. MR of the right wrist without contrast.
Findings: MR evaluation of the right hand and wrist demonstrates atrophy of the abductor pollicis brevis, pronator quadratus, and radial 2 interosseous muscles. There is mild ulnar subluxation of the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon. Otherwise, the flexor and extensor tendons are normal. There are no enhancing masses. The joint spaces are normal in size. There is no bone edema. The carpals are normally aligned.
Impression: Atrophy of the abductor pollicis brevis and pronator quadratus muscles which suggest median nerve entrapment, however there is also likely mild atrophy of the ulnar innervated interosseous musculature radial suggesting a more central lesion. Additionally followup imaging would be best on physical exam with localization of the lesion.
Those are the results that I have on hand... I also did one of the brachial plexus that test came out normal but my elbow has popped lately and hurts to bend or straighten it..
I will cover all of my recent ailments one more time.. Everything is right sided so please bear with me..
My right shoulder, hand, wrist, fingers, elbow, lower back pain on the right side that radiates around to my right leg and causes my leg to give out from under me (randomly), my vertigo has started up again and is worse when I turn my head to the right side, my memory has become VERY BAD in the past couple months, fine motor skills in my fingers (touching each one to the thumb gently) is no longer possible, my vision is sometimes blurry in my right eye ( I scheduled an appt. for my eye Dr. just have to wait now) but when I put my glasses on it feels like someone is stabbing me in my eye (literally), and I woke up one morning and my hearing was off (in my right ear) but now seems normal again, and I lose my balance very easily ( I have been running into walls lately and fell and now have a very LARGE bruise on my left side..
Please ask any questions if you need more information. Thanks for taking the time to look and try to help. :)
My right hand and fingers have become very complex trying to figure out what is going on there but my hand is very weak and that isn't the tough part but my fingers have started curling under and having spasms over 75 times a day but now add to that my entire hand in now contorting into different positions and this all happens with and without pain and I cannot control it when it happens.If it spasms I can rub it out by rubbing up and down the underside of my arm (but that does not always work lately) and the pain that I have been getting when this happens is between the wrist and elbow on the top part of the arm and is more like a burning feeling from the muscles spasming so much. When I am on the computer my fingers will double click the mouse and I have to correct whatever I double clicked by accident... I also noticed that my hand is losing feeling at times and at other times it is going numb... The hand/ finger problem is worsening on a daily basis and the Dr.'s are stumped by this.
I have seen the Neurologist and now he is sending me to a (Neurology) movement disorder specialist (no available appt. until December), ordered physical therapy (again) and ordered an MRI of my brain (still waiting for it to be scheduled).
The wrist is not as bad but it feels as though I am hitting bones all the time and it just hurts in general. I was using the mouse about a week ago and was going somewhere and when I turned my hand to look at my wrist/ palm area I noticed a bruise (that I never even felt pain from) on the bone where the hand/ wrist connect in the middle of the hand/ wrist but just to the side closest to the thumb but almost dead middle. The bone on the wrist on the side closest to the pinkie finger is also a big problem for pain for me.
Here is what the MRI states: THIS IS FOR BOTH THE HAND AND WRIST COMBINED...
Procedure: MR of the right hand with and without IV contrast. MR of the right wrist without contrast.
Findings: MR evaluation of the right hand and wrist demonstrates atrophy of the abductor pollicis brevis, pronator quadratus, and radial 2 interosseous muscles. There is mild ulnar subluxation of the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon. Otherwise, the flexor and extensor tendons are normal. There are no enhancing masses. The joint spaces are normal in size. There is no bone edema. The carpals are normally aligned.
Impression: Atrophy of the abductor pollicis brevis and pronator quadratus muscles which suggest median nerve entrapment, however there is also likely mild atrophy of the ulnar innervated interosseous musculature radial suggesting a more central lesion. Additionally followup imaging would be best on physical exam with localization of the lesion.
Those are the results that I have on hand... I also did one of the brachial plexus that test came out normal but my elbow has popped lately and hurts to bend or straighten it..
I will cover all of my recent ailments one more time.. Everything is right sided so please bear with me..
My right shoulder, hand, wrist, fingers, elbow, lower back pain on the right side that radiates around to my right leg and causes my leg to give out from under me (randomly), my vertigo has started up again and is worse when I turn my head to the right side, my memory has become VERY BAD in the past couple months, fine motor skills in my fingers (touching each one to the thumb gently) is no longer possible, my vision is sometimes blurry in my right eye ( I scheduled an appt. for my eye Dr. just have to wait now) but when I put my glasses on it feels like someone is stabbing me in my eye (literally), and I woke up one morning and my hearing was off (in my right ear) but now seems normal again, and I lose my balance very easily ( I have been running into walls lately and fell and now have a very LARGE bruise on my left side..
Please ask any questions if you need more information. Thanks for taking the time to look and try to help. :)
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